Lighting control system and three way occupancy sensor

• US 8,018,166 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Soccoli, Paul, Ostrovsky, Michael, Lombardi, Alfred J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): A; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US11/608,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20070216313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 315/129, 315/131, 315/132, 315/134, 315/149, 315/154, 315/158, 315/159, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312, 315/DIG.4
• US Class Current: 315/129
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/086 with possibility of remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

There is disclosed a sensor which, when integrated into a dimming system, can turn the dimmer on and off, and vice versa. As an example, lights which are connected to the dimmer can be turned on by using the dimmer, the light level can be adjusted to provide a level of illumination desired by an occupant, and the sensor can turn off the lights when the room is vacant. The sensor here disclosed provides sensing functionality to a dimming system, and the sensors can be remotely controlled by other sensors, dimmers and dimmer remotes.

Claims

1. A lighting control system for controlling at least one light circuit in a room, comprising:

a first sensor; and

a second sensor coupled to said first sensor with a line voltage communication link;

wherein said first sensor and said second sensor act together to provide power to at least one light circuit upon detection of occupancy in an area by either of said sensors.

2. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is a wall box occupancy sensor.

3. The lighting control system of claim 2 wherein said wallbox occupancy sensor has an amplification and filtering circuit, a microprocessor, a load control device, and a visible indicator to indicate occupancy detection.

4. The lighting control system of claim 3 wherein said remote sensor has an amplification and filtering circuit, a microprocessor and a visible indicator to indicate occupancy detection and further comprising:

a dimmer coupled to said wall box occupancy sensor and said remote sensor via the line voltage communication link.

5. The lighting control system of claim 4 further comprising:

a second dimmer coupled to said wail box occupancy sensor, said remote sensor and said first dimmer via the line voltage communication link wherein manual and automatic on-off control and multiple location dimming control of a single light circuit is provided.

6. The lighting control system of claim 4 further comprising:

a second dimmer coupled to said wall box occupancy sensor, said remote sensor and said first dimmer via the line voltage communication link wherein manual and automatic on off control and multiple location dimming control of a single light circuit is provided.

7. The lighting control system of claim 4 further comprising:

a second dimmer coupled to said wall box occupancy sensor, said remote sensor and said first dimmer via the line voltage communication link wherein manual and automatic on off control and multiple location dimming control of two discrete lighting circuits are controlled as a single light circuit.

8. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said second sensor is a remote sensor.

9. The lighting control system of claim 8 wherein said first sensor and said remote sensor are each coupled to control the at least one light circuit to provide multiple location automatic on off control to the at least one light circuit.

10. The lighting control system of claim 9 wherein one dimmer is coupled to provide dimming to the at least one light circuit.

11. The lighting control system of claim 8 comprising first and second dimmers coupled to provide multiple location dimming to at least one light circuit.

12. The lighting circuit of claim 11 wherein at least one of said dimmers has manual on off controls to manually provide power to the at least one light circuit and interrupt power to the at least one light circuit.

13. The lighting circuit of claim 12 wherein said at least one light circuit comprises two light circuits that operate as a single light circuit.

14. The lighting circuit of claim 11 wherein said dimmers are manually on automatic off dimmers.

15. The lighting circuit of claim 11 wherein said dimmers are automatic on off dimmers.

16. The lighting control system of claim 8 wherein said remote sensor has an amplification and filtering circuit, a microprocessor, and a visible indicator to indicate occupancy detection.

17. The lighting control system of claim 8 wherein said first and/or second sensor is of the automatic on automatic off type.

18. The lighting control system of claim 8 wherein said first and/or second sensor is of the manual on automatic off type.

19. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is a wall box occupancy sensor and said second sensor is a remote sensor.

20. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

21. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is an acoustical sensor.

22. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is a microwave sensor.

23. The lighting control system of claim 1 wherein said voltage communication link comprises phase and neutral line voltage conductors.

24. The lighting control system of claim 23 wherein said neutral is connected directly to said sensors.

25. The lighting control system of claim 23 wherein said neutral is connected through said at least one lighting circuit to said sensors.

26. A lighting control system for controlling at least one light circuit having at least two loads comprising:

a sensor coupled to provide power to a first load;

a dimmer having a manual on-off control coupled to control a second load and coupled to said sensor with a two way line voltage communication link wherein said sensor, upon detection of occupancy in an area, provides power to said first and second loads.

27. The lighting control system of claim 26 wherein said dimmer is coupled to interrupt power to said first and second loads upon being manually set to its off condition.

28. The lighting control system of claim 26 wherein said dimmer is coupled to provide power to said first and second loads upon being manually set to its on condition.

29. The lighting control system of claim 26 wherein said sensor is an automatic on-automatic off sensor.

30. The lighting control system of claim 26 wherein said sensor is a manual on automatic off sensor.