Multiple location load control system
First Claim
1. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
- a main load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load for control of the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the main load control device operable to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load; and
a remote load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection with the main load control device between the AC power source and the electrical load, such that the remote load control device is operable to conduct the load current from the AC power source to the electrical load, the remote load control device adapted to be further coupled to the main load control device through an accessory wiring, the remote load control device comprising a power supply;
wherein the main load control device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the power supply of the remote load control device to charge through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the main load control device and the remote load control device operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple location load control system comprises a main device and remote devices, which do not require neutral connections, but allow for visual and audible feedback at the main device and the remote devices. The main device and the remote devices are adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load, and to be further coupled together via an accessory wiring. The remote devices can be wired on the line side and the load side of the load control system, such that the main device is wired “in the middle” of the load control system. The main device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the remote devices to charge power supplies through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source. The main device and the remote devices are operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.
-
Citations
82 Claims
-
1. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a main load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load for control of the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the main load control device operable to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load; and a remote load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection with the main load control device between the AC power source and the electrical load, such that the remote load control device is operable to conduct the load current from the AC power source to the electrical load, the remote load control device adapted to be further coupled to the main load control device through an accessory wiring, the remote load control device comprising a power supply; wherein the main load control device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the power supply of the remote load control device to charge through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the main load control device and the remote load control device operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a main load control device having a line-side terminal adapted to be coupled to the AC power source, a load-side terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load, and an accessory terminal; a line-side remote load control device comprising a power supply, the line-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the line-side terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the main load control device operable to enable a first charging path to allow the power supply of the load-side remote device to charge through the accessory terminal during a first time period of a negative half-cycle of the AC power source; and a load-side remote load control device comprising a power supply, the load-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the load-side terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the main load control device operable to enable a second charging path to allow the power supply of the line-side remote device to charge through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a positive half-cycle of the AC power source. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. A load control device adapted for use in a load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control system comprising a remote control device, the load control device comprising:
-
an accessory terminal adapted to be coupled to the remote control device; a charging path for allowing the remote control device to draw current through the accessory terminal; a transceiver operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory terminal; and a controller coupled to the charging path for controlling the charging path to allow the remote control device to draw current through the accessory terminal during a first time period each half-cycle of the AC power source, the controller further coupled to the transceiver for transmitting and receiving the digital messages via the accessory terminal during a second time period each half-cycle of the AC power source. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A load control device adapted for use in a load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control system comprising a remote control device, the load control device comprising:
-
a line-side load terminal adapted to be coupled to the AC power source; a load-side load terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load; an accessory terminal adapted to be coupled to the remote control device; a bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled in series electrical connection between the line-side load terminal and the load-side load terminal for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising a control input; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the bidirectional semiconductor switch for rendering the bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive; a power supply for generating a supply voltage, the power supply having an output operatively coupled to the accessory terminal, such that the supply voltage is provided at the accessory terminal during a switch time period; a transceiver operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory terminal during a communication time period each half-cycle of the AC power source; a first switching circuit coupled to the load-side load terminal, such that when the first switching circuit is conductive, the power supply is operable to provide the supply voltage at the accessory terminal and the transceiver is operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory terminal during positive half-cycles; and a second switching circuit coupled to the line-side load terminal, such that when the second switching circuit is conductive, the power supply is operable to provide the supply voltage at the accessory terminal and the transceiver is operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory terminal during the negative half-cycles; wherein the controller is operatively coupled to the first and second switching circuits for selectively rendering the first and second switching circuits conductive on a complementary basis. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
-
-
47. A remote load control device adapted for use in a load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:
-
an accessory terminal; a transceiver operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory terminal; a controller operatively coupled to the transceiver for transmitting and receiving the digital messages via the accessory terminal; and a power supply coupled to the accessory terminal for receiving a supply voltage, the power supply operable to generate a substantially low-magnitude DC voltage for powering the controller; wherein the power supply is operable to charge from the supply voltage during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, and the controller is operable to transmit and receive the digital message during a second time period of the half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A method of controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source in a load control system including a main load control device and a remote load control device, the method comprising:
-
charging a power supply of the remote load control device during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source; and communicating digital messages between the main load control device and the remote load control device during a second time period of the half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
-
61. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising a main load control device and a remote load control device, the improvement comprising:
-
means for providing a supply voltage to the remote load control device; means for charging a power supply of the remote load control device from the supply voltage during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source; and means for communicating digital messages between the main load control device and the remote load control device during a second time period of the half-cycle.
-
-
62. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a main load control device having a hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the AC power source, a dimmed hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load, and an accessory terminal; a line-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the hot terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device; and a load-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the dimmed hot terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device; wherein the accessory terminal of the main load control device is coupled to the line-side remote load control device and the load-side remote load control device through an accessory wiring, the main load control device operable to transmit and receive digital messages with the load-side remote load control device during a first half-cycle, and to transmit and receive digital messages with the line-side remote load control device during a second half-cycle immediately following the first half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
-
-
73. A load control device adapted for use in a load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control system comprising a line-side remote control device coupled to the AC power source and a load-side remote control device coupled to the electrical load, the load control device comprising:
-
first and second load terminals adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load; an accessory terminal adapted to be coupled to the line-side and load-side remote control devices; a bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled between the first and second load terminals, such that the bidirectional semiconductor switch is operable to control the power delivered to the electrical load, the bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising a control input; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the bidirectional semiconductor switch for rendering the bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive; and a transceiver coupled to the accessory terminal, and operable to communicate digital messages with the load-side remote control device during positive half-cycles, and to communicate digital messages with the line-side remote control device during negative half-cycles. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
-
-
81. A method of controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the method comprising the steps of:
-
coupling a main load control device in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, the main load control device having a hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the AC power source, a dimmed hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load, and an accessory terminal; coupling a line-side remote load control device to the hot terminal of the main load control device; coupling a load-side remote load control device to the dimmed hot terminal of the main load control device; and coupling the accessory terminal of the main load control device to the line-side remote device and the load-side remote device through an accessory wiring; wherein the improvement comprises the steps of; communicating digital messages between the main load control device and the load-side remote load control device during a first half-cycle; and communicating digital messages between the main load control device and the line-side remote load control device during a second half-cycle immediately following the first half-cycle.
-
-
82. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
-
a main load control device having a hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the AC power source, a dimmed hot terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load, and an accessory terminal; a line-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the hot terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device; and a load-side remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the dimmed hot terminal and to the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the accessory terminal of the main load control device is coupled to the line-side remote load control device and the load-side remote load control device through an accessory wiring; wherein the improvement comprises; the main load control device operable to transmit and receive digital messages with the load-side remote load control device during the positive half-cycles, and to transmit and receive digital messages with the line-side remote load control device during the negative half-cycles.
-
Specification