Network access coordination of load control devices

• US 9,413,171 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Neyhart, Jeremy Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US13/796,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20140177469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

An apparatus may control the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, and may comprise a controllably conductive device. The apparatus may also comprise a controller that may be operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device. The apparatus may also include a first wireless communication circuit operable to communicate via a first protocol and to join a first wireless communication network operable to communicate via the first protocol. The first wireless communication circuit may be in communication with the controller. The controller may be operative to determine a first condition for communicating via the first protocol. The controller may also be operable to control the first wireless communication circuit to join the first wireless communication network upon the first condition being satisfied.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the power delivered to at least one electrical load, the apparatus comprising:

a controllably conductive device;

a controller in communication with the controllably conductive device; and

a first wireless communication circuit operable to communicate via a first protocol and operable to join a first wireless communication network operable for communication via the first protocol, the first wireless communication circuit being in communication with the controller, the controller being operable to;

control the controllably conductive device;

determine a first condition for communicating via the first protocol;

control the first wireless communication circuit to join the first wireless communication network upon the first condition being satisfied;

determine a second condition for terminating communication via the first protocol; and

disconnect from the first wireless communication network upon the second condition being satisfied.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication circuit uses a first data to join the first wireless communication network, and the communicating via the first protocol includes communicating a second data via the first protocol via first wireless communication network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication circuit includes a first radio operable to communicate via the first protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless IP based protocol is a Wi-Fi protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the joining the first wireless communication network includes at least one of using a service set identifier (SSID) and attaching to the first wireless communication network, or obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) password via a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol function associated with the first wireless communication network.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second data is at least one of firmware upgrade data for the apparatus, configuration data for the apparatus, user-interface data from the apparatus, or database data from the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first data includes access information for the first communication network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first communication network is a Wi-Fi communication network.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the access information includes at least one of a service set identifier (SSID), a wireless security password, or an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first condition includes a determination by the controller to communicate via the first protocol for at least one of a non-periodic function or a periodic function.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a dimmer switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first condition includes a function of the apparatus and the second condition includes a determination by the controller of at least one of a completion of the function or an end of a predetermined period of time following the completion of the function.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second condition includes a determination by the controller of an end of a predetermined period of time following the joining of the first wireless communication network.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first data is provided to the apparatus at a time previous to the joining of the first wireless communication network.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second communication circuit operable to communicate via a second protocol via a second communication network, the second communication circuit in communication with the controller.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second communication circuit includes a second radio operable to communicate via the second protocol and the second communication network is a wireless network.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second communication circuit is operable to communicate with a conductor delivering electrical energy from a power source to the apparatus via the second protocol.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first protocol is a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol, and the second protocol is a proprietary radio-frequency (RF) protocol.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second protocols both are a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol operating on separate channels.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second protocol is a power line communication protocol.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first wireless communication circuit uses a first data to join the first wireless communication network, and the controller is further operable to receive the first data via the second communication circuit and via the second protocol at a time of at least one of a time previous to the joining of the first wireless communication network or a time substantially coincident to the joining of the first wireless communication network.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first condition includes at least one of a determination by the controller to communicate via the first protocol for a non-periodic or a periodic function, or a receipt of a signal via the second communication circuit and via the second protocol to join the first wireless communication network.

24. An apparatus for controlling power delivered to at least one electrical load, the apparatus comprising:

a controller;

a first wireless communication circuit operable to communicate via a first protocol and operable to join a first wireless communication network operable for communication via the first protocol, the first communication circuit in communication with the controller;

a second communication circuit operable to communicate via a second protocol, the second communication circuit in communication with the controller, the controller being operable to;

determine a first condition for communicating via the first protocol, the first condition including a receipt of a signal via the second communication circuit and via the second protocol to join the first wireless communication network;

control the first wireless communication circuit to join the first wireless communication network upon the first condition being satisfied;

determine a second condition for terminating communication via the first protocol; and

disconnect from the first wireless communication network upon the second condition being satisfied.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first wireless communication circuit uses a first data to join the first wireless communication network, and the communicating via the first protocol includes communicating a second data via the first protocol via the first wireless communication network.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first protocol is a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the wireless IP based protocol is a Wi-Fi protocol.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the joining the first wireless communication network includes at least one of using a service set identifier (SSID) and attaching to the first wireless communication network, or obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) password via a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol function associated with the first wireless communication network.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the second data is at least one of firmware upgrade data for the apparatus, configuration data for the apparatus, user-interface data from the apparatus, or database data from the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second communication circuit is operable to communicate with a conductor delivering electrical energy from a power source to the apparatus via the second protocol.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first protocol is a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol, and the second protocol is a proprietary radio-frequency (RF) protocol.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first and second protocols both are a wireless Internet Protocol (IP) based protocol operating on separate channels.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller is further operable to receive the first data via the second communication circuit and via the second protocol at a time of at least one of a time previous to the joining of the first wireless communication network or a time substantially coincident to the joining of the first wireless communication network.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second condition includes a receipt of a signal via the second communication circuit and via the second protocol to disconnect from the first wireless communication network.

35. A network node in communication with a load control device, the load control device controlling power delivered to at least one electrical load, the load control device comprising a first controller, a first wireless communication circuit operable for communication via first protocol and operable to join a first wireless communication network, and a second communication circuit operable to communicate via a second protocol, the network node comprising:

a second controller; and

a third communication circuit operable to communicate via the second protocol, the third communication circuit in communication with the second controller, the second controller being operable to;

determine a first condition for the load control device to communicate via the first protocol;

send a first signal via the third communication circuit and via the second protocol to the load control device upon the first condition being satisfied, the first signal causing the load control device to control the first wireless communication circuit to join the first wireless communication network;

determine a second condition for the load control device to terminate communication via the first protocol; and

send a second signal via the third communication circuit and via the second protocol to the load control device upon the second condition being satisfied, the second signal causing the load control device to disconnect from the first wireless communication network.

36. The network node of claim 35, wherein the first condition corresponds to a function of the load control device, and the second condition includes a determination by the second controller of at least one of a completion of the function or an end of a predetermined period of time following the completion of the function.

37. An apparatus configured to provide information for the control of power delivered to at least one electrical load, the apparatus comprising:

a controller;

at least one of a sensor or a manual operator, the at least one sensor or manual operator being in communication with the controller; and

a first wireless communication circuit operable to communicate via a first protocol and operable to join a first wireless communication network operable for communication via the first protocol, the first wireless communication circuit being in communication with the controller, the controller being operable to;

determine the information based at least in part on a signal received from the at least one of a sensor or a manual operator;

determine a first condition for communicating via the first protocol;

control the first wireless communication circuit to join the first wireless communication network upon the first condition being satisfied;

determine a second condition for terminating communication via the first protocol; and

disconnect from the first wireless communication network upon the second condition being satisfied.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first wireless communication circuit uses a first data to join the first wireless communication network, and the communicating via the first protocol includes communicating a second data via the first protocol via first wireless communication network.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the second data is at least one of firmware upgrade data for the apparatus, configuration data for the apparatus, user-interface data from the apparatus, or database data from the apparatus.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the first data includes access information for the first communication network.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the first communication network is a Wi-Fi communication network.

42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the apparatus is at least one of an occupancy sensor or a remote control device.

43. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first condition includes a function of the apparatus and the second condition includes a determination by the controller of at least one of a completion of the function or an end of a predetermined period of time following the completion of the function.