Compact radio frequency transmitting and receiving antenna and control device employing same

• US 7,573,436 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Felegy, Edward M. Jr., Webb, Spencer L., DeJonge, Stuart, Altonen, Gregory S., Sinha, Siddharth P., Thompson, Stephen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TRINH VO
• Application Number:
  US11/874,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 343/866
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna

Abstract

An electrical control device for controlling the status of a controlled electrical device, the electrical control device comprising a power conducting semiconductor device for controlling the status of the controlled electrical device; a control circuit; a transmitter and/or receiver in communication with the control circuit; and an antenna coupled to the transmitter and/or receiver; the antenna adapted to receive a first signal at a specified frequency from a remote control device and/or transmit a second signal at a specified frequency to a remote control device; wherein the transmitter is operable to couple the first signal from the antenna to the control circuit for remotely controlling the controllably conductive device and/or couple the second signal from the control circuit for providing a status of said controlled electrical device, the antenna comprising a first loop of conductive material having a capacitance and an inductance; the capacitance and the inductance forming a circuit being resonant at the specified frequency; a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to a control circuit, the second loop being substantially only magnetically coupled to the first loop; the first and second loops each having a loop axis, the loop axes of the first and second loops being substantially parallel or coincident.

Claims

1. An electrical control device for controlling an amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a controlled electrical device, the AC power source generating a line voltage at a line voltage potential, the electrical control device comprising:

a power conducting semiconductor device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the controlled electrical device;

a control circuit;

a transmitter and/or receiver in communication with the control circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the transmitter and/or receiver;

the antenna adapted to receive a first signal at a specified frequency from a remote control device and/or transmit a second signal at a specified frequency to a remote control device;

wherein the transmitter and/or receiver is operable to couple the first signal from the antenna to said control circuit for remotely controlling said controllably conductive device and/or couple the second signal from said control circuit to said antenna for providing a status of said controlled electrical device,

the antenna comprising;

a first radiating loop of conductive material having a capacitance and an inductance;

the capacitance and the inductance forming a circuit being resonant at the specified frequency;

a second feed loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to the transmitter and/or receiver, the second feed loop being substantially only magnetically coupled to said first radiating loop;

said first radiating loop and second types feed loop each having a loop axis, the loop axes of the first radiating loop and second types feed loop being substantially parallel or coincident;

wherein the first radiating loop is electrically conductively isolated from the line voltage of the AC power source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first radiating loop of conductive material comprises a break and the capacitance includes a capacitor bridging the break.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator coupled to the control circuit;

said control circuit responsive to the actuator.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first radiating loop is electrically isolated from the second feed loop.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second feed loop is substantially at line voltage potential.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a status indicator for indicating the status of the controlled electrical device;

the status indicator coupled to and responsive to the control.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing for the power conducting semiconductor device, the control circuit, the transmitter and/or receiver, and the antenna; and

a support yoke coupled to the housing for fastening the electrical control device to an electrical wall box.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said yoke comprises a metal plate substantially coextensive with said housing and having mounting ears extending therefrom for fastening the yoke to the electrical wall box, said antenna being disposed on an outwardly facing surface of said yoke.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said yoke includes an opening therein for said second feed loop.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the antenna is disposed approximately in the center of the yoke.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the first radiating loop and second feed loop comprise printed circuit boards, the first radiating loop being disposed on a printed circuit board disposed parallel to the plane of the yoke, and the second feed loop is disposed on a printed circuit board disposed perpendicular to the printed circuit board containing the first radiating loop.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the first radiating loop is formed in part from a first conductive member disposed at a defined distance from the yoke parallel to a plane of the yoke, with the break formed between a portion of the first conductive member and the yoke.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a manual actuator for controlling the power conducting semiconductor device.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said controlled electrical device comprises an electrical lamp and said control circuit further comprises a dimmer circuit for controlling the intensity of said lamp.