User interface for controlling intensity and color of a lighting load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827581-B2
Application number	US-202016821896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 5, 2016
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A load control device may be configured to provide a user interface for controlling the intensity and/or color of one or more lighting loads. The user interface may include separate actuation members for setting the intensity and/or color of the lighting loads. The user interface may include one actuation member configured to operate in an intensity and/or color control mode. The control mode of the actuation member may be set via a button, a lever, a rotary switch, a rotary knob, etc. The user interface may include a touch sensitive element capable of sensing a user's touch and translate the touch into a control signal. Feedback may be provided on the user interface to indicate the type of control being adjusted and/or amount of control being applied to the lighting loads.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device for controlling a lighting load, the control device comprising:
a bezel comprising a slider slot;
a slider knob configured to slide along the slider slot, the slider knob further configured to be rotated with respect to the bezel; and
a control circuit configured to generate a first control signal for controlling one of the intensity or color of the lighting load in response to a movement of the slider knob along the slider slot, the control circuit further configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the other of the intensity or color of the lighting load in response to a rotation of the slider knob.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the intensity of the lighting load in response to the movement of the slider knob along the slider slot, and to control a color temperature of the lighting load in response to the rotation of the slider knob.

3. The control device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between an alternating-current (AC) power source and the lighting load for controlling power delivered to the lighting load.

4. The control device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a communication circuit configured to transmit messages to the lighting load;
wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit the second control signal for controlling the color temperature of the lighting load via the communication circuit.

5. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the controllably conductive device to turn the lighting load on and off, and transmit the first control signal for controlling the intensity of the lighting load via the communication circuit.

6. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the controllably conductive device to render the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive to control the intensity of the lighting load.

7. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmit the messages to the lighting load using a wireless communication scheme.

8. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the communication circuit is configured to transmit the messages to the lighting load via power wiring between the control device and the lighting load.

9. The control device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a potentiometer comprising a shaft extending through the slider slot
wherein the slider knob is connected to the shaft of the potentiometer.

10. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the slider knob is configured to freely rotate around the shaft to allow continuous adjustment of the color temperature of the lighting load by rotating the slider knob.

11. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the slider knob is configured to be held in a plurality of detents to allow the slider knob to hold in different positions so that the color of the lighting load may be adjusted by preset amounts.

12. The control device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a communication circuit configured to transmit messages to the lighting load;
wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit, via the communication circuit, the first control signal for controlling the intensity of the lighting load in response to the movement of the slider knob along the slider slot, and transmit, via the communication circuit, the second control signal for controlling the color temperature of the lighting load in response to the rotation of the slider knob.

13. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate a third control signal for turning the lighting load on and off.

14. The control device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a toggle actuator;
wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the third control signal for turning the lighting load on and off in response to an actuation of the toggle actuator.

15. The control device of claim 13 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the third control signal for turning the lighting load on and off in response to a push of the slider knob towards the bezel.

16. The control device of claim 13 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the third control signal for turning the lighting load on and off in response to a movement of the slider knob to a bottom of the slider slot.

17. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a visual indicator configured to provide feedback about the intensity or color of the lighting load;
wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the visual indicator to be illuminated to indicate the intensity or color of the lighting load.

18. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a light pipe, the control device further comprising:
light-emitting diodes configured to illuminate the light pipe;
wherein the control circuit is configure to control the light-emitting diodes to illuminate the light pipe to provide feedback about the intensity or color of the lighting load.

19. The control device of claim 18 , further comprising:
a toggle actuator for switching the lighting load on and off;
wherein the light pipe is connected to the toggle actuator.

20. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit the first and second control signals to the lighting load via one or more wired analog control links.

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc
• Lutron Tech Company Llp

Inventors

• Casey Craig Alan
• Shearer Thomas M

Classifications

• H05B45/20 Primary

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• Y02B20/30

  Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED] · CPC title

• H01H15/02

  Details · CPC title

• H01H23/02

  Details · CPC title