Patent attributes
Internet connected electrical switches can benefit from an electronic rather than mechanical means to indicate their output power level. In one embodiment a touch-controlled dimmer switch is disclosed, including an interactive, uniformly illuminated bar of light, indicating the output power state of a dimmer switch. In response to a user moving their finger on a touch-sensitive front cover the dimmer switch illuminates corresponding regions with well-defined edges on a touch sensitive cover. The illuminated regions can be elongated, wider than a typical finger and encompass the most recently touched location, thereby providing improved feedback between the finger position on a touch sensitive surface and the operating point of an electrical switch. In several embodiments a segmented backlight is used to implement the interactive illuminated bar of light by uniformly illuminating the bounds of a touch region on the front surface of the switch corresponding to a particular output power state of the dimmer switch. Means are provided to produce closely spaced elongated illuminated regions with substantially uniform intensity and well-defined perimeters, well suited for internet connected smart light switches. In another aspect a translucent layer behind the touch sensitive surface can contain decorative and interchangeable artwork, illuminated by the segmented backlight.
