Radio-frequency lighting control system with occupancy sensing

• US 9,277,629 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Steiner, James P., Schmalz, Andrew Peter, Offenbacher, Andrew Ryan, Schrems, Adam J., Valenta, Brian Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US13/242,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control system controls an electrical load provided in a space and comprises a load control device and a first occupancy sensor mounted to a movable structure (e.g., a door) and a second occupancy sensor mounted to a fixed surface (e.g., a wall or a ceiling). The load control device controls the load in response to the wireless control signals received from the occupancy sensors. The first occupancy sensor transmits an occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the movement of the movable structure. The second occupancy sensor transmits an occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the occupancy condition. The load control device turns on the load in response to receiving the occupied control signal from the first occupancy sensor, and turns off the load in response to receiving vacant control signals from both of the occupancy sensors.

Claims

1. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load provided in a space having a movable structure and a fixed surface, the load control system comprising:

a 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 load control device operable to receive wireless control signals and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the wireless control signals;

a first occupancy sensor adapted to be mounted to the movable structure, the first occupancy sensor operable to detect movement of the movable structure and to transmit a first occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the movement of the movable structure, the load control device operable to enable the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving the first occupied wireless control signal; and

a second occupancy sensor adapted to be mounted to the fixed surface, the second occupancy sensor operable to detect an occupancy condition in the space and to transmit a second occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the occupancy condition;

wherein each of the occupancy sensors is operable to transmit a vacant wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting a vacancy condition in the space, the load control device operable to cease the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving the vacant wireless control signals from both of the occupancy sensors;

wherein each of the occupancy sensors is operable to transmit a third wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting a continued occupancy condition in the space, the load control device ceasing the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to determining that no wireless control signals have been received from one of the occupancy sensors for the length of a predetermined timeout period, and receiving a vacant control signal from the other occupancy sensor;

wherein the load control device initializes a failsafe timer with the predetermined timeout period and restarts the failsafe timer in response to receiving the third wireless control signals from the occupancy sensors, the load control device operable to cease the delivery of power to the electrical load when the failsafe timer expires; and

wherein the first occupied wireless control signal comprises an occupied-take-action command, the second occupied wireless control signal comprises an occupied-take-action command and the third wireless control signal comprises an occupied-no-action command.

2. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the first and second occupancy sensors are each characterized by a unique serial number, the load control device comprising a memory for storage of the serial numbers of the two occupancy sensors, the load control device responsive to wireless control signals including at least one of the serial numbers of the first and second occupancy sensors.

3. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the load control device enables the delivery of power to the electrical load and starts the failsafe timer in response to receiving the occupied-take-action command.

4. The load control system of claim 2, wherein the load control device keeps track of the occupancy sensors from which the load control device received the occupied wireless control signals.

5. The load control system of claim 4, wherein the load control device ceases the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving vacant control signals from all of the occupancy sensors from which the load control device received the occupied wireless control signals.

6. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the first occupancy sensor comprises an ambient light level detector for measuring the ambient light level in the space, the first occupancy sensor operable to compare the ambient light level to an ambient light level threshold and transmit an occupied-take-action command to the load control device in response to determining that the ambient light level is less than the threshold, and transmits an occupied-no-action command to the load control device in response to determining that the ambient light level is greater than the threshold.

7. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the first occupancy sensor measures the ambient light level only when the occupancy sensor first detects the movement of the movable structure.

8. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device enables the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving the occupied-take-action command.

9. The load control system of claim 6, wherein the load control device maintains constant the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to receiving the occupied-no-action command.

10. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the first occupancy sensor comprises a battery for powering the internal circuitry of the occupancy sensor.

11. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the first occupancy sensor comprises a PIR detector.

12. The load control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote control comprising an actuator and operable to transmit an actuator wireless control signal to the load control device in response to an actuation of the actuator, the load control device operable to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the actuator wireless control signal.

13. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the electrical load is a lighting load and the load control device is a dimmer switch.

14. The load control system of claim 1, wherein the movable structure comprises a door, the first occupancy sensor mounted to an inside surface of the door to detect the movement of the door.

15. A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load provided in a space having a door and a fixed surface, the load control system comprising:

a 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 load control device operable to receive wireless control signals and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the wireless control signals;

a first occupancy sensor adapted to be mounted to the door, the first occupancy sensor operable to detect movement of the door and to transmit a first occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the movement of the door, the load control device operable to enable the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving the occupied wireless control signal from the first occupancy sensor; and

a second occupancy sensor adapted to be mounted to the fixed surface, the second occupancy sensor operable to detect an occupancy condition in the space and to transmit a second occupied wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting the occupancy condition;

wherein each of the occupancy sensors is operable to transmit a vacant wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting a vacancy condition in the space, the load control device operable to cease the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving vacant control signals from both of the occupancy sensors;

wherein each of the occupancy sensors is operable to transmit a third wireless control signal to the load control device in response to detecting a continued occupancy condition in the space, the load control device ceasing the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to determining that no wireless control signals have been received from one of the occupancy sensors for the length of a predetermined timeout period, and receiving a vacant control signal from the other occupancy sensor;

wherein the load control device initializes a failsafe timer with the predetermined timeout period and restarts the failsafe timer in response to receiving the third wireless control signals, the load control device operable to cease the delivery of power to the electrical load when the failsafe timer expires; and

wherein the first occupied wireless control signal comprises an occupied-take-action command, and the third wireless control signal comprises an occupied-no-action command.

16. A method of controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load provided in a space having a movable structure and a fixed surface, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting a first occupancy sensor on the movable structure;

mounting a second occupancy sensor on the fixed surface;

the first occupancy sensor detecting movement of the movable structure;

the first occupancy sensor transmitting a first occupied wireless control signal in response to detecting the movement of the movable structure;

enabling the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving the first occupied wireless control signal from the first occupancy sensor;

the second occupancy sensor detecting an occupancy condition in the space;

the second occupancy sensor transmitting a second occupied wireless control signal in response to detecting the occupancy condition in the space;

the first and second occupancy sensors each detecting a vacancy condition in the space;

the first and second occupancy sensors each transmitting a vacant wireless control signal in response to detecting the vacancy condition in the space; and

ceasing the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to receiving vacant control signals from both of the occupancy sensors;

further wherein

each of the occupancy sensors transmitting a third wireless control signal in response to detecting a continued occupancy condition in the space;

ceasing the delivery of power to the electrical load in response to determining that no wireless control signals have been received from one of the occupancy sensors for the length of a predetermined timeout period, and either receiving a vacant control signal from the other occupancy sensor, or determining that no wireless control signals have been received from the other occupancy sensor for the length of the timeout period;

initializing a failsafe timer with the predetermined timeout period and restarting the failsafe timer in response to receiving the third wireless control signals from the occupancy sensors;

ceasing the delivery of power to the electrical load when the failsafe timer expires; and

wherein the first occupied wireless control signal comprises an occupied-take-action command, and the third wireless control signal comprises an occupied-no-action command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the movable structure comprises a door.