Control device having an integral reflecting structure for a sensing circuit

• US 10,492,273 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2019
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Inventors: Shivell, William Taylor, McDonald, Matthew Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US16/296,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20190208602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 315149
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/038 ambient light dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/06 Reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

A wall-mounted keypad may include a light detector circuit located inside the keypad that is configured to measure an ambient light level in a space. The light detector circuit may receive ambient light through an aperture that is hidden from view by the keypad. The keypad may include a reflector for directing ambient light onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit. The enclosure may define a recess that exposes at least a portion of the light detector circuit. The enclosure may include a reflector that may focus ambient light received through the aperture onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include a control circuit that may be configured to illuminate the indicia of respective buttons of the control device in response to actuations of the one or more buttons, in accordance with the measured ambient light level.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a button comprising a veneer, the veneer having an indicia cut therethrough;

a light source that is configured to backlight the indicia of the veneer;

a light detector circuit that is configured to measure a light level of ambient light that is external relative to the control device;

a control circuit that is configured to, responsive to an actuation of the button, cause the light source to backlight the indicia of the veneer in accordance with the measured light level; and

an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit, the enclosure including an integral reflector that is configured to direct the ambient light to the light detector circuit.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the veneer is attached to a front surface of the button.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the veneer is metallic.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the indicia of the veneer is filled with a translucent or clear material.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source in response to a change in the measured light level.

6. The control device of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source to backlight the indicia at a first illumination intensity when the button has been selected, and wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source to backlight the indicia at a second illumination intensity when the button has not been selected.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein the button is a first button, the veneer is a first veneer, the indicia is a first indicia, and the light source is a first light source, the control device further comprising:

a second button comprising a second veneer that is attached to a front surface of the second button, the second veneer having a second indicia; and

a second light source that is configured to backlight the second indicia of the second veneer, wherein the control circuit is configured to, responsive to an actuation of the second button, cause the second light source to backlight the second indicia of the second veneer in accordance with the measured light level.

8. The control device of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the first light source at a first illumination intensity and the second light source at a second illumination intensity.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the light detector circuit comprises:

a photodiode; and

a printed circuit board on which the control circuit and the photodiode are mounted,

wherein the enclosure defines a recess that exposes the photodiode.

10. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a faceplate that defines an opening that extends therethrough and that is configured to at least partially receive the button; and

an adapter that is configured to be mounted to a structure, the adapter including an outer wall that defines an aperture through which the light detector circuit receives the ambient light.

11. The control device of claim 10, wherein the adapter and the faceplate are configured such that the faceplate is removably attachable to the adapter.

12. The control device of claim 10, further comprising:

a pair of mounting tabs that are configured for removable attachment to the adapter,

wherein a first mounting tab of the pair comprises a light guide that is configured to guide the ambient light from the aperture to the light detector circuit.

13. A control device comprising:

a button comprising a translucent body and an opaque material, the opaque material having an indicia cut therethrough;

a light source that is configured to backlight the indicia of the button;

a light detector circuit that is configured to measure a light level of ambient light that is external relative to the control device;

a control circuit that is configured to, responsive to an actuation of the button, cause the light source to backlight the indicia of the button in accordance with the measured light level; and

an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit, the enclosure including an integral reflector that is configured to direct the ambient light to the light detector circuit.

14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the opaque material is adhered to the translucent body.

15. The control device of claim 14, wherein the opaque material is adhered to a front surface of the translucent body.

16. The control device of claim 13, wherein the opaque material is metallic.

17. The control device of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source in response to a change in the measured light level.

18. The control device of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source to backlight the indicia at a first illumination intensity when the button has been selected, and wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the light source to backlight the indicia at a second illumination intensity when the button has not been selected.

19. The control device of claim 13, wherein the button is a first button, the translucent body is a first translucent body, the opaque material is a first opaque material, the indicia is a first indicia, and the light source is a first light source, the control device further comprising:

a second button comprising a second translucent body and a second opaque material, the second button having a second indicia cut therethrough; and

a second light source that is configured to backlight the second indicia of the second button, wherein the control circuit is configured to, responsive to an actuation of the second button, cause the second light source to backlight the second indicia of the second button in accordance with the measured light level.

20. The control device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the first light source at a first illumination intensity and the second light source at a second illumination intensity.