MULTIPLE INPUT TOUCH DIMMER LIGHTING CONTROL

• US 20180228003A1
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightgreen Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Brightgreen Pty Ltd
• Inventors: O'DRISCOLL, David, NATHAN, Moffat, CARTER, Trent
• Granted Patent: US 10,827,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13031 Use of touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2613 Household appliance in general
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2664 Audio light, animation, stage, theatre light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a touch panel device for a dimmer lighting control system, the device comprising a touch sensitive surface capable of detecting a touch input; a light sensor that detects ambient light levels within a sensing area adjacent to the device; a processing means operatively connected to the touch sensitive surface and the light sensor for generating control signals based on detection of the touch input on the touch sensitive surface and/or ambient light levels wherein, in use, the total light output of a light circuit can be controlled manually with the touch panel device and/or controlled autonomously by the level of ambient light in the sensing area.

Claims

1. A touch panel device for a dimmer lighting control system, the device comprising:

a touch sensitive surface capable of detecting a touch input;

a light sensor that detects ambient light levels within a sensing area adjacent to the device;

a processing means operatively connected to the touch sensitive surface and the light sensor for generating control signals based on detection of the touch input on the touch sensitive surface and/or ambient light levels wherein, in use, the total light output of a light circuit can be controlled manually with the touch panel device and/or controlled autonomously by the level of ambient light in the sensing area.

2. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a movement sensor operatively connected to the processing means that detects movement in the sensing area over a wide angle adjacent to a mounting surface of the device wherein, in use, if an object enters or leaves the sensing area then, for example, the light circuit is automatically switched ON or OFF.

3. A touch panel device as defined in claim 2, wherein the movement sensor also detects when a moving object is proximate to the touch panel device and if the object is within close proximity to the device then, for example, the touch sensitive surface is illuminated so as to be easier to locate and operate in the dark.

4. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communications module and antenna operatively connected to the processing means for receiving and transmitting data on a wireless network wherein, in use, the device can be connected to a central HUB for home automation.

5. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an image producing apparatus operatively connected to the processing means.

6. A touch panel device as defined in claim 5, wherein the image producing apparatus is a visible light video camera.

7. A touch panel device as defined in claim 6, further comprising an infrared light emitter.

8. A touch panel device as defined in claim 6, wherein the video camera is capable of rapidly recognising and tracking movement of non-regular objects within the imaging area to execute an if, then/else operation.

9. A touch panel device as defined in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the image producing apparatus is provided integral with the light sensor that measures ambient light levels.

10. A touch panel device as defined in claim 9, wherein the image producing apparatus is provided integral with a motion sensor that detects movement.

11. A touch panel device as defined in claim 6, wherein the video camera enables video surveillance of the sensing area wherein, in use, the device can be used as a security camera and/or for remote monitoring for home automation.

12. A touch panel device as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the touch sensitive surface is capable of detecting movement of a touch input in first and second directions.

13. A touch panel device as defined in claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive surface is capable of detecting movement of a touch input in a horizontal direction (X axis) and a vertical direction (Y axis).

14. A touch panel device as defined in claim 7, wherein the control signals generated by the processing means are based on a combination of the detected movement of the touch input on the touch sensitive surface in the X and Y directions.

15. A touch panel device as defined in claim 8, wherein vertical movement of the touch input in the direction of the Y axis results in the generation of a control signal that varies the power to at least one light circuit so as to vary the brightness.

16. A touch panel device as defined in claim 8, wherein a horizontal movement of a touch input in the direction of the X axis results in the generation of a control signal that varies the power to at least one light circuit so as to vary the colour temperature.

17. A touch panel device as defined in claim 4, wherein wireless credentials related to a wireless network formed by a wireless network access point, are wirelessly transmitted to the touch panel device.

18. A touch panel device as defined in claim 17, wherein the wireless module and antenna are configured for a WiFi protocol.

19. A touch panel device as defined in claim 17, wherein the data from at least one sensor is transmitted and stored on a secondary device connected to the wireless network.

20. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a channel selection circuit for switching a controlling state of at least one light circuit between active and inactive.

21. A touch panel device as defined in claim 20, wherein an interface of the channel selection circuit is integral with the touch sensitive surface.

22. A touch panel device as defined in claim 21, wherein the channel selection circuit comprises three touch toggle switches.

23. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, wherein a balance of the load between first and second light circuits and total light output of both circuits can be controlled remotely via a secondary electronic device.

24. A touch panel device as defined in claim 4, wherein the wireless communications module and antenna are capable of wireless repeating.

25. A touch panel device as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of like touch panel devices can be linked through a secondary electronic device such that linked touch panel devices control all circuits as a single circuit.

40. A touch dimmer control method as defined in any one of claims 11 to 39, further comprising the step of analysing the data generated by at least one sensor, a device log history or additional input characteristics based on likelihood of occurrence to incrementally learn and predict when to execute an operation.

41. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 40, wherein a user is able to confirm or deny an autonomous operation such that the confirmation or denial is utilised to improve the accuracy of future predictions.

42. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 40, wherein the data generated by the at least one sensor, the device log history or the additional input characteristics comprise a home automation system.

43. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 40, further comprising the step of:

analysing the data generated by the at least one sensor, the device log history or the additional input characteristics to determine varying means of reducing energy consumption.

26. A touch dimmer control method, responsive to a touch panel device, for controlling a light circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a touch input on a touch sensitive surface of the touch panel device;

detecting ambient light levels within a sensing area adjacent to the touch panel device; and

,

generating control signals based on detection of a touch input on the touch sensitive surface and/or ambient light levels wherein, in use, the total light output of the light circuit can be controlled manually with the touch panel device and/or controlled autonomously by the level of ambient light in the sensing area to achieve a desired light level in the sensing area.

27. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, further comprising the step of:

detecting a time duration a touch input remains stationary on the touch sensitive surface.

28. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, further comprising the step of:

detecting a time difference between a previous tap and a current tap of at least one touch input.

29. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, further comprising the step of:

detecting a location of at least one touch input on the touch sensitive surface.

30. A touch dimmer control method as defined in any one of claims 26 to 29, further comprising the step of:

detecting a plurality of simultaneous touch inputs on the touch sensitive surface.

31. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein the ambient light levels in the sensing area are detected in a manner such that localised high or low light intensity values are identified and ignored.

32. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 31, wherein a desired light level in the sensing area is determined by one or more factors including ambient light levels, motion within the sensing area, input functionality or additional input characteristics.

33. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein a desired light level is controlled automatically in a manner such that circuit brightness adjustments are carried out at a frequency desirable to the user.

34. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein the step of detecting an ambient light level executes an if, then/else operation.

35. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, further comprising the step of:

detecting movement within the sensing area to execute an if, then/else operation.

36. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, further comprising the step of:

detecting the proximity of at least one object to execute an if, then/else operation.

37. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein a plurality of successive taps of at least one touch input switches a power state of a light circuit.

38. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein holding a touch input on the touch sensitive surface for a set time duration executes an if, then/else operation.

39. A touch dimmer control method as defined claim 26, wherein holding a touch input on the touch sensitive surface for a set time duration executes a preconfigured operation.