Patent ID: 6952084

Claim:
A system for use with an exhaustible power source and an energy consuming light generating load, said system comprising: (a) a microchip having at least a first input, said first input transfers information to said microchip when a switch connected to said first input has been activated or deactivated, and when in use with said power source and said load, said input and said switch do not form a serial link in a circuit that conducts energy from the power source to activate the light generating load and wherein said switch is a user interface; (b) said microchip being configured to control the activation and deactivation of the energy flow from said power source to said light generating load in response to at least a signal received through said first input; (c) said microchip also configured to control the selection of one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least the adjustment in the power supplied to the load, in response to at least a signal received through said first input such that at least two levels of illumination can be activated; and (d) said microchip further configured to control at least one function selected from the group consisting of: (i) a low energy consuming find-in-the-dark location indicator that is active when the load is not activated by the user and when the power source is not being charged, said indicator also gives an indication of the said switch operations; (ii) a power source level indicator that is not dependent on user selection and/or light generating load activation, and is active when the power source is not being charged; and (iii) a gradual adjustment of power to the load, such that the gradual change in power is not easily visible to the human eye, and wherein the adjusted power level is based on operator actions.