Remote control system for ceiling fan and light

• US 5,689,261 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 11/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hunter Fan Company (Griffon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hunter Fan Company (Griffon Corporation)
• Inventors: Beasley, Robert E. Jr., Mehta, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANNAVA, ASHOK K
• Application Number:
  US08/593,472
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 340/825.22, 340/825.57, 340/825.62, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 307/114-115
• US Class Current: 341/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

An RF remote control system for operating a ceiling fan and its light is disclosed. The remote control system comprises a receiver and two remote controllers, each having different operating characteristics. The remote controllers use radio frequency (RF) transmission to send control signals to the receiver. The receiver utilizes a microprocessor to process the control signals from the remote controllers and to operate the ceiling fan and its light. The receiver also includes a power interruption feature, which allows the operation of the ceiling fan light without the use of the remote controllers.

Claims

1. A remote control system for operating a ceiling fan assembly adapted to be connected to a power supply and having a ceiling fan motor and light, said system comprising:

an RF receiver;

a fan speed control having an output electrically connected to the ceiling fan motor and having an input electrically connected to the RF receiver;

a light level control having an output electrically connected to the light and having an input electrically connected to the RF receiver, the light level control able to operate the light at a range of power levels ranging from a highest power level to a lowest power level;

a first remote controller having a first plurality of control buttons each of which, when depressed, initiates a corresponding one of a first set of control signals for setting power levels, said first remote controller having a first RF transmitting means for sending the first set of control signals to said receiver;

a second remote controller having a second plurality of control buttons each of which, when depressed, initiates a corresponding one of a second set of control signals for setting power levels, said second remote controller having a second RF transmitting means for sending the second set of control signals to said receiver; and

wherein the first set of control signals and the second set of control signals are different and said RF receiver operates the fan speed control and the light level control in response to the first and second sets of control signals, wherein the light level control is operable to turn the light from an OFF state to an ON state at a previous power level in response to the first set of control signals, and wherein the light level control is operable to turn the light from an OFF state to an 0N state at a preset power level in response to the second set of control signals, such that the light level control is operated differently according to whether a control signal is received from the first remote controller or the second remote controller.

2. The remote control system of claim 1, wherein the preset power level is the lowest power level.

3. The remote control system of claim 1 wherein the RF receiver includes a memory means for storing previous power level settings of the ceiling fan and light.

4. A remote control system for operating a ceiling fan assembly adapted to connected to a power supply and having a ceiling fan motor and light, said system comprising:

a receiver electrically connected to the power supply via an on/off switch, said receiver having an RF receiving means, a programmable microprocessor for setting a plurality of power levels to be applied to the ceiling fan motor and light, memory in the programmable microprocessor to store previous power level settings that were applied to the ceiling fan motor and light;

a fan speed control having an input electrically connected to the receiver and having an output electrically connected to the ceiling fan motor;

a light level control having an input electrically connected to the receiver and having an output electrically connected to the light, the light level control able to operate the light at a range of power levels ranging from a highest power level to a lowest power level;

a first remote controller having (1) a fan motor control button which when depressed initiates a first control signal for setting the fan speed control to one of a plurality of power levels to be applied to the ceiling fan motor and (2) a light control button which when depressed initiates a second control signal for setting the light level control to one of a plurality of power levels in the range of power levels to be applied to the light, said first remote controller having a first RF transmitter for sending the first and second control signals to said receiver;

a second remote controller having (1) a fan motor control button which when depressed initiates a third control signal for setting the fan speed control to one of the plurality of power levels to be applied to the ceiling fan motor and (2) a light control button which when depressed initiates a fourth control signal for setting the light level control to one of the plurality of power levels to be applied to the light, said second remote controller having a second RF transmitter for sending the third and fourth control signals to said receiver; and

wherein the second control signal and the fourth control signal are different and the receiver operates the ceiling fan control and light level control in response to the first, second, third, and fourth control signals, wherein the light level control is operable to turn the light from an OFF state to an ON state at a stored previous power level in response to the second control signal, and wherein the light level control is operable to turn the light from an OFF state to an ON state at a preset power level in response to the fourth control signal, such that the light level control is operated differently according to whether a control signal is received from the first remote controller or the second remote controller.

5. The remote control system of claim 4, wherein the preset power level is the lowest power level.