The global light emission of dielectric barrier discharge with pattern mode in air was measured and compared with the global current obtained with a small resistor. The results show that the moments and the amplitudes of the pulses in light emission correspond to those in the global current, respectively. So the discharge current can be measured by optical methods. Further more, the temporal aspect of the microdischarges in dielectric barrier discharge was obtained by using this method. It is believed that the results are of great importance to the study of spatiotemporal dynamics in dielectric barrier discharge, and are valuable to the study of gas discharge as well.