Method of configuring a keypad of a load control system

• US 7,796,057 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Swatsky, Matthew Joseph, Knode, Galen Edgar
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US11/636,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/26, 345/168, 200/5.A, 200/310, 200/314, 160/331
• US Class Current: 341/23
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated

Abstract

A load control system is operable to control the amount of power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads from an AC power source. The load control system includes a plurality of keypads, which each may include a different button assembly having a different button configuration. Each keypad is operable to determine the button configuration of the button assembly installed on the keypad in response to simultaneous actuations of the top button and the bottom button of the button assembly for a predetermined amount of time. Each keypad is further operable to store in a memory of the keypad data representing the button configuration. Therefore, after the keypad is installed in the field and the button assembly is replaced, the keypad can be easily configured to operate with the new button assembly.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a keypad for use in a load control system, the keypad comprising a plurality of switches, the method comprising the steps of:

mechanically coupling one of a plurality of different button assemblies to the keypad, the button assembly having a button configuration defining the number and arrangement of buttons on the button assembly;

simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the button assembly to actuate at least two of the switches of the keypad for a predetermined amount of time;

the keypad detecting that the first button and the second button have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time; and

the keypad subsequently storing in a memory data representing the button configuration of the button assembly dependent upon which switches were actuated for the predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

entering an advanced programming mode in response to the step of the keypad detecting that the first button and the second button have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time; and

subsequently changing the data representing the button configuration in the memory using the advanced programming mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the button assembly to actuate at least two of the switches of the keypad for a predetermined amount of time comprises simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the button assembly to actuate the at least two of the switches of the keypad for a second predetermined amount of time;

the method further comprising the steps of;

simultaneously actuating the first button and the second button of the button assembly to actuate the at least two of the switches of the keypad for a first predetermined amount of time, the first predetermined amount of time less than the second predetermined amount of time;

releasing the first button and the second button of the button assembly after the first predetermined amount of time and before the second predetermined amount of time;

entering a normal programming mode in response to the step of releasing the first button and the second button of the button assembly.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

simultaneously actuating the first button and the second button of the button assembly to actuate the at least two of the switches of the keypad for a third predetermined amount of time; and

exiting the advanced programming mode in response to the step of simultaneously actuating the first button and the second button of the button assembly to actuate the at least two of the switches of the keypad for a third predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first predetermined amount of time is approximately three seconds and the second predetermined amount of time is approximately ten seconds.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of menus of options as part of the advanced programming mode;

actuating a third button of the button assembly;

selecting a first menu in response to the step of actuating a third button;

illuminating a first visual indicator in response to the step of selecting a first menu;

actuating a fourth button of the button assembly; and

changing the data representing the button configuration in the memory in response to the step of actuating the fourth button.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the button assembly comprises a plurality of buttons, and the first button and the second button comprise the top button and the bottom button of the button assembly, respectively.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the buttons of the button assembly are grouped together.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

illuminating a plurality of visual indicators in response to the step of the keypad detecting that the first button and the second button have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of visual indicators that are illuminated are representative of the button configuration of the button assembly.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

illuminating a plurality of backlights in response to the step of the keypad detecting that the first button and the second button have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time, the backlights operable to illuminate the button assembly.

12. A method of configuring a keypad for use in a load control system, the method comprising the steps of:

installing a first button assembly on the keypad, the first button assembly having a first button configuration;

storing in a memory of the keypad a first data representing the first button configuration;

removing the first button assembly;

installing a second button assembly on the keypad, the second button assembly having a second button configuration;

simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the second button assembly for a predetermined amount of time; and

storing in the memory of the keypad a second data representing the second button configuration in response to the step of simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of installing a first button assembly on the keypad and the step of storing in a memory of the keypad a first data representing the first button configuration are completed during a manufacturing process of the keypad.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of installing a second button assembly on the keypad, the step of simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the second button assembly for a predetermined amount of time;

and the step of storing in the memory of the keypad a second data representing the second button configuration are completed after the keypad is installed after the manufacturing process.