Programmable light timer and a method of implementing a programmable light timer

• US 10,433,406 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2015
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantigny Lighting Control, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cantigny Lighting Control, LLC
• Inventors: King, John Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don P
• Application Number:
  US14/979,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20160113097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,374 Days
• Field of Search: 315136
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A programmable light timer for implementing a timing pattern is described. The programmable light timer comprises a display, wherein a time selected on a user interface is provided on the display; a first programmable button of the plurality of programmable buttons on the user interface; and up and down keys on the user interface, wherein the up and down keys enable selecting an on time of the timing pattern to be implemented when the first programmable button is selected to be used during operation of the programmable light timer. A method of implementing a timing pattern on a programmable light timer is also described.

Claims

1. A programmable light timer for implementing a timing pattern, the programmable light timer comprising:

a display, wherein a time selected on a user interface is provided on the display;

a first programmable button of a plurality of programmable buttons on the user interface, wherein the first programmable button is programmable to have an on time associated with the first programmable button;

a voltage terminal;

a switch coupled to the voltage terminal and configured to control an application of a voltage to the voltage terminal;

up and down keys on the user interface, wherein the up and down keys enable selecting a current time and an on time of the timing pattern to be implemented when the first programmable button is selected to be used during operation of the programmable light timer, and wherein the on time of the timing pattern is stored in the programmable light timer and is implemented in response to a selection of the first programmable button; and

wherein the voltage is applied to the voltage terminal according to the on time of the timing pattern in response to the selection of the first programmable button.

2. The programmable light timer of claim 1 further comprising a second programmable button of the plurality of programmable buttons on the user interface, wherein the up and down keys enable selecting an off time of the timing pattern to be implemented in response to a selection of the second programmable button during the operation of programmable light timer.

3. The programmable light timer of claim 1 further comprising a selection indicator which indicates when the first programmable button is selected.

4. The programmable light timer of claim 1 further comprising a second button, wherein the second button is a pre-programmed button, and a predetermined timing pattern having an on time and an off time is implemented in response to a selection of the second button on the user interface of the programmable light timer.

5. The programmable light timer of claim 1 further comprising a user-selectable switch, separate from the first programmable button, enabling changing a state of the programmable light timer established by the first programmable button.

6. The programmable light timer of claim 1 wherein the switch controls the application of power to a light or appliance controlled by the programmable light timer based upon the timing pattern.

7. A programmable light timer for implementing a timing pattern, the programmable light timer comprising:

a display;

a plurality of user-selectable buttons on a user interface, wherein each user-selectable button is associated with a timing pattern;

a voltage terminal;

a switch configured to control an application of a voltage to the voltage terminal;

a first user-selectable button of the plurality of user-selectable buttons on the user interface of the programmable light timer, wherein the first user-selectable button is a pre-programmed button enabling a predetermined timing pattern having an on time and an off time; and

a second user-selectable button on the user interface, wherein the second user-selectable button is programmable using the user interface to have a programmable on time associated with the second user-selectable button of the programmable light timer, and wherein the programmable on time is stored in the programmable light timer and is implemented in response to a selection of the second user-selectable button; and

wherein the voltage is applied to the voltage terminal according to the programmable on time of the timing pattern associated with the second user-selectable button in response to the selection of the second user-selectable button.

8. The programmable light timer of claim 7 further comprising a pair of up and down keys enabling programming a current time and the programmable on time of the second user-selectable button.

9. The programmable light timer of claim 8 wherein the display displays a time selected by the pair of up and down keys while programming the current time and the programmable on time of the second user-selectable button.

10. The programmable light timer of claim 7 further comprising, for each user-selectable button of the plurality of user selectable buttons, a selection indicator indicating whether the user-selectable button has been selected.

11. The programmable light timer of claim 7 wherein the second user-selectable button is programmable to turn on a light or appliance controlled by the programmable light timer at dusk.

12. The programmable light timer of claim 7 further comprising a third user-selectable button of the plurality of user-selectable buttons on the user interface, wherein the third user-selectable button is a second pre-programmed button enabling a second predetermined timing pattern having a second on time and a second off time.

13. The programmable light timer of claim 12 further comprising a fourth user-selectable button on the user interface, wherein the fourth user-selectable button is programmable using the user interface of the programmable light timer.

14. The programmable light timer of claim 7 further comprising a user-selectable switch, separate from the first user selectable button and the second user selectable button, enabling changing a state of the programmable light timer established by the first user-selectable button.

15. The programmable light timer of claim 7 wherein the switch controls the application of power to a light or appliance controlled by the programmable light timer based upon the timing pattern associated with the second user selectable button.

16. A method for implementing a timing pattern for a programmable light timer, the method comprising:

displaying a time, selected by way of a user interface, on a display;

implementing a plurality of buttons on the user interface, wherein each button has a timing pattern;

providing a voltage terminal on the programmable light timer;

configuring a switch to control an application of a voltage to the voltage terminal;

implementing a first button of the plurality of buttons on the user interface, wherein the first button is a pre-programmed button enabling a predetermined timing pattern having an on time and an off time; and

implementing a second button on the user interface, wherein the second button is programmable by way of the user interface to have a programmable on time associated with the second button, and wherein the programmable on time of the second button is stored in the programmable light timer and is implemented in response to a selection of the second button; and

wherein the voltage is applied to the voltage terminal according to the programmable on time of the timing pattern associated with the second button in response to the selection of the second button.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising implementing a third button of the plurality of buttons that is a second pre-programmed button enabling a second predetermined timing pattern having a second on time and a second off time.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising implementing a fourth button of the plurality of buttons that is programmable to have a programmable off time.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising implementing a pair of up and down keys that enables a selection of a current time and the programmable on time or the programmable off time.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising implementing selection indicators with the plurality of buttons, wherein each button of the plurality of buttons has a selection indicator that indicates whether the button has been selected.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the second button is programmable to have dusk as the programmable on time.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising implementing a user-selectable switch enabling changing a state of the programmable light timer established by the first button.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling the switch to apply power to a light or appliance controlled by the programmable light timer based upon the timing pattern.