Claims
- 1. A lighting control device for controlling the state and light intensity level of at least one lamp, said lighting control device comprising:
- user-actuatable means for setting and storing a desired intensity level, and
- indicator means for visually indicating the desired intensity level when said lamp is in an OFF state, said indicator means comprising a plurality of light sources disposed in a sequence representing a range from a minimum intensity level to a maximum intensity level, and control means for (a) illuminating a selected one of said light sources representing said desired intensity level relative to said minimum and maximum intensity levels at a first illumination level, and (b) illuminating each of the remaining light sources at a second illumination level which is less than said first illumination level, yet is sufficient to enable said light sources to be readily perceived by eye in a darkened environment.
- 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said control means further functions to energize only a selected one of said light sources when said lamp is in an ON state, all remaining light sources being OFF.
- 3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said control means further functions to energize only a selected one of said light sources at an illumination level higher than said first illumination level when said lamp is in an ON state, all remaining light sources being OFF.
- 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sequence is a linear array.
- 5. A lighting control device for controlling the state and light intensity of at least one lamp, said device comprising
- user-actuatable means for setting and storing a desired intensity level; and
- indicator means for visually indicating said desired intensity level when said lamp is in either an ON or OFF state, said indicator means comprising:
- a) a plurality of light sources disposed in a sequence representing a range of lamp intensity levels from a minimum intensity level to a maximum intensity level; and
- b) control means for i) illuminating a selected one of said light sources representing, by its respective position in said array, said desired intensity level, said selected one of said light sources being illuminated at a first intensity level when the lamp is in an ON state, each of remaining light sources being OFF, and ii) illuminating each of said remaining light sources of said indicator means at a second intensity level, different from said,first intensity level, when said lamp is in an OFF state.
- 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said first intensity level is greater than said second intensity level.
- 7. A device according to claim 5, wherein said selected one of said light sources representing said desired intensity level is illuminated at a third intensity level, less than said first intensity level and greater than said second intensity level, when said lamp is in said OFF state.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 07/860,921, filed Mar. 31, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,919.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3487263 |
Pahlavan |
Dec 1969 |
|
4359670 |
Hosaka et al. |
Nov 1982 |
|
4649323 |
Pearlman et al. |
Mar 1987 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Leviton's MicroDim(.TM.) lighting controller (Made available to public more than one year before applicant's invention). |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
860921 |
Mar 1991 |
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