WIRELESS CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20170169702A1
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Camden, Richard S., Mosebrook, Donald R., Shivell, William Taylor, Miller, Amy E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,068,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15117 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1221 onto a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). A faceplate comprising a conductive element may be installed on the wireless control device, such that the conductive element operates as a radiating element of the antenna. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.

Claims

1. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox;

a slot antenna, comprising;

a conductive element defining a slot; and

two drive points on opposite sides of the slot, wherein the slot antenna is configured to communicate radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to communicate the radio-frequency signals via the slot antenna; and

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the radio-frequency communication circuit.

2. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the conductive element of the slot antenna is capacitively coupled to a radiating element.

3. The wireless control device of claim 2, wherein the radiating element defines a second slot substantially aligned with the first slot of the conductive element.

4. The wireless control device of claim 3, wherein the radiating element is electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection.

5. The wireless control device of claim 4, wherein the radiating element is part of a faceplate of the wireless control device.

6. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the two drive points comprise respective feet connected to the conductive element that allow for electrical connection between the conductive element and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

7. The wireless control device of claim 6, wherein the radio-frequency communication circuit is configured to drive the feet differentially.

8. The wireless control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke;

wherein conductive element is located between the bezel and the yoke.

9. The wireless control device of claim 8, further comprising:

a user interface provided on the bezel and received through the slot of the conductive element, the user interface comprising an actuation member configured to receive a user input;

wherein the control circuit is responsive to the user input received via the actuation member.

10. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the two drive points are located at the middle of the slot of the conductive element.

11. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is configured to operate as a radiating element.

12. The wireless control device of claim 1, wherein the conductive element is part of a faceplate of the wireless control device.

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

a controllably conductive device adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load;

a slot antenna, comprising;

a conductive element defining a slot; and

two drive points on opposite sides of the slot, wherein the slot antenna is configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the slot antenna; and

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the radio-frequency communication circuit, and configured to control the controllably conductive device to control the power delivered to the electrical load.

14. The load control device of claim 13, wherein the conductive element of the slot antenna is capacitively coupled to a radiating element.

15. The load control device of claim 14, wherein the radiating element defines a second slot substantially aligned with the first slot of the conductive element.

16. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:

a yoke configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox;

a user interface configured to receive a user input;

an antenna configured to communicate radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to communicate the radio-frequency signals via the antenna;

a control circuit configured to be responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit; and

a conductive element electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection, the conductive element defining a slot, wherein the user interface is received through the slot of the conductive element, and wherein the conductive element is configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna.

17. The wireless control device of claim 16, wherein the antenna is capacitively coupled to the conductive element.

18. The wireless control device of claim 17, wherein the antenna defines a second slot substantially aligned with the slot of the conductive element.

19. The wireless control device of claim 18, the control circuit configured to transmit the radio-frequency signals while receiving user input.

20. The wireless control device of claim 16, wherein the user interface comprises a touch sensitive actuator.