Automatic configuration of a load control system

• US 10,219,337 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2018
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Knode, Galen Edgar, Kober, Steven J., Raneri, Daniel Curtis, Walsh, III, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US16/016,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20180302962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 315291, 315224, 315200 R, 315307
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/04 by static converters controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, e.g. by tap changing H02P13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.

Claims

1. A control module for controlling a load regulation device for a lighting load, the control module comprising:

a control connection for providing control signals to the load regulation device in accordance with a plurality of control techniques, the control techniques comprising one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques; and

a control circuit configured to sequentially generate control signals at the control connection according to two or more of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the load regulation device is responsive to one or more of the plurality of control techniques;

wherein, upon determining that the load regulation device is responsive to one of the plurality of control techniques, the control circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of control techniques to which the load regulation device is responsive, and use the selected one of the plurality of control techniques to control the load regulation device to control the lighting load.

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

a driver communication circuit coupled to the control connection for generating the control signals at the control connection according to the plurality of control techniques.

3. The control module of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the driver communication circuit to generate a digital control signal at the control connection to control the load regulation device.

4. The control module of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a digital control signal from the load regulation device via the driver communication circuit.

5. The control module of claim 3, wherein the digital control signal comprises a digital message transmitted using at least one of a digital addressable lighting interface (DALI) protocol and an ECOSYSTEM protocol.

6. The control module of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the driver communication circuit to generate an analog control signal at the control connection to control the load regulation device.

7. The control module of claim 6, wherein the analog control signal comprises at least one of a 0-10V control signal, a 10-0V control signal, and an analog PWM control signal.

8. The control module of claim 1, wherein the control connection is adapted to be coupled to the load regulation device, and the control circuit is configured to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to at least one of the plurality of control techniques by monitoring a parameter of at least one of the load regulation device and the lighting load.

9. The control module of claim 8, further comprising:

a power measurement circuit for measuring an amount of power delivered to the load regulation device;

wherein the control circuit is configured to attempt to control the load regulation device to adjust an intensity of the lighting load using one of the plurality of control techniques and to measure the amount of power consumed by at least one of the load regulation device and the lighting load to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to the one of the plurality of control techniques.

10. The control module of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit a digital message to the load regulation device via the control connection using one of the plurality of control techniques, the control circuit configured to determine if the load regulation device transmitted a response to the digital message to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to the one of the plurality of control techniques.

11. The control module of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to attempt to adjust an intensity of the lighting load using one of the plurality of control techniques, the control circuit configured to receive a digital message indicating a measured intensity of the lighting load and to determine that the load regulation device is responsive to the one of the control techniques using the measured intensity.

12. The control module of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

wherein the control circuit is configured to control the load regulation device to adjust an intensity of the lighting load in response to wireless signals received via the wireless communication circuit.

13. The control module of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit wireless signals including feedback information regarding the load regulation device via the wireless communication circuit.

14. The control module of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication circuit comprises a radio-frequency transceiver.

15. A method for controlling a lighting load comprising:

sequentially providing control signals to a load regulation device for the lighting load according to two or more of a plurality of control techniques, the control techniques comprising one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques;

determining if the load regulation device is responsive to one or more of the plurality of control techniques;

upon determining that the load regulation device is responsive to one of the plurality of control techniques, selecting the one of the plurality of control techniques to which the load regulation device is responsive; and

subsequently controlling the load regulation device to control the lighting load using the selected one of the plurality of control techniques.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining if the load regulation device is responsive to one or more of the plurality of control techniques comprises monitoring a parameter of at least one of the load regulation device and the lighting load to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to one or more of the plurality of control techniques.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attempting to control the load regulation device to adjust an intensity of the lighting load using one of the plurality of control techniques; and

measuring an amount of power consumed by at least one of the load regulation device and the lighting load to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to the one of the plurality of control techniques.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting a digital message to the load regulation device using one of the plurality of control techniques; and

determining if the load regulation device transmitted a response to the digital message to determine if the load regulation device is responsive to the one of the plurality of control techniques.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

attempting to control the load regulation device to adjust an intensity of the lighting load using one of the plurality of control techniques;

receiving a digital message indicating a measured intensity of the lighting load; and

determining if the load regulation device is responsive to one of the plurality of control techniques using the measured intensity.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a wireless signal;

wherein controlling the load regulation device comprises controlling the load regulation device to adjust an intensity of the lighting load in response to the wireless signal.