A wall-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load comprising, in combination: (a) switch means for turning said power on and off, said switch means including a first actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said switch means; and (b) dimmer means for controlling the amount of power provided to said load, said dimmer means including a second actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said dimmer means, said first actuator means constructed and arranged for being operated by a user and having a surface area which is substantially larger than the surface area of said second actuator means which is constructed and arranged for being operated by the user, said second actuator means being located at the perimeter of said first actuator, whereby the switch function is emphasized over the dimmer function to the user. view more

The system of claim 36, in which said switch means is mechanical.

The system of claim 36, in which said switch means comprises an electronic touch switch.

The system of claim 36, in which said switch means is an alternate-action switch.

The system of claim 36, in which said switch means is a biased pushbutton switch.

The system of claim 36, in which said second actuator means is a linear slide.

The system of claim 36, further comprising time-delay circuit means for controllably delaying switching of said power on and off.

The system of claim 36, further comprising lamp means for indicating whether power to said load is on.

The system of claim 54, in which said lamp means emits a light intensity that is greater when said power is on than when said power is off.

The system of claim 36, further comprising means for indicating the amount of power being provided to said load.

The system of claim 36, further comprising means for remotely controlling said switch means and dimmer means.

A wall-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load, said system having a faceplate with a centerline and comprising, in combination: (a) switch means for turning said power on and off, said switch means including a first actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said switch means; and (b) dimmer means for controlling the amount of power provided to said load, said dimmer means including a second actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said dimmer means, said first actuator means being centrally positioned on said faceplate and said second actuator means being located at a distance from said centerline, wherein said first actuator means has a surface area at least two times as large as the surface area of said second actuator means, whereby the switch function is emphasized over the dimmer function to the user. view more

The system of claim 65, in which said switch means is mechanical.

The system of claim 65, in which said switch means comprises an electronic touch switch.

The system of claim 65, in which said switch means is an alternate-action switch.

The system of claim 65, in which said switch means is a biased pushbutton switch.

The system of claim 65, in which said second actuator means is a linear slide.

The system of claim 65, further comprising time-delay circuit means for controllably delaying switching of said power on and off.

The system of claim 65, further comprising lamp means for indicating whether power to said load is on.

The system of claim 83, in which said lamp means emits a light intensity that is greater when said power is on than when said power is off.

The system of claim 65, further comprising means for indicating the amount of power being provided to said load.

The system of claim 65, further comprising means for remotely controlling said switch means and dimmer means.

A wall-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load, said system having a faceplate with a centerline and comprising, in combination: (a) switch means for turning said power on and off, said switch means including a first actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said switch means; and (b) dimmer means for controlling the amount of power provided to said load, said dimmer means including a second actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said dimmer means, said first actuator constructed and arranged for being operated by a user and having a surface area which is substantially larger than the surface area of said second actuator means which is constructed and arranged for being operated by the user, said first actuator means being centrally positioned on said faceplate and said second actuator being located at a distance from said centerline but adjacent to said first actuator means, whereby the switch function is emphasized over the dimmer function to the user. view more

The system of claim 94, in which said switch means is mechanical.

The system of claim 94, in which said switch means comprises an electronic touch switch.

The system of claim 94, in which said switch means is an alternate-action switch.

The system of claim 94, in which said switch means is a biased pushbutton switch.

The system of claim 94, in which said second actuator means is a linear slide.

The system of claim 94, further comprising time-delay circuit means for controllably delaying switching of said power on and off.

The system of claim 94, further comprising lamp means for indicating whether power to said load is on.

The system of claim 112, in which said lamp means emits a light intensity that is greater when said power is on than when said power is off.

The system of claim 94, further comprising means for indicating the amount of power being provided to said load.

The system of claim 94, further comprising means for remotely controlling said switch means and dimmer means.

A wall-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load comprising, in combination: (a) switch means for turning said power on and off, said switch means including a first actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said switch means; and (b) dimmer means for controlling the amount of power provided to said load, said dimmer means including a slider or rocker device which serves as a second actuator means constructed and arranged for operating said dimmer means, said first actuator means constructed and arranged for being operated by a user and having a control area which is substantially larger than the control area of said second actuator means which is constructed and arranged for being operated by the user, whereby the switch function is emphasized over the dimmer function to the user. view more

The system of claim 178, in which said switch means is mechanical.

The system of claim 178, in which said second actuator means is a linear slide.

The system of claim 178, further comprising lamp means for indicating whether power to said load is on.

The system of claim 178, further comprising means for indicating the amount of power being provided to said load.

A lighting control device for controlling the state and light intensity level of at least one lamp, comprising a) user-actuatable intensity selecting means for selecting a desired intensity level between a minimum intensity level and a maximum intensity level, b) a single control switch, independent of said user-actuatable intensity selecting means, for generating control signals in response to an input from a user, and c) control means operatively coupled to said intensity selecting means and said control switch for causing the lamp intensity to (i) fade from an off state to a desired intensity level when said input from a user causes a single switch closure of transitory duration, said fade occurring at a first fade rate, (ii) fade from any intensity level to said maximum intensity level when said input from a user causes multiple switch closures of transitory duration occurring within a predetermined time interval, said fade occurring at a second fade rate, and (iii) fade from a desired intensity level to an off state when said input from a user causes a single switch closure of more than a transitory duration, said fade occurring at a third fade rate. view more

A device according to claim 1, wherein said first, second and third fade rates are equal.

A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means is further responsive to said intensity selecting means for causing said lamp intensity to fade from a first intensity level to a second intensity level at a fourth fade rate when said intensity selecting means is actuated. view more

A device according to claim 1, further comprising indicator means for visually indicating the desired intensity level.

A device according to claim 6, wherein said indicator means comprises a plurality of light sources disposed in a sequence representing a range from said minimum intensity level to said maximum intensity level, the position of each light source within said sequence being representative of an intensity level relative to said minimum and maximum intensity levels. view more

A device according to claim 7, wherein said sequence is linear.

A device according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer means.

A device according to claim 11, wherein the microcomputer means includes means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of said fade rates.

A device according to claim 11, wherein said microcomputer means includes means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of a desired intensity level in response to actuation of said intensity selecting means.

A device according to claim 1 wherein said intensity selecting means comprises first and second switch means each actuatable between first and second positions, actuation of one of said switch means causing an increase in said desired intensity level and actuation of the other of said switch means causing a decrease in said desired intensity level. view more

A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means further comprises discriminator means for distinguishing between an input to said control switch means of transitory duration and an input of more than a transitory duration.

A device according to claim 16, wherein said control means further comprises means responsive to said discriminator means for initiating the fade of said lamp according to an appropriate one of said fade rates as determined by said input.

A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises microcomputer means for distinguishing between an input to said control switch means of transitory duration and an input of more than a transitory duration, and for initiating the fade of said lamp according to an appropriate one of said fade rates as determined by said input. view more

A device according to claim 18, wherein said microcomputer means includes means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of said fade rates.

A lighting control device for controlling the state and light intensity level of at least one lamp, comprising: a) user-actuatable intensity selecting means for selecting a desired intensity level between a minimum intensity level and a maximum intensity level, b) a single control switch, independent of said user-actuatable intensity selecting means, for generating control signals in response to an input from a user, and c) control means operatively coupled to said intensity selecting means and said control switch for causing the lamp intensity to (i) fade from an off state to said desired intensity level when said input from a user causes a single switch closure of transitory duration, said fade occurring at a first fade rate, (ii) fade from any intensity level to said maximum intensity level when said input from a user comprises two switch closures of transitory duration in rapid succession, said fade occurring a second fade rate, and (iii) fade from said desired intensity level to an off state when a user touch causes a single switch closure of more than a transitory duration, said fade occurring at a third fade rate, said control means being further responsive to said intensity selecting means for causing said lamp to fade from a first intensity level to a second intensity level at a fourth fade rate when said intensity selecting means is actuated. view more

A device according to claim 20, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer means, the microcomputer means including means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of said fade rates and digital data representative of a desired intensity level in response to actuation of said intensity selecting means. view more

A device according to claim 20, wherein said intensity selecting means comprises first and second switch means each actuatable between first and second positions, actuation of one of said switch means causing an increase in said desired intensity level and actuation of the other of said switch means causing a decrease in said desired intensity level. view more

A device according to claim 20, wherein said control means further comprises discriminator means for distinguishing between an input to said control switch means of transitory duration and an input of more than a transitory duration.

A device according to claim 26, wherein said control means further comprises means responsive to said discriminator means for initiating the fade of said lamp according to an appropriate one of said fade rates as determined by said input.

A device according to claim 20, wherein said control means comprises microcomputer means for distinguishing between an input to said control switch means of transitory duration and an input of more than a transitory duration, and for initiating the fade of said lamp according to an appropriate one of said fade rates as determined by said input, said microcomputer means including means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of said fade rates. view more

A lighting control device for controlling the state and light intensity level of at least one lamp, comprising: a) user-actuatable intensity selecting means for selecting a desired intensity level between a minimum intensity level and a maximum intensity level, b) a single control switch, independent of said user-actuatable intensity selecting means, for generating control signals representative of on and off states and preselected intensity levels of said at least one lamp in response to an input from a user, and c) control means for causing said lamp intensity to fade from a first intensity level to a second intensity level greater than said first intensity level when said intensity selecting means is actuated, said first intensity level being a minimum intensity level independent of any of said preselected intensity levels when said lamp is in said off state prior to actuation of said intensity selecting means. view more

A device according to claim 29, further comprising indicator means for visually indicating the desired intensity level.

A device according to claim 30, wherein said indicator means comprises a plurality of light sources disposed in a sequence representing a range from said minimum intensity level to a maximum intensity level, the position of each light source within said sequence being representative of an intensity level relative to said minimum and maximum intensity levels. view more

A device according to claim 31, wherein said sequence is linear.

A device according to claim 29, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer means.

A device according to claim 35, wherein said microcomputer means includes means for storing in a memory means digital data representative of a desired intensity level in response to actuation of said intensity selecting means.

A device according to claim 29, wherein said intensity selecting means comprises first and second switch means each actuatable between first and second positions, actuation of one of said switch means causing an increase in said desired intensity level and actuation of the other of said switch means causing a decrease in said desired intensity level. view more