Multi-Zone Plug-In Load Control Device

• US 20140180486A1
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Newman, Robert C. Jr., Spira, Joel S.
• Application Number:
  US13/726,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A multi-zone plug-in load control device controls a plug-in electrical load in a predefined manner in response to received wireless digital messages depending upon which of a plurality of electrical receptacles into which the one of the electrical loads is plugged. The load control device receives wireless digital messages representative of whether the space in which the multi-zone plug-in load control device is located is occupied or vacant from an occupancy sensor. The load control device is operable to determine if one of the electrical loads (e.g., a television) is in a standby mode, and to remove power from the one of the electrical loads in response to determining that the space is vacant only when the one of the electrical loads is in the standby mode. In addition, the load control device is operable to disable further control of the electrical load in response to the received wireless digital messages if an electrical signature of a load current drawn by the one of the electrical loads is similar to a predetermined electrical signature.

Claims

1. A multi-zone plug-in load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical loads, the load control device comprising:

a plurality of electrical receptacles adapted to receive respective electrical plugs of the electrical loads;

a plurality of load control circuits, each coupled to a respective one of the electrical receptacles, each load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the respective one of the electrical loads;

a controller operatively coupled to the load control circuits for controlling the power delivered to the respective loads; and

an RF receiver operatively coupled to the controller, such that the controller is operable to receive wireless digital messages representative of whether the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied or vacant;

wherein the controller is operable to determine if the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied or vacant in response to the received wireless digital messages, the controller operable to turn on the electrical loads in response to determining that the space is occupied and to turn off the electrical loads in response to determining that the space is vacant.

2. The multi-zone plug-in load control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to control one of the electrical loads in a predefined manner in response to the received digital messages depending upon which of the electrical receptacles into which the one of the electrical loads is plugged.

3. The multi-zone plug-in load control device of claim 2, wherein the electrical receptacles are grouped into two or more zones, the controller operable to control the one of the electrical loads in the predefined manner in response to the received digital messages depending upon which of the zones into which the one of the electrical loads is plugged.

4. The multi-zone plug-in load control device of claim 3, wherein the zones comprise a vampire-load zone, the controller operable to determine if an electrical load that is plugged into the vampire-load zone is in a standby mode, the controller operable to remove power from the electrical load that is plugged into the vampire-load zone in response to determining that the space is vacant only when the electrical load is in the standby mode.

5. The multi-zone plug-in load control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to determine if one of the electrical loads is in a standby mode, the controller further operable to remove power from the one of the electrical loads in response to determining that the space is vacant only when the one of the electrical loads is in the standby mode.

6. The multi-zone plug-in load control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to measure and store an electrical signature of the load current drawn by one of the electrical loads, the controller operable to compare the electrical signature to a predetermined electrical signature, and to disable further control of the electrical load in response to the received wireless digital messages if the electrical signature of the load current drawn by the one of the electrical loads is similar to the predetermined electrical signature.

7. A plug-in load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to a plug-in electrical load having an electrical plug and located in a space, the load control device comprising:

an electrical receptacle adapted to receive the electrical plug of the electrical load;

a load control circuit coupled to the electrical receptacle, such that the load control circuit is adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load;

a controller operatively coupled to the load control circuit for controlling the power delivered to the load; and

an RF receiver operatively coupled to the controller, such that the controller is operable to receive wireless digital messages and to determine if the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied or vacant in response to the received wireless digital messages;

wherein the controller is operable to determine if the electrical load is in a standby mode, the controller operable to remove power from the electrical load in response to determining that the space is vacant only when the electrical load is in the standby mode.

8. The load control device of claim 7, further comprising:

a sense circuit coupled in series with the electrical receptacle and the load control circuit, the controller operatively coupled to the sense circuit, such that the controller is operable to determine a magnitude of a load current drawn by the electrical load;

wherein the controller is operable to determine that the electrical load is in the standby mode if the load current drawn by the electrical load is less than a predetermined threshold.

9. The load control device of claim 8, wherein the controller is operable to measure and store an electrical signature of the load current drawn by the electrical load in response to the sense circuit, the controller operable to compare the electrical signature to a predetermined electrical signature, and to disable further control of the electrical load in response to the received wireless digital messages if the electrical signature of the load current drawn by the electrical load is similar to the predetermined electrical signature.

10. The load control device of claim 7, wherein the electrical load comprises a television adapted to be controlled by an infrared remote control, the controller operable to receive a command transmitted by the infrared remote control from the received wireless digital messages, the controller operable to determine that the electrical load is in the standby mode in response to determining that the command transmitted by the infrared remote control is an off command.

11. The load control device of claim 7, wherein the controller is operable to provide power from the electrical load in response to determining that the space is occupied independent of whether the electrical load is in the standby mode.

12. The load control device of claim 7, further comprising:

a second electrical receptacle adapted to receive the electrical plug of a second electrical load; and

a second load control circuit coupled to the second electrical receptacle, such that the second load control circuit is adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the second electrical load;

wherein the controller is operable to control the electrical loads in separate predefined manners in response to the received digital messages depending upon which one of the electrical receptacles into which the respective electrical load is plugged.

13. A load control system for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to a plug-in electrical load having an electrical plug and located in a space, the load control device comprising:

an occupancy sensor operable to determine if the space is occupied or vacant and to transmit digital messages representative of whether the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied or vacant; and

a plug-in load control device comprising an electrical receptacle adapted to receive the electrical plug of the electrical load and to control the power delivered to the electrical load, the load control device operable to receive the digital messages representative of whether the space in which the electrical load is located is occupied or vacant from the occupancy sensor;

wherein the load control device is operable to determine if the electrical load is in a standby mode, and to remove power from the electrical load in response to determining that the space is vacant only when the electrical load is in the standby mode.

14. The load control system of claim 13, wherein the electrical load is adapted to be controlled by an infrared remote control, the load control device operable to determine that an infrared signal was transmitted by the infrared remote control and to determine that the electrical load is in the standby mode in response to the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared remote control.

15. The load control system of claim 14, further comprising:

an infrared receiving unit comprising an infrared receiver for receiving the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared remote control, the infrared receiving unit operable to wirelessly transmit to the load control device a wireless digital message representative of the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared remote control;

wherein the load control device is operable to determine that the electrical load is in the standby mode in response to the wireless digital message transmitted by the infrared receiving unit.

16. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the electrical load comprises a television having an infrared receiver for receiving the infrared signals from the infrared remote control, the infrared receiving unit adapted to be located next to the infrared receiver of the television.

17. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the infrared signal transmitted by the infrared remote control comprises an off command.

18. The load control system of claim 13, wherein the load control device is operable to determine that the electrical load is in the standby mode if a load current drawn by the electrical load is less than a predetermined threshold.

19. The load control system of claim 18, wherein the load control device is operable to measure and store an electrical signature of a load current drawn by the electrical load, the load control device operable to compare the electrical signature to a predetermined electrical signature, and to disable further control of the electrical load in response to the received digital messages if the electrical signature of the load current drawn by the electrical load is similar to the predetermined electrical signature.

20. The load control system of claim 13, further comprising:

a remote control having an actuator and operable to wirelessly transmit a wireless digital message to the load control device in response to an actuation of the actuator;

wherein the load control device is operable to control the power delivered to the electrical load in response to the wireless digital message received from the remote control.