Gesture-based control device for controlling an electrical load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10109181-B2
Application number	US-201715469459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A control device such as a wall-mounted device, a remote control device, or a retrofit remote control device is configured to control one or more electrical loads in a load control system. The control device includes a gesture-based user interface for applying advanced control over the one or more electrical loads. The types of control include absolute and relative control, intensity and color control, preset, zone, or operational mode selection, etc. Feedback is provided on the control device regarding a status of the one or more electrical loads or the control device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device configured for use in a lighting control system to control respective amount of power delivered to a plurality of lighting loads, the lighting loads being external to the control device, the control device comprising:
a user input device configured to detect a first user input and a second user input, the user input device comprising a touch sensitive surface;
a control circuit configured to generate first control data to adjust the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads to an absolute power level based on the first user input, the absolute power level corresponding to a percentage of respective maximum power levels of the plurality of lighting loads, the control circuit further configured to generate second control data to adjust the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads by a relative amount based on the second user input, the relative amount corresponding to an amount of adjustment relative to respective present power levels of the plurality of lighting loads; and
a communication circuit configured to transmit a first control signal including the first control data and a second control signal including the second control data.

2. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a load control circuit adapted to be electrically coupled in series between an AC power source and the plurality of lighting loads for controlling power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to be mounted over a toggle actuator of a mechanical switch that controls whether power is delivered to the plurality of lighting loads.

4. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more visual indicators, wherein the one or more visual indicators comprise a light bar illuminated by one or more light sources.

5. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to map a plurality of locations on the touch sensitive surface adjacent to the one or more visual indicators to respective absolute power levels that range between a minimum power level and the maximum power level, and wherein the first user input is a one-finger touch applied to one of the plurality of locations on the touch sensitive surface, and the control circuit is configured to generate the first control data to adjust the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads to the absolute power level mapped to the one of the plurality of locations.

6. The control device of claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators in response to the first user input to indicate the absolute power level.

7. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the second user input is a multi-finger slide applied on the touch sensitive surface, and the control circuit is configured to generate the second control data to adjust the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads by a relative adjustment amount based on a length of the multi-finger slide.

8. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the second user input comprises a press-and-hold applied to a location of the touch sensitive surface at approximately a center of the touch sensitive surface, and a contemporaneous touch applied to a location of the touch sensitive surface adjacent to the one or more visual indicators, and the control circuit is configured to generate the second control data to adjust the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads by a relative amount.

9. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive surface comprises a first portion and a second portion, the second user input is a press-and-hold applied to the first portion or the second portion, and the control circuit is configured to generate the second control data to increase the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads by a first relative amount when the press-and-hold is applied to the first portion, and to decrease the respective amount of power delivered to the plurality of lighting loads by a second relative amount when the press-and-hold is applied to the second portion.

10. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the user input device further comprises a rotating portion that surrounds the touch sensitive surface, the first user input is applied via a rotational movement of the rotating portion, and the second user input is applied via the touch sensitive surface.

11. A control device that is configured for use in a load control system to control one or more electrical loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:
a base portion;
a touch sensitive device;
an actuation portion supported by the base portion and defining a front surface, the touch sensitive device configured to reside behind the front surface of the actuation portion, the actuation portion configured to move in towards the base portion in response to a first actuation of the actuation portion that pushes the actuation portion towards the base portion, the actuation portion further configured to be responsive to a second actuation of the actuation portion that is detectable by the touch sensitive device and that does not cause the actuation portion to move in towards the base portion, the second actuation being a point actuation applied to the front surface; and
a control circuit coupled to the touch sensitive device and configured to detect the second actuation via the touch sensitive device, the control circuit further configured to:
generate first control data for turning the one or more electrical loads on and off based on the first actuation; and
generate second control data for adjusting respective amounts of power delivered to the one or more electrical loads based on a location of the second actuation on the front surface.

12. The control device of claim 11 , wherein the front surface of the actuation portion is substantially rectangular in shape.

13. The control device of claim 12 , wherein the front surface of the actuation portion comprises a first portion and a second portion located on opposite sides of a pivot axis, the actuation portion further configured to pivot about the pivot axis in response to the first actuation.

14. The control device of claim 11 , further comprising a substantially circular rotating portion that is rotatable about the actuation portion.

15. The control device of claim 11 , wherein the second actuation comprises a tap applied to the front surface of the actuation portion.

16. The control device of claim 15 , further comprising a light bar configured to be illuminated by one or more light sources, wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the second control data to adjust respective amounts of power delivered to the one or more electrical loads to an absolute level in response to the tap being applied to the location on the front surface, and wherein the location of the tap is adjacent to the light bar.

17. The control device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the light bar to indicate the absolute level of the respective amounts of power delivered to the one or more electrical loads.

18. The control device of claim 16 , wherein the actuation portion is further configured to be responsive to a third actuation comprising a press and hold that causes the actuation portion to move with respect to the base portion, and wherein the c

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Dimberg Chris
• Harte Matthew V
• Killo Jason C
• Kreschollek Brad Michael
• Mcdonald Matthew Philip
• Twaddell Daniel L

Classifications

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H01H9/02

  Bases, casings, or covers (accommodating more than one switch or a switch and another electrical component H02B1/26) · CPC title

• H02G3/14

  Fastening of cover or lid to box · CPC title

• H01H9/287

  wherein the operating part is made inaccessible or more difficult to access by a lid, cover or guard, e.g. lockable covers · CPC title

• H01H11/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches (processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88) · CPC title