Relay device with automatic grouping function

• US 10,342,105 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy V
• Application Number:
  US15/928,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20180220514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 315149, 315152, 315153, 315291, 315292, 315312, 315324, 34028601
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device including relay circuitry and light sensor circuitry. The relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver alternating current (AC) power to a load. The light sensor circuitry is configured to detect one or more modulated light signals, wherein the device is configured to join a group including a plurality of devices based at least in part on the one or more modulated light signals.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

relay circuitry configured to selectively deliver alternating current (AC) power to a load; and

light sensor circuitry configured to detect one or more modulated light signals, wherein the device is configured to join a group including a plurality of devices based at least in part on the one or more modulated light signals.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising wireless communications circuitry configured to enable the device to communicate with other devices including the plurality of devices in the group.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based at least in part on data received from the plurality of devices in the group via the wireless communications circuitry.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising occupancy sensor circuitry configured to detect a presence of humans in an environment surrounding the device, wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based at least in part on an occupancy state detected by the occupancy sensor.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the device is further configured to share sensor data from the light sensor circuitry and the occupancy sensor circuitry with the plurality of devices in the group.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the data received from the plurality of devices in the group includes sensor data from sensors associated with the plurality of devices in the group.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein the data received from the plurality of devices in the group includes one or more commands.

8. The device of claim 3 wherein the device is configured to share sensor data from the light sensor circuitry with the plurality of devices in the group.

9. The device of claim 2 wherein:

at least one of the plurality of devices in the group is a switch, which is configured to receive user input and provide one or more commands via a wireless communications network in response to the user input;

the device is configured to receive the one or more commands via the wireless communications circuitry; and

the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based on the one or more commands.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the group includes at least one lighting fixture, which is configured to provide a modulated light signal; and

the device is configured to form the group including the at least one lighting fixture based on the light sensor circuitry detecting the modulated light signal from the at least one lighting fixture.

11. The device of claim 10 further comprising wireless communications circuitry configured to enable the device to communicate with other devices including the plurality of devices in the group.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based at least in part on data received from the plurality of devices in the group via the wireless communications circuitry.

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising occupancy sensor circuitry configured to detect a presence of humans in an environment surrounding the device, wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based at least in part on an output of the occupancy sensor.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the device is further configured to share sensor data from the light sensor circuitry and the occupancy sensor circuitry with the plurality of devices in the group.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the data received from the plurality of devices in the group includes sensor data from sensors associated with the plurality of devices in the group.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the data received from the plurality of devices in the group includes one or more commands.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein the device is configured to share sensor data from the light sensor circuitry with the plurality of devices in the group.

18. The device of claim 11 wherein the device is configured to join the group including the at least one lighting fixture based on the light sensor circuitry detecting the modulated light signal from the at least one lighting fixture and corresponding communications with the at least one lighting fixture via the wireless communications circuitry.

19. The device of claim 10 wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load such that the delivery of AC power to the load is synchronized with the delivery of light from the at least one lighting fixture.

20. The device of claim 1 further comprising occupancy sensor circuitry configured to detect a presence of humans in an environment surrounding the device, wherein the relay circuitry is configured to selectively deliver AC power to the load based at least in part on an output of the occupancy sensor.