METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING AN AMBIENT LIGHT THRESHOLD
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load comprising:
- detecting an occupancy condition;
comparing a measured ambient light level to a first value of an ambient light level threshold;
controlling the power delivered to the electrical load in response to the steps of detecting the occupancy condition and comparing the measured ambient light level;
receiving an actuation to change a state of the electrical load after the step of controlling the power; and
adjusting the ambient light level threshold to a second value in response to the step of receiving an actuation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load includes a controller, an actuator for turning the electrical load on and off, an occupancy detection circuit, and an ambient light detector. The load control device automatically turns on the electrical load in response to the presence of an occupant only if the detected ambient light is below a predetermined ambient light level threshold. After first detecting the presence of an occupant, the load control device monitors actuations of the actuator to determine whether a user has changed the state of the load. The load control device automatically adjusts the predetermined ambient light level threshold in response to the user actuations that change the state of the load.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load comprising:
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detecting an occupancy condition; comparing a measured ambient light level to a first value of an ambient light level threshold; controlling the power delivered to the electrical load in response to the steps of detecting the occupancy condition and comparing the measured ambient light level; receiving an actuation to change a state of the electrical load after the step of controlling the power; and adjusting the ambient light level threshold to a second value in response to the step of receiving an actuation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load, the load control device comprising:
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a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled between the source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load; a controller operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive; an actuator operatively coupled to the controller such that the controller is operable to render the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive in response to actuations of the actuator; an occupancy detection circuit for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant, the occupancy detection circuit operatively coupled to the controller; and an ambient light detector for measuring the ambient light level, the ambient light detector operatively coupled to the controller, the controller operable to render the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive in response to the occupancy detection circuit and the ambient light detector; wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust an ambient light level threshold in response to detecting an actuation of the actuator that occurs after detecting the presence of an occupant. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A load control system for controlling the power delivered to a load, the load control system comprising:
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at least one actuator operable to receive actuations to turn the load on or off in response to the actuations; an occupancy detector for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant; an ambient light detector for measuring the ambient light level; a controller operable to respond to actuations of the actuator, the detected presence or absence of the occupant, and the measured ambient light level; a load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load in response to the controller; wherein the controller is operable to automatically adjust an ambient light level threshold in response to detecting an actuation of the actuator that occurs after detecting the presence of an occupant. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification