Radio paging electrical load control system and device

• US 5,623,256 A
• Filed: 12/15/1994
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul A. Marcoux
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Marcoux
• Inventors: Marcoux, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERZ, EDWARD W
• Application Number:
  US08/356,665
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.06, 315/316, 315/312, 315/315, 362/233
• US Class Current: 340/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1066 with other provisions not elsewhere provided for, e.g. turn-off protection
• 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: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A system for remote control of electrical load devices, particularly electrical lighting where the commands are broadcast over a radio pager system. A radio pager receiver is located within or nearby the electrical light fixture and is normally in a standby state, receives the commands broadcast. The radio pager receiver is connected to a computer processor and electronic circuitry. The computer processor interprets the commands and instructs the electronic circuitry to perform a desired operation. These operations include but are not limited to turning an electrical light element or group of electrical light elements on or off, dimming the light element or reprogramming the electrical light element to be included in a different control group of lights. In addition, before the operation is accomplished, the computer processor checks for the appropriate security code entry. In addition, there are protection mechanisms built into the computer processor so that if the decoding of the commands indicates that a large block of devices is to be turned on at the same time, the operation will be staggered so as to prevent a huge inrush of current and potential for tripping of the building'"'"'s main electrical overcurrent device or circuit.

Claims

1. A radio paging electrical load control device, connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, comprising:

a. a receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for accepting coded digital commands;

b. a processing mechanism connected to the receiving mechanism for decoding received commands;

c. a lighting control mechanism connected to the processing mechanism and to the lighting unit for accepting the decoded command and performing the command operation on the electrical light or device;

d. a power supply connected to the receiving, processing and lighting control mechanisms;

e. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a single electrical light fixture;

f. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely program and reprogram the electrical light fixtures into groups;

g. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a group of electrical light fixtures with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single light fixture even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical light fixtures; and

h. said control of the operational state of a light fixture, a group of light fixtures and light fixtures within a group, and remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical light fixtures into groups is independent of signal and power connections.

2. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising, a second receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing mechanism for accepting commands from an infrared remote control device or manual switch device.

3. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising, a second receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing mechanism for accepting command input from a hardwired switch device.

4. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 2, further comprising, an additional receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing mechanism for accepting command input from a hardwired switch device.

5. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the processing mechanism comprises:

a. a decoder for decoding the received commands;

b. a non-volatile memory device for storing security, reprogramming, operational state data and unit and group data;

c. a central processing unit for comparing the decoded commands to the data stored in the memory device and storing new data for reprogramming in the memory device;

d. the security, reprogramming, operational state data and unit and group data remains stored in the non-volatile memory device until new data is received; and

e. the stored operational data is used to reenergize the state of the fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interruption.

6. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture and for remotely controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 5, wherein the processing unit further comprises the capability of momentarily delaying the control and staggering the operation of the electrical lighting fixture or control group so as to prevent a huge inrush of current and potential for tripping of the building'"'"'s main electrical overcurrent device or circuit.

7. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1 wherein the processing mechanism further comprises the capability of remotely programming and reprogramming the light fixture control group and unit.

8. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the processing mechanism further comprises the capability of remotely programming and reprogramming and storing a new security code.

9. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the remote control of the operational state of an electric light fixture or group of electric light fixtures is set to the state specified in the digital input command and overrides the current state of the light fixture, even if the light fixture is physically set to off by a manual switch.

10. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising the capability of the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism to remotely control the light level of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures.

11. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism are alphanumeric paging commands.

12. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, wherein the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism are binary coded decimal paging commands.

13. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 1, further comprising, the capability of reenergizing the state of the electrical light fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interruption.

14. A radio paging electrical load control device connected to and located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 13, wherein the prior state is saved in a non-volatile memory device.

15. A radio paging electrical load control system using a paging network and paging receiver for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, comprising:

a. a means of sending commands to a radio paging network;

b. a receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture for accepting commands from the radio paging network;

c. a processing unit connected to the receiving mechanism for decoding the received commands;

d. a lighting controller circuit connected to the processing unit for accepting the decoded command and performing the command operation on the electrical light or device;

e. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a single electrical light fixture;

f. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely program and reprogram the electrical light fixtures into groups;

g. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a group of electrical light fixtures with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single light fixture even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical light fixtures; and

h. said control of the operational state of a light fixtures, a group of light fixtures and light fixtures within a group, and remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical light fixtures into groups is independent of signal and power connections.

16. A radio paging electrical load control system using a paging network and paging receiver for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 15, further comprising, a second receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing unit for accepting commands from an infrared remote control.

17. A radio paging electrical load control system using a paging network and paging receiver for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 15, further comprising, a second receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing unit for accepting commands from a hardwired switch.

18. A radio paging electrical load control system using a paging network and paging receiver for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 16, further comprising, an additional receiving mechanism located within or nearby an electrical light fixture connected to the processing unit for accepting commands from a hardwired switch.

19. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, comprising:

a. sending electrical light fixture control commands;

b. receiving electrical light fixture control commands;

c. decoding the received control commands using a processing unit connected to the receiving means;

d. using a lighting controller circuit for accepting the decoded command and performing the controlling operation on the electrical light;

e. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a single electrical light fixture;

f. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely program and reprogram the electrical light fixtures into groups;

g. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a group of electrical light fixtures with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single light fixture even while the fixture is part of the larger group of electrical light fixtures; and

h. said control of the operational state of a light fixture, a group of light fixtures and light fixtures within a group, and remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical light fixtures into groups is independent of signal and power connections.

20. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 19, wherein:

a. the sending of commands is via a radio paging network; and

b. the receiving of commands is via a pager receiver located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

21. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 19, wherein:

a. the sending of commands is via an infrared device; and

b. the receiving of commands is via an infrared receiver located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

22. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of an electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures, according to claim 19, wherein:

a. the sending of commands is via a device hardwired to the electrical light fixture or control group of fixtures; and

b. the receiving of commands is via a device located within or nearby an electrical light fixture.

23. A method of using a radio paging electrical load control system for controlling the operational state of the electrical light fixture or groups of fixtures, according to claim 19 further comprising reenergizing the state of the electrical light fixture or group of fixtures after a power interruption to the same operational state as prior to the power interruption.

24. A radio paging electrical load control device, connected to and located within or nearby an electrical device for controlling the operational state of an electrical device or group of electrical devices, comprising:

a. a receiving mechanism located Within or nearby an electrical device for accepting coded digital commands;

b. a processing mechanism connected to the receiving mechanism for decoding received commands;

c. a control mechanism connected to the processing mechanism and to the electrical device for accepting the decoded command and performing the command operation on the electrical device;

d. a power supply connected to the receiving, processing and control mechanisms;

e. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a single electrical device;

f. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely program and reprogram the electrical devices into groups;

g. the digital commands received by the receiving mechanism and processed by the processing mechanism can remotely control the operational state of a group of electrical devices with one command while still being able to individually control the state of any single device even while the device is part of the larger group of electrical devices; and

h. said control of the operational state of a device, a group of devices and a device within a group, and remote programming and reprogramming of the electrical devices into groups is independent of signal and power connections.