BATTERY-POWERED RETROFIT REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20170193814A1
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Twaddell, Daniel L., DeJonge, Stuart W., Dimberg, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 11,043,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices

Abstract

A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device. The remote control device may include a base portion and a rotating portion supported by the base portion so as to be rotatable about the base portion. The remote control device may include a control circuit, a wireless communication circuit, and a rotary encoder circuit. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into input signals, and to operate as an antenna of the remote control device. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to provide the input signals to the control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to translate the one or more input signals into control signals for transmission to the load control device via the wireless communication circuit.

Claims

1. A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the switch actuator operable between a first position and a second position to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a base having a body that is configured to be mounted over the switch actuator of the light switch;

a control interface that is configured to be attached to the base such that a rotatable portion of the control interface is rotatable around the base;

a printed circuit board configured to be disposed in a cavity defined by the control interface;

a wireless communication circuit; and

a control circuit that is responsive to the control interface and is communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to, in response to receiving an input signal from the control interface, cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load,

wherein the body of the base is further configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch with the switch actuator in the first position, receive a battery and a portion of the switch actuator such that the battery is disposed in a space vacated by the switch actuator when the switch actuator is operated from the second position to the first position.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to translate a force applied to the rotatable portion of the control interface into the control signal.

3. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein when the force is a rotational force, the control signal is indicative of a change in the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

4. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein if the rotational force causes the rotatable portion to rotate a distance that does not exceed a predetermined distance, the control signal is indicative of changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load by a predetermined amount.

5. The remote control device of claim 3, wherein if the rotational force causes the rotatable portion to rotate a distance that exceeds a predetermined distance, the control signal is indicative of continuously changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

6. The remote control device of claim 2, wherein the control interface is configured to operably attach to the base such that the rotatable portion is resiliently biasable toward the base.

7. The remote control device of claim 6, wherein when the force causes the rotatable portion to be biased toward the base, the control signal is indicative of power being applied to, or power being removed from, the electrical load.

8. The remote control device of claim 6, wherein the control circuit is further configured to, when the force causes the rotatable portion to be biased toward the base for a predetermined amount of time, initiate a configuration procedure to associate the remote control device with a load control device that is configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

9. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable portion of the control interface comprises a disc-shaped front wall that defines a front surface, and an annular side wall that extends rearward relative to the front wall to define the cavity, the side wall configured to encircle the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is disposed in the cavity.

10. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein when disposed in the cavity, the printed circuit board is located between the front wall and the battery.

11. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to engage with the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

12. The remote control device of claim 11, wherein the base defines an opening that is configured to receive the portion of the switch actuator, and wherein the base includes a deflectable arm that extends into the opening, the arm configured to engage with the switch actuator, and further includes a resilient strap that abuts the arm and is configured to bias the arm against the switch actuator.

13. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the base defines a recess that is configured to at least partially receive the battery.

14. The remote control device of claim 13, wherein the base further defines an opening that extends therethrough, the opening configured to receive the portion of the switch actuator, the opening located adjacent to the recess such that the switch actuator does not interfere with the battery when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

15. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, deter movement of the switch actuator when force is applied to the rotatable portion.

16. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the control interface comprises an actuator, and wherein the control interface is configured to generate the input signal in response to actuation of the actuator.

17. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the amount of power delivered to the electrical load to be adjusted in response to actuation of the actuator.

18. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the electrical load to turn on in response to actuation of the actuator.

19. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the electrical load to turn off in response to actuation of the actuator.

20. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to be disposed in the cavity of the control interface such that the switch actuator of the light switch extends through a plane of the printed circuit board when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

21. The remote control device of claim 20, wherein the printed circuit board comprises an opening that extends therethrough, the opening configured to receive the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

22. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein a rear side of the printed circuit board is configured to removably retain the battery.

23. A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the switch actuator operable between a first position and a second position to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a control interface configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch with the switch actuator in the first position, receive a battery and a portion of the switch actuator, such that the battery is disposed in a space vacated by the switch actuator when the switch actuator is operated from the second position to the first position and such that the switch actuator does not interfere with the battery;

a wireless communication circuit; and

a control circuit that is responsive to the control interface and communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to, in response to receiving an input signal from the control interface, cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

24. The remote control device of claim 23, further comprising:

a base that is configured to at least partially receive the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch,

wherein the control interface is configured to be operably coupled to the base and moveable relative to the base, and

wherein the control interface is configured to generate the input signal in response to movement of the control interface relative to the base.

25. The remote control device of claim 24, wherein the control interface comprises a rotatable portion that is rotatable around the base, and wherein the control interface is configured to generate the input signal in response to rotation of the rotatable portion.

26. The remote control device of claim 25, further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board defines an opening that extends therethrough, the opening configured to receive the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

27. The remote control device of claim 24, wherein the control interface comprises a slider that is configured to slide relative to the base, and wherein the control interface is configured to generate the input signal in response to translation of the slider.

28. The remote control device of claim 23, wherein the control interface comprises an actuator, and wherein the control interface is configured to generate the input signal in response to actuation of the actuator.

29. The remote control device of claim 28, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the amount of power delivered to the electrical load to be adjusted in response to actuation of the actuator.

30. A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the switch actuator configured to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:

a control interface having a rotatable portion that includes a front wall and an annular side wall, the front wall and side wall defining a cavity;

a base to which the control interface is configured to be operably coupled such that the rotatable portion is rotatable around the base, the base configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, receive a battery and a portion of the switch actuator such that the switch actuator does not interfere with the battery.

31. The remote control device of claim 30, further comprising a printed circuit board that is configured to be disposed in the cavity of the rotatable portion such that the printed circuit board is located between the battery and the front wall.

32. The remote control device of claim 31, further comprising a control circuit that is mounted to the printed circuit board and operably coupled to the rotatable portion of the control interface, the control circuit configured to translate a force applied to the rotatable portion into a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

33. The remote control device of claim 32, further comprising a wireless communication circuit that is mounted to the printed circuit board and communicatively coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit the control signal.

34. The remote control device of claim 32, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the amount of power delivered to the electrical load to be adjusted in response to rotation of the rotatable portion.

35. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein the printed circuit board is configured such that when the printed circuit board is disposed in the cavity, the switch actuator of the light switch extends through a plane of the printed circuit board when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

36. The remote control device of claim 35, wherein the printed circuit board defines an opening that extends therethrough, the opening configured to receive the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

37. The remote control device of claim 31, wherein a rear side of the printed circuit board is configured to removably retain the battery.