Patent ID: 7446429

Claim:
A vehicular illuminator provided in an interior of a vehicle, comprising: a sensing electrode operative to detect approach of a human body; an electrostatic capacity detector operative to detect an electrostatic capacity between the sensing electrode and ground and provide a detection value corresponding to the electrostatic capacity; a controller operative to input the detection value for comparison with previously determined n threshold values (n is a natural number), where n is greater than 1, and provide a control value corresponding to a magnitude relation therebetween; and a light source operative to illuminate the interior of the vehicle and being controllably dimmed to different illumination levels based on the control value, wherein the controller is operative to: increase an amount of current supplied to the light source to increase illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, where the detection value reaches a first threshold value starting from an off state of the light source; and maintain the amount of current at a maximum level when the detection value reaches a second threshold value, wherein, when the detection value decreases before reaching the second threshold value, the controller is operative to maintain illumination of the light source at a specific illumination level attained before the detection value decrease occurred.