Load Control Device that is Responsive to Different Types of Wireless Transmitters

• US 20120286676A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Schmalz, Andrew Peter, Saveri, David T. III, Bhat, Akshay
• Granted Patent: US 8,823,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/159
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• 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 load control system for controlling an electrical load includes multiple wireless transmitters and a load control device that is able to automatically adjust how the load control device operates in response to type of wireless transmitters that are associated with the load control device. The load control device automatically operates in a first mode of operation if only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device, and automatically operates in a second mode of operation if both the first and second transmitters are associated with the load control device. The first transmitter may comprise a daylight sensor, and the load control device may only turn on the electrical load in one of the two modes in response to the daylight sensor.

Claims

1. A load control system for controlling an electrical load, the load control system comprising:

a first transmitter operable to wirelessly transmit a first digital message;

a second transmitter operable to wirelessly transmit a second digital message; and

a load control device for controlling the load, the load control device operable to be associated with one or both of the first and second transmitters, the load control device responsive to the first digital message if the load control device is associated with the first transmitter and to the second digital message if the load control device is associated with the second transmitter;

wherein the load control device automatically operates in a first mode of operation if only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device, and automatically operates in a second mode of operation if both the first and second transmitters are associated with the load control device.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the load control device is adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered from the source to the load.

3. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the electrical load comprises a lighting load, the first transmitter comprises a daylight sensor, and the second transmitter comprises an occupancy sensor.

4. The load control system of claim 3, wherein the load control device comprises an actuator for turning the lighting load on and off.

5. The load control system of claim 4, wherein the load control device does not turn on the lighting load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

6. The load control system of claim 5, wherein the load control device is operable to determine if a space in which the electrical load is located is occupied in response to the second digital message transmitted by the occupancy sensor.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device turns the lighting load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the occupancy sensor are associated with the load control device and the load control device has determined that the space in which the lighting load is located is occupied.

8. The load control system of claim 5, wherein the load control device turns on the lighting load in response to an actuation of the actuator in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

9. The load control system of claim 5, wherein the load control device comprises one of a wall-mountable electronic switch and a wall-mountable dimmer switch.

10. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the electrical load comprises a lighting load, the first transmitter comprises a daylight sensor, and the second transmitter comprises a remote control.

11. The load control system of claim 10, wherein the load control device turns the lighting load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

12. The load control system of claim 11, wherein the load control device does not turn on the lighting load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the remote control are associated with the load control device.

13. The load control system of claim 12, wherein the load control device turns on the lighting load in response to the second digital message transmitted by the remote control in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the remote control are associated with the load control device.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein the load control device comprises a remote switching pack.

15. A load control device for use in a load control system for controlling an electrical load in response to first and second transmitters, the load control device comprising:

a wireless communication circuit adapted to received a first digital message from the first transmitter and a second digital message from the second transmitter; and

a controller adapted to be associated with one or both of the first and second transmitters, the controller responsive to the first digital message if the load control device is associated with the first transmitter and to the second digital message if the load control device is associated with the second transmitter;

wherein the controller automatically operates in a first mode of operation if only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device, and automatically operates in a second mode of operation if both the first and second transmitters are associated with the load control device.

16. The load control device of claim 15, further comprising:

an actuator for turning the electrical load on and off.

17. The load control device of claim 16, wherein the load control device does not turn on the electrical load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the first transmitter in the first mode of operation when only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device.

18. The load control device of claim 17, wherein the load control device is operable to determine if a space in which the electrical load is located is occupied in response to the second digital message transmitted by the second transmitter.

19. The load control device of claim 18, wherein the load control device turns the electrical load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the first transmitter in the second mode of operation when both the first transmitter and the second transmitter are associated with the load control device and the load control device has determined that the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied.

20. The load control device of claim 17, wherein the load control device turns on the electrical load in response to an actuation of the actuator in the first mode of operation when only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device.

21. The load control device of claim 15, wherein the load control device turns the electrical load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the first transmitter in the first mode of operation when only the first transmitter is associated with the load control device.

22. The load control device of claim 21, wherein the load control device does not turn on the electrical load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the first transmitter in the second mode of operation when both the first and second transmitters are associated with the load control device.

23. The load control device of claim 22, wherein the load control device turns on the electrical load in response to the second digital message transmitted by the second transmitter in the second mode of operation when both the first and second transmitters are associated with the load control device.

24. The load control device of claim 15, further comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered from the source to the load.

25. The load control device of claim 24, wherein the load control device comprises one of a wall-mountable dimmer switch, a wall-mountable electronic switch, and a remote switching pack.

26. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a lighting load, the load control system comprising:

a daylight sensor operable to wirelessly transmit a first digital message;

an occupancy sensor operable to wirelessly transmit a second digital message; and

a load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the lighting load and comprising an actuator for turning the lighting load on and off, the load control device operable to be associated with one or both of the daylight sensor and the occupancy sensor, the load control device responsive to the first digital message if the load control device is associated with the daylight sensor and to the second digital message if the load control device is associated with the occupancy sensor;

wherein the load control device automatically operates in a first mode of operation if only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device, and automatically operates in a second mode of operation if both the daylight sensor and the occupancy sensor are associated with the load control device, such that the load control device does not turn on the lighting load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

27. The load control system of claim 26, wherein the load control device is operable to determine if a space in which the electrical load is located is occupied in response to the second digital message transmitted by the occupancy sensor.

28. The load control system of claim 27, wherein the load control device turns the lighting load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the occupancy sensor are associated with the load control device and the load control device has determined that the space in which the lighting load is located is occupied.

29. The load control system of claim 26, wherein the load control device turns on the lighting load in response to an actuation of the actuator in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

30. The load control system of claim 26, wherein the load control device comprises one of a wall-mountable electronic switch and a wall-mountable dimmer switch.

31. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a lighting load, the load control system comprising:

a daylight sensor operable to wirelessly transmit a first digital message;

a remote control operable to wirelessly transmit a second digital message; and

a load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the lighting load, the load control device operable to be associated with one or both of the daylight sensor and the remote control, the load control device responsive to the first digital message if the load control device is associated with the daylight sensor and to the second digital message if the load control device is associated with the remote control;

wherein the load control device automatically operates in a first mode of operation if only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device, and automatically operates in a second mode of operation if both the daylight sensor and the remote control are associated with the load control device, the load control device turning the lighting load on and off in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the first mode of operation when only the daylight sensor is associated with the load control device.

32. The load control system of claim 31, wherein the load control device does not turn on the lighting load in response to the first digital message transmitted by the daylight sensor in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the remote control are associated with the load control device.

33. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the load control device turns on the lighting load in response to the second digital message transmitted by the remote control in the second mode of operation when both the daylight sensor and the remote control are associated with the load control device.

34. The load control system of claim 31, wherein the load control device comprises a remote switching pack.