Wall controller controlling CCT

• US 9,549,448 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pope, Daniel J., McBryde, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US14/292,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20150351191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 315/294, 315/312, 315/316, 315/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A wall controller that is used for controlling CCT is disclosed. A user input interface allows a user to provide a CCT parameter by pressing a button, entering a value, or the like. The user output interface can provide the user with an indication of a CCT level, which may represent an actual or current CCT level, a maximum or minimum CCT level setting, or the like for an associated lighting fixture. The communication interface facilitates communications with the associated lighting fixture. The control circuitry is configured to receive user input via the user interface; send a signal based on the user input toward the lighting fixture via the communication interface; and control the user output interface to provide the indication of the CCT level. The signal based on the user input may be indicative of an increase or decrease in CCT level, a specific CCT level, or the like.

Claims

1. A wall controller comprising:

a user input interface that includes;

a first portion for receiving an indication of a dimming level; and

a second portion for receiving a correlated color temperature (CCT) parameter from a user where the second portion is separate from the first portion;

a user output interface through which an indication of a CCT level is presented to the user;

a communication interface to facilitate communications with at least one lighting fixture; and

control circuitry associated with the user input interface, the user output interface, and the communication interface, the control circuitry configured to;

receive user input via the user input interface;

send a signal based on the user input toward the at least one lighting fixture via the communication interface; and

control the user output interface to provide the indication of the CCT level.

2. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive information from the at least one lighting fixture, and the user output interface is controlled to provide the indication of the CCT level based on the information received from the at least one lighting fixture.

3. The wall controller of claim 2 wherein the signal contains the user input.

4. The wall controller of claim 2 wherein the signal is an instruction that is based on the user input and generated by the control circuitry.

5. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein to control the user output interface, the control circuitry is further adapted to control the user output interface to provide the indication of the CCT level based on the user input.

6. The wall controller of claim 5 wherein the signal contains the user input.

7. The wall controller of claim 5 wherein the signal is an instruction that is based on the user input and generated by the control circuitry.

8. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user output interface includes at least one LED and the control circuitry is configured to adjust a color of the at least one LED based on the CCT level such that, as the CCT level changes, the color of the at least one LED changes in relation to the CCT level.

9. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user output interface includes an array of LEDs and the control circuitry is configured to control a number of LEDs in the array that are turned on based on the CCT level such that, as the CCT level changes, the number of the LEDs in the array that are turned on changes in relation to the CCT level.

10. The wall controller of claim 9 wherein the LEDs in the array are different colors.

11. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user output interface includes an array of LEDs and the control circuitry is configured to control which LEDs in the array are turned on based on the CCT level such that, as the CCT level changes, different ones of the LEDs in the array are turned on in relation to the CCT level.

12. The wall controller of claim 11 wherein the LEDs in the array are different colors.

13. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user output interface is at least one LED and is integrated with the user input interface.

14. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user input interface includes a switch for receiving the indication of dimming level and a button for receiving the CCT parameter.

15. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user input interface includes a first switch for receiving the indication of dimming level and a second switch for receiving the CCT parameter.

16. The wall controller of claim 1 further comprising a selection switch wherein the user input interface provides the CCT parameter when in a first position and receives a dimming level parameter when in a second position.

17. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user output interface through which the indication of CCT level is presented to the user comprises at least one first LED and at least one second LED, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the at least one first LED to provide a first indication of a first CCT level and control the at least one second LED to provide a second indication of a second CCT level.

18. The wall controller of claim 17 wherein the first CCT level is a minimum CCT level and the second CCT level is a maximum CCT level for the at least one lighting fixture.

19. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the CCT level corresponds to the actual CCT of light emitted by the at least one lighting fixture.

20. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the CCT level corresponds to at least one of a minimum and a maximum CCT level that is set for the at least one lighting fixture.

21. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user input interface comprises a means for receiving an indication of an on-off state.

22. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the user input interface comprises a first button for receiving an indication of dimming level, a second button for receiving the indication of CCT level, and a third button for receiving an indication of an on-off state.

23. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the signal based on the user input is indicative of an increase or decrease in CCT level.

24. The wall controller of claim 1 wherein the signal based on the user input is indicative of a specific CCT level.

25. A wall controller comprising:

a user input interface that includes;

a first portion for receiving an indication of a dimming level; and

a second portion for receiving a correlated color temperature (CCT) parameter from a user where the second portion is separate from the first portion;

a user output interface through which an indication of a CCT level is presented to the user;

a communication interface to facilitate communications with at least one lighting fixture; and

control circuitry associated with the user input interface, the user output interface, and the communication interface, the control circuitry configured to control the user output interface to provide the indication of the CCT level.

26. The wall controller of claim 25 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive information from the at least one lighting fixture, and the user output interface is controlled to provide the indication of the CCT level based on the information received from the at least one lighting fixture.

27. The wall controller of claim 25 wherein the control circuitry is further adapted to control the user output interface to provide the indication of the CCT level based on the user input.

28. The wall controller of claim 25 wherein the user output interface includes at least one LED and the control circuitry is configured to adjust a color of the at least one LED based on the CCT level, such that as the CCT level changes, the color of the at least one LED changes in relation to the CCT level.