Circuit board with sensor controlled lights and end-to-end connection

Abstract

Printed circuit boards with sensor controlled illumination units and end-to-end connection capabilities. For example, a lighting element, sensor/detector, and computational control element are implemented on a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board also includes end-to-end connection terminals that allow multiple printed circuit boards to be operably coupled together in an end-to-end manner. This provides a scalable system that can be modularized to a base unit for installation in various packages, orientations, or environments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool storage unit including a drawer, the tool storage unit comprising:
 a light module disposed in the drawer and including:
 a printed circuit board including a power circuit having first and second input/output (I/O) power terminals and a first data circuit having first and second I/O data terminals; 
 a microcontroller module disposed on the printed circuit board and operably coupled to the first data circuit; 
 a sensor module disposed on the printed circuit board and operably coupled to the microcontroller module, wherein the microcontroller module is adapted to receive data from the sensor module; and 
 an illumination circuit disposed on the printed circuit board and including a switching element and a light element, the light element is operably coupled to the power circuit and the switching element is operably coupled to the microcontroller module via the first data circuit and is adapted to receive a signal from the microcontroller module to illuminate the light element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the light module further includes a power management module disposed on the printed circuit board and is operably coupled to the power circuit, wherein the power management module is adapted to supply power to the sensor module and the microcontroller module. 
     
     
         3 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further includes second and third data circuits that are adapted to provide I/O connectivity into and out of the printed circuit board. 
     
     
         4 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the switching element is adapted to operably couple the light element to the power circuit to cause operation of the light element. 
     
     
         5 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor module includes at least one of a time-of-flight module and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         6 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the second I/O power terminal and the second I/O data terminal are each adapted to operably couple to a second printed circuit board of a second lighting module. 
     
     
         7 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board further includes a ground circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The tool storage unit of  claim 7 , wherein the switching element is adapted to operably couple the light element to the ground circuit to cause operation of the light element. 
     
     
         9 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source operably coupled to the first I/O power terminal. 
     
     
         10 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a switching module operably coupled to the first I/O data terminal. 
     
     
         11 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1 , wherein the light module is adapted to illuminate the light element when the drawer is open. 
     
     
         12 . The tool storage unit of  claim 11 , further comprising a second light module disposed in the tool storage unit, wherein the second light module is operably coupled to the first light module and is adapted to illuminate a second light element when the drawer is opened. 
     
     
         13 . A lighting system, comprising:
 a first light module including:
 a first printed circuit board including a first power circuit having first and second input/output (I/O) power terminals, and a first data circuit having first and second I/O data terminals; 
 a first microcontroller module disposed on the first printed circuit board and operably coupled to the first data circuit; 
 a first sensor module disposed on the first printed circuit board and operably coupled to the first microcontroller module; and 
 a first illumination circuit disposed on the first printed circuit board and including a first switching element and a first light element, the first light element is operably coupled to the first power circuit, and the first switching element is operably coupled to the first microcontroller module via the first data circuit and is adapted to receive a signal from the first microcontroller module to operate the first light element; and 
   a second light module including a second light element and operably coupled to the second I/O power terminal of the first printed circuit board and the second I/O data terminal of the first printed circuit board, wherein the second light module is adapted to receive a signal from the first microcontroller module to operate the second light element.   
     
     
         14 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein the first printed circuit board further includes second and third data circuits that are adapted to provide I/O connectivity to the second printed circuit board. 
     
     
         15 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein the first switching element is adapted to operably couple the first light element to the first power circuit to cause the first light element to operate. 
     
     
         16 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein the first sensor module includes at least one of a time-of-flight module and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         17 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , further comprising a power source coupled to the first I/O power terminal of the first printed circuit board. 
     
     
         18 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , further comprising a switching module coupled to the first I/O data terminal of the first printed circuit board.