Remote load control device capable of orientation detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10134268-B2
Application number	US-201715469427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A remote control device is provided that is configured for use in a load control system that includes one or more electrical loads. The remote control device includes a mounting structure and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to be attached to the mounting structure in a plurality of different orientations. The control unit includes a user interface, an orientation sensing circuit, and a communication circuit. The control unit is configured to determine an orientation of the control unit via the orientation sensing circuit. The control unit is also configured to translate a user input from the user interface into control data to control an electrical load of the load control system based on the orientation of the control unit and/or provide a visual indication of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load based on the orientation of the control unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A remote control device that is configured for use in a load control system, the remote control device comprising:
a mounting structure; and
a control unit comprising a user interface, an orientation sensing circuit, and a communication circuit, the control unit configured to be attached to the mounting structure in a plurality of orientations, the control unit configured to:
determine an orientation of the control unit relative to the mounting structure via the orientation sensing circuit;
translate a user input from the user interface into control data based on the orientation of the control unit, the control data configured to control an electrical load of the load control system; and
cause the communication circuit to transmit a control signal comprising the control data.

2. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is symmetric.

3. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to translate user inputs that correspond to on and off commands of the electrical load to respective control data based on the orientation of the control unit.

4. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to translate user inputs that correspond to raise and lower commands of the electrical load to respective control data based on the orientation of the control unit.

5. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to provide, via visual indicators of the control unit, a visual indication of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load based on the orientation of the control unit.

6. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the user interface is configured to emit an amount of light that corresponds to the amount of power delivered to the electrical load based on the orientation of the control unit.

7. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes that are arranged in a linear array and that are configured to provide the visual indication based on the orientation of the control unit.

8. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes that are arranged as a light bar in an at least partially circular geometry, wherein the control unit is configured to illuminate the light emitting diodes to provide the visual indication based on the orientation of the control unit.

9. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the orientation of the control unit upon the control unit being attached to the mounting structure.

10. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine the orientation of the control unit each time the control unit wakes up from an off or sleep state.

11. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a conductive member and the control unit comprises two contacts, wherein the conductive member is configured to electrically short the two contacts when the control unit is in a first orientation, and not configured to short the two contacts when the control unit is in a second orientation.

12. The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the two contacts reside on a printed circuit board (PCB) of the control unit.

13. The remote control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a faceplate that is configured to be attached to the mounting structure, the faceplate having an opening that is configured to receive at least a portion of the user interface and including a shorting member, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the orientation based on whether the shorting member is in electrical communication with the control unit.

14. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises a switch that is configured to be closed when the control unit is in a first orientation and open when the control unit is in a second orientation.

15. The remote control device of claim 14 , wherein the switch comprises an electrical contact pad that is configured to be in electrical communication with a shorting member of a faceplate when the control unit is in the first orientation and not in electrical communication with the shorting member of the faceplate when the control unit is in the second orientation.

16. The remote control device of claim 14 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a protrusion and the switch comprises a tactile switch, and wherein the protrusion is configured to actuate the tactile switch when the control unit is attached to the mounting structure in the first orientation, but not actuate the tactile switch when the control unit is attached to the mounting structure in the second orientation.

17. The remote control device of claim 14 , wherein the switch comprises one of a gravity switch and a mercury switch.

18. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises a ball and a light emitting diode (LED) sensor, wherein the ball is configured to block the LED sensor when the control unit is in a first orientation and not block the LED sensor when the control unit is in a second orientation.

19. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises an optocoupler that comprises an infra-red (IR) light emitting diode (LED) and a photodiode, and wherein the control unit is configured to determine the orientation of the control unit based on feedback from the optocoupler.

20. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises an inductive sensor configured to detect a presence of metal on the control unit or mounting structure when the control unit is attached to the mounting structure in a first orientation, but not detect the presence of metal on the control unit when the control unit is attached to the mounting structure in a second orientation.

21. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises a photodiode, and wherein the mounting structure comprises a notch or channel that is configured to line up with the photodiode when the control unit is in a first orientation and not line up with the photodiode when the control unit is in a second orientation.

22. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a magnet and the orientation sensing circuit comprises a hall-effect sensor circuit, and wherein the magnet and hall-effect sensor circuit are aligned when the control unit is in a first orientation and not aligned when the control unit is in a second orientation.

23. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises a switch that is configured to be manually operated to indicate the orientation of the control unit.

24. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing circuit comprises one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and wherein the control unit is configured to determine the orientation of the control unit based on feedback from one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope.

25. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive the orientation during a configuration mode of the control unit.

26. The remote control device of claim 25 , wherein the control

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Dimberg Chris
• Gage Alexander Wade
• 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

• H01H23/16

  Driving mechanisms · CPC title

• H03K17/962

  Capacitive touch switches · 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