Patent ID: 7042341
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: H05B,Y02B

Abstract:
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 sense ambient light transmitted directly from said switch actuator pad to said light emitting diode; 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 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.