Control device for controlling multiple operating characteristics of an electrical load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10375803-B2
Application number	US-201715611946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jun 3, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A load control device may be configured to control multiple characteristics of one or more electrical loads such as the intensity and color of a lighting load. The load control device may include concentric rotating portions for adjusting the multiple characteristics. A control circuit of the load control device may be configured to generate control data for controlling one or more of the characteristics of the electrical loads in response to rotations of the concentric rotating portions. The control circuit may be further configured to provide feedback regarding the control being applied on one or more visual indicators. The load control device may be a wall-mounted dimmer device or a battery-powered remote control device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device 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 configured to be mounted to an electrical wallbox or over a mechanical switch;
a first rotating portion configured to be rotatable with respect to the base portion;
a second rotating portion concentric with the first rotating portion and configured to be rotatable with respect to the base portion, the first and second rotating portions occupying different planes along an axis perpendicular to the base portion;
an actuation portion surrounded by at least one of the first or second rotating portion; and
a control circuit configured to generate and transmit first control data for changing a first characteristic of the one or more electrical loads while the first rotating portion is being rotated by a user, the control circuit configured to generate and transmit second control data for changing a second characteristic of the one or more electrical loads while the second rotating portion is being rotated by the user, the control circuit further configured to generate and transmit third control data for turning the one or more electrical loads on and off in response to the actuation portion being pressed in towards the base portion.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the first rotating portion is configured as a front ring and the second rotating portion is configured as a rear ring, the control circuit configured to generate the first control data for adjusting an intensity of the one or more electrical loads while the first rotating portion is being rotated by the user, the control circuit further configured to generate the second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads while the second rotating portion is being rotated by the user.

3. The control device of claim 2 , further comprising:
one or more visual indicators configured to be illuminated by one or more light sources.

4. The control device of claim 3 , wherein, when the first rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the intensity of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

5. The control device of claim 3 , wherein, when the second rotating portion is being rotated to adjust the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present color of the one or more electrical loads.

6. The control device of claim 3 , wherein, when the first and second rotating portions are being rotated together to adjust both the intensity and the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

7. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the one or more visual indicators comprise a light bar.

8. The control device of claim 7 , wherein the light bar is substantially circular and extends along a perimeter of the first rotating portion.

9. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotating portions have approximately the same outer diameter.

10. The control device of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the second rotating portion is larger than an outer diameter of the first rotating portion.

11. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotating portions are independently rotatable.

12. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotating portions are simultaneously rotatable, and wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the first control data and the second control data according to a predetermined dimming curve when the first and second rotating portions are simultaneously rotated, the predetermined dimming curve defining a relationship between an intensity and a color of the one or more electrical loads.

13. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication circuit configured to transmit a first control signal associated with the first control data and a second control signal associated with the second control data.

14. 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 one or more electrical loads for controlling power delivered to the one or more electrical loads.

15. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to be mounted over a toggle actuator of the mechanical switch that controls whether power is delivered to the one or more electrical loads.

16. A control device 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 front ring and a rear ring along an axis perpendicular to a front surface of the control device, the rear ring being concentric to the front ring, the front ring and the rear ring configured to be rotatable around the axis;
an actuation portion surrounded by at least one of the front or rear ring; and
a control circuit configured to generate and transmit first control data for changing an intensity of the one or more electrical loads while the front ring is being rotated by a user, the control circuit configured to generate and transmit second control data for changing a color of the one or more electrical loads while the rear ring is being rotated by the user, the control circuit configured to generate and transmit third control data for turning the one or more electrical loads on and off in response to the actuation portion being pressed in along the axis perpendicular to the front surface of the control device.

17. The control device of claim 16 , further comprising:
one or more visual indicators configured to be illuminated by one or more light sources;
wherein, when the front ring is being rotated to adjust the intensity of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present intensity of the one or more electrical loads; and
when the rear ring is being rotated to adjust the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding a present color of the one or more electrical loads.

18. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the front ring and the rear ring are simultaneously rotatable to adjust both the intensity and the color of the one or more electrical loads, and wherein, when the front and rear rings are being rotated together to adjust both the intensity and the color of the one or more electrical loads, the control circuit is configured to illuminate the one or more visual indicators to display feedback information regarding the present intensity of the one or more electrical loads.

19. The control device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a communication circuit configured to transmit a first control signal associated with the first control data and a second control signal associated with the second control data.

20. A control device for controlling one or more electrical loads in a load control system, the

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Dimberg Chris
• Shearer Thomas M
• Twaddell Daniel L

Classifications

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• Y04S20/14

  Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers · CPC title

• H03K17/962

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title

• H05B45/24

  using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules · CPC title

• H01H2300/03

  Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring · CPC title