Wireless control system

• US 5,146,153 A
• Filed: 11/01/1989
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: David Buehler, David G. Luchaco, Joel S. Spira, Raphael K.T. Tang, Stephen J. Yuhasz
• Inventors: Spira, Joel S., Buehler, David, Luchaco, David G., Tang, Raphael K. T., Yuhasz, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KINCAID, KRISTINE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US07/430,922
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 323/239, 323/324, 323/325, 323/326, 323/327, 323/905, 323/909, 307/112, 307/113, 307/114-116, 307/125, 315/158, 315/291, 315/DIG. 4, 200/5 B, 200/536, 200/5 E, 361/160, 364/492, 364/493, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 341/176, 358/194.1, 455/603, 446/454, 446/456
• US Class Current: 323/324
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/04 Dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/905 Lamp dimmer structure

Abstract

A remote wireless load control system wherein the power supplied to a load can be varied from a remote location using a remote control device not electrically wired to the load. The load control system includes a transmitter and a receiver, each having a control actuator for adjusting the power supplied to the load. Control can be conferred upon either the transmitter or the receiver immediately upon manipulation of the control switch, with the adjustment in power level occurring substantially instantaneously upon manipulation of the control actuator. Transmission of load level information between transmitter and receiver is by digitally pulse-coded infrared signal.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination:

(a) means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, information contained in said control signal depending upon the position of said actuator means;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said information contained in said control signal; and

(c) means responsive to said output signal for controlling power delivered to an AC load,

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means.

2. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is electromagnetic.

3. The system of claim 2 in which said control signal is an infrared signal.

4. The system of claim 2 in which said control signal is a radio frequency signal.

5. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is an acoustic signal.

6. The system of claim 5 in which said control signal is an ultrasonic signal

7. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is amplitude modulated.

8. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is frequency modulated.

9. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is phase modulated.

10. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is pulse-width modulated.

11. The system of claim 1 which said control signal is digitally encoded.

12. The system of claim 1 in which said control signal is a multichannel signal.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising channel selector means.

14. The system of claim 1 in which said transmitter means is battery-powered.

15. The system of claim 1 in which said actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

16. The system of claim 1 in which said actuator means is manually operable along a substantially planar rotational path.

17. The system of claim 1 in which said actuator means is positionable for turning off power to said load.

18. The system of claim 17 in which said actuator power-off position has a detent.

19. The system of claim 1 in which said actuator means position determines the value of a variable impedance.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional transmitter means.

21. The system of claim 1 in which said transmitter means further comprises switch means for enabling and disabling transmission of said control signal.

22. The system of claim 21 in which said switch means is mechanically coupled to said actuator means.

23. The system of claim 22 in which said switch means is a push-button on said actuator means.

24. The system of claim 21 in which said switch means comprises a mechanical switch.

25. The system of claim 21 in which said switch means comprised an electronic switch.

26. The system of claim 22 in which said switch means enables transmission of said control signal substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means and disables transmission of said control signal after positioning of said actuator has ceased.

27. The system of claim 26 in which said switch means comprises a mechanical switch.

28. The system of claim 26 in which said switch means comprises an electronic switch.

29. The system of claim 26 in which said switch means enables transmission of said control signal substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means, even if said actuator means is initially substantially at an extreme end of its position range.

30. The system of claim 26 in which said switch means disables transmission of said control signal after a delay time of not more than one seocnd after positioning of said actuator means has ceased.

31. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of an auxiliary signal for controlling the power delivered to the load.

32. The system of claim 31 in which the source of the auxiliary signal comprises at least one non-radiant signal source.

33. The system of claim 32 in which said non-radiant signal source is in electrical contact with said control means.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising switch means for enabling said non-radiant signal source.

35. The system of claim 34 in which said switch means comprises a push-button on said non-radiant signal source.

36. The system of claim 31 in which said transmitter means further comprises switch means for enabling and disabling transmission of said control signal.

37. The system of claim 36 in which said switch means is mechanically coupled to said actuator means.

38. The system of claim 37 in which said switch means is a push-button on said actuator means.

39. The system of claim 36 in which said switch means comprises a mechanical switch.

40. The system of claim 36 in which said switch means comprises an electronic switch.

41. The system of claim 37 in which said switch means enables transmission of said control signal substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means and disables transmission of said control signal after positioning of said actuator means has ceased.

42. The system of claim 41 in which said switch means comprises a mechanical switch.

43. The system of claim 41 in which said switch means comprises an electronic switch.

44. The system of claim 31 further comprising means for deciding whether the power control means is to be directed by said radiant control signal or said auxiliary signal.

45. The system of claim 1 in which said detector means and controller means are combined in a single unit.

46. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional controller means.

47. The system of claim 1 in which said AC load comprises lighting.

48. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination:

(a) means for tranmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, which

(i) enables transmission, substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means, of the control signal determined by the actuator position, and

(ii) disables transmission of said control signal after positioning has ceased;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said control signal; and

(c) means responsive to said output signal for controlling power to a load.

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means.

49. The system of claim 48 in which said transmitter means is battery-powered.

50. The system of claim 48 in which said control signal is electromagnetic.

51. The system of claim 48 in which said control signal is digitally encoded.

52. The system of claim 48 in which said actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

53. The system of claim 48 in which said actuator means comprises mechanical switching means.

54. The system of claim 48 in which said controller means controls a lighting load.

55. The system of claim 48 further comprising a source of an auxiliary signal provided to the controller by electrical conduction.

56. The sytem of claim 55 in which said auxiliary signal source comprises auxiliary actuator means, which provides, substantially instantaneously on positioning of said auxiliary actuator means, the auxiliary signal determined by the auxiliary actuator position.

57. The system of claim 55 further comprising push-button switching means for enabling said auxiliary signal source.

58. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination:

(a) means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, information contained in said control signal depending upon the position of said actuator means;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said information contained in said control signal;

(c) an auxiliary signal source for providing an auxiliary signal by electrical conduction, said auxiliary signal source comprising auxiliary actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, which provides, on positioning of said auxiliary actuator means, the auxiliary signal determined by the auxiliary actuator position; and

(d) means for controlling power to a load in accordance with a signal selected from the group consisting of said auxiliary signal and said output signal,

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of one of said auxiliary actuator and said transmitter means actuator.

59. The system of claim 58 in which the positionable actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

60. The system of claim 58 in which the auxiliary actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

61. The system of claim 58 in which the transmitter means enables transmission of said control signal substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means and disables transmission of said control signal after positioning of said actuator means has ceased.

62. The system of claim 58, further comprising at least one additional auxiliary signal source.

63. The system of claim 58 in which said load comprises lighting.

64. The system of claim 58 in which said transmitter means is battery-powered.

65. The system of claim 58 in which said control signal is electromagnetic.

66. The system of claim 58 in which said control signal is digitally encoded.

67. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination:

(a) means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, which

(i) enables transmission, substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means, of the control signal determined by the actuator position, and

(ii) disables transmission of said control signal after positioning has ceased;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said control signal;

(c) an auxiliary signal source for providing an auxiliary signal by electrical conduction, said auxiliary signal source comprising auxiliary actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, which provides, substantially instantaneously on positioning of said auxiliary actuator means, the auxiliary signal determined by the auxiliary actuator position; and

(d) means for controlling power to a load in accordance with a signal selected from the group consisting of said auxiliary signal and said output signal,

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of one of said auxiliary actuator and said transmitter means actuator.

68. The system of claim 67 in which the positionable actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

69. The system of claim 67 in which the auxiliary actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

70. The system of claim 67, further comprising at least one additional transmitter means.

71. The system of claim 67, further comprising at least one additional auxiliary signal source.

72. The system of claim 67 in which said load comprises lighting.

73. The system of claim 67 in which said transmitter is battery-powered.

74. The system of claim 67 in which said control signal is electromagnetic.

75. The system of claim 67 in which said control signal is digitally-encoded.

76. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination,

(a) a transmitter comprising means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, which enables transmission, substantially instantaneously on positioning of said actuator means, of the control signal determined by the actuator position,

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said control signal, and

(c) means responsive to said output signal for controlling power to a load,

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means.

77. The system of claim 76 in which said control signal comprises a plurality of transmission sequences and said transmission is maintained, after actuator motion ceases, for a time sufficient to transmit a valid transmission sequence.

78. The system of claim 76 in which said load comprises lighting.

79. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination,

(a) a transmitter comprising:

(i) means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, information contained in said control signal depending upon the position of said actuator means; and

(ii) push-button switch means, mechanically coupled to said actuator means, for enabling and disabling transmission of said control signal;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said information contained in said control signal, and

(c) means responsive to said output signal for controlling a lighting load,

whereby power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that, upon actuation of the push button to an enabling mode, are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means.

80. The system of claim 79 in which said control signal is digitally-encoded.

81. The system of claim 79 in which said actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path.

82. The system of claim 79 in which said transmitter is battery-powered.

83. The system of claim 79 in which said control signal is electromagnetic.

84. The system of claim 79 further comprising a source of an auxiliary signal provided to the controller by electrical conduction.

85. A remotely controlled power control system comprising a transmitter comprising:

(a) means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including actuator means, manually movable through a range of positions, information contained in said control signal depending upon the position of said actuator means; and

(b) push-button switch means, mechanically coupled to said actuator means, for enabling and disabling transmission of said control signal;

in which said actuator means is manually operable along a substantially linear path, the transmitter is battery-powered, the control signal is electromagnetic and digitally encoded, and the system further comprises means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said information contained in said control signal and means responsive to said output signal for controlling a lighting load, whereby power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that, upon actuation of the push-button to an enabling mode, are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means.

86. A transmitter for remote control of a system, comprising means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including positionable actuator means, whose position determines said control signal, wherein said control signal comprises of plurality of transmission sequences and said transmission is maintained, after positioning of said actuator has ceased, for a time sufficient to transmit a valid transmission sequence.

89. The system of claim 86, in which the actuator position that turns the system off has a detent.

90. The system of claim 89, in which said detent requires that a greater force be applied to said actuator to turn said system off than to turn said system on.

87. A transmitter for remote control of a system, comprising means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including positionable actuator means, whose position substantially instantaneously determines said control signal, in which the transmitter transmits the control signal that corresponds to an actuator position for a time not longer than one second after positioning of said actuator has ceased.

88. A remotely controlled power control system comprising, in combination,

(a) a transmitter comprising means for transmitting a radiant control signal, including positionable actuator means, information contained in said control signal depending upon the position of said actuator means, in which said actuator means'"'"' positions include a position for turning the system off;

(b) means for detecting said control signal and for providing an output signal that is determined by said information contained in said control signal, and

(c) means responsive to said output signal for controlling power to a load,

whereby the power to said load is adjustable through a range of values that are immediately determined upon the positioning of said actuator means and in which the radiant signal for turning the system off causes an air gap switch to open in the controller means.