Communication System for a Radio-Frequency Load Control System
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting a digital message across a communication network having a plurality of control devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a first digital message;
propagating the first digital message through the communication network;
determining that a second digital message has a higher priority than the first digital message; and
interrupting the step of propagating the first digital message to transmit the second digital message.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radio-frequency (RF) load control system allows for the expedient transmission of subsequent digital messages to one or more recipients via an RF communication link. The control system comprises at least one load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load in response to a received digital message. Each control device of the load control system is operable to interrupt the propagation of a first digital message to transmit a second digital message in response to determining that the second digital message has a high priority than the first digital message. For example, an originating control device may transmit first and second digital messages in response to a press and a release of an actuator, respectively, and may interrupt the propagation of the first digital message to transmit the second digital message if the first digital message is irrelevant in view of the second digital message.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of transmitting a digital message across a communication network having a plurality of control devices, the method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting a first digital message; propagating the first digital message through the communication network; determining that a second digital message has a higher priority than the first digital message; and interrupting the step of propagating the first digital message to transmit the second digital message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of transmitting a digital message across a communication network having a plurality of control devices, the method comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting a first digital message during a first time slot; propagating the first digital message through the communication network; receiving the first digital message; and transmitting an acknowledgement message in response to first digital message during a second time slot before the step of propagating the first digital message is complete.
-
-
18. A radio-frequency load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical loads, the load control system comprising a plurality of control devices adapted to be coupled to an RF communication link for communicating digital messages with each other, at least one of the control devices operable to transmit a first digital message via the RF communication link, such that the first digital message is propagated through the RF load control system, at least one of the control devices operable to receive the first digital message and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the first digital message;
wherein the improvement comprises at least one of the control devices operable to determine that a second digital message has a higher priority than the first digital message, and to interrupt the propagation of the first digital message by transmitting the second digital message. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
20. A radio-frequency load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical loads, the load control system comprising:
-
a plurality of control devices adapted to be coupled to an RF communication link for communicating digital messages with each other; the plurality of control devices comprising an originating control device operable to transmit a first digital message via the RF communication link, such that the first digital message is propagated through the RF load control system; the plurality of control devices further comprising a load control device adapted to be coupled between the AC power source and at least one of the electrical loads, the load control device operable to receive the first digital message and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the first digital message; wherein the improvement comprises the originating control device operable to determine that the first digital message is irrelevant in view of a second digital message, and to interrupt the propagation of the first digital message by transmitting the second digital message. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A radio-frequency load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical loads, the load control system comprising a plurality of control devices adapted to be coupled to an RF communication link for communicating digital messages with each other, at least one of the control devices operable to transmit a first digital message via the RF communication link during a first time slot, such that the first digital message is propagated through the RF load control system;
wherein the improvement comprises at least one of the control devices operable to receive the first digital message, and to transmit an acknowledgement message in response to first digital message during a second time slot before the propagation of the first digital message is complete.
Specification