State change devices for switched electrical receptacles

• US 9,826,604 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• 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:
  US15/619,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20170280536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• Field of Search: 315307, 315149, 315158
• 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 configured to be electrically connected to a switched receptacle, the device comprising:

a sensing circuit configured to detect whether power is present at the switched receptacle;

a controller responsive to the sensing circuit; and

a communication circuit configured for wireless communication,

wherein the controller is configured to cause the communication circuit to transmit a signal indicative of a change of state of power at the switched receptacle in response to the sensing circuit.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply 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 transitory.

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

5. The device of claim 4, 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.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive respective last known states of one or more associated devices.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more associated devices comprises a load control device.

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

9. A device configured to be electrically connected to a switched receptacle, the device configured for wireless communication with an associated load control device, the device comprising:

a sensing circuit that is configured to detect an event representative of a change of state of power at the switched receptacle;

a controller that is configured to generate a change of state signal based on the event for transmission to the load control device; and

a transmitter that is configured to transmit the signal based on a detection of the event.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the event comprises an application of power to the switched receptacle.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the event comprises a removal of power from the switched receptacle.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the controller causes the transmitter to transmit the signal in response to the detection of the event by the sensing circuit.

13. The device of claim 9, further comprising a power supply configured to, after a removal of power from the switched receptacle, supply an amount of voltage to the device sufficient for the device to generate and transmit the signal.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the power supply is a capacitor configured to store electricity when power is applied to the switched receptacle.

15. The device of claim 9, further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to store a last known state of the load control device in the memory.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to wait for a predetermined amount of time before generating the signal.

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

a state change device electrically connected to a switched receptacle of an outlet, the state change device further configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of a change of state of power being supplied at the switched receptacle; and

a load control device configured to receive the wireless signal from the state change device, and based on the wireless signal, to control an amount of power delivered to an electrical load electrically connected to the load control device.

18. The load control system of claim 17, wherein the state change device comprises:

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

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

a communication circuit configured for wireless communication,

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

19. The load control system of claim 18, 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 wireless signal to the load control device.

20. The load control system of claim 18, 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 wireless signal to the load control device.