Vehicle indicator circuit having controlled backlighting

• US 9,758,094 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Neese, Thomas A., Everhart, Jon, Qureshi, Shakim S., Suriano, John R., Jones, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Monica C
• Application Number:
  US15/095,677
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/39 continuously
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Indicator circuit having a backlight and an indicator light associated with a graphical element. The graphical element is adapted to be illuminated by the indicator light for indicating an active vehicle function as well as backlit by the backlight. A switch coupled to the backlight selectively turns OFF the backlight in response to a drive signal supplied by the indicator light. In this manner, the backlight is OFF when the graphical element is illuminated by the indicator light.

Claims

1. A backlit indicator system comprising:

a display having a plurality of graphical elements;

a plurality of lighting circuits, each of the lighting circuits corresponding to one of the graphical elements, each of the lighting circuits comprising;

a backlight light emitting diode (LED) configured to backlight the corresponding graphical element during a low light condition;

an indicator LED configured to selectively illuminate the corresponding graphical element for indicating an active vehicle function; and

a switch for alternately backlighting and illuminating the corresponding graphical element, said switch electrically connected to the backlight LED and to the indicator LED for selectively turning OFF the connected backlight LED, said switch responsive to a drive signal supplied by the indicator LED to turn OFF the backlight LED when the corresponding graphical element is illuminated by the indicator LED.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator LED is coupled to a power source providing power to the indicator LED when a vehicle function associated with the corresponding graphical element is active.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the indicator LED is responsive to an indicator signal from a vehicle control module configured for selecting the vehicle function to be activated.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a transistor connected between the backlight LED and ground and having a terminal connected to the indicator LED for receiving the drive signal when the indicator LED is ON.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an instrument lamp dimming source for driving the backlight LED.

6. A method of alternately backlighting and illuminating a graphical element comprising:

electrically connecting a plurality of lighting circuits to a display having a plurality of graphical elements, each of the lighting circuits corresponding to one of the graphical elements, each of the lighting circuits including a backlight light emitting diode (LED) configured to backlight a corresponding graphical element during a low light condition and an indicator LED configured to selectively illuminate the corresponding graphical element for indicating an active vehicle function;

electrically connecting a switch to the backlight LED and the indicator LED for alternately backlighting and illuminating the corresponding graphical element, wherein the switch comprises an NPN transistor having a base, collector, and emitter; and

responsive to an active low indicator signal from a vehicle control module turning ON the indicator LED, driving the base of the NPN transistor with the active low indicator signal to bias OFF the backlight LED when the indicator LED is ON.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising coupling the indicator LED to a power source providing power to the indicator LED when a vehicle function associated with the corresponding graphical element is active.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising driving the backlight LED with an instrument lamp dimming source.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the backlight LED and the indicator LED having at least one of a different color and a different intensity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising pulse width modulating the lamp dimming source.