Patent ID: 7583244

Claim:
A signal apparatus comprising: a number of light emitting diode circuits, each of said light emitting diode circuits comprising: a first terminal; a second terminal; a forward circuit comprising: a number of light emitting diodes electrically connected in series, and a forward steering diode electrically connected in series with said light emitting diodes, wherein the series combination of said forward steering diode and said light emitting diodes is electrically connected between said first and second terminals, and wherein said series combination is structured to conduct current in a first direction with respect to said first and second terminals in order to illuminate said light emitting diodes; and a reverse circuit comprising: a resistor, and a reverse steering diode electrically connected in series with said resistor, wherein the series combination of said reverse steering diode and said resistor is electrically connected between said first and second terminals, wherein said series combination of said reverse steering diode and said resistor is structured to conduct current in a second direction with respect to said first and second terminals in order that said light emitting diodes are not illuminated, and wherein said second direction is opposite said first direction.