Electrical control system
First Claim
1. A control system, comprising:
- one or more master devices;
one or more slave devices; and
at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave devices;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to remotely control the operation of one or more of the slave devices;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign a duty cycle for each slave device associated with the panic group;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the panic mode of operation;
wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a delayed off mode of operation;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to define a time delay associated with each slave device assigned to the delayed off mode of operation;
wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the delayed off mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and
wherein during the delayed mode of operation for a particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay a transition for a corresponding load operably coupled to the particular slave device from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical control system includes one or more master nodes that are adapted to control and monitor the operation of one or more slave nodes. The master nodes and the slave nodes are operably coupled by one or more communication interfaces, such as radio frequency, Internet Protocol, power line, or other conventional communication interfaces. A hand-held radio frequency controller includes a controller that is operably coupled to an radio frequency transceiver. The controller includes an operating system and application programs, including a device engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, and an away engines. The device engine, scenes engine, events engine, system engine and away engine permit a user of the hand-held radio frequency controller to customize the operation of at least some of the aspects of the master and slave nodes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control system, comprising:
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one or more master devices; one or more slave devices; and at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave devices; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to remotely control the operation of one or more of the slave devices; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign a duty cycle for each slave device associated with the panic group; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the panic mode of operation; wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a delayed off mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to define a time delay associated with each slave device assigned to the delayed off mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the delayed off mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and wherein during the delayed mode of operation for a particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay a transition for a corresponding load operably coupled to the particular slave device from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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2. A control system, comprising:
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one or more master devices; one or more slave devices; and at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave devices; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to remotely control the operation of one or more of the slave devices; wherein one or more of the master devices are is adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign a duty cycle for each slave device associated with the panic group; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the panic mode of operation; wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; wherein each slave device assigned to the panic group is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a user of the slave device manually disables the panic mode of operation; wherein each slave device assigned to the panic group is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if one of the master devices disables the panic mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are is adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a delayed off mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to define a time delay associated with each slave device assigned to the delayed off mode of operation; wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the delayed off mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for a particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay a transition for a corresponding load operably coupled to the particular slave device from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device for a predetermined time period; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device for a predetermined time period and then does not further depress the manually operated switch until after the corresponding load has transitioned to off; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device for a predetermined time period and then one of the master devices does not control operation of the particular slave device; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period and then does not further depress the manually operated switch until after the corresponding load has transitioned to off; and wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the particular slave device, the particular slave device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the particular slave device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period and then one of the master devices does not control operation of the particular slave device.
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3. A method of operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:
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accepting a request at the control system to create a panic group; accepting a selection of one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in the panic group; accepting a duty cycle for each of the slave devices in the panic group; storing the duty cycle for each of the slave devices in a database of the control system; upon activation of a panic mode of operation by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle stored in the database, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; selecting one or more of the slave devices for a delayed off mode of operation during which the selected slave devices transition corresponding loads from on to off with a corresponding time delay; and if the delayed mode of operation is selected for a particular slave device, then transitioning the corresponding load from on to off with the corresponding time delay. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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4. A method of operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:
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selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group; assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group; if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle; not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a user of the particular slave device disables the panic mode of operation; not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the particular slave device, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; selecting one or more of the slave devices for a delayed off mode of operation during which the selected slave devices transition the corresponding loads from on to off with a corresponding time delay; if the delayed mode of operation is selected for a particular slave device, then transitioning the corresponding load from on to off with the corresponding time delay by depressing a switch associated with the particular slave device for a predetermined minimum time period; if the switch associated with the particular slave device is depressed after depressing the switch associated with the particular slave device for the predetermined minimum time period, then transitioning the corresponding load from on to off without the corresponding time delay; and if a master device controls the particular slave device after depressing the switch associated with the particular slave device for the predetermined minimum time period, then transitioning the corresponding load from on to off without the corresponding time delay.
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5. A system for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:
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means for accepting a request at the control system to create a panic group; means for accepting a selection of one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in the panic group; means for accepting a duty cycle for each of the slave devices in the panic group; database means for storing the duty cycle for each of the slave devices in the panic group; upon activation of a panic mode of operation by the control system, means for obtaining the corresponding duty cycle for each of the slave devices in the panic group from the database means and operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; means for selecting one or more of the slave devices for a delayed off mode of operation during which the selected slave devices transition corresponding loads from on to off with a corresponding time delay; and if the delayed mode of operation is selected for a particular slave device, then means for transitioning the corresponding load from on to off with the corresponding time delay.
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6. A system for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:
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means for selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group; means for assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group; if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, means for operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle; means for not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a user of the particular slave device disables the panic mode of operation; means for not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the particular slave device, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off; means for selecting one or more of the slave devices for a delayed off mode of operation during which the selected slave devices transition the corresponding loads from on to off with a corresponding time delay; if the delayed mode of operation is selected for a particular slave device, then means for transitioning the corresponding load from on to off with the corresponding time delay by depressing a switch associated with the particular slave device for a predetermined minimum time period; if the switch associated with the particular slave device is depressed after depressing the switch associated with the particular slave device for the predetermined minimum time period, then means for transitioning the corresponding load from on to off without the corresponding time delay; and if a master device controls the particular slave device after depressing the switch associated with the particular slave device for the predetermined minimum time period, then means for transitioning the corresponding load from on to off without the corresponding time delay.
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7. An electrical device for use in a control system comprising one or more master devices, comprising:
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a radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the device to one or more of the master devices; a manually operated switch; and a controller operably coupled to the communication interface and the manually operated switch and adapted to control an operational state of a load; wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation within the control system; wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device comprises a duty cycle for the electrical device; wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system; wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off; wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a delayed off mode of operation within the control system; wherein the delayed off mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system; and wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay a transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device.
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8. An electrical device for use in a control system comprising one or more master devices, comprising:
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a radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the device to one or more of the master devices; a manually operated switch; and a controller operably coupled to the communication interface and the manually operated switch and adapted to control an operational state of a load; wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation within the control system; wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device comprises a duty cycle for the electrical device; wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system; wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off; wherein the electrical device is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a user of the electrical device manually disables the panic mode of operation; wherein the electrical device is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a master device disables the panic mode of operation; wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a delayed off mode of operation within the control system; wherein the delayed off mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay a transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the electrical device depresses the manually operated switch of the electrical device for a predetermined time period; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the electrical device depresses the manually operated switch of the electrical device for a predetermined time period and then does not further depress the manually operated switch until after the corresponding load has transitioned to off; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the electrical device depresses the manually operated switch of the electrical device for a predetermined time period and then one of the master devices does not control operation of the electrical device; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the particular slave device depresses the manually operated switch of the particular slave device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period; wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the corresponding load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the electrical device depresses the manually operated switch of the electrical device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period and then does not further depress the manually operated switch until after the corresponding load has transitioned to off; and wherein during the delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, the electrical device is adapted to delay the transition for the load from on to off by the time delay associated with the electrical device if a user of the electrical device depresses the manually operated switch of the electrical device multiple time and then depresses the manually operated switch for a predetermined time period and then one of the master devices does not control operation of the electrical device.
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9. A method of operating an electrical device comprising a manually operated switch and operably coupled to a load within a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:
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providing a database comprising a duty cycle associated with the electrical device, the duty cycle comprising a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off upon activation of a panic mode of operation by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, accessing the duty cycle associated with the electrical device from the database and operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle; and upon activation of a delayed mode of operation for the electrical device, transitioning the load from on to off with a time delay. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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10. A method of operating an electrical device comprising a manually operated switch and operably coupled to a load within a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:
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if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation; not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a user of the electrical device disables the panic mode of operation; not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the electrical device, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off; if a delayed mode of operation is selected for the electrical device, then transitioning the load from on to off with a time delay by depressing the switch for a predetermined minimum time period; if the switch is depressed after depressing the switch for the predetermined minimum time period, then transitioning the load from on to off without the corresponding time delay; and if a master device controls the electrical device after depressing the switch for the predetermined minimum time period, then transitioning the load from on to off without the time delay.
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11. A system for operating an electrical device comprising a manually operated switch and operably coupled to a load within a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:
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if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, means for operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation; means for not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a user of the electrical device disables the panic mode of operation; means for not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the electrical device, wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off; if a delayed mode of operation is selected for the electrical device, then means for transitioning the load from on to off with a time delay by depressing the switch for a predetermined minimum time period; if the switch is depressed after depressing the switch for the predetermined minimum time period, then means for transitioning the load from on to off without the corresponding time delay; and if a master device controls the electrical device after depressing the switch for the predetermined minimum time period, then means for transitioning the load from on to off without the time delay.
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Specification