Smart wall-plate system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12244129-B2
Application number	US-202017778535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2020
Priority date	Dec 24, 2019
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A wall-plate system having a wall-plate adapted to accommodate a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) coupled with the wall-plate and may comprise a mounting bracket. The PCBA may include one or more chip packages and/or other components that extend into cavities in the mounting bracket after installation, the cavities located on the mounting bracket to accommodate chip packages and/or other components. The wall-plate may include snaps to couple with the mounting bracket, the snaps extending from an interior surface of the wall-plate, the snaps located away from edges of the wall-plate towards a center of the wall-plate. The mounting bracket may comprise openings to couple with a device in a junction box and/or with the junction box. The wall-plate may comprise, e.g., one or more battery mounts and the mounting bracket may have a shape to accommodate extension by the battery mounts into a plane of the mounting bracket.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wall-plate system, comprising:
a wall-plate, the wall-plate having a first surface to face away from a wall and an inner surface to face toward the wall, wherein the wall-plate comprises a utility opening, the utility opening to facilitate access to a switch, a display, a touch screen, an outlet, or a combination of one or more thereof;
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) coupled to the inner surface, wherein a user input component mounted on the printed circuit board is arranged and configured to be in contact with the inner surface of the wall-plate, wherein no portion of the PCBA is positioned within the utility opening;
a mounting bracket including two sets of mounting holes, one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with an in-wall device and one set of mounting holes to couple the mounting bracket with a junction box mounted in the wall;
a chip package mounted to the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a cavity to accommodate the chip package; and
a battery mount mounted on the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a shape to accommodate the battery mount, wherein the battery mount extends into a plane of the mounting bracket.

2. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with the user input component, the wireless communications interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote device.

3. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , wherein the user input component comprises a capacitive switch, wherein a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the capacitive switch.

4. The wall-plate system of claim 3 , wherein the capacitive switch is a first capacitive switch and the PCBA comprises a second capacitive switch proximate to the first capacitive switch, wherein a second light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the second capacitive switch, the first and second capacitive switches configured to be positioned within first and second gangs, respectively, of a dual-gang wall-plate.

5. The wall-plate system of claim 4 , further comprising a light ring, wherein the LED fits in an opening of the light ring, the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

6. The wall-plate system of claim 5 , further comprising an opaque material between the capacitive switch and the light ring, the opaque material having an opening aligned with the opening of the light ring to allow the LED to pass through the opaque material and into the opening of the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

7. The wall-plate system of claim 6 , wherein the inner surface of the wall-plate comprises a depression to receive the light ring.

8. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising an integrated circuit mounted in a chip package on the PCBA, the integrated circuit to control a color emitted by a light emitting diode (LED) and control when power is provided to the LED, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a wireless communications interface.

9. The wall-plate system of claim 8 , further comprising a shield, wherein the shield comprises plastic to protect one or more of:
the user input component from physical damage;
the chip package from physical damage;
the user input component from electrostatic damage; or
the chip package from electrostatic damage.

10. The wall-plate system of claim 8 , further comprising an antenna coupled with the integrated circuit, wherein the antenna comprises a wire or an array of antenna elements in a chip package.

11. The wall-plate system of claim 8 , further comprising a factory reset button coupled with the integrated circuit, the factory reset button to reset settings to factory settings, the settings to include a Bluetooth pairing.

12. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more battery mounts coupled with the PCBA, wherein at least one of the one or more battery mounts comprises two hooks to slide onto the PCBA and one solder point.

13. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a capacitive switch coupled with the PCBA and
a shield covering part of the PCBA to protect components coupled with the PCBA from electrostatic damage.

14. The wall-plate system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light emitting diode (LED) coupled with a capacitive switch, the capacitive switch coupled with the PCBA, and
a diffuser having a diffuser opening in the center of the diffuser, wherein the LED is within the diffuser opening.

15. A wall-plate system, comprising:
a mounting bracket;
a wall-plate configured to removably couple to the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket to couple with an in-wall device, a junction box mounted in a wall, or a combination thereof, wherein the wall-plate comprises a utility opening, the utility opening to facilitate access to a switch, a display, a touch screen, an outlet, or a combination of one or more thereof;
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) configured to mount to an inner surface of the wall-plate, a first surface of the wall-plate to face away from the wall after installation, wherein no portion of the PCBA is positioned within the utility opening;
a chip package mounted to the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises one or more cavities to accommodate the chip package; and
a battery mount mounted on the PCBA, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a shape to accommodate the battery mount, wherein the battery mount extends into a plane of the mounting bracket.

16. The wall-plate system of claim 15 , further comprising a wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with a user input component, the wireless communications interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote device, the wireless communication interface coupled with the PCBA.

17. The wall-plate system of claim 16 , wherein the user input component comprises a capacitive switch, wherein a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the capacitive switch.

18. The wall-plate system of claim 17 , wherein the PCBA comprises a second capacitive switch proximate to the capacitive switch, wherein a second light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on the second capacitive switch, the capacitive switch and the second capacitive switch configured to be positioned within first and second gangs, respectively, of a dual-gang wall-plate.

19. The wall-plate system of claim 18 , further comprising a light ring, wherein the LED fits in an opening of the light ring, the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

20. The wall-plate system of claim 19 , further comprising an opaque material between the capacitive switch and the light ring, the opaque material having an opening aligned with the opening of the light ring to allow the LED to pass through the opaque material and into the opening of the light ring to diffuse the light from the LED.

21. The wall-plate system of claim 19 , wherein the inner surface of the wall-plate comprises a depression to receive the light ring.

22. The wall-plate system of claim 21 , wherein the capacitive switch couples with an integrated circuit mounted in a chip package mounted on the PCBA.

23. The wall-plate system of claim 15 , further comprising an integrated circuit mounted in a chip package on the PCBA, the integrated circuit to control a color emitted by a light emitting diode (LED) and control when power is provided to the LED, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a wireless communications interface.

24. The wal

Assignees

• Leviton Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Shurte James
• Gumina Ronald J
• Ard Aaron
• Salazar Carlos
• Arbour Ryan L
• Gillard Jason

Classifications

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05K7/1427

  Housings · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H02G3/081 Primary

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title