Automated system for lighting control

• US 10,524,337 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Original Assignee: Powercast Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Charles E., Harrist, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Anh Q
• Application Number:
  US16/208,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20190254146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/46 in multi hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• 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

In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a signal indicating that a timeout timer associated with a space has been has crossed a threshold in a space. If a motion sensor is disposed within the space, the method includes sending a signal to a connector operatively coupled to a light source such that the connector reverts to a default state. If (1) a motion sensor is not disposed within the space and (2) a light sensor is disposed within the space, the method includes sending a signal to the connector such that the connector is controlled by the light sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless device configured to be operatively coupled to a network gateway device that is configured to receive at least one of a first data packet or a second data packet from the wireless device,

the wireless device configured to send the first data packet at a first time on a first frequency, the first data packet including a payload associated with a value of a measurement that was measured by the wireless device,

the wireless device configured to send the second data packet at a second time on a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second data packet including a payload corresponding to the payload of the first data packet,

the wireless device including a display configured to indicate the value of the measurement that was measured by the wireless device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second time is after the first time, without substantially delay occurring between an end of the first time and a start of the second time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to send the first data packet and the second data packet independent of an instruction from the network gateway device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement that was measured by the wireless device is a temperature measurement.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement that was measured by the wireless device is a humidity measurement.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement that was measured by the wireless device is a lux level measurement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to send the first data packet if the wireless device determines that the value of the measurement varies from a previously measured value by at least a predetermined amount.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes a memory configured to store one or more set points, the one or more set points configured to be set via user interaction with the wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wireless device includes a capacitive button, the capacitive button configured such that a physical interaction between the capacitive button and a user'"'"'s finger sets at least one of the one or more set points.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is a bi-stable display.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes an input component, the wireless device configured such that a user'"'"'s physical interaction with the input component overrides the status of the device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes a plurality of zones, each zone from the plurality of zones associated with a command, the wireless device configured to transmit the command associated with a particular zone of the plurality of zones to adjust the status associated with the wireless device in response to a user'"'"'s physical interaction with the particular zone from the plurality of zones.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the command associated with each zone from the plurality of zones is associated with a set of lighting values associated with that zone and stored in a memory of a wireless controller, and the status associated with the wireless device is a brightness of a light source associated with the wireless controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each zone from the plurality of zones includes a capacitive sensor from a plurality of capacitive sensors, the wireless device configured to operate in a first mode at a first sample rate, the wireless device configured to operate in a second mode at a second sample rate upon sensing a change in capacitance via a sensor from the plurality of capacitive sensors, the second sample rate being faster than the first sampling rate, the wireless device configured to analyze a plurality of samples of a capacitance level of a particular zone of the plurality of zones to determine whether detection of a user'"'"'s interaction was a false detection.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board including a capacitive touch pad, the second printed circuit board coupled to the first printed circuit board such that a trace couples the capacitive touch pad of the first printed circuit board to a microprocessor via the second printed circuit board, the capacitive touch pad configured to sense a change in capacitance caused by a presence of a user'"'"'s finger near the capacitive touch pad.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes capacitive touch buttons and an antenna, the antenna configured to capacitively excite the capacitive touch buttons such that the capacitive touch buttons function collectively as part of the antenna.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the wireless device includes a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board coupled to the second printed circuit board via a connector, the first antenna being an inverted F antenna, the first antenna being coupled to the first printed circuit board and a ground on the second printed circuit board via the connector.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the antenna includes at least one conductor that is shaped as an arch, the antenna including a shorting pin and a feed point, the shorting pin and the feed point coupled to the arch at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the arch.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the antenna can include a plurality of parallel segments on an end portion of the at least one conductor, a first segment of the plurality of parallel segments coupled to a second segment of the plurality of parallel segments via a first end portion of the first segment, the first segment coupled to a third segment of the plurality of parallel segments via a second end portion of the first segment.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless device configured to be operatively coupled to a network gateway device that is configured to receive at least one of a first data packet or a second data packet from the wireless device,

the wireless device configured to send the first data packet at a first time on a first frequency, the first data packet including a payload associated with a value of a temperature measurement that was measured by the wireless device,

the wireless device configured to send the second data packet at a second time on a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second data packet including a payload corresponding to the payload of the first data packet,

the wireless device including a bistable display configured to indicate the value of the temperature measurement that was measured by the wireless device,

the wireless device including a memory configured to store one or more temperature set points,

the wireless device including a touch input configured to receive, via a user interaction, input such that the one or more temperature set points are set based on the input.