Method of remotely configuring a controller responsive to wireless signals

• US 8,400,258 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echoflex Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Echoflex Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Aikens, Brian, Parfitt, Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US12/433,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.7, 340/999, 315/291, 315/313, 315/194, 315/308, 315/320, 700/7, 700/17, 700/19, 700/23, 700/87
• US Class Current: 340/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25092 Customized control features, configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25187 Transmission of signals, medium, ultrasonic, radio
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A method of remotely configuring a controller responsive to wireless signals includes entering a controller programming mode from a regular mode in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a first click pattern from a switch. The controller provides a first notification to indicate a first selected configurable feature of the controller. Each of a plurality of configurable features of the controller has a different assigned notification. The controller provides a second notification to indicate a second selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a second click pattern from the switch. The method also includes exiting the programming mode. The notification may be a flashing of lights, a dimming of lights, an audible sound, an adjustment of a damper position, or a combination of these things.

Claims

1. A method of remotely configuring a controller responsive to wireless signals, comprising:

entering a controller programming mode from a regular mode in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a first click pattern received via a single switch having an ON state and an OFF state;

selectively providing a first notification to indicate a first selected configurable feature of the controller, wherein each of a plurality of configurable features of the controller has a different assigned notification;

selectively providing a second notification to indicate a second selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a second click pattern received via the switch,

wherein the first click pattern and the second click pattern are selected from a plurality of click patterns recognizable by the switch, the plurality of click patterns being defined by at least one of a number of actuations of the switch to the ON state, a number of actuations of the switch to the OFF state, a length of time in the ON state, and a length of time in the OFF state; and

exiting the controller programming mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a time period after which a lighting load coupled to the controller will turn OFF if a motion sensor in communication with the controller detects no movement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a minimum luminance a dimmable lighting load coupled to the controller will reach before advancing to a full OFF state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a maximum luminance a dimmable lighting load coupled to the controller will reach before advancing to a full ON state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a walk test in which the controller turns a light in a lighting load coupled to the controller ON when a motion sensor associated with the light detects motion, and in which the controller turns the associated light in the lighting load OFF when the motion sensor no longer detects motion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch is a first switch, and wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a toggle to enable or disable the controller from being responsive to wireless signals received from a second switch while the controller is in the regular mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a toggle to enable or disable the controller from retransmitting wireless signals to other controllers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a toggle to enable or disable a motion sensor in communication with the controller from being operable to turn ON a lighting load coupled to the controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of configurable features is a clearing of a memory of the controller, wherein the memory stores an identification of switches from which the controller has been programmed to response to wireless signal commands.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of exiting the controller programming mode is performed in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a third click pattern received via the switch.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the notifications corresponds to adjusting a lighting load coupled to the controller to a specified brightness.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the notifications corresponds to flashing a lighting load coupled to the controller a specified quantity of times.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first notification includes flashing a lighting load coupled to the controller a first quantity of times, wherein the second notification includes flashing the lighting load a second quantity of times, wherein the second quantity of flashes is greater than the first quantity of flashes if the second click pattern corresponds to an ON actuation of the switch, and wherein the second quantity of flashes is lower than the first quantity of flashes if the second click pattern corresponds to an OFF actuation of the switch.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a configuration mode for the selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a third click pattern received via the switch; and

exiting the configuration mode for the selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a fourth click pattern received via the switch.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the switch with the controller in the regular mode in response to a third click pattern and in response to the controller not being associated with any switches, wherein the third click pattern includes at least three ON actuations of the switch followed or preceded by at least three OFF actuations of the switch.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering an arbitration mode in response to a building including more than one controller;

flashing a lighting load coupled to indicate a selected controller; and

confirming the controller selection in response to a third click pattern.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch is an energy-harvesting switch.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the switch is a momentary-action rocker switch.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch is a momentary-action rocker switch.

20. A method of remotely configuring a controller responsive to wireless signals, comprising:

entering a controller programming mode from a regular mode in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a first click pattern received via a single switch having an ON state and an OFF state;

selectively providing a first audio notification to indicate a first selected configurable feature of the controller, wherein each of a plurality of configurable features of the controller has a different assigned audio notification;

selectively providing a second audio notification of times to indicate a second selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a second click pattern received via the switch,

wherein the first click pattern and the second click pattern are selected from a plurality of click patterns recognizable by the switch, the plurality of click patterns being defined by at least one of the number of actuations of the switch to the ON state, the number of actuations of the switch to the OFF state, the length of time in the ON state, and the length of time in the OFF state; and

exiting the controller programming mode.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the assigned audio notifications includes a varying quantity of sounds, sounds having varying pitches, or both.

22. A method of remotely configuring a controller responsive to wireless signals, comprising:

entering a controller programming mode from a regular mode in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a first click pattern received via a single switch having an ON state and an OFF state;

selectively moving a damper to a first position to indicate a first selected configurable feature of the controller, wherein each of a plurality of configurable features of the controller has a different assigned damper position;

selectively moving the damper to a second position to indicate a second selected configurable feature in response to at least one wireless signal corresponding to a second click pattern received via the switch,

wherein the first click pattern and the second click pattern are selected from a plurality of click patterns recognizable by the switch, the plurality of click patterns being defined by at least one of the number of actuations of the switch to the ON state, the number of actuations of the switch to the OFF state, the length of time in the ON state, and the length of time in the OFF state; and

exiting the controller programming mode.