Lighting control system having a security system input

• US 20080284347A1
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Raneri, Daniel Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/250
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• 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 lighting control system is operable to be coupled to a security system and is pre-programmed such that the control devices of the lighting control system behave out-of-box in a predetermined manner in response to the security system. The lighting control system comprises a contact closure input that is operable to be simultaneously coupled to both a momentary contact closure output and a maintained contact closure output of the security system. Preferably, the lighting control system enters a first mode of operation when the contact closure input detects a closure, enters a second mode of operation if the contact closure input continues to detect the closure after a predetermined amount of time, and enters a third mode of operation if the contact closure input no longer closed. Accordingly, the lighting control system is responsive to either the momentary contact closure output or the maintained contact closure output.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the amount of power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads from an AC power source, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a closure of a contact closure output;

controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a first mode of operation in response to the step of detecting a closure;

detecting if the contact closure output has remained closed for a predetermined amount of time; and

controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a second mode of operation in response to the step of detecting if the contact closure output has remained closed for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting that the contact closure output is not closed after the step of detecting if the contact closure output has remained closed for a predetermined amount of time; and

controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a third mode of operation in response to the step of detecting that the contact closure output is not closed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrical loads comprise lighting loads.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a first mode of operation comprises controlling the intensity of each of the lighting loads to a preset intensity level.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a second mode of operation comprises flashing one of the lighting loads and controlling the intensity of each of the other lighting loads to the preset intensity level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of controlling the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a third mode of operation comprises ceasing the step of flashing one of the lighting loads and controlling the intensity of each of the other lighting loads to the preset intensity level.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined amount of time is greater than approximately three seconds.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined amount of time is approximately six seconds.

9. A lighting control system for controlling the amount of power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads from an AC power source in response to a contact closure output, the system comprising:

a plurality of load control devices, each of the load control devices adapted to be coupled between one of the plurality of electrical loads and the AC power source for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load;

a contact closure input adapted to be coupled to the contact closure output, and operable to detect a closure of the contact closure output;

wherein the plurality of load control devices are operable to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a first mode of operation in response to the contact closure input detecting the closure of the contact closure output, and to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a second mode of operation if the contact closure output has remained closed for a predetermined amount of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the contact closure input is further operable to detect that the contact closure output is not closed, and the plurality of load control devices are operable to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a third mode of operation in response to the contact closure input detecting that the contact closure output is not closed.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrical loads comprise lighting loads, and the load control devices are operable to control the intensities of the lighting loads.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first mode of operation comprises controlling the intensity of each of the lighting loads to a preset intensity level.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second mode of operation comprises flashing one of the lighting loads and controlling the intensity of each of the other lighting loads to the preset intensity level.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the third mode of operation comprises ceasing flashing one of the lighting loads and controlling the intensity of each of the other lighting loads to the preset intensity level.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein each load control device comprises an intensity adjustment actuator to set the preset intensity level and each load control device is operable to control the intensity of each of the lighting loads to preset intensity level in response to the position of the intensity adjustment actuator.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a signal repeater operable to communicate with the plurality of load control devices via a communication link, the signal repeater including the contact closure input, such that the signal repeater is operable to transmit a command signal to the load control devices in response to the contact closure input.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a master control including a plurality of buttons, the master control operable to communicate with the plurality of load control devices and the signal repeater via the communication link;

wherein the load control devices are responsive to actuations of the buttons of the master control.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication link comprises an RF communication link.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the communication link comprises a wired communication link.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the contact closure input is operable to be simultaneously coupled to a momentary contact closure output and a maintained contact closure output.

21. A lighting control system for controlling the amount of power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads from an AC power source, the system comprising:

a plurality of load control devices, each of the load control devices adapted to be coupled between one of the plurality of electrical loads and the AC power source for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load;

a master control including a plurality of buttons, the master control operable to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of load control devices via an RF communication link, each of the plurality of load control devices responsive to actuations of the buttons of the master control; and

a signal repeater operable to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of load control devices and the master control via the RF communication link, the signal repeater including a first contact closure input adapted to be coupled to a first contact closure output;

wherein the load control devices and the signal repeater are programmed to behave out-of-box in a predetermined manner in response to the first contact closure input.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the signal repeater is operable to detect a closure of the first contact closure output at the first contact closure input, and to detect if the first contact closure output has remained closed for a predetermined amount of time, the signal repeater operable to transmit a command signal to the load control devices in response to the first contact closure input;

and

wherein the plurality of load control devices are operable to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a first mode of operation in response to the first contact closure input detecting the closure of the first contact closure output, and to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a second mode of operation in response to the first contact closure input detecting if the first contact closure output has remained closed for the predetermined amount of time.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first contact closure input is operable to be simultaneously coupled to a first momentary contact closure output and a first maintained contact closure output;

and

wherein the signal repeater further comprises a second contact closure input adapted to be coupled to a second contact closure output and a third contact closure input adapted to be coupled to a third contact closure output.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the electrical loads comprise lighting loads, and the first momentary contact closure output, the first maintained contact closure output, the second contact closure output, and the third contact closure output are provided by a security system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first maintained contact closure output is representative of a fire event and the second contact closure output is representative of an intrusion event, and each of the load control devices is operable to control the intensities of the lighting loads to a favorite scene level in response to a closure of the first momentary contact closure output and to an off level in response to a closure of the third contact closure output.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the first contact closure input is further operable to detect that the first contact closure output is not closed, and the plurality of load control devices are operable to control the amount of power delivered to the plurality of electrical loads according to a third mode of operation in response to the first contact closure input detecting that the first contact closure output is not closed.