Method of optically transmitting digital information from a smart phone to a control device

• US 9,923,633 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Economy, Theodore F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US15/176,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20160285550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/808 Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals directly from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network. The load control device may further comprise an optical module operable to receive an optical signal, such that the controller may obtain an IP address from the received optical signal and control the power delivered to the load in response to a wireless signal received from the wireless network that includes the IP address.

Claims

1. A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to receive wireless communications on a wireless network;

a controller operable to control the power from the source to the electrical load; and

an optical module operatively coupled to the controller and operable to receive an optical signal comprising programming instructions from at least one of a visual display or a camera flash light source of a wireless control device, wherein the programming instructions are configured to enable the wireless communication module to receive digital messages via the wireless communications on the wireless network, and

wherein the controller is configured, in response to the programming instructions in the optical signal received from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device, to connect to the wireless network and receive the digital messages on the wireless network via the wireless communication module.

2. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the optical module comprises an optical signal receiving circuit operable to receive the optical signal, and wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise an IP address, and wherein the controller is configured to control the power delivered to the electrical load in response to the digital messages that include the IP address.

3. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the optical module comprises a photodiode operable to receive the optical signal, and wherein the photodiode is operable to transmit optical signals.

4. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the electrical load comprises a lighting load and the load control device comprises a dimmer switch.

5. The load control device of claim 4, further comprising:

an optical receiver located on a front surface of the dimmer switch; and

a light pipe for optically coupling the optical signal from the optical receiver to the optical module.

6. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise a unique identifier for communicating on the wireless network, and wherein the controller is configured to use the unique identifier for communicating on the wireless network.

7. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi local area network, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise at least one of an SSID or an SSID password for the Wi-Fi local area network, and wherein the controller is configured to use the at least one of the SSID or the SSID password to connect to the Wi-Fi local area network.

8. The load control device of claim 1, further comprising a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the electrical load, and wherein the controller is operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive.

9. A device, comprising:

a wireless communication module configured to receive wireless communications;

a programmable controller; and

an optical module operable to receive a free-space, visible-light optical signal comprising programming instructions from at least one of a visual display or a camera flash light source of a wireless control device, wherein the programming instructions are configured to enable the wireless communication module to receive digital messages configured to control an electrical load via the wireless communications on a wireless network, and

wherein the programmable controller is configured, in response to the programming instructions in the optical signal received from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device, to connect to the wireless network and receive the digital messages configured to control the electrical load on the wireless network via the wireless communication module.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the optical module comprises an optical signal receiving circuit operable to receive the optical signal, and wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise an IP address, and wherein the programmable controller is configured to control power delivered to the electrical load in response to the digital messages.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the optical module comprises a photodiode operable to receive the optical signal, and wherein the photodiode is operable to transmit optical signals.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the programmable controller is operable to control, by way of a controllably conductive device, power delivered from an AC power source to the electrical load.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

an optical receiver located on a front surface of the device; and

a light pipe for optically coupling the optical signal from the optical receiver to the optical module.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise a unique identifier for communicating on the wireless network, and wherein the controller is configured to use the unique identifier for communicating on the wireless network.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi local area network, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise at least one of an SSID or an SSID password for the Wi-Fi local area network, and wherein the controller is configured to use the at least one of the SSID or the SSID password to connect to the Wi-Fi local area network.

16. A method to communicate programming instructions to a receiving device, the method comprising:

determining the programming instructions to be sent to the receiving device, wherein the programming instructions are configured to enable the receiving device to receive digital messages configured to control an electrical load via wireless communications on a wireless network;

optically transmitting the programming instructions to the receiving device, wherein the optically transmitting is free-space, visual-light transmitting from at least one of a visual display or a camera flash light source of a wireless control device to enable the receiving device to receive the digital messages configured to control the electrical load via the wireless communications on the wireless network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein optically transmitting comprises modulating the light output of at least a portion of the visual display or the camera flash light source.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise a unique identifier for communicating on the wireless network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi local area network, wherein the programming instructions from the at least one of the visual display or the camera flash light source of the wireless control device comprise at least one of an SSID or an SSID password for the Wi-Fi local area network.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the programming instructions comprise an IP address configured to identify digital messages for controlling power delivered to the electrical load.