Load control with integral control interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11815868-B2
Application number	US-202117483992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Dec 2, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A load control is provided which includes a wall-box mounted housing, an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, and a control assembly to control the electrical device. The control assembly includes a user-programmable control, with a saved settings data structure having multiple columns and rows of control settings, and a control interface with first and second button switches to selectively advance through the columns and rows of the settings data structure in a settings mode of the control. The button switches are selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control, and the control interface also includes one or more indicator devices to signal a column of the settings data structure to which the control has been advanced in the settings mode of the control, and to signal a row of the settings data structure to which the control has been advanced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load control, comprising:
a wall-box mounted housing;
an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, the electrical device being disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing;
a controller disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing, and being operatively coupled to control operation of the electrical device in an operational mode, the controller being user-programmable in a settings mode via a saved settings data structure comprising multiple control settings, the settings data structure including multiple columns and rows of control settings; and
a control interface, the control interface comprising:
a first button switch to selectively advance through the columns of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the first button switch being selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control;
a second button switch to selectively advance through the rows of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the second button switch being selectable by the user without disassembly of the load control;
one or more light indicators to signal a column of the settings data structure to which the controller has been advanced in the settings mode of the controller, and to signal a row of the settings data structure to which the controller has been advanced in the settings mode of the controller; and
wherein a light indicator device of the one or more light indicators signals:
different colors for different column locations within the settings data structure, and different numbers of flashes for different row locations within the settings data structure; or
different numbers of flashes for different column locations within the settings data structure, and different colors for different row locations within the settings data structure.

2. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the light indicator includes an optical element, and the different colors for the different column locations or different row locations within the settings data structure are signaled through the optical element.

3. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the multiple columns of the settings data structure comprise multiple control setting types, and the multiple rows of the settings data structure comprise multiple settings options for a respective control setting type.

4. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes multiple control modes, the settings mode being a first mode of the multiple control modes of the controller, and wherein the multiple control modes of the controller further include a second mode and a third mode, and engaging one of the first button switch or the second button switch for a predefined time interval transitions the controller into a predefined one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode, engaging the other of the first button switch or the second button switch for the predefined time interval transitions the controller into a predefined other one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode, and engaging both the first button switch and the second button switch together for the predefined time interval transitions the controller into a remaining one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode.

5. The load control of claim 1 , wherein in normal operation of the controller, user-pressing of at least one of the first button switch or the second button switch causes the controller to transition the electrical device to switch the load between an ON state and an OFF state.

6. A load control comprising:
a wall-box mounted housing;
an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, the electrical device being disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing;
a controller disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing, and being operatively coupled to control operation of the electrical device in an operational mode, the controller being user-programmable in a settings mode via a saved settings data structure comprising multiple control settings, the settings data structure including multiple columns and rows of control settings; and
a control interface, the control interface comprising:
a first button switch to selectively advance through the columns of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the first button switch being selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control;
a second button switch to selectively advance through the rows of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the second button switch being selectable by the user without disassembly of the load control; and
one or more light indicators to signal a column of the settings data structure to which the controller has been advanced in the settings mode of the controller, and to signal a row of the settings data structure to which the controller has been advanced in the settings mode of the controller;
wherein the user enters the settings mode of the controller by pressing and holding the first button switch, the second button switch, or both the first and second button switches, for a predefined time interval; and
wherein a light indicator of the one or more light indicators signals:
different colors for different column locations within the settings data structure, and different numbers of flashes for different row locations within the settings data structure; or
different numbers of flashes for different column locations within the settings data structure, and different colors for different row locations within the settings data structure.

7. The load control of claim 6 , wherein the light indicator includes an optical element, and the different colors for the different column locations or different row locations within the settings data structure are signaled through the optical element.

8. The load control of claim 6 , wherein the controller includes multiple control modes, the settings mode being a first mode of the multiple control modes of the controller, and wherein the multiple control modes of the controller further include a second mode and a third mode, and engaging one of the first button switch or the second button switch for a predefined time interval transitions the controller into a predefined one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode, engaging the other of the first button switch or the second button switch for the predefined time interval transitions the controller into a predefined other one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode, and engaging both the first button switch and the second button switch together for the predefined time interval transitions the controller into a remaining one of the first mode, second mode, or third mode.

9. A load control, comprising:
a wall-box mounted housing;
an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, the electrical device being disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing;
a sensing element, the sensing element to sense a condition of a monitored space;
a controller disposed at least partially within the wall-box mounted housing, and being operatively coupled to the sensing element and the electrical device, the controller controlling operation of the electrical device in an operational mode based, at least in part, on a sensed condition of the monitored space, and the controller being user-programmable in a settings mode via a saved settings data structure comprising multiple control settings, the settings data structure including multiple columns and rows of

Assignees

• Leviton Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Jahan A M Sarwar
• Golwala Abhishek D
• Sanghvi Ankit Milan
• Quazi Abrar
• Ross Michael

Classifications

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B5/22

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G05B2219/2639

  Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title