Device including light emitting diode as light sensor and light source

• US 7,557,690 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: McMahon, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/358,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20060145887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.13, 340/469, 340/426.14, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/539.22, 340/539.26, 340/539.3, 340/600, 340/639.19, 340/636.2, 340/693.3, 340/815.4, 340/815.52, 340/815.45, 340/815.53
• US Class Current: 340/426.13
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A battery operated controller for a door operator includes a keypad backlit by a light emitting diode operably connected to a microcontroller which also controls operation of the controller. The microcontroller periodically measures ambient light as sensed by the light emitting diode and when a voltage level related to a predetermined light intensity decreases below a predetermined level the light emitting diode is energized to provide backlighting for the controller keypad. The intensity of backlighting may be varied in accordance with the amount of ambient light illuminating the keypad and above a certain intensity of ambient light the light emitting diode is de-energized to conserve battery power.

Claims

1. A battery operated controller for a door operator comprising:

a light transmitting switch actuator pad including plural switch actuators and operable to transmit visible light from a light source comprising a light emitting diode;

said light emitting diode is positioned such as to backlight said switch actuator pad and to directly sense ambient light projecting from said switch actuator pad;

a circuit including said light emitting diode for generating visible light to illuminate said switch actuator pad; and

a microcontroller operably connected to said circuit including said light emitting diode for sensing said ambient light on said switch actuator pad and for energizing said light emitting diode when said ambient light is less than a predetermined intensity.

2. The controller set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said microcontroller is programmed to periodically deenergize said light emitting diode, measure the intensity of ambient light transmitted by said switch actuator pad to said light emitting diode and energize said light emitting diode if the measured intensity is less than a predetermined amount.

3. The controller set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said microcontroller is further operable for converting a voltage signal from said light emitting diode to a digital signal, comparing said digital signal to a preset signal corresponding to a level of ambient light intensity and energizing said light emitting diode at a voltage related to the intensity of ambient light and producing an intensity of light emitted by said light emitting diode required to compensate for insufficient ambient light.

4. The controller set forth in claim 3 including:

plural switches associated with said switch actuators, respectively, and operably connected to said microcontroller by way of a regulator circuit for enabling said microcontroller in response to actuation of any of said switches.

5. The controller set forth in claim 4 including:

a visual indicator operably connected to said microcontroller and responsive to an output signal from said microcontroller which is responsive to actuation of one or more of said switches to provide a visual user feedback signal.

6. The controller set forth in claim 5 including:

a switch operably connected to said microcontroller and said indicator and responsive to a signal from said microcontroller for energizing said indicator.

7. The controller set forth in claim 4 including:

a switch operably connected to said microcontroller and to said regulator circuit and operable to maintain said regulator circuit in a condition to enable said microcontroller.

8. The controller set forth in claim 4 including:

a radio frequency transmitter operably connected to said microcontroller and responsive to actuation of selected ones of said switches to transmit a signal to a door operator.

9. A battery operated controller for a door operator comprising:

a light transmitting switch actuator pad including plural switch actuators and operable to transmit visible light from a light source comprising a light emitting diode;

said light emitting diode is positioned such as to backlight said switch actuator pad and to directly sense ambient light projecting from said switch actuator pad;

a circuit including said light emitting diode for generating visible light to illuminate said switch actuator pad; and

a microcontroller operably connected to said circuit including said light emitting diode for sensing ambient light on said switch actuator pad and for energizing said light emitting diode when said ambient light is less than a predetermined intensity, said microcontroller is programmed to periodically deenergize said light emitting diode, measure the intensity of ambient light transmitted by said switch actuator pad to said light emitting diode and energize said light emitting diode if the measured intensity is less than a predetermined amount, said microcontroller further being operable for comparing a signal from said light emitting diode to a preset signal corresponding to a level of ambient light intensity and energizing said light emitting diode at a voltage related to the intensity of ambient light and producing an intensity of light emitted by said light emitting diode required to compensate for insufficient ambient light.

10. The controller set forth in claim 9 including:

plural switches associated with said switch actuators, respectively; and

a regulator circuit operably connected to said switches and said microcontroller for enabling said microcontroller in response to actuation of any of said switches.

11. The controller set forth in claim 10 including:

a switch operably connected to said microcontroller and to said regulator circuit and operable to maintain said regulator circuit in a condition to enable said microcontroller.

12. The controller set forth in claim 10 including:

a radio frequency transmitter operably connected to said microcontroller and responsive to actuation of selected ones of said switches to transmit a signal to a door operator.

13. A battery operated controller for a door operator comprising:

a light transmitting switch actuator pad including plural switch actuators and operable to transmit visible light from a light source comprising a light emitting diode;

said light emitting diode is positioned such as to backlight said switch actuator pad and to directly sense ambient light projecting from said switch actuator pad;

a circuit including said light emitting diode for generating visible light to illuminate said switch actuator pad;

a microcontroller operably connected to said circuit including said light emitting diode for sensing said ambient light on said switch actuator pad and for energizing said light emitting diode when said ambient light is less than a predetermined intensity, said microcontroller is programmed to periodically deenergize said light emitting diode, measure the intensity of ambient light transmitted by said switch actuator pad to said light emitting diode and energize said light emitting diode if the measured intensity is less than a predetermined amount.

14. The controller set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said microcontroller is further operable for comparing a signal from said light emitting diode to a preset signal corresponding to a level of ambient light intensity and energizing said light emitting diode at a voltage related to the intensity of ambient light and producing an intensity of light emitted by said light emitting diode required to compensate for insufficient ambient light; and

a visual indicator is operably connected to said microcontroller and responsive to an output signal from said microcontroller which is responsive to actuation of one or more switches associated with said switch actuators, respectively, to provide a visual user feedback signal by way of said switch actuator pad.

15. The controller set forth in claim 13 including:

a switch operably connected to said microcontroller and to a regulator circuit and operable to maintain said regulator circuit in a condition to enable said microcontroller.

16. The controller set forth in claim 14 including:

a radio frequency transmitter operably connected to said microcontroller and responsive to actuation of selected ones of said switches to transmit a signal to a door operator.