COMPACT RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ANTENNA AND CONTROL DEVICE EMPLOYING SAME

• US 20070085755A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Altonen, Gregory, Thompson, Stephen, DeJonge, Stuart, Sinha, Siddharth, Felegy, Edward, Webb, Spencer
• Application Number:
  US11/613,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/866
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna

Abstract

A compact antenna for use in a device for controlling the power delivered to an electric load and operable to transmit or receive radio frequency signals at a specified frequency is presented. The antenna comprises a first loop of conductive material having a capacitance and an inductance forming a circuit being resonant at the specified frequency, and a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to an electronic circuit. The second loop is substantially only magnetically coupled to the first loop and is electrically isolated from the first loop. In a first embodiment of the antenna, the first and second loops are formed on respective first and second printed circuit boards, which allow for a small, low-cost antenna that is easy to manufacture and maximizes efficiency. When the antenna is installed in a load control device, such as a dimmer, the first loop of the antenna is mounted on an outer surface of the device. The second loop of the antenna may be at a high-voltage potential such as line voltage.

Claims

1. A compact antenna for transmitting or receiving radio frequency signals at a specified frequency comprising a first loop of conductive material having at least one break in said loop and a capacitance including a capacitor bridging the break, the loop having an inductance and forming a circuit with the capacitance, the circuit comprising the loop and the capacitance being resonant at the specified frequency, and a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to an electronic circuit, the second loop being substantially only magnetically coupled to the first loop, the antenna comprising a part of an electrical control device, the electrical control device having a mounting yoke disposed in a plane, the first loop having a loop axis that is substantially parallel to or coincidental with the plane of the yoke.

2. An electrical control device adapted to be mounted at least partly within an electrical wall box for controlling the status of a controlled electrical device, the electrical control device comprising:

a housing;

a support yoke coupled to the housing, the support yoke being disposed in a plane and having a fastening device for coupling the yoke to the electrical wall box;

a controllably conductive device contained within the housing for controlling the status of the controlled electrical device;

a control circuit contained in the housing;

a transmitter and/or receiver contained in the housing; and

an antenna adapted to receive a signal at a specified frequency from a remote control device and/or transmit a signal at a specified frequency to a remote control device, the antenna being coupled to the transmitter and/or receiver, the transmitter and/or receiver;

coupling a signal from the remote control device to said control circuit for remotely controlling said controllably conductive device; and

/or receiving a signal from said control circuit for providing a signal to said remote control device to indicate the status of said controlled electrical device,

the antenna comprising;

a first loop of conductive material having at least one break in said loop and a capacitance including a capacitor bridging the break, the loop having an inductance and forming a circuit with the capacitance, the circuit comprising the loop and the capacitance being resonant at the specified frequency;

a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to a control circuit, the second loop being substantially only magnetically coupled to said first loop;

said first loop having a main loop axis substantially parallel to the plane of the yoke.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first loop is electrically isolated from the second loop.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the second loop is substantially at line voltage potential.

5. A remote control device adapted to be mounted at least partly within an electrical wall box, and adapted to control without a wire connection, an electrical control device connected to a controlled electrical device, the remote control device comprising:

a housing;

a support yoke coupled to the housing, the support yoke being disposed in a plane and having a fastening device for coupling the yoke to the electrical wall box;

a control circuit contained in the housing;

a transmitter and/or receiver contained in the housing;

an antenna;

said antenna adapted to;

transmit a signal at a specified frequency from the control circuit to said electrical control device; and

/or receive a signal at the specified frequency from said electrical control device;

the antenna being coupled to a transmitter and/or receiver, the transmitter and/or receiver;

coupling said signal from said control circuit to the antenna for remotely controlling the electrical control device thereby to control the status of the controlled electrical device; and

/or receiving said signal from said antenna from the electrical control device for providing a signal to said control circuit to indicate the status of said controlled electrical device;

the antenna comprising;

a first loop of conductive material having at least one break in said loop and a capacitance including a capacitor bridging the break, the loop having an inductance and forming a circuit with the capacitance, the circuit comprising the loop and the capacitance being resonant at the specified frequency;

a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to the control circuit, the second loop being substantially only magnetically coupled to said first loop; and

said first loop having a main loop axis substantially parallel to the plane of the yoke.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

an actuator coupled to said control circuit to provide a signal thereto to control the status of the controlled electrical device.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the first loop is electrically isolated from the second loop.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second loop is substantially at line voltage potential.