Method of configuring a keypad of a load control system

• US 8,077,058 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• 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:
  US11/800,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 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: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light

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 or multiple button configurations. 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 of a load control system to have first and second button configurations, the keypad comprising a plurality of switches, the method comprising the steps of:

mechanically coupling to the keypad a button assembly having first and second button configurations, each button configuration defining a number and arrangement of buttons on the button assembly;

simultaneously actuating a first button and a second button of the first button configuration 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;

the keypad subsequently storing in a memory a first keypad data representing the first button configuration dependent upon which tactile switches were actuated when the first and second buttons were actuated for the predetermined amount of time;

simultaneously actuating a third button and a fourth button of the second button configuration to actuate at least two other switches of the keypad for the predetermined amount of time after a keypad has stored the first keypad data representing the first button configuration in the memory;

the keypad detecting that the third button and the fourth button have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time; and

the keypad subsequently storing in the memory a second keypad data representing the second button configuration dependent upon which tactile switches were actuated

when the third and fourth buttons were actuated for the predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first button configuration of the button assembly comprises a first group of buttons and the second button configuration comprises a second group of buttons, the first button and the second button of the first button configuration comprising the top button and the bottom button of the first group of buttons, respectively, and the third button and the fourth button of the first button configuration comprising the top button and the bottom button of the second group of buttons, respectively.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the buttons of the first and second groups of buttons are grouped together.

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

the keypad illuminating a plurality of backlights in response the first and second button configurations being stored in the memory of the keypad, the backlights operable to illuminate the buttons of the button assembly.

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

the keypad determining if any of the tactile switches actuated by the buttons between the third and fourth button of the second button configuration were also actuated by the buttons of the first button configuration prior to the keypad storing the second keypad data representing the second button configuration in the memory.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

the keypad clearing the first data representing the first button configuration from the memory if any of the tactile switches actuated by the buttons between the third and fourth button of the second button configuration were also actuated by the buttons of the first button configuration.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the keypad blinking a first plurality of visual indicators after the keypad detects that the first and second buttons have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time; and

the keypad blinking a second plurality of visual indicators after the keypad detects that the third and fourth buttons have been actuated for the predetermined amount of time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of visual indicators are representative of the first button configuration and the second plurality of visual indicators are representative of the second button configuration.

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

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

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

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of time is approximately ten seconds.

11. 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:

installing a first button assembly on the keypad, the first button assembly having a first button configuration defining the number and arrangement of buttons on the first button assembly;

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

removing the first button assembly from the keypad;

installing a second button assembly on the keypad, the second button assembly having a second button configuration defining the number and arrangement of buttons on the second button assembly;

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

the keypad subsequently determining if any of the tactile switches actuated by the buttons between the first button and the second button of the second button assembly were also actuated by the buttons of the first button configuration of the first button assembly; and

the keypad storing in the memory of the keypad a second data representing the second button configuration dependent upon which tactile switches were actuated when the first and second buttons were actuated for the predetermined amount of time.

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

the keypad clearing the first data representing the first button configuration from the memory if any of the tactile switches actuated by the buttons between the first button and the second button of the second button assembly were also actuated by the buttons of the first button configuration of the first button assembly.

13. A method of configuring a keypad for use in a load control system, the keypad comprising an infrared receiver and a plurality of switches, the method comprising the steps of:

mechanically coupling with a button assembly to the keypad;

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

the keypad subsequently receiving an infrared command via the infrared receiver; and

the keypad enabling the infrared receiver during normal operation of the keypad.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the button assembly has a button configuration, the method further comprising the steps of:

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