Light bar
First Claim
1. A light bar system, comprising:
- a circuit board having at least one switch arranged on one side thereof and electrical circuitry operative to generate electrical signals in response to actuation of the at least one switch;
a light bar covering the at least one switch and having a first portion and a second portion; and
a light emitting diode (LED) mounted to the circuit board closer to the first portion than to the second portion, the electrical signals illuminating the LED at alternative first and second intensities, the first intensity illuminating the first portion and not substantially illuminating the second portion, and the second intensity illuminating the first and the second portions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light bar system for a vehicle compartment includes a circuit board having a plurality of capacitive-type, user-activated switches, an electrical power source coupled to the circuit board, a light emitting diode (LED) coupled to the circuit board, and a light bar affixed to the circuit board. The user-activated switches are coupled to a vehicle accessory to control the level of operation of the vehicle accessory. The most recently actuated one of the user-actuated switches is detected by the circuit board and the circuit board provides a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal to the LED with a duty cycle of the PWM signal based on the most recently actuated switch. A higher duty cycle PWM signal corresponds to a higher setting of the accessory.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A light bar system, comprising:
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a circuit board having at least one switch arranged on one side thereof and electrical circuitry operative to generate electrical signals in response to actuation of the at least one switch; a light bar covering the at least one switch and having a first portion and a second portion; and a light emitting diode (LED) mounted to the circuit board closer to the first portion than to the second portion, the electrical signals illuminating the LED at alternative first and second intensities, the first intensity illuminating the first portion and not substantially illuminating the second portion, and the second intensity illuminating the first and the second portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling an amount of a light bar that is visibly illuminated comprising:
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mounting a LED adjacent to the light bar; and varying a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal powering the LED between a first duty cycle and a second duty cycle greater than the first, the first duty cycle selected to light the LED at a first intensity sufficient to visibly illuminate only a first portion of the light bar relatively close to the LED, and the second duty cycle selected to light the LED at a second intensity sufficient to visibly illuminate the first portion and a second portion of the light bar farther from the LED than the first portion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A light bar system installed a vehicle compartment, comprising:
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a circuit board having a plurality of capacitive-type, user-activated switches arranged linearly and electrical circuitry operative to generate electrical signals in response to actuation of the switches, the switches operatively coupled to a vehicle accessory; an electrical power source coupled to the circuit board; a light emitting diode (LED) coupled to the circuit board at one end of the switches; a light bar affixed to the circuit board such that the light bar covers the switches, the light bar located proximate the LED, wherein; actuation of a first of the switches causes the electrical circuitry to supply to the LED a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal having a first duty cycle selected to light the LED at a first intensity sufficient to visibly illuminate only a first portion of the light bar relatively close to the LED; and actuation of a second of the switches causes the electrical circuitry to supply to the LED a PWM signal having a second duty cycle selected to light the LED at a second intensity sufficient to visibly illuminate the first portion and a second portion of the light bar farther from the LED than the first portion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification