Switch discriminating touchless lightswitch

• US 10,091,860 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Simonian, Michael, Britt, Jr., Joe Freeman, Schlaepfer, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Don
• Application Number:
  US14/091,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 250221, 2502221, 250214 SW, 315154, 315158, 315291, 315297
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Control of one or more switches arrayed in a multi-gang switch box is disclosed. One or more sensors may receive or provide an indication of a gesture near one of the switches. An indication of the switch determined to which a gesture is determined to be directed toward may be displayed. A state change may be performed on the switch according to the gesture.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor and from at least two sensors, a signal indicative of a gesture, wherein the at least two sensors include a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor is directly connected to a multi-gang switch box comprising a plurality of switches, and the second sensor is directly connected to a switch of the plurality of switches;

determining, by the processor, at least one of the plurality of switches the gesture is directed toward;

causing, by the processor, an indicator to produce an indication that identifies the at least one of the plurality of switches to which the gesture is directed;

determining, by the processor, a state change for the at least one of the plurality of switches based on the gesture; and

causing, by the processor, the at least one of the plurality of switches to be adjusted according to the state change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing, by the processor, information about the state change of the at least one of the plurality of switches to be stored in a storage medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the signal indicative of the gesture occurs in response to the gesture being performed within a threshold proximity of the multi-gang switch box.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the state change is selected from the group consisting of:

a change to an on state, a change to an off state, a change in brightness, and a change in a dimming function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a light.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing, by the processor, the indicator to be deactivated after a predetermined period of time of inactivity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a component of the multi-gang switch box or a cover plate for the multi-gang switch box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor of the at least two sensors comprises camera.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing, by the processor, an indication of the state change to be produced on the at least one of the plurality switches.

10. A device, comprising:

a multi-gang switch box;

a plurality of switches;

at least two sensors, wherein the at least two sensors are configured to detect a gesture, the at least two sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor directly connected to the multi-gang switch box comprising the plurality of switches, the second sensor directly connected to a switch of the plurality of switches; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine at least one of the plurality of switches to which the gesture is directed toward;

cause an indicator to produce an indication that identifies the at least one of the plurality of switches to which the gesture is directed;

determine a state change for the at least one of the plurality of switches based on the gesture; and

cause the at least one of the plurality of switches to be adjusted according to the state change.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least two sensors are further configured to transmit a signal indicative of the gesture to the processor.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to store information about the state change of the at least one of the plurality of switches in a storage medium.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least two sensors are configured to detect the gesture in response to the gesture being performed within a threshold proximity of the multi-gang switch box.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the state change is selected from the group consisting of:

a change to an on state, a change to an off state, a change in brightness, and a change in a dimming function.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the indicator comprises a light.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the indicator to be deactivated after a predetermined period of time of inactivity.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the first sensor is a component of the multi-gang switch box or a cover plate for the multi-gang switch box.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least two sensors comprise a camera.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause an indication of the state change to be produced on the at least one of the plurality switches.

20. A device, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive, from at least two sensors, a signal indicative of a gesture, the at least two sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor directly connected to a multi-gang switch box comprising a plurality of switches, the second sensor directly connected to a switch of the plurality of switches,

identify at least one of the plurality of switches to which the gesture is directed,

cause an indicator to produce an indication that identifies the at least one of the plurality of switches,

determine, based on the gesture, a state change for the at least one of the plurality of switches, and

cause the at least one of the plurality of switches to be adjusted according to the state change; and

a storage medium configured to store information about the state change.