Turn-on procedure for a load control system

• US 9,743,496 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Knauss, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy Vinh
• Application Number:
  US14/227,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 315291, 315308, 340541, 340565
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load regulation device is adapted to control an electrical load. The load regulation device may be in a low power state, a ready state, and/or an on state. The low power state is characterized by the electrical load being unenergized. The ready state is characterized by a load control device and/or the load regulation device using more power than the low power state and the electrical load being unenergized. The on state is characterized by the electrical load being energized. The load regulation device is configured to receive an indication of a user'"'"'s presence when the load regulation device is in the low power state. The load regulation device is configured to change from the low power state to the ready state in response to receiving the indication. The load regulation device is configured to wait in the ready state for a change state instruction.

Claims

1. A load regulation device for controlling an electrical load, the load regulation device comprising:

one or more electrical components adapted to;

receive an indication of a user'"'"'s presence;

transition from a low power state to a ready state in response to receiving the indication, wherein the ready state is characterized by the load regulation device using more power than the low power state and the electrical load being unenergized;

wait in the ready state for a change state instruction;

transition from the ready state to the low power state if the change state instruction is not received within a first predetermined period of time;

transition from the ready state to an on state in response to receiving the change state instruction within the first predetermined period of time; and

transition from the on state to one of the ready state and the low power state in response to receiving an actuation of an actuator or in response to determining a lack of a user'"'"'s presence in a vicinity of the electrical load for a second predetermined period of time.

2. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a sensor, and wherein the sensor is either:

a standalone device, or integrated with a load control device, or integrated with the load regulation device.

3. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the indication is received from a load control device, and wherein the load control device is adapted to be electrically connected between an alternating current (AC) power source and the load regulation device.

4. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the low power state is characterized by the electrical load being unenergized.

5. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the transition from the low power state to the ready state is characterized by one or more of the following:

rendering conductive a controllably conductive device of a load control device, energizing a processor of the load regulation device, charging a power supply of the load regulation device, initializing a communication channel between a load control device and the load regulation device, and preheating one or more filaments of the electrical load.

6. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are based on at least one of the time of day and the day of the week.

7. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the change state instruction is received in response to actuation of the actuator, and wherein the actuator is part of a load control device.

8. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the change state instruction is received from a sensor.

9. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the on state is characterized by the electrical load being energized.

10. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the transition from the ready state to the on state is characterized by the load regulation device energizing the electrical load.

11. The load regulation device of claim 10, wherein the transition from the ready state to the on state is characterized by one or more of the following:

rendering conductive a controllably conductive device of a load control device, energizing a processor of the load regulation device, charging a power supply of the load regulation device, initializing a communication channel between a load control device and the load regulation device, and preheating one or more filaments of the electrical load.

12. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein determining the lack of the user'"'"'s presence in the vicinity of the electrical load for the second predetermined period of time comprises receiving a signal from a sensor.

13. The load regulation device of claim 1, wherein the electrical load is a lighting load or a motorized window treatment.

14. A load control system comprising:

a sensor adapted to;

detect a user'"'"'s presence; and

send an indication of the user'"'"'s presence;

a load regulation device for driving an electrical load, the load regulation device adapted to;

receive the indication;

transition from a low power state to a ready state in response to receiving the indication, wherein the ready state is characterized by the load regulation device using more power than the low power state and the electrical load being unenergized; and

wait in the ready state for a change state instruction;

transition from the ready state to the low power state if the change state instruction is not received within a first predetermined period of time;

transition from the ready state to an on state in response to receiving the change state instruction within the first predetermined period of time; and

transition from the on state to one of the ready state and the low power state in response to an actuation of an actuator or in response to determining a lack of a user'"'"'s presence in a vicinity of the electrical load for a second predetermined period of time.

15. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the sensor is:

a standalone device, or integrated with a load control device, or integrated with the load regulation device.

16. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the low power state is characterized by the electrical load being unenergized.

17. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the transition from the low power state to the ready state is characterized by one or more of the following:

rendering conductive a controllably conductive device of a load control device, energizing a processor of the load regulation device, charging a power supply of the load regulation device, initializing a communication channel between a load control device and the load regulation device, and preheating one or more filaments of the electrical load.

18. The load control system of claim 14, further comprising:

a load control device adapted to;

receive the indication from the sensor; and

route the indication to the load regulation device.

19. The load control system of claim 18, wherein the sensor is integrated with the load control device.

20. The load control system of claim 14, wherein determining the lack of the user'"'"'s presence in the vicinity of the electrical load for the second predetermined period of time comprises receiving a signal from the sensor.

21. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the change state instruction is received in response to actuation of the actuator, and wherein the actuator is part of a load control device.

22. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the change state instruction is received from the sensor.

23. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the change state instruction is received from a second sensor.

24. The load control system of claim 14, wherein the on state is characterized by the electrical load being energized.

25. A method for controlling an electrical load with a load regulation device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user'"'"'s presence;

transitioning from a low power state to a ready state in response to receiving the indication, wherein the ready state is characterized by the load regulation device using more power than the low power state and the electrical load being unenergized; and

waiting in the ready state for a change state instruction;

transitioning from the ready state to the low power state if the change state instruction is not received within a first predetermined period of time;

transitioning from the ready state to an on state if the change state instruction is received within the first predetermined period of time; and

transitioning from the on state to one of the ready state and the low power state in response to an actuation of an actuator or in response to determining a lack of a user'"'"'s presence in a vicinity of the electrical load for a second predetermined period of time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein determining the lack of the user'"'"'s presence in the vicinity of the electrical load for the second predetermined period of time comprises receiving a signal from a sensor.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the change state instruction is received in response to actuation of the actuator, and wherein the actuator is part of a load control device.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the change state instruction is received from a sensor.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the on state is characterized by the electrical load being energized.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the low power state is characterized by the electrical load being unenergized.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein transitioning from the low power state to the ready state comprises one or more of the following:

rendering conductive a controllably conductive device of a load control device, energizing a processor of the load regulation device, charging a power supply of the load regulation device, initializing a communication channel between a load control device and the load regulation device, and preheating one or more filaments of the electrical load.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time are based on at least one of the time of day and the day of the week.