Location-based configuration of a load control device

• US 10,405,411 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Inventors: Veskovic, Dragan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Kam Wan
• Application Number:
  US15/959,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20180242437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1042
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

A method of automatically configuring 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 tag is installed. The method includes the steps of: associating a configuration setting with the identifier of the device in memory; the device receiving a first digital message including the identifier from the remote identification tag; the device transmitting a second digital message including the identifier after receiving the first digital message; and the device receiving a third digital message including the configuration setting associated with the identifier after transmitting the second digital message.

Claims

1. A lighting control device for controlling an intensity of a lighting load, the lighting control device comprising:

a load control circuit adapted to be coupled to the lighting load;

a controller configured to control the load control circuit to control the intensity of the lighting load;

a first communication circuit configured to transmit and receive digital messages; and

an identifier-retrieval circuit comprising a second communication circuit, the identifier-retrieval circuit configured to receive a first digital message including an identifier from an identifier-transmitting device when the lighting control device is mounted in close proximity to the identifier-transmitting device, wherein the identifier transmitted by the identifier-transmitting device is representative of a location of the identifier-transmitting device, the identifier-transmitting device adapted to be installed in a fixture in which the lighting control device is installed;

wherein the controller is configured to transmit a second digital message including the identifier via the first communication circuit, and to subsequently receive a third digital message including a configuration setting associated with the identifier via the first communication circuit.

2. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein, prior to receiving the first digital message including the identifier via the second communication circuit, the controller is configured to transmit a fourth digital message to the identifier-transmitting device via the second communication circuit of the identifier-retrieval circuit to cause the identifier-transmitting device to transmit the second digital message including the identifier.

3. The lighting control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the controller for storing the identifier;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the identifier from the identifier-transmitting device via the second communication circuit and to store the identifier in the memory.

4. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive a plurality of digital messages including a plurality of respective configuration settings associated with the identifier.

5. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein, after transmitting the second digital message including the identifier via the first communication circuit, the controller is configured to receive a short address associated with the identifier via the first communication circuit.

6. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the lighting control device comprises an LED driver for controlling the intensity of an LED lighting load.

7. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the configuration setting comprises one of a high-end trim, a low-end trim, a fade time, and a group of the lighting control device.

8. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.

9. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the intensity of the lighting load in response to a fourth digital message received via the second communication circuit.

10. A lighting fixture comprising:

a lighting load;

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 lighting fixture is mounted after the lighting fixture is installed; and

a load control device adapted to be electrically coupled in series between a power source and the lighting load for controlling an intensity of the lighting load, the load control device comprising a second communication circuit configured to receive a first digital message including the identifier from the identifier-transmitting device;

wherein the load control device is configured to transmit a second digital message including the identifier via a third communication circuit, and to subsequently receive a third digital message including a configuration setting associated with the identifier via the third communication circuit.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein, prior to receiving the first digital message including the identifier via the second communication circuit, the load control device is configured to transmit a fourth digital message to the identifier-transmitting device via the second communication circuit to cause the identifier-transmitting device to transmit the first digital message including the identifier.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein, after transmitting the second digital message including the identifier via the third communication circuit, the load control device is configured to receive a short address associated with the identifier via the third communication circuit.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein the load control device comprises an LED driver and the lighting load comprises an LED lighting load.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein the configuration setting comprises one of a high-end trim, a low-end trim, a fade time, and a group of the load control device.

15. A method of configuring a lighting control device for a lighting control system, the method comprising:

associating a configuration setting for the lighting control device with an identifier of an identifier-transmitting device, the identifier representative of a location in which the identifier-transmitting device is installed, the identifier-transmitting device adapted to be installed in a fixture in which the lighting control device is installed;

receiving by the lighting control device a first digital message including the identifier from the identifier-transmitting device when the lighting control device is located in the vicinity of the identifier-transmitting device;

after receiving the first digital message, transmitting from the lighting control device a second digital message including the identifier; and

after transmitting the second digital message, receiving by the lighting control device a third digital message including the configuration setting associated with the identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lighting control device is a new lighting control device that is replacing an old lighting control device, and the configuration setting is a configuration setting of the old lighting control device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing the configuration setting in a memory of a controller;

removing the old lighting control device from a location in the lighting control system after the configuration setting is stored in the memory of the controller; and

installing the new lighting control device in the location of the old lighting control device prior to the new lighting control device retrieving the identifier from the identifier-transmitting device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prior to the lighting control device receiving the first digital message from the identifier-transmitting device, transmitting from the lighting control device a fourth digital message to the identifier-transmitting device to cause the identifier-transmitting device to transmit the first digital message.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving by the lighting control device a short address associated with the identifier.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration setting comprises one of a high-end trim, a low-end trim, a fade time, and a group of the load control device.