Control device having an integral reflecting structure for a sensing circuit

• US 10,129,951 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Shivell, William Taylor, McDonald, Matthew Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US15/583,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20170238395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 315149
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/038 ambient light dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/06 Reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

A wall-mounted keypad may include a light detector circuit located inside the keypad that is configured to measure an ambient light level in a space. The light detector circuit may receive ambient light through an aperture that is hidden from view by the keypad. The keypad may include a reflector for directing ambient light onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit. The enclosure may define a recess that exposes at least a portion of the light detector circuit. The enclosure may include a reflector that may focus ambient light received through the aperture onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include a control circuit that may be configured to illuminate the indicia of respective buttons of the control device in response to actuations of the one or more buttons, in accordance with the measured ambient light level.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a faceplate having an indicia;

a light source located behind the faceplate that is configured to backlight the indicia;

a light detector circuit that is configured to measure a light level of ambient light that is external relative to the control device;

a control circuit that is configured to cause the light source to backlight the indicia in accordance with the measured light level; and

an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit, the enclosure including an integral reflector that is configured to direct the ambient light to the light detector circuit.

2. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a button that is configured to be actuated, wherein the faceplate defines an opening that extends therethrough and that is configured to at least partially receive the button.

3. The control device of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is further configured to, responsive to actuation of the button, cause the light source to backlight the indicia in accordance with the measured light level.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a curved reflective surface that is configured to reflect the ambient light onto a light-receiving surface of the light detector circuit.

5. The control device of claim 4, wherein the reflective surface comprises a parabolic reflector that focuses the ambient light onto the light-receiving surface of the light detector circuit.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein the light detector circuit comprises a photodiode, and wherein the reflector comprises a reflective surface.

7. The control device of claim 6, wherein the reflective surface defines an upper edge that is spaced from a surface on which the photodiode is mounted, such that the upper edge extends over a portion of the photodiode.

8. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an adapter that is configured to be mounted to a structure, wherein the adapter and the faceplate are configured such that the faceplate is removably attachable to the adapter.

9. The control device of claim 8, wherein the adapter includes a lower wall extending between the structure and the faceplate, the lower wall defining an aperture through which the light detector circuit receives the ambient light.

10. A wall-mounted control device comprising:

an indicia;

a light source located behind the indicia that is configured to backlight the indicia;

a light detector circuit that is configured to measure a light level of ambient light that is external relative to the control device;

a control circuit that is configured to cause the light source to backlight the indicia in accordance with the measured light level; and

an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit, the enclosure including an integral reflector that is configured to direct the ambient light to the light detector circuit.

11. The control device of claim 10, further comprising:

a button that includes the indicia, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the control device to perform a function in response to actuation of the button.

12. The control device of claim 11, wherein the light source is configured to emit light onto a side of the button to backlight the indicia.

13. The control device of claim 11, wherein the light source is configured to emit light onto a rear surface of the button to backlight the indicia.

14. The control device of claim 10, further comprising:

a faceplate that includes the indicia.

15. The control device of claim 14, further comprising:

an adapter that is configured to be mounted to a structure,

wherein the adapter and the faceplate are configured such that the faceplate is removably attachable to the adapter.

16. The control device of claim 15, wherein the adapter includes a lower wall extending between the structure and the faceplate, the lower wall defining an aperture through which the light detector circuit receives the ambient light.

17. The control device of claim 10, wherein the reflector comprises a curved reflective surface that is configured to reflect the ambient light onto a light-receiving surface of the light detector circuit.

18. The control device of claim 17, wherein the reflective surface comprises a parabolic reflector that focuses the ambient light onto the light-receiving surface of the light detector circuit.

19. The control device of claim 10, wherein the light detector circuit comprises a photodiode, and wherein the reflector comprises a reflective surface.

20. The control device of claim 19, wherein the reflective surface defines an upper edge that is spaced from a surface on which the photodiode is mounted, such that the upper edge extends over a portion of the photodiode.