Method of automatically programming a load control device using a remote identification tag

• US 8,760,262 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Veskovic, Dragan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): MA, KAM WAN
• Application Number:
  US12/718,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.5, 340/3.32, 340/310.11, 340/825.21, 340/825.52, 340/825.72, 340/10.42, 315/209.R, 315/219, 315291-295, 315/307, 315/312, 315/308, 315/317, 315/318, 315/247, 315/246, 315/224
• US Class Current: 340/10.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

A method of automatically programming a new load control device that replaces an old load control device takes advantage of a remote identification tag (e.g., an RFID tag) located in the vicinity of the old device. The remote identification tag stores an identifier that is representative of a location in which the old device is installed. The method includes the steps of: (1) storing a setting of an old device in a memory of a controller; (2) associating the setting with the identifier of the old device in the memory of the controller; (3) the new device retrieving the identifier from the remote identification tag after the new device is installed in the location of the old device; (4) the new device transmitting the identifier to the controller; and (5) the controller transmitting the setting of the old device to the new device in response to receiving the identifier.

Claims

1. A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a load control circuit adapted to be coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load;

a controller operatively coupled to the load control circuit for controlling the power delivered to the load;

a communication circuit operatively coupled to the controller and adapted to be coupled to a communication link, such that the controller is operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link; and

an identifier retrieval circuit coupled to the controller, the identifier retrieval circuit operable to retrieve an identifier from a remote identification tar located in the vicinity of the load control device;

wherein the load control device is adapted to be mounted adjacent to or in a fixture in which the remote identification tag is located, the identifier of the remote identification tag representative of a location of the fixture, the load control device operable to transmit a digital message including the identifier on the communication link, and to subsequently receive a digital message including a load control setting associated with the identifier;

wherein the remote identification tag comprises an RFID tag and the identifier retrieval circuit comprises an RFID circuit for retrieving the identifier from the RFID tag.

2. The load control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the controller for storing the identifier;

wherein the controller is operable to cause the identifier retrieval circuit to transmit a signal to the remote identification tag, to receive the identifier from the remote identification tag, and to store the identifier in the memory.

3. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the load control circuit comprises a ballast back end circuit for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp.

4. The load control device of claim 1 , wherein the load control device is operable to receive a plurality of digital messages including a plurality of respective load control settings associated with the identifier.

5. A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device adapted to be mounted adjacent to or in a fixture, the load control device comprising:

a load control circuit adapted to be coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load;

a controller operatively coupled to the load control circuit for controlling the power delivered to the load;

a communication circuit coupled to the controller and adapted to be coupled to a communication link, such that the controller is operable to transmit and receive digital messages via the communication link; and

an RFID circuit coupled to the controller and operable to retrieve a fixture identifier from an RFID tag located on the fixture of the load control device, the fixture identifier of the RFID tag representative of a location of the fixture;

wherein the load control device is operable to transmit a digital message including the fixture identifier on the communication link, and to subsequently receive one or more digital messages including one or more load control settings associated with the fixture identifier.

6. A load control system for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the system comprising:

a load control device coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the power delivered to the load, the load control device mounted in the vicinity of a remote identification tag for storing an identifier, the load control device operable to retrieve the identifier from the remote identification tag, the identifier representative of a location at which the load control device is mounted; and

a controller coupled to the load control device via a communication link, the controller operable to store a load control setting in a memory, the load control setting associated with the identifier of the remote identification tag;

wherein the load control device is operable to transmit the identifier to the controller, and the controller is operable to transmit the load control setting associated with the identifier to the load control device in response to receiving the identifier;

wherein the remote identification tag comprises an RFID tag and the load control device comprises an RFID circuit for retrieving the identifier from the RFID tag.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the remote identification tag comprises a passive RFID tag.

8. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the remote identification tag comprises an active RFID tag.

9. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device is installed in a fixture, and the remote identification tag is mounted to the fixture.

10. The load control system of claim 9, wherein the remote identification tag comprises a label affixed to the fixture.

11. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device comprises a ballast for controlling the intensity of a fluorescent lamp, and the controller comprises a digital ballast controller.

12. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to control the RFID circuit to transmit a signal to the RFID tag, to receive the identifier from the RFID tag via the RFID circuit, and to store the identifier in the memory.

13. The load control system of claim 11, wherein the setting comprises one of a high-end trim, low-end trim, a fade time, and a group of the ballast.

14. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device comprises an LED driver for controlling the intensity of an LED lighting load.

15. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is also operable to transmit a short address associated with the identifier to the load control device in response to receiving the identifier.

16. A method of automatically programming a new load control device of a load control system, the method comprising:

storing a setting of an old load control device in a memory of a controller;

associating the setting with an identifier of the old load control device in the memory of the controller, the identifier representative of a location in which the old load control device is installed, the identifier stored in a remote identification tag located in the vicinity of the old load control device;

the new load control device retrieving the identifier from the remote identification tag after the new load control device is installed in the location of the old load control device;

the new load control device transmitting the identifier to the controller; and

the controller transmitting the setting of the old load control device to the new load control device in response to receiving the identifier;

wherein the remote identification tag comprises an RFID tag and the new load control device comprises an RFID circuit for retrieving the identifier from the RFID tag.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the new load control device retrieves the identifier from the remote identification tag by transmitting a signal to the remote identification tag, and subsequently receiving the identifier from the remote identification tag.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

the controller transmitting a short address of the old load control device to the new load control device in response to receiving the identifier.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the identifier is representative of a fixture in which the old load control device is installed, the fixture having a remote identification tag storing the identifier.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

removing the old load control device from the system after the setting is stored in the memory of the controller and is associated with the identifier of the old load control device; and

subsequently installing the new load control device in the location of the old load control device prior to the new load control device retrieving the identifier from the remote identification tag.