Dimmer for use with a three-way switch
First Claim
1. A lighting control system for controlling the intensity of a lighting load from a source of AC power, comprising:
- a load control device comprising a first load terminal, a second load terminal, a controllably conductive device coupled between said first load terminal and said second load terminal for controlling the current through said lighting load, and an accessory terminal;
said first load terminal, said controllably conductive device, and said second load terminal coupled in series electrical connection for carrying substantially all of said current through and said lighting load;
said load control device operable to toggle the lighting load between an ON state in which a current flows through the lighting load as determined by the controllably conductive switch and an OFF state in which substantially no current flows through the lighting load; and
a maintained switch coupled between said accessory terminal and one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal;
said maintained switch having a closed state in which said accessory terminal is coupled to said one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal, and an open state in which said accessory terminal is not coupled to said one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal;
wherein said load control device is operable to toggle said lighting load when said maintained switch changes between said open state and said closed state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A smart dimmer for controlling the intensity of a lighting load from a source of AC power is operable to replace one of the three-way switches in a standard three-way lighting system without the need to replace the other three-way switch with a unique accessory switch. A simple rewiring is needed in the wallbox of the remaining three-way switch. In the resulting three-way lighting system, the smart dimmer is always coupled between the lighting load and the source and the remaining three-way switch is coupled between either of the load terminals of the dimmer and an accessory terminal of the dimmer. The remaining three-way switch acts to either couple or decouple an AC voltage from the accessory terminal. The smart dimmer is operable to detect a change in the state at the accessory terminal and toggle the lighting load on or off as a result of the change in state.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A lighting control system for controlling the intensity of a lighting load from a source of AC power, comprising:
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a load control device comprising a first load terminal, a second load terminal, a controllably conductive device coupled between said first load terminal and said second load terminal for controlling the current through said lighting load, and an accessory terminal;
said first load terminal, said controllably conductive device, and said second load terminal coupled in series electrical connection for carrying substantially all of said current through and said lighting load;
said load control device operable to toggle the lighting load between an ON state in which a current flows through the lighting load as determined by the controllably conductive switch and an OFF state in which substantially no current flows through the lighting load; and
a maintained switch coupled between said accessory terminal and one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal;
said maintained switch having a closed state in which said accessory terminal is coupled to said one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal, and an open state in which said accessory terminal is not coupled to said one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal;
wherein said load control device is operable to toggle said lighting load when said maintained switch changes between said open state and said closed state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for controlling the intensity of a lighting load from a source of AC power in a lighting control system comprising a load control device having a first load terminal, a second load terminal, and an accessory terminal and a maintained switch having a closed state for coupling said accessory terminal to one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal and an open state for decoupling said accessory terminal from said one of said first load terminal and said second load terminal;
- said method comprising the steps of;
storing a previous state of said maintained switch;
detecting the present state of said maintained switch;
comparing the result of the step of detecting with said previous state of said maintained switch; and
changing said intensity of said lighting load based on the result of the step of comparing.
- said method comprising the steps of;
Specification