Dynamic Keypad for Controlling Energy-Savings Modes of a Load Control System

• US 20120095601A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Abraham, Arya, Altonen, Gregory, Bhate, Nikhil Vithal, Clymer, Erica L., Fricke, William Bryce, Jacoby, Elliot G., Killo, Jason C., Pessina, Michael W., Zaharchuk, Walter S., Spira, Joel S., Ludwig, Stephen M. Jr., Margolin, Lauren B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control system for a building having a lighting load, a window, and a heating and cooling system comprises a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window, a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building, and a dynamic keypad comprising a visual display and operable to receive a user input. The dynamic keypad allows a user to select, adjust, and monitor a plurality of energy-savings modes of the load control system. For example, the dynamic keypad allows the user to enable and adjust a setback temperature of the temperature control device on-the-fly.

Claims

1. A load control system for a building having a lighting load located in a space of the building, a heating and cooling system, and a window located in the space of the building, the load control system comprising:

a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load to control the lighting intensity of the lighting load;

a motorized window treatment comprising a window treatment fabric for covering the window, the motorized window treatment operable to move the fabric between a fully-open position in which the window is not covered and a fully-closed position in which the window is covered;

a temperature control device for controlling a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building; and

a visual display device comprising a visual display and operable to receive a user input;

wherein the lighting control device is operable to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load in response to the user input received by the visual display device, the motorized window treatment is operable to move the fabric to the fully-closed position so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to the user input received by the visual display device, and the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when cooling the building and decrease the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system when heating the building, so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to the user input received by the visual display device.

2. The load control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller in communication with a utility company and operable to transmit digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to information received from the utility company.

3. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is responsive to pricing information for electricity provided by the utility company.

4. The load control system of claim 3, where in the controller is operable to select one of a plurality of energy-savings presets in response to the pricing information provided by the utility company, the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device responsive to the plurality of energy-savings presets to provide a respective plurality of energy savings levels of the load control system.

5. The load control system of claim 4, wherein the visual display device is operable to display a demand response setting editing screen for allowing a user to define which of the energy-savings presets are selected in response to the pricing information provided by the utility company.

6. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to receive a demand response command from the utility company, and to transmit digital messages to the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device via the communication link in response to information received from the utility company;

wherein the lighting control device decreases the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, the daylight control device decreases the amount of natural light admitted through the window, and the temperature control device adjusts the setpoint temperature in the building in response to receiving the digital messages from the controller.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the visual display device is operable to display information regarding the demand response command on the visual display.

8. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control device is operable to increase the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system by a setback temperature when cooling the building, and decrease the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system by the setback temperature when heating the building in response to the user input received by the visual display device.

9. The load control system of claim 8, wherein the temperature control device is operable to adjust the setback temperature in response to the user input received by the visual display device.

10. The load control system of claim 9, wherein the visual display device is operable to display a setback temperature adjustment window to allow a user to adjust the setback temperature on-the-fly.

11. The load control system of claim 8, wherein the temperature control device is operable to adjust the setpoint temperature in response to a timeclock schedule, the temperature control device operable to increase the setpoint temperature determined by the timeclock schedule by the setback temperature when cooling the building and to decrease the setpoint temperature determined by the timeclock schedule by the setback temperature when heating the building, so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system during the timeclock schedule.

12. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the visual display device comprises a dynamic keypad adapted to be mounted to a wall.

13. The load control system of claim 12, wherein the visual display device comprises a touch pad displaced overtop the visual display, such that the visual display device is operable to display a plurality of soft buttons on the visual display, and to receive the user input in response to an actuation of one of the soft buttons.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein the soft buttons displayed on the visual display of the visual display device comprise preset buttons for selecting a plurality of energy-savings presets, the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device responsive to the plurality of energy-savings presets to provide a respective plurality of energy savings levels of the load control system.

15. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the visual display device comprises a WiFi-enabled device.

16. The load control system of claim 15, wherein the visual display device comprises one of a tablet device and a smart phone.

17. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the visual display device is operable to display a virtual slider control having a slider knob for allowing a user to adjust the intensity of the lighting load, the visual display device operable to update the position of the actuator knob to accurately reflect the intensity of the lighting load after the lighting control device adjusts the intensity of the lighting load in response to an actuation of an intensity adjustment actuator on the lighting control device.

18. The load control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controllable switching device for turning an electrical load on and off, the controllable switching device operable to turn off the electrical load in response to the user input received by the visual display device, so as to decrease the power consumption of the load control system.

19. A visual display device for a load control system for a building having a lighting load located in a space of the building, a heating and cooling system, and a window located in the space of the building, the visual display device comprising:

a touch-responsive visual display;

a controller coupled to the visual display for displaying a plurality of soft buttons on the visual display, and receiving a user input in response to an actuation of one of the soft buttons; and

a communication circuit coupled to the controller, such that the controller is operable to transmit a digital message in response to the user input;

wherein the digital message is operable to cause the load control system to decrease the amount of power delivered to the lighting load so as to decrease the power consumption of the lighting load in response to the user input received by the touch pad, to move the fabric to the fully-closed position so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to the user input received by the touch pad, and to increase the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system by a setback temperature when cooling the building and decrease the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system by the setback temperature when heating the building, so as to decrease the power consumption of the heating and cooling system in response to the user input received by the touch pad.

20. The visual display device of claim 19, wherein the touch-responsive visual display further comprises a touch pad displaced overtop the visual display and coupled to the controller, such that the controller is operable to receive the user inputs in response to the actuations of the soft buttons.

21. The visual display device of claim 19, wherein the controller is operable to display a setback temperature adjustment window on the visual display to allow a user to adjust the setback temperature on-the-fly, and to transmit a second digital message including a new setback temperature in response to an actuation of the touch-responsive visual display.

22. The visual display device of claim 19, wherein the controller is operable to display a demand response setting editing screen for allowing a user to define which of a plurality of energy-savings presets are selected in response to pricing information provided by a utility company.