Method of associating wireless control devices

• US 10,149,369 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Killo, Jason C., Twaddell, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US14/550,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

Abstract

A first wireless control device may be associated with a second wireless control device in response to the movement of the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device. The second control device may determine whether the signal strength of the wireless signals received from the first wireless control device has changed, and may associate the first wireless control device with the second wireless control device if the signal strength of the received wireless signals has changed. The second control device may be disassociated with the first control device by moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device. The second control device may disassociate the first control device when the signal strength of subsequent wireless signals received from the first wireless control device has changed.

Claims

1. A method for associating a first wireless control device with a second wireless control device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the second wireless control device, a first wireless signal at a first time and a second wireless signal at a second time subsequent to the first time, the first and second wireless signals received from the first wireless control device;

measuring a respective signal strength of each of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device;

determining whether a change has occurred between the first time and the second time in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device; and

associating the first wireless control device and the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have changed between the first time and the second time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the second wireless control device, a third wireless signal at a third time and a fourth wireless signal at a fourth time subsequent to the third time;

measuring a signal strength of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the second wireless control device;

determining whether a change has occurred between the third time and the fourth time in the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the second wireless control device; and

disassociating the first wireless control device from the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signal received by the second wireless control device are determined to have changed between the third time and the fourth time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first wireless control device is disassociated from the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have decreased between the third time and the fourth time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein disassociating the first wireless control device from the second wireless control device further comprises removing a unique identifier of the first wireless control device from a memory of the second wireless control device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless control device comprises a remote control device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second wireless control device comprises one of a controllable light source, a remotely-located electronic ballast for driving a fluorescent lamp, a remotely-located LED driver for driving an LED light source, or a motorized window treatment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless control device is associated with the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have increased between the first time and the second time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second wireless signals received from the first wireless control device comprise an associate command.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the first wireless control device with the second wireless control device further comprises storing a unique identifier of the first wireless control device in a memory of the second wireless control device.

10. A control-target device configured to receive wireless signals from a control-source device, the control-target device comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to receive a first wireless signal at a first time and a second wireless signal at a second time subsequent to the first time; and

a control circuit operatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to;

measure a signal strength of each of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit,

determine whether a change has occurred between the first time and the second time in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit, and

associate the control-source device with the control-target device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have changed between the first time and the second time.

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

a lighting load; and

a load regulation circuit configured to control an intensity of the lighting load, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive digital messages for controlling the intensity of the lighting load after the control source device is associated with the control-target device and to control the load regulation circuit to control the lighting load in response to the digital messages.

12. The control-target device of claim 11, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the load regulation circuit to turn the lighting load on and off.

13. The control-target device of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the load regulation circuit to adjust the intensity of the lighting load.

14. The control-target device of claim 11, wherein the lighting load comprises an LED light source and the load regulation circuit comprises an LED drive circuit, or

wherein the lighting load comprises a fluorescent lamp and the load regulation circuit comprises a ballast circuit.

15. The control-target device of claim 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have increased between the first time and the second time.

16. The control-target device of claim 15,

wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to receive a third wireless signal at a third time that is subsequent to the second time, and a fourth wireless signal at a fourth time that is subsequent to the third time;

and

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

measure a signal strength of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit,

determine whether a change has occurred between the third time and the fourth time in the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit, and

disassociate the control-source device with the control-target device when the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have decreased between the third time and the fourth time.

17. The control-target device of claim 10, further comprising:

a memory operatively coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device by storing a unique identifier of the control source device in the memory.

18. A method for associating a first wireless control device with a second wireless control device, the method comprising:

actuating at least one actuator on the first wireless control device to cause the first wireless control device to transmit multiple wireless signals; and

while the at least one actuator on the first wireless control device is actuated, moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device from a first position to a second position;

wherein the first wireless control device and the second wireless control device associate in response to moving the first wireless control device from the first position to the second position while the at least one actuator on the first wireless control device is actuated;

the method further comprising;

receiving, at the second wireless control device, a first and a second of the wireless signals, wherein the first wireless signal is received at a first time and the second wireless signal is received at a second time subsequent to the first time;

measuring, at the second wireless control device, a respective signal strength of each of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device;

determining whether a change has occurred between the first time and the second time in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device; and

associating the first wireless control device and the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have changed between the first time and the second time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the wireless signals comprises an associate command.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first wireless control device is associated with the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have increased between the first time and the second time.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein associating the first wireless control device with the second wireless control device further comprises storing a unique identifier of the first wireless control device in a memory of the second wireless control device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device comprises moving the first wireless control device toward the second wireless control device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device comprises rotating the first wireless control device.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device comprises moving the first wireless control device horizontally or vertically.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the first wireless control device in relation to the second wireless control device comprises a compound movement of the first wireless control device.

26. A controllable light source configured to receive wireless signals from a remote control device, the controllable light source comprising:

a lighting load;

a load regulation circuit configured to control an intensity of the lighting load;

a wireless communication circuit configured to receive a first wireless signal at a first time and a second wireless signal at a second time subsequent to the first time, the first and second wireless signals received from the remote control device; and

a control circuit operatively coupled to the load regulation circuit and the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to;

measure a respective signal strength of each of the first and second the wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit,

determine whether a change has occurred between the first time and the second time in the signal strength of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit,

associate the remote control device with the controllable light source when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have changed between the first time and the second time, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive digital messages for controlling the intensity of the lighting load after the remote control device is associated with the controllable light source and to control the load regulation circuit to control the lighting load in response to the digital messages.

27. The controllable light source of claim 26, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the load regulation circuit to turn the lighting load on and off.

28. The controllable light source of claim 27, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the load regulation circuit to adjust the intensity of the lighting load.

29. The controllable light source of claim 26, wherein the control circuit is configured to associate the remote control device with the controllable light source when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have increased between the first time and the second time.

30. The controllable light source of claim 29, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive a third wireless signal at a third time and a fourth wireless signal at a fourth time subsequent to the third time;

measure a signal strength of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the controllable light source;

determine whether a change has occurred between the third time and the fourth time in the signal strengths of the received third and fourth wireless signals; and

disassociate the remote control device with the controllable light source when the signal strengths of the third and fourth wireless signals received by the wireless communication circuit are determined to have decreased between the third time and the fourth time.

31. The controllable light source of claim 26, wherein the lighting load comprises an LED light source and the load regulation circuit comprises an LED drive circuit or

wherein the lighting load comprises a fluorescent lamp and the load regulation circuit comprises a ballast circuit.

32. The controllable light source of claim 26, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

compare a rate of change in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals with a threshold; and

when the rate of change exceeds the threshold,

associate the remote control device with the controllable light source.

33. The controllable light source of claim 26, further comprising:

a memory operatively coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to associate the remote control device with the controllable light source by storing a unique identifier of the remote control device in the memory.

34. A method for disassociating a first wireless control device from a second wireless control device, the method comprising:

receiving a first wireless signal at a first time and a second wireless signal at a second time subsequent to the first time, the first and second wireless signals being received at the second wireless control device;

measuring, at the second wireless control device, a respective signal strength of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device;

determining whether a change has occurred between the first time and the second time in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device; and

disassociating the first wireless control device from the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have changed between the first time and the second time.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first wireless control device is disassociated from the second wireless control device when the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals received by the second wireless control device are determined to have decreased between the first time and the second time.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the first wireless control device is disassociated from the second wireless control device by deleting a unique identifier of the first wireless control device from a memory of the second wireless control device.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

comparing a rate of change over time in the signal strengths of the first and second wireless signals with a threshold; and

when the rate of change over time exceeds the threshold,

disassociating the first wireless control device and the second wireless control device.