Methods, systems, and products for control of electrical loads

• US 10,356,882 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dyal, John Tatum
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US14/473,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A single input to a lighting system may control several different light fixtures. Multiple light fixtures may be connected to a switch or controller of the lighting system. A user makes an input to the lighting system, and individual light fixtures are activated as the user continues making the input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

receiving, at a controller, a message sent via a communications network from an input device, the message specifying a time associated with an input to the input device;

querying, by the controller, an electronic database for the time specified by the message, the electronic database electronically associating network addresses identifying light fixtures to time values including the time specified by the message;

identifying, by the controller, the time values in the electronic database that are less than the time specified by the message;

identifying, by the controller, the network addresses in the electronic database that are electronically associated with the time values less than the time specified by the message; and

sending, by the controller, activation messages via the communications network to the network addresses identified in the relational table, the activation messages instructing the light fixtures to illuminate according to the time values less than the time specified by the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a display of the time values.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising incrementing a timer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a final time associated with the input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a cessation of the input.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a final value of a timer at the cessation of the input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequentially activating the light fixtures.

8. A system for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a message sent via a communications network from an input device, the message specifying a final value of a timer that times an input to the input device;

querying an electronic database for the final value of the timer specified by the message, the electronic database electronically represented as a relational table that associates network addresses identifying light fixtures to time values of the timer;

identifying the time values in the relational table that are less than the final value of the timer specified by the message;

identifying the network addresses in the relational table that are electronically associated with the time values less than the final value of the timer specified by the message; and

sequentially sending activation messages via the communications network to the network addresses that are electronically associated with the time values less than the final value of the timer specified by the message, each activation message of the activation messages instructing a corresponding one of the light fixtures to illuminate.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise causing a display of the final value of the timer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise stopping the timer.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise deactivating the light fixtures.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise activating a switch.

13. A method for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

receiving, at a controller, a message sent via a communications network from a mobile device, the message specifying a final value of a timer that times an input to the mobile device;

querying, by the controller, an electronic database for the final value of the timer specified by the message, the electronic database electronically represented as a relational table that associates network addresses identifying light fixtures to time values of the timer;

identifying, by the controller, the time values in the relational table that are less than the final value of the timer specified by the message;

identifying, by the controller, the network addresses in the relational table that are electronically associated with the time values that are less than the final value of the timer specified by the message; and

sequentially sending, by the controller, activation messages via the communications network to the network addresses that are electronically associated with the time values that are less than the final value of the timer specified by the message, each activation message of the activation messages instructing a corresponding one of the light fixtures to illuminate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising stopping the timer.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the final value of the timer.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising deactivating the light fixtures.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a current value of the timer.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising wirelessly receiving the message sent via the communications network from the mobile device.