Wireless control device

• US 9,609,719 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Camden, Richard S., Mosebrook, Donald R., Shivell, William Taylor, Miller, Amy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/724,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15117 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1221 onto a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). A faceplate comprising a conductive element may be installed on the wireless control device, such that the conductive element operates as a radiating element of the antenna. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable wireless control device, comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox;

a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke;

a user interface provided on the bezel, the user interface comprising an actuation member configured to receive a user input;

a slot antenna configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the slot antenna; and

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the radio-frequency communication circuit and the user input received via the actuation member;

wherein the slot antenna comprises a driven element located between the bezel and the yoke, the driven element defining a first elongated slot through which the actuation member of the user interface extends.

2. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the slot antenna comprises a radiating element capacitively coupled to the driven element, the radiating element defining a second slot substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the first slot of the driven element.

3. The wireless control device of claim 2, further comprising:

a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface;

wherein the second slot of the radiating element is substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received in the elongated opening of the faceplate.

4. The wireless control device of claim 3, wherein the radiating element comprises a conductive material on a front surface of the faceplate.

5. The wireless control device of claim 4, wherein the faceplate comprises a plastic carrier and the conductive material is arranged over the plastic carrier, the faceplate comprising a conductive backer attached to a rear surface of the plastic carrier, the conductive backer electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate.

6. The wireless control device of claim 3, wherein the radiating element is attached to a rear surface of the faceplate.

7. The wireless control device of claim 6, wherein the radiating element is electrically coupled to the yoke via one of a plurality of screws that attach the bezel to the yoke when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate.

8. The wireless control device of claim 3, wherein the radiating element is located inside of the faceplate.

9. The wireless control device of claim 2, wherein the radiating element comprises a conductive backer.

10. The wireless control device of claim 9, wherein the radiating element is electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection.

11. The wireless control device of claim 9, wherein the radio-frequency communication circuit is electrically coupled to the driven element via two drive points located on opposite sides of the first slot at approximately the middle of the first slot.

12. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises an actuator adapted to be actuated by a user, the control circuit configured to transmit the radio-frequency signals while the actuator is being actuated.

13. The wireless control device of claim 12, wherein the actuator comprises a thin touch sensitive actuator.

14. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the driven element is configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate.

15. The wireless control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a non-conductive faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface.

16. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox;

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, the faceplate comprising a conductive element electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate, the conductive element defining a first slot substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate;

an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit;

wherein the conductive element is configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

17. The wireless control device of claim 16, further comprising:

a bezel attached to the yoke, the bezel configured to provide the user interface through the elongated opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

18. The wireless control device of claim 17, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element located between the bezel and the yoke, the driven element capacitively coupled to the conductive element when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device, the driven element defining a second slot that is substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

19. The wireless control device of claim 18, wherein the radio-frequency communication circuit is electrically coupled to the driven element via two drive points located on opposite sides of the second slot at approximately the middle of the second slot.

20. The wireless control device of claim 17, wherein the conductive element is electrically coupled to the yoke via one of a plurality of screws that attach the bezel to the yoke when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the elongated opening of the faceplate.

21. The wireless control device of claim 16, wherein the conductive element is attached to a rear surface of the faceplate.

22. The wireless control device of claim 21, wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate.

23. The wireless control device of claim 16, wherein the conductive element comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate.

24. The wireless control device of claim 16, wherein the conductive element is located inside of the faceplate.

25. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

a faceplate defining an opening for receiving the user interface, the opening defined by an aspect ratio in the range of 3;

1 to 20;

1;

an antenna comprising a radiating element configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit;

wherein the radiating element defines an opening that is substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

26. The wireless control device of claim 25, further comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox; and

a bezel attached to the yoke, the bezel configured to provide the user interface through the opening of the faceplate when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

27. The wireless control device of claim 26, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element located between the bezel and the yoke, the driven element capacitively coupled to the radiating element when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

28. The wireless control device of claim 27, wherein the radiating element comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate.

29. The wireless control device of claim 28, wherein the faceplate comprises a plastic carrier and the conductive material is arranged over the plastic carrier, the faceplate comprising a conductive backer attached to a rear surface of the plastic carrier, the conductive backer electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the opening of the faceplate.

30. The wireless control device of claim 27, wherein the radiating element is attached to a rear surface of the faceplate.

31. The wireless control device of claim 30, wherein the radiating element is electrically coupled to the yoke via one of a plurality of screws that attach the bezel to the yoke when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received through the opening of the faceplate.

32. The wireless control device of claim 27, wherein the radiating element is located inside of the faceplate.

33. The wireless control device of claim 26, wherein the radiating element of the antenna is located between the bezel and the yoke.

34. The wireless control device of claim 25, wherein the radiating element comprises a conductive element.