Modular electrical control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10923896-B2
Application number	US-201816176771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2018
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A modular electrical control system includes a switch module, having at least an “on” state and an “off” state, configured to draw power from an AC power source and to control power delivery to at least one external load, the switch module including a detector that determines whether a neutral wire is connected to the switch module, and a removable user interface module configured to connect to the switch module and receive power from the switch module, wherein the switch module delivers a first amount of power to the user interface module when the detector determines that the neutral wire is connected to the switch module, and delivers a second amount of power to the user interface module lower than the first amount of power when the detector determines that the neutral wire is not connected to the switch module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular electrical control system for installation in an electrical box of a premises, comprising:
a switch module having at least an “on” state and an “off” state, being configured to control power delivery to at least one external load, the switch module including a detector that determines whether a neutral wire is connected to the switch module; and
a removable user interface module configured to connect to the switch module and receive power from the switch module, the removable user interface module including a processor that receives a signal from the switch module indicating whether the neutral wire is present and transmits an instruction to set the switch module to a first power operation mode when then detector determines the neutral wire is connected to the switch module and sets the switch module to a second power operation mode when the detector determines that the neutral wire is not connected to the switch module,
wherein the switch module, in the first power operation mode, draws a first amount of power from a live wire of the premises with a return path being established by a connection to the neutral wire, and in the second power operation mode draws a second amount of power from a current that is delivered to the at least one external load.

2. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the first amount of power is greater than the second amount of power.

3. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the switch module, when in the “off” state, captures the second amount of power through a TRIAC by allowing a first amount of current to pass through the TRIAC and the at least one external load, the first amount of current being insufficient to power the at least one external load.

4. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the switch module, when in the “on” state, captures the second amount of power by converting a part of an AC waveform being delivered to the at least one external load, the part of the AC waveform being insufficient to power the at least one external load.

5. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the second amount of power is lower when the switch module is in the “off” state than it is when the switch module is in the “on” state.

6. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the second amount of power is approximately 200 mW.

7. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein the removable user interface module is configured to optionally be powered by an internal battery that is charged by power received from the switch module.

8. The modular electrical control system of claim 1 , wherein:
the switch module is configured to transmit a second signal to the removable user interface module to cause the removable user interface module to reduce a number of available operational functions when the detector determines that the neutral wire is not connected to the switch module.

9. A modular electrical control system comprising:
a switch module, having at least an “on” state and an “off” state, configured to draw power from an AC power source and to control power delivery to at least one external load, the switch module including a detector that determines whether a neutral wire is connected to the switch module; and
a removable user interface module configured to connect to the switch module and receive power from the switch module,
wherein the switch module delivers a first amount of power to the removable user interface module when the detector determines that the neutral wire is connected to the switch module, and delivers a second amount of power to the removable user interface module lower than the first amount of power when the detector determines that the neutral wire is not connected to the switch module.

10. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the switch module captures the first amount of power through a closed loop from the AC power source with a return path through the neutral wire.

11. The modular electrical control system of claim 10 , wherein the switch module captures the first amount of power in either the “on” state or the “off” state.

12. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the switch module, when in the “off” state, captures the second amount of power through a TRIAC by allowing a first amount of current to pass through the TRIAC and the at least one external load, the first amount of current being insufficient to power the at least one external load.

13. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the switch module, when in the “on” state, captures the second amount of power by converting a part of an AC waveform being delivered to the at least one external load, the part of the AC waveform being insufficient to power the at least one external load.

14. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the second amount of power is lower when the switch module is in the “off” state than it is when the switch module is in the “on” state.

15. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the second amount of power is approximately 200 mW.

16. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the removable user interface module is configured to optionally be powered by an internal battery that is charged by power received from the switch module.

17. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein:
the switch module includes a first processor and a first transceiver,
the user interface module includes a second processor and a second transceiver, and
the switch module is configured to transmit a signal to the removable user interface module to cause the removable user interface module to reduce a number of available operational functions when the detector determines that the neutral wire is not connected to the switch module.

18. The modular electrical control system of claim 9 , wherein the switch module includes a converter to convert AC power to DC power.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Hodges Mitchell T
• Lombardi Michael J
• Dalvi Sajid
• Allore Joseph
• Szot Krzysztof

Classifications

• H02G3/126 Primary

  with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud · CPC title

• H05K7/1472

  Bus coupling modules, e.g. bus distribution modules · CPC title

• H02G3/38

  the cables or lines being installed in preestablished conduits or ducts · CPC title

• H05K7/1432

  specially adapted for power drive units or power converters · CPC title