GESTURE-BASED LOAD CONTROL VIA WEARABLE DEVICES

• US 20160224036A1
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Baker, Rhodes B., Clymer, Erica L., Knode, Galen Edgar, Kumar, Sanjeev, Nill, John, Twaddell, Daniel L., Zizza, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,484,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A load control system may include control-target devices for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load. The control-target devices may be capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on control instructions. The control-target devices and/or the control-instructions may be determined based on a gesture performed by a user. The user may wear a wearable control device capable of measuring movements performed by the user and transmit digital messages that may be used to control an electrical load. The wearable control device may identify gestures performed by the user for controlling a control-target device and/or provide control instructions to the control-target device based on the identified gestures. A gesture may be associated with a scene that includes a configuration of one or more control devices in a load control system.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling an electrical load via a control-target device, the control device comprising:

a communication circuit; and

a control circuit configured to;

receive, via the communication circuit, data indicative of a gesture performed by a user via a wearable control device;

identify the control-target device;

identify, based on the data indicative of the gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device, control instructions for causing the control-target device to control the electrical load; and

send the control instructions to the control-target device for controlling the electrical load.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a speed at which the gesture is performed by the user; and

determine the control instructions based on the speed at which the gesture is performed.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a distance over which the gesture is performed by the user; and

determine the control instructions based on the distance over which the gesture is performed.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to identify the control-target device based on the gesture performed by the user.

5. The control device of claim 4, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user, and wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, data indicative of a second gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device; and

identify the control-target device based on the data indicative of the second gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a digital message that indicates the control-target device; and

identify the control-target device based on the digital message.

8. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an engage gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device; and

enable identification of the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user after receipt of the engage gesture.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

enter a programming mode for associating the gesture with the control instructions; and

associate the control instructions with the gesture such that the control instructions are capable of being identified when the gesture is performed by the user.

10. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a unique identifier associated with the user; and

retrieve a plurality of gestures associated with the unique identifier, wherein the plurality of gestures associated with the unique identifier include the gesture performed by the user.

11. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an indication of a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

12. The control device of claim 11, wherein the location of the user is identified via a near field communication (NFC) signal or a global positioning system (GPS) signal.

13. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an indication of a location of the user;

identify the gesture as being performed by the user at the location at least a predetermined number of times within a time period;

receive, via the communication circuit, a subsequent indication of the location of the user after identifying the gesture has been performed the at least the predetermined number of times within the time period; and

send, via the communication circuit, the control instructions to the control-target device upon receipt of the subsequent indication.

14. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to send the control instructions to the control-target device via the communication circuit.

15. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to send the control instructions to the control-target device via another communication circuit, wherein the other communication circuit is different than the communication circuit.

16. A system for controlling an electrical load, comprising:

a wearable control device configured to transmit an indication of a gesture performed by a user of the wearable control device;

a control device configured to;

receive the indication of the gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device;

identify, based on the indication of the gesture performed by the user, control instructions for causing a control-target device to control an electrical load; and

send the control instructions to the control-target device to control the electrical load.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control device is configured to identify the control-target device based on the indication of the gesture performed by the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are identified as a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device, wherein the control device is configured to receive an indication of a second gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device and identify the control-target device based on the second gesture performed by the user.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the wearable control device comprises an armband.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the control-target device is at least one of a lighting control device or a motorized window treatment.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the control device is configured to:

receive an indication of a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the indication of the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the control device comprises a wireless communication device or a central control device.

24. A method for controlling an electrical load via a gesture performed by a user of a wearable control device, the method comprising:

identifying a gesture performed by a user of a wearable control device;

identifying, based on the gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device, control instructions for causing a control-target device to control an electrical load; and

sending the control instructions to the control-target device to control the electrical load.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising identifying the control-target device based on the gesture performed by the user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user, and the method comprising:

identifying a second gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device; and

identifying the control-target device based on the second gesture performed by the user.

28. The method of claim 24, comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of the user; and

identifying the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

29. A system for controlling an electrical load, comprising:

a control-target device configured to control the electrical load; and

a wearable control device configured to;

receive data indicative of the gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device;

identify, based on the data indicative of the gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device, control instructions for causing the control-target device to control the electrical load; and

send the control instructions to the control-target device to control the electrical load.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the wearable control device is configured to identify the control-target device based on the gesture performed by the user.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user, wherein the wearable control device is configured to receive an indication of a second gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device and identify the control-target device based on the indication of the second gesture performed by the user.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the wearable control device is configured to:

identify a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

34. A control-target device for controlling an electrical load, the control-target device comprising:

a communication circuit; and

a control circuit configured to;

receive, via the communication circuit, an indication of a gesture performed by a user of a wearable control device, wherein the indication is received from the wearable control device;

identify, based on the indication of the gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device, control instructions for controlling the electrical load; and

controlling the electrical load based on the control instructions.

35. The control-target device of claim 34, comprising:

a load control circuit configured to control the amount of power provided to the electrical load.

36. The control-target device of claim 34, wherein the electrical load is a lamp.

37. The control-target device of claim 34, wherein the electrical load is an electrical motor for controlling a level of a covering material of the motorized window treatment.

38. The control-target device of claim 34, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive an indication of a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the indication of the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

39. A wearable control device for controlling an electrical load via a gesture performed by a user of the wearable control device, the wearable control device comprising:

a communication circuit;

a position-determining circuit configured to generate data indicative of a gesture performed by a user of the wearable control device; and

a control circuit configured to;

receive, from the position-determining circuit, the data indicative of the gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device;

identify, based on the data indicative of the gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device, control instructions for causing a control-target device to control the electrical load; and

send, via the communication circuit, the control instructions to control the electrical load.

40. The wearable control device of claim 39, wherein the control circuit is configured to identify the control-target device based on the gesture performed by the user.

41. The wearable control device of claim 40, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

42. The wearable control device of claim 39, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device, wherein the wearable control device is configured to identify data indicative of a second gesture performed by the user of the wearable control device, and wherein the control device is configured to identify the control-target device based on the second gesture performed by the user.

43. The wearable control device of claim 39, wherein the wearable control device comprises an armband.

44. The wearable control device of claim 39, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

identify a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

45. A wireless communication device for controlling an electrical load via a control-target device, the wireless communication device comprising:

a communication circuit; and

a control circuit configured to;

receive, via the communication circuit, data indicative of a gesture performed by a user via a wearable control device;

identify the control-target device;

identify, based on the data indicative of the gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device, control instructions for causing the control-target device to control the electrical load; and

send the control instructions to the control-target device for controlling the electrical load.

46. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a speed at which the gesture is performed by the user; and

determine the control instructions based on the speed at which the gesture is performed.

47. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a distance over which the gesture is performed by the user; and

determine the control instructions based on the distance over which the gesture is performed.

48. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to identify the control-target device based on the gesture performed by the user.

49. The wireless communication device of claim 48, wherein the control-target device and the control instructions are a part of a preset associated with the gesture.

50. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the gesture is a first gesture performed by the user, and wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, data indicative of a second gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device; and

identify the control-target device based on the data indicative of the second gesture performed by the user.

51. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a digital message that indicates the control-target device; and

identify the control-target device based on the digital message.

52. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an engage gesture performed by the user via the wearable control device; and

enable identification of the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user after receipt of the engage gesture.

53. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

enter a programming mode for associating the gesture with the control instructions; and

associate the control instructions with the gesture such that the control instructions are capable of being identified when the gesture is performed by the user.

54. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, a unique identifier associated with the user; and

retrieve a plurality of gestures associated with the unique identifier, wherein the plurality of gestures associated with the unique identifier include the gesture performed by the user.

55. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an indication of a location of the user; and

identify the control instructions based on the gesture performed by the user and the location of the user.

56. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive, via the communication circuit, an indication of a location of the user;

identify the gesture as being performed by the user at the location at least a predetermined number of times within a time period;

receive, via the communication circuit, a subsequent indication of the location of the user after identifying the gesture has been performed the at least the predetermined number of times within the time period; and

send, via the communication circuit, the control instructions to the control-target device upon receipt of the subsequent indication.