Remote control having a capacitive touch surface and a mechanism for awakening the remote control
First Claim
1. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
- a housing comprising;
a first surface having a resiliently deformable portion configured to be operated from a relaxed state to a deformed state; and
a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface, the second surface comprising a capacitive touch surface configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device;
a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, the printed circuit board comprising a switch disposed between the first and second surfaces, the switch configured to awaken the capacitive touch surface from a sleep state, wherein the sleep state comprises a low power state that disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface; and
a member in contact with the deformable portion of the housing;
wherein, when the deformable portion of the housing is deformed into the deformed state, the member electrically contacts the switch such that the capacitive touch surface is awakened from the sleep state to enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control device having capacitive touch controls may be configured to enter a sleep state (or mode). For example, the remote control device may be configured to enter the sleep state upon expiration of an interval of time since a most recent button press. The remote control may be configured to awaken from the sleep state when one or more portions of a housing of the remote control are deflected, for example, when a user grasps the remote control to actuate one or more of the capacitive touch controls. For example, the remote control device may include a switch. The switch may include a carbon structure that may be configured to contact an open circuit pad on a circuit board to close the corresponding circuit when the housing is deflected and awaken the remote control device from the sleep state.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a housing comprising; a first surface having a resiliently deformable portion configured to be operated from a relaxed state to a deformed state; and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface, the second surface comprising a capacitive touch surface configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device; a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, the printed circuit board comprising a switch disposed between the first and second surfaces, the switch configured to awaken the capacitive touch surface from a sleep state, wherein the sleep state comprises a low power state that disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface; and a member in contact with the deformable portion of the housing; wherein, when the deformable portion of the housing is deformed into the deformed state, the member electrically contacts the switch such that the capacitive touch surface is awakened from the sleep state to enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a capacitive touch surface configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, and the capacitive touch surface comprising a plurality of icons configured to be illuminated to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, the capacitive touch surface configured to be put into a sleep state, the sleep state comprising a low power state that disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the icons to use less power while the remote control device is on; and a flexible housing supporting the capacitive touch surface; wherein, when at least a portion of the housing is flexed, the capacitive touch surface is awakened from the sleep state, after which receipt of the touch controls is enabled at the capacitive touch surface for controlling the electrical load using the load control device and the icons are illuminated to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls; wherein the capacitive touch surface further comprises a capacitive touch electrode printed circuit board with a first surface configured to abut an inner surface of the front panel, and wherein the capacitive touch electrode printed circuit board comprises one or more openings therethrough and one or more capacitive sensing portions surrounding the openings on the first surface thereof. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a housing that defines an interior and an exterior surface and a deformable portion; a switch that is enclosed within the interior of the housing and proximate to the deformable portion; and a capacitive touch surface supported by the exterior surface of the housing, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, and the capacitive touch surface comprising a plurality of icons configured to be illuminated to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, the capacitive touch surface configured to be put into a sleep state, the sleep state comprising a low power state that disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the icons to use less power while the remote control device is on; wherein the capacitive touch surface is configured to awaken from the sleep state in response to an actuation of the switch via a deformation of the deformable portion of the housing, after which receipt of the touch controls is enabled at the capacitive touch surface for controlling the electrical load using the load control device and the icons are illuminated to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A remote control device for use with a load control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a flexible housing supporting a capacitive touch surface, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, and the capacitive touch surface comprising a plurality of icons configured to be illuminated to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, the capacitive touch surface configured to be put into a sleep state, the sleep state comprising a low power state that disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the icons to use less power while the remote control device is on; wherein when at least a portion of the housing is flexed the capacitive touch surface is configured to awaken from the sleep state, after which receipt of the touch controls is enabled at the capacitive touch surface for controlling the electrical load using the load control device and the icons are illuminated to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls; wherein the housing comprises a bottom portion comprising a concave shape after flexing. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification