Touch sensor and location indicator circuits
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An electronic module for use with a product comprising an energy consuming load and a power source or a connection to a power source, said module comprising a microchip, and a switch;
- said switch being a user interface and does not form a serial link in a circuit that transfers power from the power source to power the load, and said microchip controlling a luminous visible location indicator that is not the load according to at least one configuration selected from the following group;
a) wherein the visible indicator at least indicates a condition of the product upon receiving a signal from the user interface switch, and wherein the switch is a touch sensor type switch;
b) wherein the visible indicator is activated at least to indicate an activation signal from the switch when the load is not activated; and
c) wherein the visible indicator is also used to indicate a power level of the power source when the load is switched off and the product is not connected to a mains supply.
1 Assignment
Litigations
2 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic circuit for use with an exhaustible power source and load such as a light bulb, a radio or motor, includes a microchip with an input that transmits a signal to the microchip when the load is activated or deactivated. The input does not form a serial link between the power source and the load. The power switch, by on/off switching, controls energy flow from the power source to the load. The electronic circuit has an automatic delayed shut-off function for the load and, a find-in-the-dark indicator and a power source level indicator which are active when the load is not energized and the power source is not being charged. The input to the microchip acts as an activation/deactivation user interface. The microchip allows the user to select specific functions based on the time duration of activation signals, the time duration between activation signals and the number of activation signals at the input.
11 Citations
55 Claims
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1. An electronic module for use with a product comprising an energy consuming load and a power source or a connection to a power source, said module comprising a microchip, and a switch;
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said switch being a user interface and does not form a serial link in a circuit that transfers power from the power source to power the load, and said microchip controlling a luminous visible location indicator that is not the load according to at least one configuration selected from the following group; a) wherein the visible indicator at least indicates a condition of the product upon receiving a signal from the user interface switch, and wherein the switch is a touch sensor type switch; b) wherein the visible indicator is activated at least to indicate an activation signal from the switch when the load is not activated; and c) wherein the visible indicator is also used to indicate a power level of the power source when the load is switched off and the product is not connected to a mains supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of operating a product which includes a visible luminous indicator, an energy consuming load and a power source for powering the load, the method including the steps of operating a user interface switch, that is a touch sensor type switch which is not a serial link in a circuit from the power source to the load to power the load, to control the operation of a microchip, using the microchip to control the connection of the power source to the load and the activation of the indicator, and to activate the indicator to show at least one of the following when the load is not activated:
- a condition of the product, an activation of the switch, and a power level of the power source.
- View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
Specification