State change devices for switched electrical receptacles

• US 9,699,871 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Karc, Jeffrey, Bhutani, Ankit, Knode, Galen Edgar, Steffie, Jamie
• Primary Examiner(s): HOUSTON, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/845,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20150382437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 315149, 315158, 315291, 315151
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1985 Creation of lighting zones or scenes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A state change device may be electrically connected to a switched receptacle, or to both the switched and unswitched receptacles, of an outlet. The state change device may generate a change of state signal when power is applied to, or removed from, the switched receptacle. The state change device may wirelessly communicate the signal. The state change device may include a load control circuit that may be configured to control the amount of power delivered to an electrical load that is electrically connected to the state change device. The state change device may receive commands directed to the load control circuit. The state change device may be deployed in a load control system and may operate as a control entity, such that the state change device may issue commands to one or more load control devices, responsive to the application or removal of power at the switched receptacle.

Claims

1. A device that is configured to be electrically connected to a switched alternating current (AC) receptacle, the device comprising:

a sensing circuit that detects whether power is present at the switched receptacle;

a receptacle that is housed in the device and that is configured to receive an electrical component and to place the electrical component in electrical communication with the switched receptacle;

a controller that is communicatively coupled to the sensing circuit and that is configured to generate a signal that is indicative of a change of state of power being supplied at the switched receptacle; and

a communication circuit that is configured for wireless communication,

wherein the controller causes the communication circuit to transmit the signal to one or more associated devices.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply that is configured to supply power to the sensing circuit, the controller, and the communication circuit.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the power supply is a capacitor that is configured to store electricity supplied to the switched receptacle.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the capacitor is configured to store sufficient electricity for the device to generate and transmit the signal once power is removed from the switched receptacle.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the power supply is transitory.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing; and

a control interface that includes a plurality of buttons that protrude through the housing, the buttons configured to control respective functions of the device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the control interface further includes a plurality of visual indicators, each of the plurality of visual indicators corresponding to one of the plurality of buttons.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory that is configured to store respective last known states of the one or more associated devices.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more associated devices is a load control device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a socket that is configured to receive a light bulb.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to wait for a predetermined amount of time before generating the signal.

12. A device that is configured to be electrically connected to a switched receptacle and an unswitched receptacle of an alternating current (AC) outlet, the device comprising:

a sensing circuit that is configured to be electrically connected to the switched receptacle and to detect whether power is present at the switched receptacle;

a controller that is communicatively coupled to the sensing circuit and that is configured to generate a signal indicative of a change of state of power at the switched receptacle; and

a communication circuit that is configured to transmit the signal.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

first and second receptacles that are housed in the device and that are configured to be electrically connected to the AC outlet.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a load control circuit that is configured to be electrically connected to the first receptacle, such that the first receptacle operates as a dimmed receptacle.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first receptacle is configured to be electrically connected to the switched receptacle and the second receptacle is configured to be electrically connected to the unswitched receptacle.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the first and second receptacles are configured to be electrically connected to the unswitched receptacle.

17. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a housing; and

a control interface that includes a plurality of buttons that protrude through the housing, the buttons configured to control respective functions of the device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the control interface further includes a plurality of visual indicators, each of the plurality of visual indicators corresponding to one of the plurality of buttons.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to signal the controller when power is applied at the switched receptacle.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon being signaled by the sensing circuit of the application of power at the switched receptacle, wait a predetermined amount of time before causing the communication circuit to transmit the signal.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to signal the controller when power is removed from the switched receptacle.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon being signaled by the sensing circuit of the removal of power from the switched receptacle, wait a predetermined amount of time before causing the communication circuit to transmit the signal.

23. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is configured to issue commands to an associated device via radio frequency signals broadcast from the communication circuit.

24. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is configured to receive commands from an associated device via radio frequency signals received by the communication circuit.

25. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a power supply that is configured to be electrically connected to the unswitched receptacle.

26. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a first plug that is configured to be inserted into the switched receptacle; and

a second plug that is configured to be inserted into the unswitched receptacle.

27. A load control device that is configured to be electrically connected to a switched receptacle and an unswitched receptacle of an alternating current (AC) power source, the load control device comprising:

a load control circuit that is configured to control an amount of power delivered from the AC power source to an electrical load that is electrically connected to the load control device;

a sensing circuit that is configured to be electrically connected to the switched receptacle and to detect whether power is present at the switched receptacle;

a controller that is configured to generate a signal that is indicative of a change of state of power being supplied at the switched receptacle; and

a communication circuit that is configured to transmit the signal.

28. The load control device of claim 27, wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to signal the controller when power is applied at the switched receptacle or removed from the switched receptacle.

29. The load control device of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon being signaled by the sensing circuit of the application of power at the switched receptacle or the removal of power from the switched receptacle, wait a predetermined amount of time before causing the communication circuit to transmit the signal.

30. The load control device of claim 27, wherein the load control device is configured to issue commands to an associated load control device via radio frequency signals broadcast from the communication circuit.

31. The load control device of claim 27, wherein the load control device is configured to receive commands from an associated load control device via radio frequency signals received by the communication circuit.

32. A load control system, the load control system comprising:

a load control device that is configured for wireless communication, the load control device further configured to control an amount of power delivered to an electrical load that is electrically connected to the load control device; and

a state change device that is configured for wireless communication and that is associated with the load control device, the state change device electrically connected to respective switched and unswitched receptacles of an alternating current outlet, the state change device further configured to generate a signal indicative of a change of state of power being supplied at the switched receptacle and to transmit the signal to the load control device.

33. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the state change device comprises:

a sensing circuit that detects whether power is present at the switched receptacle;

a controller that is communicatively coupled to the sensing circuit and that is configured to generate the signal; and

a communication circuit that is configured for wireless communication,

wherein the controller causes the communication circuit to transmit the signal to the load control device.

34. The load control system of claim 33, wherein the state change device further comprises a power supply that is configured to be electrically connected to the unswitched receptacle.

35. The load control system of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon being informed by the sensing circuit of application of power to the switched receptacle, wait a predetermined interval of time before causing the communication circuit to transmit the signal to the load control device.

36. The load control system of claim 33, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon being informed by the sensing circuit of removal of power from the switched receptacle, wait a predetermined interval of time before causing the communication circuit to transmit the signal to the load control device.

37. The load control system of claim 33, wherein the state change device is configured to issue commands to the load control device via radio frequency signals broadcast from the communication circuit.

38. The load control system of claim 33, wherein the state change device is configured to receive commands from the load control device via radio frequency signals received by the communication circuit.

39. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the state change device performs a master role within the load control system and the load control device performs a subservient role within the load control system.

40. The load control system of claim 32, wherein the load control device performs a master role within the load control system and the state change device performs a subservient role within the load control system.