Illuminated pushbutton switch with step dimming

1. A discrete dimming luminance control circuit for light emitting diode illumination, comprising:

first and second control inputs;

a first supply circuit between the second control input and an output; and

a first shunt controlled voltage regulator between the second control input and the output, wherein the luminance control circuit delivers, to the output,

a first voltage when a supply voltage is applied to the first control input and the second control input is either left open or grounded, and

a second voltage different than the first voltage when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is either left open or grounded.

2. The luminance control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second supply circuit between the first control input and the output; and

a second shunt controlled voltage regulator between the first control input and the output, wherein the luminance control circuit delivers, to the output,

the first voltage when the supply voltage is applied to the first control input and the second control input is left open, and

the second voltage when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is either left open or grounded, and

a third voltage different than the first and second voltages when the supply voltage is applied to the first control input and the second control input is grounded.

3. The luminance control circuit of claim 2 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers, to the output,

the second voltage when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is left open, and

a fourth voltage different than the first, second and third voltages when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is grounded.

4. The luminance control circuit of claim 3 , wherein the first supply circuit comprises a first switching diode in series with a first resistor connected between the first control input and the output, the second supply circuit comprises a second switching diode in series with a second resistor connected between the second control input and the first resistor, the first shunt circuit comprises a third switching diode in series with a first zener diode connected between the second control input and the output, and the second shunt circuit comprises a fourth switching diode in series with a second zener diode connected between the first control input and the output.

5. The luminance control circuit of claim 4 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers the first voltage through the first switching diode and the first resistor.

6. The luminance control circuit of claim 4 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers the second voltage through the second switching diode, the second resistor and the first resistor.

7. The luminance control circuit of claim 4 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers the third voltage through first switching diode and the first resistor, voltage limited by the third switching diode and the first zener diode.

8. The luminance control circuit of claim 4 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers the fourth voltage through the second switching diode, the second resistor and the first resistor, voltage limited by the fourth switching diode and the second zener diode.

9. The luminance control circuit of claim 4 , wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage, the second voltage is greater than the third voltage, and the third voltage is greater than the fourth voltage.

10. A light emitting diode illumination system including the luminance control circuit of claim 4 , the illumination system further comprising:

first and second light emitting diode (LED) groups coupled to the output of the luminance control circuit,

wherein the luminance control circuit delivers, to the output, a variable voltage between at least some of the first, second, third and fourth voltages to provide voltage-controlled dimming of an output of LEDs within the first and second light emitting diode groups.

11. The illumination system of claim 10 , wherein the luminance control circuit delivers variable voltages between the first and second voltages and between the second and third voltages.

12. The illumination system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a switching circuit switching the first and second light emitting diode groups between series and parallel connection in response to changes in the variable voltage.

13. A method of discrete dimming light emitting diode illumination using a circuit including first and second control inputs, a first supply circuit between the second control input and an output, and a first shunt controlled voltage regulator between the second control input and the output, the method comprising:

delivering a first voltage to the output when a supply voltage is applied to the first control input and the second control input is either left open or grounded; and

delivering a second voltage different than the first voltage to the output when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is either left open or grounded.

14. The method of claim 13 , the circuit further including a second supply circuit between the first control input and the output and a second shunt controlled voltage regulator between the first control input and the output, the method further comprising:

delivering a third voltage different than the first and second voltages to the output when the supply voltage is applied to the first control input and the second control input is grounded.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

delivering a fourth voltage different than the first, second and third voltages to the output when the supply voltage is applied to the second control input and the first control input is grounded.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first supply circuit comprises a first switching diode in series with a first resistor connected between the first control input and the output, the second supply circuit comprises a second switching diode in series with a second resistor connected between the second control input and the first resistor, the first shunt circuit comprises a third switching diode in series with a first zener diode connected between the second control input and the output, and the second shunt circuit comprises a fourth switching diode in series with a second zener diode connected between the first control input and the output.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

delivering the first voltage through the first switching diode and the first resistor.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

delivering the second voltage through the second switching diode, the second resistor and the first resistor.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

delivering the third voltage through first switching diode and the first resistor, voltage limited by the third switching diode and the first zener diode.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

delivering the fourth voltage through the second switching diode, the second resistor and the first resistor, voltage limited by the fourth switching diode and the second zener diode.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the circuit includes first and second light emitting diode (LED) groups coupled to the output of the luminance control circuit, the method further comprising:

delivering to the output a variable voltage between at least some of the first, second, third and fourth voltages to provide voltage-controlled dimming of an output of LEDs within the first and second light emitting diode groups.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

delivering variable voltages between the first and second voltages and between the second and third voltages.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

switching the first and second light emitting diode groups between series and parallel connection in response to changes in the variable voltage.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage, the second voltage is greater than the third voltage, and the third voltage is greater than the fourth voltage.