Electrical Control System

• US 20140167934A1
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Fair, James, Malkowski, Mariusz, Goyal, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 9,418,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

An electrical control system.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A control system, comprising:

a power supply circuit comprising a load;

a master node electrically coupled to the load via the power supply circuit, wherein the master node is capable of controlling the load, the master node comprising a first power line communication interface and a first wireless communication interface;

at least one slave node electrically coupled to the master node via the power supply circuit, wherein the at least one slave node comprises a second power line communication interface communicable with the first power line communication interface, and wherein the at least one slave node is capable of sending a first control signal to the master node through power line communication for controlling the load; and

a controller wirelessly coupled to the master node and comprising a second wireless communication interface communicable with the first wireless communication interface, wherein the controller is capable of sending a second control signal wirelessly to the master node for controlling the load.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the first and second wireless communication interfaces are first and second radio frequency communication interfaces, respectively.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the controller is communicably coupled to the at least one slave node and is capable of sending a third control signal to the at least one slave node.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one slave node comprises a plurality of slave nodes, each of the plurality of slave nodes being communicably coupled to each other.

13. The control system of claim 9, wherein each of the master node, the slave node, and the controller comprises a user interface.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one slave node is selected from a group consisting of a switch, a receptacle, a smart dimmer, a battery operated switch, a dimmer, and a thermostat.

15. The control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one slave node transmits the first control signal to the master node in a loop current over the power supply circuit.

16. The control system of claim 9, wherein the first control signal is sent from the slave node to the master node when the line voltage of the power supply circuit has zero crossings.

17. A control system, comprising:

a master node electrically coupled to a load via a circuit and capable of controlling the load;

at least one slave node electrically coupled to the master node via the circuit, wherein the at least one slave node is capable of sending a first control signal to the master node for controlling the load;

a power line communication interface providing communication between the at least one slave node and the master node through the circuit; and

a wireless communication interface providing communication between a controller and the master node, the master node capable of wirelessly receiving a second control signal from the controller for controlling the load.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the master node comprises a power line communication module and a wireless communication module.

19. The control system of claim 17, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a radio frequency communication interface.

20. The control system of claim 17, wherein the at least one slave node is configured as an in-wall mounted manually adjustable power switch.

21. The control system of claim 17, wherein each of the master node, the slave node, and the controller comprises a user interface.

22. The control system of claim 17, wherein the controller is capable of wirelessly sending a third control signal to the at least one slave node.

23. The control system of claim 17, wherein the slave node is configured as an in-wall plug receptacle.

24. A method of controlling a load, comprising:

providing a power line communication interface between a master node and a slave node, wherein the master node is electrically coupled to and a controls a load via a circuit, and the slave node is electrically coupled to the master node via the circuit;

providing a wireless communication interface between the master node and a controller,

sending a wireless control signal from the controller to the master node for controlling the load when the controller is manipulated;

sending a power line communication signal from the slave node to the master node for controlling the load when the slave node is manipulated; and

controlling the load from the master node when the master node receives a user input, the wireless control signal, or the power line communication signal.

25. The method of controlling a load of claim 24, wherein the wireless communication interface is a radio frequency communication interface.

26. The method of controlling a load of claim 24, wherein the power line control signal is transmitted in a loop current of the circuit.

27. The method of controlling a load of claim 24, wherein the power line communication signal is sent from the slave node to the master node when the line voltage of the circuit has zero crossings.