CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MULTIPLE OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ELECTRICAL LOAD

• US 20170354021A1
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Published: 12/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Dimberg, Chris, Shearer, Thomas M., Twaddell, Daniel L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,375,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/105 comprising arrangements for illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/14 Operating parts, e.g. turn knob
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/54 the operating part having at least five or an unspecified number of operative positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/14 Tumblers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

A load control device may be configured to control multiple characteristics of one or more electrical loads such as the intensity and color of a lighting load. The load control device may include concentric rotating portions for adjusting the multiple characteristics. A control circuit of the load control device may be configured to generate control data for controlling one or more of the characteristics of the electrical loads in response to rotations of the concentric rotating portions. The control circuit may be further configured to provide feedback regarding the control being applied on one or more visual indicators. The load control device may be a wall-mounted dimmer device or a battery-powered remote control device.

Claims

1. A control device configured for use in a load control system to control one or more electrical loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:

a base portion configured to be mounted to an electrical wallbox or over a mechanical switch;

a first rotating portion configured to be rotatable with respect to the base portion;

a second rotating portion concentric with the first rotating portion and configured to be rotatable with respect to the base portion, the first and second rotating portions occupying different planes along an axis perpendicular to the base portion; and

a control circuit configured to generate first control data for changing a first characteristic of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the first rotating portion, and generate second control data for changing a second characteristic of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the second rotating portion.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the first rotating portion is configured as a front ring and the second rotating portion is configured as a rear ring, the control circuit configured to generate the first control data for adjusting an intensity of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the first rotating portion, and generate the second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the second rotating portion.

3. The control device of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more visual indicators configured to be illuminated by one or more light sources.

4. The control device of claim 3, wherein, when the first rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the intensity of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

5. The control device of claim 3, wherein, when the second rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present color of the one or more electrical loads.

6. The control device of claim 3, wherein, when the first and second rotating portions are being rotated together to adjust both the intensity and the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

7. The control device of claim 3, wherein the one or more visual indicators comprise a light bar.

8. The control device of claim 7, wherein the light bar is substantially circular and extends along a perimeter of the first rotating portion.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the first control data for changing an intensity of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the first rotating portion.

10. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the second rotating portion.

11. The control device of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotating portions have approximately the same outer diameter.

12. The control device of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the second rotating portion is larger than an outer diameter of the first rotating portion.

13. The control device of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotating portions are independently rotatable.

14. The control device of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotating portions are simultaneously rotatable, and wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the first control data and the second control data according to a predetermined dimming curve when the first and second rotating portions are simultaneously rotated, the predetermined dimming curve defining a relationship between an intensity and a color of the one or more electrical loads.

15. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to transmit a first control signal associated with the first control data and a second control signal associated with the second control data.

16. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a load control circuit adapted to be electrically coupled in series between an AC power source and the one or more electrical loads for controlling power delivered to the one or more electrical loads.

17. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to be mounted over a toggle actuator of the mechanical switch that controls whether power is delivered to the one or more electrical loads.

18. A control device configured for use in a load control system to control one or more electrical loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:

a first rotating portion configured to be rotatable around an axis perpendicular to a front surface of the control device;

a second rotating portion concentric to the first rotating portion, and configured to be rotatable around the axis, the first rotating portion configured as a front ring and the second rotating portion configured as a rear ring along the axis; and

a control circuit configured to generate first control data for changing an intensity of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the first rotating portion, and generate second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the second rotating portion.

19. The control device of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more visual indicators configured to be illuminated by one or more light sources;

wherein, when the first rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the intensity of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads; and

when the second rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present color of the one or more electrical loads.

20. The control device of claim 19, wherein, when the first and second rotating portions are being rotated together to adjust both the intensity and the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding the present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

21. The control device of claim 18, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to transmit a first control signal associated with the first control data and a second control signal associated with the second control data.

22. A control device for controlling one or more electrical loads in a load control system, the control device comprising:

a base portion configured to be mounted over an actuator of a mechanical switch that controls power delivered to the one or more electrical loads;

first and second concentric rotating portions configured to be independently rotatable with respect to the base portion, the first rotating portion located farther way from the base portion than the second rotating portion; and

a control circuit configured to generate first control data for changing an intensity of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the first rotating portion, and generate second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads in response to rotations of the second rotating portion.

23. The control device of claim 22, wherein the first and second concentric rotating portions are further configured to be simultaneously rotatable with respect to the base portion, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the first control data and the second control data in response to a simultaneous rotation of the first and second rotating portions.