Auto dim and color adjusting backlight for a wall mounted control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12225647-B2
Application number	US-202217579814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2022
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for an automatic dimming and color adjusting backlight LEDs of wall mounted control device buttons. The control device comprises a light sensor that detects light levels in a room where the control device is installed. The control device comprises a controller that operates the backlight LEDs according to day color setting when it receive a light level reading from the light sensor that is above a day/night threshold and according to a night color setting when it receives a light level reading from the light sensor that is below the day/night threshold. In addition, the controller dims the backlight LEDs based on the detected light level readings according an indication mode dimming curve when the backlight LEDs are in an indication mode and according to a backlight mode dimming curve when the backlight LEDs are in a backlight mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing backlighting or light indication comprising:
at least one controller adapted to receive a day color setting, a night color setting, a minimum intensity setting, and a maximum intensity setting, and determine at least one dimming curve using the minimum intensity setting and the maximum intensity setting, wherein the at least one dimming curve is represented by a relationship between light level readings and intensity levels; and
a lighting load control device comprising at least one button associated with at least one LED, a light sensor adapted to detect light and output light level readings, and a memory comprising a day/night light level threshold, wherein the lighting load control device:
drives the at least one LED at the night color setting when the received light level reading is below the day/night light level threshold;
drives the at least one LED at the day color setting when the received light level reading is above the day/night light level threshold; and
drives the at least one LED at an intensity level determined using a light level reading received from the light sensor and the at least one dimming curve.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface adapted to receive the day color setting, the night color setting, the minimum intensity setting, and the maximum intensity setting from a user.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface adapted to receive the day/night light level threshold from a user.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller further determines the day/night light level threshold as a function of the minimum intensity setting, the maximum intensity setting, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dimming curve comprises a night dimming curve and a day dimming curve.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dimming curve comprises an indication-night mode dimming curve associated with the night color setting, an indication-day mode dimming curve associated with the day color setting, a backlight-night mode dimming curve associated with a second night color setting, and an backlight-day mode dimming curve associated with a second day color setting.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the lighting load control device further:
drives the at least one LED at the night color setting and at an intensity level determined using the indication-night mode dimming curve during an indication state and when the received light level reading is below the day/night light level threshold;
drives the at least one LED at the day color setting and at an intensity level determined using the indication-day mode dimming curve during the indication state and when the received light level reading is above the day/night light level threshold;
drives the at least one LED at the second night color setting and at an intensity level determined using the backlight-night mode dimming curve during an idle state and when the received light level reading is below the day/night light level threshold; and
drives the at least one LED at the second day color setting and at an intensity level determined using the backlight-day mode dimming curve during the idle state and when the received light level reading is above the day/night light level threshold.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one controller further determines the indication-night mode dimming curve and the indication-day dimming curve using the minimum intensity setting and the maximum intensity setting, and wherein the controller determines the backlight-night mode dimming curve and the backlight-day mode dimming curve using a second minimum intensity setting and a second maximum intensity setting.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one controller determines the second minimum intensity setting by subtracting a first predetermined intensity level or ratio from the minimum intensity setting and wherein the at least one controller determines the second maximum intensity setting by subtracting a second predetermined intensity level or ratio from the maximum intensity setting.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dimming curve comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a linear curve, a logarithmic curve, an exponential curve, an irregular curve, and any combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relationship between light level readings and intensity levels comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a lookup table, a function, a mapping function, a conversion formula, a slope, an equation, and any combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting load control device is further adapted to drive a lighting load connected to the load control device using the received light level reading.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED comprises a red emitter color, a green emitter color, and a blue emitter color.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one LED further comprises a white emitter.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting load control device comprises the at least one controller.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein a mobile device comprises the at least one controller.

17. A system for providing backlighting or light indication for a lighting load control device comprising:
at least one button associated with at least one LED;
a light sensor adapted to detect light and output light level readings;
a memory comprising a day/night light level threshold; and
at least one controller that:
receives a day color setting, a night color setting, a minimum intensity setting, and a maximum intensity setting;
determines at least one dimming curve using the minimum intensity setting and the maximum intensity setting, wherein the at least one dimming curve is represented by a relationship between light level readings and intensity levels;
drives the at least one LED at the night color setting when the received light level reading is below the day/night light level threshold;
drives the at least one LED at the day color setting when the received light level reading is above the day/night light level threshold; and
drives the at least one LED at an intensity level determined using a light level reading received from the light sensor and the at least one dimming curve.

18. A system for providing backlighting or light indication comprising:
at least one controller that receives a day color setting, a night color setting, a minimum intensity setting, and a maximum intensity setting, and determines a day dimming curve and a night dimming curve using the minimum intensity setting and the maximum intensity setting, wherein the day dimming curve and the night dimming curve are each represented by a relationship between light level readings and intensity levels; and
a lighting load control device comprising at least one button associated with at least one LED, a light sensor adapted to detect light and output light level readings, and a memory comprising a day/night light level threshold, wherein the lighting load control device:
drives the at least one LED at the night color setting and an intensity level determined using the night dimming curve when the received light level reading is below the day/night light level threshold; and
drives the at least one LED at the day color setting and an intensity level determined using the day dimming curve when the received light level reading is above the day/night light le

Assignees

• Crestron Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Slivka Benjamin M
• Hromin Dennis J

Classifications

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B47/175

  by remote control · CPC title

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H05B47/11 Primary

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title