Modular interface of intelligent lighting control apparatuses, systems, and methods

• US 9,838,008 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savant Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Noon Home, Inc. (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: Lark, Jr., William, Cheung, Ann Claire Lim Chi, Pennycooke, Nicholas David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US15/452,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20170257096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 315246-287
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/945 Proximity switches H03K17/96 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

The present disclosure provides modular lighting control system interfaces and method of implementing modular lighting control system interface for a lighting control system. The lighting control system includes a light switch module including a light switch actuator coupled to an actuator circuit board system. The light switch actuator is configured to move with respect to the actuator circuit board. The actuator circuit board includes a low power circuit electrically connected to a low power circuit electrical connector. The light switch also includes a light switch base module including a base housing forming a well configured to receive, at least in part, the actuator circuit board. The high power circuit electrical connector is configured to engage the low power circuit electrical connector. The high power circuit board includes a voltage reducer.

Claims

1. A lighting control system comprising:

a light switch module comprising;

a light switch actuator,

an actuator circuit board system coupled to the light switch actuator, the light switch actuator configured to move with respect to the actuator circuit board system, the actuator circuit board system comprising a low power circuit electrically connected to a low power circuit electrical connector, the low power circuit comprising at least one processor, and

a tactile display housed in the light switch actuator and electrically coupled to the at least one processor; and

a light switch base module comprising a base housing forming a well configured to receive, at least in part, the actuator circuit board, the well comprising a high power circuit electrical connector for sinking and sourcing high in-line power from and to an electrical wall box, the high power circuit electrical connector configured to engage the low power circuit electrical connector, the high power circuit electrical connector electrically connected to a high power circuit board housed in the base housing, the high power circuit board comprising a voltage reducer.

2. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator circuit board system comprises a circuit board stack.

3. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the high power circuit comprises at least one of a transformer for power conversion to source the light switch module, a current meter, a voltage meter, a processor, a noise filter, a power buffer, a plurality of mosfets for dimming, a triac for dimming, a multi-pin connector, a multi-blade connector an AC/DC converter, an eeprom, a USB port for diagnostics, and an air-gap switch, the air gap switch configured to provide a mechanical gate in a path of a line-in source that springs open when the light switch module is removed from the base module.

4. The lighting control system according to claim 3, wherein the low power circuit further comprises at least one of a wireless radio, a wireless amplifier, a USB port for diagnostics, a DC/DC converter, an ambient light sensor, a near-field proximity sensor, a far-field occupancy sensor, a time-of-flight proximity sensor, a secure eeprom, a rechargeable battery, and a touch display.

5. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit further comprises at least one of a microcontroller, a wireless radio, a wireless amplifier, a USB port for diagnostics, a DC/DC converter, an ambient light sensor, a near-field proximity sensor, a far-field occupancy sensor, a time-of-flight proximity sensor, a secure eeprom, a rechargeable battery, and a touch display.

6. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit is electrically connected to a rechargeable battery that is electrically connected to the low power circuit electrical connector.

7. The lighting control system according to claim 5, wherein the wireless radio comprises at least one of a WiFi radio, a Bluetooth radio and an 802.15.4 radio.

8. The lighting control system according to claim 1, further comprising a wall plate configured to be coupled to a front of the light switch base module and surround the body of light switch actuator.

9. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the light switch actuator module is removably coupled to the light switch base module.

10. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the light switch actuator is composed, at least in part, of glass.

11. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage reducer comprises at least one of a transformer, a relay, a thyristor, a resistor, and a capacitor.

12. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the light switch actuator is configured to pivot with respect to the actuator circuit board.

13. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the light switch actuator is configured to pivot with respect to the light switch base module.

14. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the light switch module comprises an antenna electrically coupled to the actuator circuit board.

15. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit comprises a transceiver.

16. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit comprises a Bluetooth module.

17. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit includes an 802.15.4 module.

18. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the low power circuit comprises a Wi-Fi module.

19. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the processor of the low power circuit comprises a first microprocessor and the high power circuit comprises a second microprocessor.

20. The lighting control system according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor comprises a digital lock and the other one of the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor comprises a digital key, the digital lock and the digital key configured to engage one another in response to the light switch module being electrically coupled to the light switch base module to permit the low power circuit to control the high power circuit and to permit the high power circuit to continue powering the low power circuit.

21. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the base module comprises a power source terminal, a power sink terminal, and a ground terminal.

22. The lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein the light switch actuator comprises an electrical contact component, the light switch actuator configured to move the electrical contact component from a first position to a second position to connect an electrical flow path by movement of an actuation surface of the light switch actuator, wherein the the tactile display housed in the light switch actuator is configured for activation by movement of the actuation surface moving the electrical contact component to the second position, the tactile display configured to move contemporaneously with the actuation surface, the tactile display configured to cause selection of a lighting setting selected from a plurality of lighting settings in response to one or more tactile motions on the actuation surface, the tactile display configured to discretely display a distinct icon in response to a change in the selection of the lighting setting.

23. A method of operating a lighting control system, the method comprising:

receiving power in a base module, the base module comprising a base housing forming a well, the well comprising a high power circuit electrical connector electrically connected to a high power circuit board housed in the base housing, the high power circuit board comprising a voltage reducer;

reducing a voltage of the power in the base module;

coupling a light switch module to the base module, the light switch module comprising a light switch actuator coupled to an actuator circuit board system, the light switch actuator configured to move with respect to the actuator circuit board, the actuator circuit board comprising a low power circuit comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor electrically coupled to a tactile display housed in the light switch actuator, the low power circuit electrically connected to a battery that is electrically connected to a low power circuit electrical connector configured to engage the high power circuit electrically connector;

transmitting the power, at least in part, at the reduced voltage, from the base module to the light switch module;

identifying, via the light switch actuator, a lighting profile selected from among a plurality of lighting profiles;

transmitting power data from the light switch module to the base module based on the selected lighting profile, the power data transmitted via the low power circuit electrical connector and the high power circuit electrical connector; and

transmitting power from the base module to a light fixture based on the power data.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the high power circuit board and the low power circuit board comprises a circuit board stack.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising initiating an unlocking protocol in response to coupling the light switch module to the base module.

26. The method according to claim 24, digitally unlocking a digital lock in the base module via a digital key stored in a memory coupled to the processor in the light switch module.

27. The method according to claim 24, further comprising digitally disabling the base module and the low power provided from the high power circuit electrical connector via a digital key stored in a memory coupled to the processor in the light switch module.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein identifying a lighting profile comprises at least one of moving the light switch actuator with respect to the actuator circuit board and activating the tactile display electrically coupled to the actuator circuit board via movement of the light switch actuator.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein identifying a lighting profile comprises providing a command to the light switch actuator remotely over a wireless network.