Methods, Systems, and Products for Control of Electrical Loads

• US 20160062324A1
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dyal, John Tatum
• Granted Patent: US 10,356,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A single input to a lighting system may control several different light fixtures. Multiple light fixtures may be connected to a switch or controller of the lighting system. A user makes an input to the lighting system, and individual light fixtures are activated as the user continues making the input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

receiving, at a controller, a start of an input to the lighting environment;

activating, by the controller, a first lighting load of the lighting environment in response to the start of the input; and

sequentially activating, by the controller, additional lighting loads of the lighting environment in response to a final time of the input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising electrically associating each one of the additional lighting loads to different light fixtures, such that the continued receipt of the input sequentially activates one of the different light fixtures.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising sequentially activating the different light fixtures in different rooms of the lighting environment, such that the continued receipt of the input sequentially activates one of the different light fixtures in one of the different rooms.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting a timer that counts to the final time of the input.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising stopping the timer at cessation of the input.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a final value of the timer at the cessation of the input.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising sequentially activating the additional lighting loads at different values of the timer.

8. A system for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a start of an input to the lighting environment;

starting a timer that counts a time from the start of the input to a final value at cessation of the input;

activating a first lighting load of the lighting environment in response to the start of the input; and

sequentially activating additional lighting loads in response to continued receipt of the input.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sequentially activating the additional lighting loads in response to different values of the timer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sequentially activating the additional lighting loads at sequential values of the timer.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise associating each one of the additional lighting loads to different values of the timer.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise activating the first lighting load connected to a switch.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise sequentially activating the additional lighting loads also connected to the switch.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise sequentially activating the additional lighting loads in different rooms of the lighting environment.

15. A method for controlling a lighting environment, comprising:

receiving, at a controller, a start of an input to a switch of the lighting environment;

activating, by the controller, a first lighting load of the lighting environment in response to the start of the input to the switch; and

sequentially activating, by the controller, additional lighting loads connected to the switch in response to continued receipt of the input.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising starting a timer that counts a time from the start of the input to a final value at cessation of the input.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising associating the additional lighting loads to different values of the timer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising sequentially activating the additional lighting loads in response to a current value of the timer equaling one of the different values.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing the current value of the timer to the different values of the timer.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising wirelessly receiving the input to the switch.