WIRELESS CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20160035217A1
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Camden, Richard S., Mosebrook, Donald R., Shivell, William Taylor, Miller, Amy E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,652,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• 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: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• 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 wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the wireless control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). The antenna of the wireless control device may comprise a driven element and a conductive component. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element and a conductive component, the driven element defining an elongated slot, the conductive component defining an elongated slot, the elongated slot of the driven element substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and

a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

2. The wireless control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox;

a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke, wherein the driven element is configured to be located between the bezel and the yoke, and wherein the bezel is configured to be located between the conductive component and the driven element.

3. The wireless control device of claim 2, wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.

4. The wireless control device of claim 3, wherein the conductive component is connected to the yoke via a screw.

5. The wireless control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, wherein the elongated opening of the faceplate is substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

6. The wireless control device of claim 5, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate or the faceplate is a non-conductive faceplate.

7. The wireless control device of claim 5, wherein the conductive component is attached to the rear surface of the faceplate.

8. The wireless control device of claim 5, wherein the conductive component is integrated into the faceplate.

9. The wireless control device of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is the conductive component.

10. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises one or more actuation members configured to receive the user input and wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit radio frequency signals in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

11. The wireless control device of claim 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to control one or more electrical loads in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

12. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency communication circuit is electrically coupled to the driven element via two drive points located on opposite sides of the elongated slot of the driven element at approximately the middle of the elongated slot.

13. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox;

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke, the user interface provided through the bezel;

an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, the antenna comprising a driven element and a conductive component, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke and capacitively coupled to the driven element, the driven element is configured to be located between the bezel and the yoke, and the bezel is configured to be located between the conductive component and the driven element;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and

a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

14. The wireless control device of claim 13, wherein the driven element defines an elongated slot through which the user interface extends, the conductive component defines an elongated slot through which the user interface extends, and the elongated slot of the driven element is substantially the same size as and configured to be substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component each other when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device.

15. The wireless control device of claim 13, wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.

16. The wireless control device of claim 13, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection.

17. The wireless control device of claim 13, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a screw.

18. The wireless control device of claim 13, further comprising:

a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, wherein the conductive component is configured to be located between the faceplate and the bezel.

19. The wireless control device of claim 18, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate or the faceplate is a non-conductive faceplate.

20. The wireless control device of claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises one or more actuation members configured to receive the user input and the control circuit is configured to transmit radio frequency signals in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

21. The wireless control device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is configured to control one or more electrical loads in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

22. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element and a conductive component, the driven element defining an elongated slot and a plurality of openings extending from the elongated slot, the conductive component defining an elongated slot and comprising a conductive strip next to the elongated slot, and the plurality of openings in the driven element configured to be substantially aligned with the conductive strip of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and

a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

23. The wireless control device of claim 22, wherein the user interface is configured to extend through the elongated slot of the driven element and the elongated slot of the conductive component, the elongated slot of the driven element substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device.

24. The wireless control device of claim 22, further comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox; and

a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke, wherein the driven element is configured to be located between the bezel and the yoke and wherein the bezel is configured to be located between the conductive component and the driven element.

25. The wireless control device of claim 24, wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.

26. The wireless control device of claim 24, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection.

27. The wireless control device of claim 24, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a screw.

28. The wireless control device of claim 24, further comprising:

a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to be provided through the bezel, and the elongated opening of the faceplate is substantially the same size as and configured to be substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the faceplate is mounted on the wireless control device.

29. The wireless control device of claim 28, wherein the conductive component is configured to be located between the faceplate and the bezel.

30. The wireless control device of claim 28, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate or the faceplate is a non-conductive faceplate.

31. The wireless control device of claim 22, wherein the user interface comprises one or more actuation members configured to receive the user input and the control circuit is configured to transmit radio frequency signals in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

32. The wireless control device of claim 31, wherein the one or more actuation members are configured to actuate different operational settings of one or more electrical loads controlled by the wireless control device.

33. The wireless control device of claim 28, further comprising:

an adapter plate defining an opening for receiving a portion of the bezel, wherein the adapter plate is configured to be located between the faceplate and the bezel and wherein the conductive component is configured to be located between the adapter plate and the bezel.

34. The wireless control device of claim 33, wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.