Wall-mounted electrical device with modular antenna bezel frame

• US 7,714,790 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Feldstein, George, Wisniewski, Stan, Draganovic, Krunoslav, Bellingham, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso; Huedung
• Application Number:
  US12/606,886
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343745-748, 343/907
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

An electrical device configured to install within a wall mounted electrical box includes an antenna bezel frame, an antenna element, and a radio frequency circuitry component. At least a portion of the antenna bezel frame is configured to protrude through an opening in a faceplate. The antenna element is mounted to the antenna bezel frame such that the antenna element is located a distance forward of a plane that contains a front surface of the faceplate when the field configurable electrical device is installed. The radio frequency circuitry component is in electrical communication with the antenna element and is configured to receive a control signal from the antenna element.

Claims

1. An electrical device configured to install within a wall mounted electrical box, the field configurable electrical device comprising:

(a) an antenna bezel frame, at least a portion of which is configured to protrude through an opening in a faceplate;

(b) an antenna element mounted to the antenna bezel frame such that the antenna element is located a distance forward of a plane that contains a front surface of the faceplate when the field configurable electrical device is installed; and

(c) a radio frequency circuitry component in electrical communication with the antenna element and configured to receive a control signal from the antenna element;

(d) a housing having a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is located between the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component; and

(e) one or more connectors configured to place the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component in electrical communication, wherein the one or more connectors protrude through the housing cover.

2. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is mounted to the antenna bezel frame via press-fitting, in-place molding, one or more adhesives, or heat-staking.

3. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is fabricated from conductive tape.

4. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is molded into a front surface of the antenna bezel frame.

5. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the one or more connectors comprise spring-loaded connectors.

6. The electrical device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply located in the housing, wherein the power supply is wired in series with a controlled load, and wherein the power supply is connected to electrical neutral through the controlled load.

7. The electrical device of claim 1, wherein the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component operate at a frequency, and wherein the frequency is in the gigahertz range.

8. A field configurable electrical device kit comprising:

a first antenna bezel frame, at least a portion of which is configured to protrude through an opening in a faceplate, and a first antenna element mounted to the first antenna bezel frame such the first antenna element is located a distance forward of a plane that contains a front surface of the faceplate when the first antenna bezel frame is installed in the field configurable electrical device;

a first radio frequency circuitry component corresponding to the first antenna element, wherein the first antenna element and the first radio frequency circuitry component operate at a first frequency;

a second antenna bezel frame, at least a portion of which is configured to protrude through the opening in the faceplate, and a second antenna element mounted to the second antenna bezel frame such the second antenna element is located at least the distance forward of the plane that contains the front surface of the faceplate when the second antenna bezel frame is installed in the field configurable electrical device; and

a second radio frequency circuitry component corresponding to the second antenna element, wherein the second antenna element and the second radio frequency circuitry component operate at a second frequency.

9. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim 8, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are fabricated from conductive tape.

10. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim 8, wherein the first antenna element is molded into a front surface of the first antenna bezel frame.

11. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim 8, further comprising:

a housing having a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is located between the first antenna element and the first radio frequency circuitry component when the first antenna element and the first radio frequency circuitry component are installed in the field configurable electrical device; and

one or more connectors configured to place the first antenna element and the first radio frequency circuitry component in electrical communication when the first antenna element and the first radio frequency circuitry component are installed in the field configurable electrical device, wherein the one or more connectors protrude through the housing cover.

12. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim 11, wherein the one or more connectors comprise spring-loaded connectors.

13. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim 8, wherein the first antenna element comprises one of an F type antenna element, a monopole antenna element, or a loop antenna element.

14. The field configurable electrical device kit of claim of claim 8, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency, and wherein the first frequency and the second frequency comprise one of 2.440 gigahertz (GHz), 3.670 GHz, or 5.220 GHz.

15. A method for controlling a load comprising:

receiving, at a first electrical device, a control signal with an antenna element of the first electrical device, wherein the antenna element is mounted to an antenna bezel frame of the first electrical device such that the antenna element is located a distance forward of a plane that contains a front surface of a faceplate when the first electrical device is installed in a wallbox;

providing the control signal from the antenna element to a radio frequency circuitry component using one or more connectors that are in electrical communication with the antenna element and with the radio frequency circuitry component, wherein the one or more connectors extend through a housing cover that is located between the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component;

obtaining control information from the control signal using at least the radio frequency circuitry component of the first electrical device; and

controlling a load in electrical communication with the first electrical device based on the control information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control signal is received from a second electrical device, and further comprising transmitting a status of the first electrical device to the second electrical device using the antenna element.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more connectors comprise spring-loaded connectors.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the antenna element is molded into a front surface of the antenna bezel frame.