Remote control lighting control system
First Claim
1. A system for remotely controlling at least two electrical devices, the system comprising:
- a master control unit operable to transmit signals containing control information for controlling the status of the electrical devices; and
at least two control devices operable to receive the signals from the master control unit, each of the control devices respectively electrically connected to at least one of the electrical devices and responsive to the control information to control the at least one of the electrical devices;
wherein the control information includes a unique identifier of at least one of the control devices, the unique identifier not being user selectable;
wherein the master control unit and the control devices are pre-configured such that the master control unit is operable to transmit the signals to the control devices, and the control devices are operable to receive the signals from the master control unit and control the status of the at least one electrically connected electrical device in response to the control information containing the unique identifier of the respective control device, immediately upon installing and providing power to the system in a building structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A two-way radio frequency lighting control system comprises a master control including a plurality of manual actuators, and a plurality of dimmers, in which the number of dimmers does not exceed the number of manual actuators. After the lighting control system is installed in an intended end user location, and prior to the first time the lighting control system is energized in the intended end user location, each of the manual actuators is operative to affect the status of one, and only one, of the plurality of dimmers. A turn key lighting control system in which there is a one-to-one correspondence of manual actuators to dimmers is thereby provided.
129 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for remotely controlling at least two electrical devices, the system comprising:
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a master control unit operable to transmit signals containing control information for controlling the status of the electrical devices; and
at least two control devices operable to receive the signals from the master control unit, each of the control devices respectively electrically connected to at least one of the electrical devices and responsive to the control information to control the at least one of the electrical devices;
wherein the control information includes a unique identifier of at least one of the control devices, the unique identifier not being user selectable;
wherein the master control unit and the control devices are pre-configured such that the master control unit is operable to transmit the signals to the control devices, and the control devices are operable to receive the signals from the master control unit and control the status of the at least one electrically connected electrical device in response to the control information containing the unique identifier of the respective control device, immediately upon installing and providing power to the system in a building structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for providing a remote control system operable to control at least two electrical devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a master control unit operable to transmit signals containing control information for controlling the electrical devices;
providing at least two control devices, each of the control devices respectively electrically connected to at least one of the electrical devices and responsive to the control information for controlling the at least one of the electrical devices, the control information including a unique identifier of at least one of the control devices, the unique identifier not being user selectable; and
pre-configuring the master control unit and the control devices such that the master control unit is operable to transmit signals to the control devices, and the control devices are operable to receive the signals from the master control unit and control the status of the at least one electrically connected electrical device in response to the control information containing the address of the respective control device, immediately upon installing and providing power to the master control unit and the control devices in a building structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A dimmer control operable to adjust a status of a connected electrical lamp in response to a radio frequency control signal received from a remote control device, the dimmer control comprising:
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a communication and control circuit comprising at least a radio frequency transmitter/receiver and an antenna operable to receive a radio frequency signal from the remote control device that includes control information for controlling the status of the electrical lamp;
a manual actuator operable to change the on/off status of the electrical lamp; and
a slider control operable to change the dimming status of the electrical lamp, wherein the slider control operates to dim the electrical lamp and the communication and control circuit is operable to transmit to the remote control device status information representing the changed status of the electrical lamp, or the setting of the slider control, or both. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of dimming an electrical lamp electrically connected to a control device in response to a radio frequency control signal received from a remote control device, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing the control device with;
a communication and control circuit comprising at least a radio frequency transmitter/receiver and an antenna, wherein the communication and control circuit is operable to receive the radio frequency control signal;
a manual actuator, wherein the actuator is operable to change the on/off status of the electrical lamp; and
a slider control operable to change the dimming status of the electrical lamp;
receiving the radio frequency control signal that includes control information for controlling the status of the electrical lamp;
controlling the status of the lamp in response to the control information;
dimming the electrical device as a function of the position of the slider control; and
transmitting by the communication and control circuit status information representing the changed status of the electrical lamp to the remote control device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A two-way radio frequency lighting control system, comprising:
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a master control, including a plurality of manual actuators; and
a plurality of dimmers, the number of dimmers not exceeding the number of manual actuators;
wherein, after the lighting control system is installed in an intended end user location, and prior to the first time the lighting control system is energized in the intended end user location, each of the manual actuators is operative to affect the status of one, and only one, of the plurality of dimmers.
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36. A two-way radio frequency lighting control system, comprising:
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a master control, including a plurality of manual actuators; and
a plurality of dimmers, the number of dimmers not exceeding the number of manual actuators;
wherein, after the lighting control system is installed in an intended end user location, and prior to the first time the lighting control system is energized in the intended end user location, there is a one-to-one correspondence of dimmers to actuators such that each of the plurality of dimmers is adapted to have its status affected by actuation of one, and only one, of the plurality of actuators.
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37. A lighting control system, comprising:
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a master control including;
a plurality of master manual actuators;
a master controller, operatively coupled to the master manual actuators;
a plurality of master status indicators, operatively coupled to the master controller;
a master radio frequency transmitter-receiver, operative coupled to the master controller; and
a master antenna, operatively coupled to the master transmitter-receiver; and
a plurality of dimmers, the number of dimmers not exceeding the number of master manual actuators, each dimmer including;
a dimmer manual on/off actuator;
a dimmer slider actuator;
a dimmer controller, operatively coupled to the dimmer manual on/off actuator and to the dimmer slider actuator;
a dimmer controllably conductive device, operatively coupled to the dimmer controller;
a dimmer radio frequency transmitter-receiver, operatively coupled to the dimmer controller; and
a dimmer antenna, operatively coupled to the dimmer radio frequency transmitter-receiver;
the master controller and each of the plurality of dimmer controllers programmed, prior to installation in an intended end user location, such that each master manual actuators is operative to cause a change in status of one, and only one, of each of the plurality of dimmers.
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Specification