Commissioning load control systems

• US 10,027,127 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Crafts, Jordan H., Fricke, William Bryce, Ludwig, Jr., Stephen M., Lenz, Jonathan T., Barnes, Bryan Robert, Barco, Kyle Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US13/830,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.

Claims

1. A load control system comprising:

a plurality of lighting control devices, wherein each lighting control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to a respective lighting load, wherein the plurality of lighting control devices include a first control-target device and a second control-target device, and wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device each has a respective device type and are each configurable to control the amount of power provided to the respective lighting load based on digital messages received from a control-source device;

a user device configured to;

receive a device type selected by a user;

transmit a discovery message, wherein the discovery message comprises an indication of the device type selected by the user;

responsive to the discovery message, receive respective responses from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each configured to compare the device type indicated in the discovery message with its own device type and respond to the discovery message if they are the same;

based at least in part on the received respective responses, determine that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within an established discovery range;

based at least in part on determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range, display within a graphical user interface the first control-target device and the second control-target device as discovered control-target devices, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each displayed adjacent to an indication of the device type selected by the user;

receive an indication to associate the first control-target device with the control-source device;

store an identifier of the first control-target device in association information with an identifier of the control-source device to associate the first control-target device with the control-source device; and

communicate at least part of the association information to the first control-target device to enable control of the first control-target device via the control-source device.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the load control system further comprises a communications module, wherein the communications module is configured to:

receive, via a first communications channel, the discovery message from the user device;

broadcast, via a second communications channel, the discovery message;

receive, via the second communications channel, the respective response to the discovery message from the first control-target device; and

send, via the first communications channel, the respective response from the first control-target device to the user device.

3. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device further includes a communications circuit, wherein the established discovery range comprises a first established discovery range, wherein the discovery message comprises a first discovery message, and wherein the communications circuit is configured to:

broadcast the first discovery message within the first established discovery range;

receive the respective responses to the first discovery message from the first control-target device and the second control-target device;

broadcast a second discovery message within a second established discovery range; and

receive a response to the second discovery message from a third control-target device of the plurality of lighting control devices.

4. The load control system of claim 3, wherein the first established discovery range and the second established discovery range each corresponds to a different transmit power of the user device.

5. The load control system of claim 3, wherein the load control system further comprises a communications module configured to communicate with the user device and the plurality of lighting control devices, and wherein the first established discovery range and the second established discovery range each corresponds to a different transmit power of the communications module.

6. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to determine that a third control-target device of the plurality of lighting control devices is outside the established discovery range and disregard information received from the third control-target device.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the user device is further configured to determine that the third control-target device is outside of the established discovery range based at least in part on a response received from the third control-target device being outside of a predefined received signal strength.

8. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to discover the control-source device within the established discovery range.

9. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to:

receive an indication to disassociate the first control-target device from the control-source device; and

responsive to the indication to disassociate the first control-target device from the control-source device;

disassociate the identifier of the first control-target device in the association information from the identifier of the control-source device; and

communicate a disassociation message to the first control-target device, wherein the disassociation message causes the first control-target device to not control the amount of power provided to the respective lighting load based on the digital messages from the control-source device.

10. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to adjust the established discovery range to another established discovery range to discover other control-target devices.

11. The load control system of claim 1, wherein to determine that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range is based at least in part on respective received signal strengths of the respective responses received from the first control-target device and the second control-target device in response to the discovery message.

12. The load control system of claim 11, wherein the user device is further configured to display the control-source device in response to discovery information received from the control-source device.

13. The load control system of claim 12, wherein the control-source device is a one-way communication device, and wherein the control-source device is configured to send the discovery information to the user device in response to actuation of a button on the control-source device.

14. The load control system of claim 12, wherein the user device is further configured to identify the control-source device upon selection of the control-source device for performing association.

15. The load control system of claim 1, wherein to determine that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range is based at least in part on a signal strength of the transmitted discovery message.

16. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the established discovery range is based at least in part on respective signal strengths of respective wireless signals received from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device.

17. A method for discovering a plurality of lighting control devices, wherein each lighting control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to a respective lighting load, and wherein the plurality of lighting control devices include a first control-target device and a second control-target device, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device each has a respective device type and are each configurable to control the amount of power provided to the respective lighting load based on digital messages received from a control-source device, the method comprising:

receiving a device type selected by a user;

transmitting a discovery message, wherein the discovery message comprises an indication of the device type selected by the user;

responsive to the discovery message, receiving respective wireless signals from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each configured to compare the device type indicated in the discovery message with its own device type and respond to the discovery message if they are the same;

based at least in part on the received respective wireless signals, determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within an established discovery range;

based at least in part on determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range, displaying within a graphical user interface the first control-target device and the second control-target device as discovered control-target devices, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each displayed adjacent to an indication of the device type selected by the user;

receiving an indication to associate the first control-target device with the control-source device;

associating an identifier of the first control-target device in association information with an identifier of the control-source device; and

communicating at least part of the association information to the first control-target device to enable control of the respective lighting load of the first control-target device via digital messages from the control-source device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein communicating at least part of the association information to the first control-target device includes sending the identifier of the control-source device to the first control-target device for the first control-target device to recognize the digital messages from the control-source device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising adjusting the established discovery range to a second established discovery range for discovering other control-target devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the established discovery range is adjusted by configuring a transmit power of a user device or a transmit power of a communications module communicatively connected to the user device.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the first control-target device; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the first control-target device, sending an identification message to the first control-target device to instruct the first control-target device to perform an identifying action.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

configuring, via a user device, one or more fields associated with the first control-target device after the first control-target device performs the identifying action.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range is based at least in part on respective received signal strengths of respective response messages received from the first control-target device and the second control-target device in response to the discovery message.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising displaying on a user device the control-source device in response to discovery information received from the control-source device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the control-source device is a one-way communication device; and

the control-source device sends the discovery information to the user device in response to actuation of a button on the control-source device.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising identifying the control-source device upon selection of the control-source device for performing association.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range is based at least in part on a signal strength of the transmitted discovery message.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the established discovery range is based at least in part on respective signal strengths of the respective wireless signals received from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device.

29. A user device for discovering a plurality of lighting control devices, wherein each lighting control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to a respective lighting load, wherein the plurality of lighting control devices include a first control-target device and a second control-target device, and wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device each has a respective device type and are each configurable to control the amount of power provided to the respective lighting load based on digital messages received from a control-source device, the user device comprising:

a communications circuit configured to send and/or receive information;

a control circuit configured to;

receive a device type selected by a user;

transmit a discovery message, wherein the discovery message comprises an indication of the device type selected by the user;

responsive to the discovery message, receive, via the communication circuit, wireless signals from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each configured to compare the device type indicated in the discovery message with its own device type and respond to the discovery message if they are the same;

based at least in part on the received respective wireless signals, determine that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within an established discovery range;

based at least in part on determining that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range, display within a graphical user interface the first control-target device and the second control-target device as discovered control-target devices, wherein the first control-target device and the second control-target device are each displayed adjacent to an indication of the device type selected by the user;

receive an indication to associate the first control-target device with the control-source device;

associate an identifier of the first control-target device in association information with an identifier of the control-source device; and

communicate at least part of the association information to the first control-target device to enable control of the respective lighting load of the first control-target device via digital messages from the control-source device.

30. The user device of claim 29, wherein to communicate at least part of the association information to the first control-target device includes to send, via the communications circuit, the identifier of the control-source device to the first control-target device for the first control-target device to recognize the digital messages from the control-source device.

31. The user device of claim 30, wherein the control circuit is further configured to disassociate the identifier of the first control-target device from the identifier of the control-source device in the association information and instruct the first control-target device to remove the identifier of the control-source device from memory.

32. The user device of claim 29, wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the first control-target device is within the established discovery range based on a received signal strength of a response message received from the first control-target device in response to the discovery message.

33. The user device of claim 32, wherein the control circuit is further configured to display the control-source device in response to discovery information received from the control-source device.

34. The user device of claim 33, wherein the control-source device is a one-way communication device, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

receive the discovery information from the control-source device in response to actuation of a button on the control-source device.

35. The user device of claim 33, wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify the control-source device upon selection of the control-source device for performing association.

36. The user device of claim 29, wherein the communications circuit includes a configurable transmit power, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust the established discovery range based on the configurable transmit power of the communications circuit.

37. The user device of claim 29, wherein the control circuit is further configured to discover the control-source device when the control-source device is within the established discovery range.

38. The user device of claim 29, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

adjust the established discovery range to another established discovery range to discover other control-target devices.

39. The user device of claim 29, wherein to determine that the first control-target device and the second control-target device are within the established discovery range is based at least in part on a signal strength of the transmitted discovery message.

40. The user device of claim 29, wherein the established discovery range is based at least in part on respective signal strengths of the respective wireless signals received from at least the first control-target device and the second control-target device.