COMISSIONING LOAD CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 20140265568A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Fricke, William Bryce, Lenz, Jonathan T., Crafts, Jordan, Ludwing, Stephen M. Jr., Barnes, Bryan Robert, Barco, Kyle Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,027,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/24
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.

Claims

1. A load control system comprising:

a plurality of load control devices, wherein each load control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to an electrical load, wherein the plurality of load control devices include a control-source device and a control-target device, and wherein the control-target device is capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device; and

a user device configured to discover the control-target device when the control-target device is within an established range associated with the user device, and wherein the established range is adjustable to one of a plurality of ranges associated with the user device.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device to enable the control-target device to control the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on the digital messages from the control-source device.

3. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the load control system further comprises a communications module, wherein the communications module is configured to:

receive, via a first communications channel, a discovery message from the user device to discover load control devices within the established range associated with the user device,

broadcast, via a second communications channel, the discovery message within the established range associated with the user device,

receive, via the second communications channel, a response to the discovery message from the control-target device, and

send, via the first communications channel, the response to the user device.

4. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device further includes a communications circuit, and wherein the user device being configured to discover the control-target device further includes the communications circuit being configured to:

broadcast a discovery message within the established range associated with the user device, and

receive a response to the discovery message from the control-target device.

5. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the established range corresponds to a transmit power of the user device.

6. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the load control system further comprises a communications module configured to communicate with the user device and the plurality of load control devices, and wherein the established range corresponds to a transmit power of the communications module.

7. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to determine the established range by disregarding information received outside of the established range.

8. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to discover the control-source device within the established range associated with the user device.

9. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is further configured to disassociate the control-source device from the control-target device such that the control-target device is unable to control the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on the digital messages from the control-source device.

10. A method for discovering load control devices, wherein each load control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to an electrical load, and wherein the load control devices include a control-source device and a control-target device capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device, the method comprising:

establishing a range associated with a user device, wherein the established range is adjustable to one of a plurality of ranges associated with the user device; and

discovering the control-target device when the control-target device is within the established range associated with the user device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising associating the control-source device with the control-target device to enable the control-target device to control the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on the digital messages from the control-source device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control-source device is associated with the control-target device when the control-target device is within the established range associated with the user device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein associating the control-source device with the control-target device includes sending an identifier of the control-source device to the control-target device for the control-target device to recognize the digital messages from the control-source device.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising indicating a device type for discovering the control-target device, and wherein the discovered control-target device comprises the indicated device type.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the established range associated with the user device for discovering other load control devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the established range is adjusted by configuring a transmit power of the user device or a transmit power of a communications module of the user device.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting the discovered control-target device; and

sending an identification message to the selected control-target device to instruct the control-target device to perform an identifying action.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

identifying the control-target device based on the identifying action; and

configuring, via the user device, one or more fields associated with the selected control-target device after the control-target device has been identified.

19. A user device for discovering load control devices, wherein each load control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to an electrical load, wherein the load control devices include a control-source device and a control-target device, and wherein the control-target device is capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device, the user device comprising:

a control circuit configured to discover the control-target device when the control-target device is within an established range associated with the user device, wherein the established range is adjustable to at least one of a plurality of ranges associated with the user device.

20. The user device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is further configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device to enable the control-target device to control the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on the digital messages from the control-source device.

21. The user device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device when the control-target device is within the established range associated with the user device.

22. The user device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to associate the control-source device with the control-target device by sending an identifier of the control-source device to the control-target device for the control-target device to recognize the digital messages from the control-source device.

23. The user device of claim 22, wherein the control circuit is configured to disassociate the control-source device and the control-target device by instructing the control-target device to remove the identifier of the control-source device from the control-target device.

24. The user device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit being configured to discover the control-target device includes the control circuit being configured to:

send a discovery message for being broadcast within the established range, and

receive a response to the discovery message from the control-target device.

25. The user device of claim 24, wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the control-target device is within the established range based on a received signal strength of the response from the control-target device.

26. The user device of claim 24, wherein the discovery message comprises an indication of a device type for responding to the discovery message, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine that the control-target device is of the indicated device type.

27. The user device of claim 19, wherein the user device further comprises a communications circuit that includes a configurable transmit power, and wherein the established range is capable of being adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the communications circuit.

28. The user device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is further configured to discover the control-source device when the control-source device is within the established range associated with the user device.

29. The user device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is further configured to send an indication of the discovered control-target device to a broadcast control device for association with the control-source device.

30. The user device of claim 19, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

adjust the established range to a second established range associated with the user device,

discover a second control-target device within the second established range associated with the user device, wherein the second control-target device is capable of controlling an amount of power provided to a second electrical load.

31. A wireless communications module for communicating with load control devices, wherein each load control device is configured to control an amount of power provided to an electrical load, wherein the load control devices include a control-source device and a control-target device, and wherein the control-target device is capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device, the wireless communications module comprising:

at least one communications circuit configured to;

communicate, via a first communications channel, with a user device, and

communicate, via a second communications channel, with the control-target device; and

a control circuit configured to adjust a transmit power of the at least one communications circuit to discover the control-target device when the control-target device is within an established range associated with the user device.

32. The wireless communications module of claim 31, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

format discovery messages received, via the first communications channel, from the user device for transmission, via the second communications channel, to the control-target device, and

format discovery responses received, via the second communications channel, from the control-target device for transmission, via the first communications channel, to the user device.

33. The wireless communications module of claim 31, wherein the at least one communications circuit comprises a first communications circuit configured to communicate via the first communications channel and a second communications circuit configured to communicate via the second communications channel.

34. The wireless communications module of claim 33, wherein the established range associated with the user device corresponds to the transmit power of the first communications circuit.

35. The wireless communications module of claim 31, wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust the transmit power of the at least one communications circuit to discover another control-target device.

36. The wireless communications module of claim 31, wherein the control circuit is further configured to discover the control-source device when the control-source device is within the established range associated with the user device.

37. A load control device for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of control-source devices associated with the load control device, wherein the load control device is capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from each associated control-source device of the plurality of associated control-source devices; and

a control circuit configured to disassociate an associated control-source device of the plurality of associated control-source devices, while maintaining an association with another associated control-source device of the plurality of associated control-source devices.

38. The load control device of claim 37, wherein the control circuit is further configured to disassociate the associated control-source device by removing an identifier of the associated control-source device from the memory, and maintain the association with the other associated control-source device by keeping an identifier of the other associated control-source device in the memory.

39. The load control device of claim 37, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

receive a discovery message from a user device,

send a discovery response to the discovery message from the user device, wherein the discovery response includes identification information of the load control device,

receive an association message from the user device in response to the discovery response, wherein the association message includes identification information of a control-source device, and

store, in the memory, the identification information of the control-source device, wherein the identification information of the control-source device enables the load control device to recognize the digital messages from the control-source device.

40. A load control device for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a memory for storing a device type associated with the load control device; and

a control circuit configured to;

receive a discovery message from a user device, wherein the discovery message includes an indication of a type of load control device,

compare the type of load control device indicated in the discovery message with the device type associated with the load control device, and

send a discovery response to the discovery message when the device type is the same as the type of load control device indicated in the discovery message.

41. The load control device of claim 40, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

receive an association message from the user device, wherein the association message includes identification information of a control-source device, and

store, in the memory, the identification information of the control-source device, wherein the identification information of the control-source device enables the load control device to recognize digital messages from the control-source device.