METHOD OF PROGRAMMING A LOAD CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20170064798A1
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Browne, John C., Economy, Theodore F., Fricke, William Bryce, Knode, Galen Edgar, Bedell, Ryan S., Salvestrini, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,779,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control device is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between an AC power source and an electrical load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network. The load control device may further comprise an optical module operable to receive an optical signal, such that the controller may obtain an IP address from the received optical signal and control the power delivered to the load in response to a wireless signal that includes the IP address.

Claims

1. A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load;

a controller operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive; and

a near-field communications (NFC) module operatively coupled to the controller and operable to receive at least one NFC signal for programming operating parameters of the load control device, wherein the controller is operable to control the controllably conductive device to control the power delivered to the load based on the operating parameters of the load control device.