Photoelectric ambient light switch with ambient light sensing means
First Claim
1. A switching system comprising:
- a housing portion for an electronic device such as a radio,a plurality of ambient light sensing means secured in said housing portion to be exposed to ambient light,ambient sensing circuit means coupled to said plurality of ambient light sensing means to produce an ambient sensing signal in response to ambient light,averaging circuit means coupled to said light sensing means to produce a reference signal representing average ambient light reaching said plurality of ambient light sensing means,switch sensing means secured in said housing portion and positioned to be exposed to the ambient light and to be shielded from such ambient light by an operator of the switching system;
shielding sensing circuit means coupled to said switch sensing means to produce a switch sensing signal in response to selectable light shielding,a comparison means coupled to said averaging circuit means and shielding sensing circuit means to respond after a predetermined delay to a comparison of the switch sensing signal and the reference signal and,a switching circuit coupled to said comparison means and responsive to the compared switch sensing and reference signals to perform a switching function.
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Abstract
A switching system operated from switching areas in a housing of an electronic device includes first and second sets of ambient light sensors and switch sensing means secured in the housing. An ambient sensing circuit and averaging circuit means connects to the first set of light sensors to produce a reference signal representing an average ambient light reaching the first set. A shielding sensing circuit means couples to the second set of light sensors to produce a switch sensing signal in response to an operator shielding ambient light therefrom. A comparison means coupled to the averaging and shielding sensing signal and the reference signal to provide an output after a predetermined delay; and a switch connected to said comparison means performs at least one switching function in response to the output from the comparison means.
26 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A switching system comprising:
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a housing portion for an electronic device such as a radio, a plurality of ambient light sensing means secured in said housing portion to be exposed to ambient light, ambient sensing circuit means coupled to said plurality of ambient light sensing means to produce an ambient sensing signal in response to ambient light, averaging circuit means coupled to said light sensing means to produce a reference signal representing average ambient light reaching said plurality of ambient light sensing means, switch sensing means secured in said housing portion and positioned to be exposed to the ambient light and to be shielded from such ambient light by an operator of the switching system; shielding sensing circuit means coupled to said switch sensing means to produce a switch sensing signal in response to selectable light shielding, a comparison means coupled to said averaging circuit means and shielding sensing circuit means to respond after a predetermined delay to a comparison of the switch sensing signal and the reference signal and, a switching circuit coupled to said comparison means and responsive to the compared switch sensing and reference signals to perform a switching function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A switching system comprising:
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a housing portion for an electronic device such as a radio, a plurality of sensing means secured in said housing portion and positioned to be exposed to the ambient light and to be shielded from such ambient light by an operator of the switching system; ambient sensing circuit means coupled to said plurality of sensing means to produce an ambient sensing signal in response to ambient light, averaging circuit means coupled to sensing means to produce a reference signal representing average ambient light reaching said plurality of sensing means, shielding sensing circuit means coupled to said sensing means to produce a switch sensing signal in response to selectable light shielding, a comparison means coupled to said averaging circuit means and shielding sensing circuit means to respond after a predetermined delay to a comparison of the switch sensing signal and the reference signal and, a switching circuit coupled to said comparison means and responsive to the compared switch sensing and reference signals to perform a switching function.
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Specification