Vehicles which incorporate the use of keyless entry are known. Typical keyless entry systems have a keypad which is either permanently visible, or selectively visible on the outside of the vehicle. When it is desired to enter the vehicle, the correct combination of numbers are depressed on the keypad, and the keypad sends a signal to the vehicle's electronic control unit, or a separate controller, and a signal is sent to the vehicle door locks to unlock the vehicle.
There have been many various systems which are used to achieve the use of a keyless entry system, one of which is to incorporate the use of a non-contact sensor in conjunction with a keyless entry system which is only visible when desired. These keyless entry systems are commonly located in the vehicle's “B-pillar,” the B-pillar is the portion of the vehicle located between the front and rear doors (on a four-door vehicle). Most of these systems incorporate the use of a lighting device, such as a light emitting diode (LED) for providing illumination of the keypad. However, the use of LEDs or other light bulbs for providing selective illumination of the keypad raises packaging concerns because of the space occupied by the light bulbs.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved method of illuminating a keypad for a keyless entry system in an automobile.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds