Eye-safe laser-based lighting

1. A laser-based light source, comprising:

a laser device configured to generate laser light of a predetermined laser wavelength, modulate the laser light, and emit the laser light as a laser beam that is modulated in time;

a phosphor light-conversion device configured to convert at least part of the laser light into phosphor converted light;

a laser-output sensor configured to receive a portion of an output of the laser light emitted by the laser device and determine laser-output signal being correlated with the output of the laser light;

a phosphor converted-light sensor configured to receive a portion of an output of the phosphor converted light emitted by the phosphor light-conversion device and determine converted-light signal being correlated with the output of the phosphor converted light; and

a controller configured to receive the laser-output signal and the phosphor converted-light signal, monitor the modulation depths of the received signals, determine a safe-to-operate parameter of the laser device based on the modulation depths and a phase delay between the laser-output signal and the phosphor converted-light signal, and provide a warning indicator to a user and/or control operation of the laser-based light source based on a comparison between the safe-to-operate parameter and at least one predefined threshold.

2. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , wherein the laser-output sensor is formed by a laser-light photo diode configured to receive the portion of the laser light.

3. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , further comprising at least one optical fiber configured to guide the laser light to the light-conversion device.

4. The laser-based light source of claim 3 , wherein the phosphor converted-light sensor is arranged at an end of the optical fiber which is remote from the phosphor light-conversion device.

5. The laser-based light source of claim 3 , wherein the phosphor converted-light sensor is arranged at a position along the optical fiber, and further comprising a decoupling device configured to couple the phosphor converted light out of the optical fiber and into the phosphor converted-light sensor.

6. The laser-based light source of claim 3 , wherein the optical fiber is provided with an electrical wiring for detecting damage to the optical fiber.

7. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the safe-to-operate parameter with two predefined thresholds.

8. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to at least one of shut down laser emission, switch the laser emission to a safe intermediate level based on the comparison between the safe-to-operate parameter and at least one predefined threshold.

9. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , further including a redirection device having a beam splitter configured to reflect the at least part of the converted light to the phosphor converted-light sensor and to reflect the portion of the laser light to the laser-output sensor.

10. A laser-based light source, comprising:

a laser device configured to generate laser light of a first wavelength, modulate the laser light, and emit the light as a laser beam that is modulated in time;

a phosphor light-conversion device configured to convert at least part of the laser light into phosphor converted light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;

wherein at least portions of the laser light of the first wavelength and the phosphor converted light of the second wavelength are combined in the laser-based light source to form white light;

a laser-output sensor configured to receive part of an output of the laser light emitted by the laser device and determine a laser-output signal being correlated with the output of the laser light emitted by the laser device;

a phosphor converted-light sensor configured to receive a portion of an output of the phosphor converted light emitted by the phosphor light-conversion device and determine if a converted-light signal being correlated with the output of the phosphor converted light emitted by the phosphor light-conversion device; and

a controller configured to receive the laser-output signal and the phosphor converted-light signal, monitor the modulation depths of the received signals, determine a safe-to-operate parameter of the laser device based on the modulation depths and a phase delay between the laser-output signal and the phosphor converted-light signal, and control operation of the laser-based light source based on a comparison between the safe-to-operate parameter and at least one predefined threshold.

11. The laser-based light source of claim 1 , wherein the safe-to-operate parameter relates to the laser-based light source being in an unsafe to operate condition, and wherein the unsafe to operate condition includes at least one of: when a package containing the light source is opened, when a removable optical component of the light source is removed, when phosphor degradation or a removable phosphor removal occurs, when the position of any component or light-conversion device is beyond a predefined tolerance value, or when a light-guiding part in the laser-based light source, including an optical fiber, is cut or damaged.