Method of programming a load control device

• US 10,779,381 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 09/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Inventors: Economy, Theodore F., Browne, Jr., John C., Fricke, William Bryce, Knode, Galen Edgar, Bedell, Ryan S., Salvestrini, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eustaquio, Cal J
• Application Number:
  US15/352,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 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 an AC power source and an electrical load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals 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 that includes the IP address.

Claims

1. A lighting control device for controlling power delivered to a lighting load, the lighting control device comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to provide the power to the lighting load;

a memory for storing one or more operating parameters of the lighting control device;

a controller operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device to control the controllably conductive device according to the one or more operating parameters; and

a near-field communications (NFC) module operatively coupled to the controller;

wherein while the controller is unpowered, the NFC module is configured to;

receive at least one NFC signal from a programming device, the at least one NFC signal comprising one or more operating parameters of the lighting control device; and

store, in the memory, the one or more operating parameters that were received via the at least one NFC signal; and

wherein while the controller is powered, the controller is configured to;

access from the memory the one or more operating parameters of the lighting control device stored by the NFC module; and

control the controllably conductive device to control the power delivered to the lighting load based on the one or more accessed operating parameters of the lighting control device.

2. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to reboot with the one or more operating parameters for controlling the lighting load after the controller is powered.

3. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise at least one of presets, protected or locked presets, high-end trim, low-end trim, adjustable delay, fade time, load type, or different lamps.

4. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise parameters of one or more modes of operation for the lighting control device, and wherein the one or more modes of operation comprise a switching mode, a dimming mode, or an electronic timer mode.

5. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to reboot with the one or more operating parameters for controlling the lighting load.

6. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different lamp manufacturers.

7. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different types of lighting devices.

8. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the lighting control device comprises a light emitting diode (LED) driver that is programmed according to the one or more operating parameters received via the at least one NFC signal from the programming device.

9. The lighting control device of claim 1, wherein the NFC module is operable to receive at least one other NFC signal for updating the one or more operating parameters of the lighting control device, wherein the NFC module is operable to store the one or more updated operating parameters in the memory for access by the controller to control the power delivered to the lighting load based on the one or more updated operating parameters of the lighting control device.

10. A programming device for programming one or more operating parameters of a lighting control device, the programming device comprising:

a visual display configured to display the one or more operating parameters for controlling operation of the lighting control device; and

a processor configured to;

receive a user indication of the one or more operating parameters on the visual display to be programmed for the operation of the lighting control device,

configure the indicated one or more operating parameters for being transmitted to the lighting control device via at least one NFC signal, and

while a controller of the lighting control device is unpowered, program the lighting control device with the indicated one or more operating parameters by transmitting the indicated one or more operating parameters via the at least one NFC signal to an NFC module of the lighting control device.

11. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise at least one of presets, protected or locked presets, high-end trim, low-end trim, adjustable delay, fade time, load type, or different lamps.

12. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise parameters of one or more modes of operation for the lighting control device, and wherein the one or more modes of operation comprise a switching mode, a dimming mode, or an electronic timer mode.

13. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different lamp manufacturers.

14. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different types of lighting devices.

15. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the lighting control device comprises a light emitting diode (LED) driver that is programmed according to the one or more operating parameters transmitted from the programming device via the at least one NFC signal.

16. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication on the visual display that the NFC transmission of the one or more operating parameters for the lighting control device has completed.

17. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication from the lighting control device that the NFC transmission of the one or more operating parameters for the lighting control device has completed.

18. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to launch a programming application to display the one or more operating parameters on the visual display and enable receipt of the indication of the one or more operating parameters from a user selection.

19. The programming device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive a user indication of an update to the one or more operating parameters, wherein the processor is configured program the lighting control device with the update to the one or more operating parameters by causing transmission of the update to the one or more operating parameters via at least one other NFC signal.

20. A method of programming one or more operating parameters of a light emitting diode (LED) driver, the method comprising:

displaying, on a visual display, the one or more operating parameters for controlling operation of the LED driver;

receiving a user indication of the one or more operating parameters on the visual display to be programmed for the operation of the LED driver;

configuring the indicated one or more operating parameters for being transmitted to the lighting control device via at least one NFC signal; and

programming the LED driver when a controller of the lighting control device is unpowered with the indicated one or more operating parameters by causing transmission of the indicated one or more operating parameters via the at least one NFC signal to an NFC module of the LED driver.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more operating parameters comprise at least one of presets, protected or locked presets, high-end trim, low-end trim, adjustable delay, fade time, load type, or different lamps.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different lamp manufacturers.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more operating parameters are different for different types of lighting devices.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

providing an indication on the visual display that the transmission of the one or more operating parameters via the at least one NFC signal has completed.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication from the LED driver that the transmission of the one or more operating parameters via the at least one NFC signal has completed.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

launching a programming application to display the one or more operating parameters on the visual display and enable receipt of the indication of the one or more operating parameters from a user selection.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the LED driver according to the one or more operating parameters.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a user indication of an update to the one or more operating parameters to be programmed for the operation of the LED driver; and

programing the LED driver with the update to the one or more operating parameters via transmission of at least one other NFC signal transmitted from the programming device to the NFC module of the LED driver.