Multi-Modal Load Control System Having Occupancy Sensing
First Claim
1. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load located in a space of a building, the load control system comprising:
- a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the space; and
a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load, the load control circuit responsive to the sensor to control the amount of power delivered to the load, such that, while the load control system is operating in a first mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the presence of the occupant and turns the load off when the sensor detects the absence of the occupant, and while the load control system is operating in a second mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the absence of the occupant and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the presence of the occupant;
wherein the load control system is operable to automatically change between the first and second modes of operation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-modal load control system includes a sensor that operates as an occupancy sensor in a first mode of operation and operates as a vacancy sensor in a second mode of operation. The load control system comprises a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load in response to sensor, which is operable to detect occupancy or vacancy conditions in a space in which the sensor is located. In the first mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition and turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition. In the second mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition.
91 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load located in a space of a building, the load control system comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the space; and a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load, the load control circuit responsive to the sensor to control the amount of power delivered to the load, such that, while the load control system is operating in a first mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the presence of the occupant and turns the load off when the sensor detects the absence of the occupant, and while the load control system is operating in a second mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the absence of the occupant and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the presence of the occupant; wherein the load control system is operable to automatically change between the first and second modes of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load located in a space of a building, the load control system comprising:
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a sensor mounted to detect an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition in the space; and a load control device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the load control device responsive to the sensor to control the intensity of the lighting load; wherein the sensor operates as an occupancy sensor when the load control system is operating in a first mode of operation, and as a vacancy sensor when the load control system is operating in a second mode of operation, the load control system operable to automatically change between the first and second modes of operation in response to the present time of day. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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37. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load located in a space of a building, the load control system comprising:
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a load control device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load; a sensor mounted to detect an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition in the space; and a central controller operating in first and second modes of operation to transmit digital messages to the load control device in response to the sensor detecting the occupancy condition or the vacancy condition in the space, such that in the first mode of operation, the load control device turns the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition and turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition, and in a second mode of operation, the load control device turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition, but does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition; wherein the central controller is operable to change between the first and second modes of operation in response to receiving a digital message.
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43. A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a lighting load located in a space of a building, the load control device comprising:
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a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load; a sensor for detecting the presence and absence of an occupant in the space; and an internal controller operatively coupled to the load control circuit and the sensor for controlling the intensity of the load in response to the sensor, the internal controller operable to operate in first and second modes of operation, the internal controller operable to automatically change between the first and second modes of operation in response to the present time of day; wherein the load control device operates as an occupancy sensor when the internal controller is operating in a first mode of operation, and as a vacancy sensor when the internal controller is operating in a second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A load control system for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load located in a space of a building, the load control system comprising:
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a sensor for detecting the presence and absence of the occupant in the space; and a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load, the load control device responsive to the sensor to control the power delivered to the load; wherein the load control circuit turns the load off in response to detecting the absence of the occupant in the space at all times, and turns the load on in response to detecting the presence of the occupant only during a portion of each day. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A method of controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to a lighting load in response to a sensor located in a space of a building, the method comprising:
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turning off the lighting load in response to the sensor when operating in both first and second modes of operation; turning on the lighting load in response to the sensor only when operating in the first mode of operation; and automatically changing between the first and second modes of operation. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification