Location-based configuration of a load control device
First Claim
1. A control device for use in a load control system for controlling the power delivered from a power source to an electrical load, the control device comprising:
- a controller configured to control the power delivered to the electrical load;
a first communication circuit operatively coupled to the controller and adapted to be coupled to a communication link to enable the controller to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link; and
an identifier-retrieval circuit comprising a second communication circuit operatively coupled to the controller, the identifier-retrieval circuit configured to receive a digital message including an identifier from an identifier-transmitting device;
wherein the control device is adapted to be mounted in close proximity to the identifier-transmitting device, and the identifier transmitted by the identifier-transmitting device is representative of a location of the identifier-transmitting device, the controller configured to transmit a digital message including the identifier on the communication link via the first communication circuit, and to subsequently receive a digital message including a load control setting associated with the identifier via the first communication circuit, wherein the load control device is adapted to be installed in a fixture, and the identifier-transmitting device is adapted to be located adjacent to or in the fixture.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of automatically programming a load control device takes advantage of a remote identification tag (e.g., an RFID tag) located in the vicinity of the device. The remote identification tag stores an identifier that is representative of a location in which the device is installed. The method includes the steps of: (1) storing a setting of the device in a memory of a controller; (2) associating the setting with the identifier in the memory of the controller; (3) the device receiving the identifier from the remote identification tag; (4) the device transmitting the identifier to the controller; and (5) the controller transmitting the setting to the device in response to receiving the identifier.
68 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A control device for use in a load control system for controlling the power delivered from a power source to an electrical load, the control device comprising:
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a controller configured to control the power delivered to the electrical load; a first communication circuit operatively coupled to the controller and adapted to be coupled to a communication link to enable the controller to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link; and an identifier-retrieval circuit comprising a second communication circuit operatively coupled to the controller, the identifier-retrieval circuit configured to receive a digital message including an identifier from an identifier-transmitting device; wherein the control device is adapted to be mounted in close proximity to the identifier-transmitting device, and the identifier transmitted by the identifier-transmitting device is representative of a location of the identifier-transmitting device, the controller configured to transmit a digital message including the identifier on the communication link via the first communication circuit, and to subsequently receive a digital message including a load control setting associated with the identifier via the first communication circuit, wherein the load control device is adapted to be installed in a fixture, and the identifier-transmitting device is adapted to be located adjacent to or in the fixture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A lighting control system for controlling the power delivered from a power source to an electrical load, the system comprising:
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an identifier-transmitting device including a first communication circuit and a memory configured to store an identifier, the identifier representative of a location at which the identifier-transmitting device is mounted; a load control device mounted in the vicinity of the identifier-transmitting device and electrically coupled in series between the power source and the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the load control device comprising a second communication circuit configured to receive a digital message including the identifier from the identifier-transmitting device; and a controller configured to communicate with the load control device via a communication link; wherein the load control device is configured to transmit the identifier to the controller via the communication link, and the controller is configured to transmit a load control setting associated with the identifier to the load control device via the communication link in response to receiving the identifier, wherein the load control device is installed in a fixture, and the identifier-transmitting device is located adjacent to or in the fixture. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of programming a control device for a load control system, the method comprising:
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storing a load control setting of the control device in a memory of a controller; associating the load control setting for the control device with an identifier in the memory of the controller, the identifier representative of a location in which the control device is installed, the identifier stored in an identifier-transmitting device located in the vicinity of the control device; receiving by the control device a first digital message from the identifier-transmitting device, the first digital message including the identifier; subsequently transmitting from the control device to the controller a second digital message including the identifier; and subsequently receiving by the control device a third digital message from the controller, the third digital message including the load control setting associated with the identifier, wherein the control device is a new load control device that is replacing an old load control device, the identifier is representative of a location of the old load control device, and the load control setting is a load control setting of the old load control device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification