Compact radio frequency transmitting and receiving antenna and control device employing same
DCFirst Claim
1. An electrical control device adapted to be mounted at least partly within an electrical wall box for controlling the status of a controlled electrical device, the electrical control device comprising:
- a housing;
a support yoke coupled to the housing, the support yoke having a fastening device for coupling the yoke to the electrical wall box;
a controllably conductive device contained within the housing for controlling the status of the controlled electrical device;
a control circuit contained in the housing;
a transmitter-receiver contained in the housing;
an antenna, sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate for an outwardly facing opening of said wallbox;
said antenna adapted to receive signals from a remote control device and transmit signals to said remote control device, the antenna being coupled to the transmitter-receiver, the transmitter-receiver coupling said signals from the remote central device to said control circuit for remotely controlling said controllably conductive device, said transmitter-receiver receiving signals from said control circuit for providing signals to said remote control device to indicate the status of said controlled electrical device.
2 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A radio frequency antenna for use with a wall mounted transmitter and/or receiver for receiving and/or transmitting signals adapted to control a control device and/or indicate status of the control device. The antenna includes an insulating substrate sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate sized to cover an outwardly facing opening of an electrical wallbox. Conductors are disposed on both sides of the substrate forming a capacitive component. At least one of the conductors is adapted to radiate radio frequency energy into the environment. The one conductor is electrically coupled to the other conductor, and the one conductor has a pattern such that the conductor is absent in areas so as to provide the antenna with an inductive component. The at least one conductor further provides a connection to the transmitter and/or receiver. The antenna provides an antenna near-field which is substantially at the edges of the substrate and which provides insubstantial electromagnetic field coupling to an electronic circuit disposed adjacent the antenna connected to the antenna and further provides a radiated field substantially isotropic in the antenna far-field.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. An electrical control device adapted to be mounted at least partly within an electrical wall box for controlling the status of a controlled electrical device, the electrical control device comprising:
-
a housing; a support yoke coupled to the housing, the support yoke having a fastening device for coupling the yoke to the electrical wall box; a controllably conductive device contained within the housing for controlling the status of the controlled electrical device; a control circuit contained in the housing; a transmitter-receiver contained in the housing; an antenna, sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate for an outwardly facing opening of said wallbox; said antenna adapted to receive signals from a remote control device and transmit signals to said remote control device, the antenna being coupled to the transmitter-receiver, the transmitter-receiver coupling said signals from the remote central device to said control circuit for remotely controlling said controllably conductive device, said transmitter-receiver receiving signals from said control circuit for providing signals to said remote control device to indicate the status of said controlled electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A remote control device adapted to be mounted at least partly within an electrical wall box, and adapted to control without a wire connection, an electrical control device connected to a controlled electrical device, the remote control device comprising:
-
a housing; a support yoke coupled to the housing, the support yoke having a fastening device for coupling the yoke to the electrical wall box; a control circuit contained in the housing; a transmitter-receiver contained in the housing; an antenna, sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate for an outwardly facing opening of said wallbox; an outer bezel disposed over said antenna; at least one actuator extending from said bezel, the actuator being coupled to said control circuit to provide a signal thereto to control the status of the controlled electrical device; said antenna adapted to transmit signals from the control circuit to said electrical control device and receive signals from said electrical control device, the antenna being coupled to the transmitter-receiver, the transmitter-receiver coupling said signals from said control circuit to the antenna for remotely controlling the electrical control device thereby to control the status of the controlled electrical device and said transmitter-receiver receiving signals from said antenna from the electrical control device for providing signals to said control circuit to indicate the status of said controlled electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification