Remote control having a capacitive touch surface and a mechanism for awakening the remote control
First Claim
1. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device, the remote control device comprising:
- a housing supporting a capacitive touch surface, the housing having a resiliently deformable portion configured to be operated from a relaxed state to a deformed state, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling an electrical load using the load control device;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing;
at least one light emitting diode (LED);
a control circuit mounted to the PCB and configured to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, the control circuit configured to operate in a sleep state in which the control circuit disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the at least one LED to use less power while the remote control device is on;
a switch configured to awaken the control circuit from the sleep state, the switch being supported by the PCB;
a membrane comprising a rim and a partial spherical body attached to the rim having an inward facing surface and an opposed outward facing surface, wherein a top portion of the rim rests on a surface of the PCB supporting the switch, the outward facing surface being in contact with the deformable portion of the housing; and
a portion of a conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane, wherein, when the deformable portion of the housing is deformed into the deformed state, the portion of the conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane makes electrical contact with a portion of the switch such that the control circuit is awakened from the sleep state to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls, and enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control device having capacitive touch controls may be configured to enter a sleep state (or mode). For example, the remote control device may be configured to enter the sleep state upon expiration of an interval of time since a most recent button press. The remote control may be configured to awaken from the sleep state when one or more portions of a housing of the remote control are deflected, for example, when a user grasps the remote control to actuate one or more of the capacitive touch controls. For example, the remote control device may include a switch. The switch may include a carbon structure that may be configured to contact an open circuit pad on a circuit board to close the corresponding circuit when the housing is deflected and awaken the remote control device from the sleep state.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A remote control device configured for use with a load control device, the remote control device comprising:
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a housing supporting a capacitive touch surface, the housing having a resiliently deformable portion configured to be operated from a relaxed state to a deformed state, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling an electrical load using the load control device; a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing; at least one light emitting diode (LED); a control circuit mounted to the PCB and configured to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device, the control circuit configured to operate in a sleep state in which the control circuit disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the at least one LED to use less power while the remote control device is on; a switch configured to awaken the control circuit from the sleep state, the switch being supported by the PCB; a membrane comprising a rim and a partial spherical body attached to the rim having an inward facing surface and an opposed outward facing surface, wherein a top portion of the rim rests on a surface of the PCB supporting the switch, the outward facing surface being in contact with the deformable portion of the housing; and a portion of a conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane, wherein, when the deformable portion of the housing is deformed into the deformed state, the portion of the conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane makes electrical contact with a portion of the switch such that the control circuit is awakened from the sleep state to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls, and enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load using the load control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A remote control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a capacitive touch surface comprising a capacitive touch electrode printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the capacitive touch surface is configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load, and the capacitive touch surface comprising a plurality of icons configured to be illuminated to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load; a control circuit configured to illuminate the plurality of icons to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls for controlling the electrical load, the control circuit configured to operate in a sleep state in which the control circuit disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the plurality of icons to use less power while the remote control device is on; a flexible housing supporting the capacitive touch surface; a membrane comprising a rim and a partial spherical body attached to the rim having an inward facing surface and an opposed outward facing surface, wherein a top portion of the rim rests on a surface of the capacitive touch electrode PCB, the outward facing surface being in contact with the flexible housing; and a portion of a conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane, wherein flexing at least a portion of the housing causes the portion of the conductive member to make electrical contact with a switch causing the control circuit to awaken from the sleep state to illuminate the plurality of icons to indicate the portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls, and enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A remote control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a flexible housing that defines an interior and an exterior surface; a switch that is enclosed within the interior of the flexible housing; a capacitive touch surface supported by the exterior surface of the flexible housing, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load; at least one light emitting diode (LED); a control circuit configured to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load, the control circuit configured to operate in a sleep state in which the control circuit disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the at least one LED to use less power while the remote control device is on; a membrane comprising a rim and a partial spherical body attached to the rim having an inward facing surface and an opposed outward facing surface, wherein a top portion of the rim rests on a surface supporting the switch, the outward facing surface being in contact with the flexible housing; a portion of a conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane, wherein the portion of the conductive member making electrical contact with the switch causes the control circuit to awaken from the sleep state to illuminate the at least one LED to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls, and enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A remote control device for controlling an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
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a flexible housing supporting a capacitive touch surface, the capacitive touch surface being configured to provide and receive touch controls for controlling the electrical load, and the capacitive touch surface comprising a plurality of icons configured to be illuminated to indicate the touch controls for controlling the electrical load; a control circuit configured to illuminate the plurality of icons to indicate portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls for controlling the electrical load, the control circuit configured to operate in a sleep state in which the control circuit disables the receipt of the touch controls on the capacitive touch surface and un-illuminates the plurality of icons to use less power while the remote control device is on; a membrane comprising a rim and a partial spherical body attached to the rim having an inward facing surface and an opposed outward facing surface, wherein a top portion of the rim rests on a surface supporting a switch, the outward facing surface being in contact with the flexible housing; and a portion of a conductive member attached to the inward facing surface of the partial spherical body of the membrane, wherein flexing at least a portion of the housing causes the portion of the conductive member to activate the switch causing the control circuit to awaken from the sleep state to illuminate the plurality of icons to indicate the portions of the capacitive touch surface for receiving the touch controls, and enable the capacitive touch surface to receive the touch controls for controlling the electrical load. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification