Load control with integral control interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12372935-B2
Application number	US-202318487303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2023
Priority date	Dec 2, 2020
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A load control is provided which includes a wall-box housing, an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, a controller to control the electrical device, and a control interface. The controller is user-programmable and includes a saved settings data structure having multiple columns and rows of control settings. The control interface has first and second button switches to respectively select a column and row of the settings data structure in a settings mode of the controller. The button switches include respective electro-mechanical devices and are selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control. The control interface also includes one or more light indicators to signal the selected column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the control, and to differently signal the selected row of the settings data structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load control, comprising:
a wall-box housing;
an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, the electrical device being disposed at least partially within the wall-box housing;
a controller disposed at least partially within the wall-box 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 select a column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the first button switch comprising a first electro-mechanical device, and the first button switch being selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control;
a second button switch to select a row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the second button switch comprising a second electro-mechanical device, and the second button switch being selectable by the user without disassembly of the load control; and
one or more light indicators to signal a selected column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller, and to signal a selected row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller; and

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.

2. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light indicators signal in a first color the column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller, and signal in a second color the row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller.

3. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light indicators comprise a first light indicator to signal the selected column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller, and a second light indicator to signal the selected row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller.

4. The load control of claim 3 , wherein the first light indicator signals the column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller by at least one of flashing a number of times corresponding to location of the column within the settings data structure or signaling a color corresponding to location of the column within the settings data structure, and the second light indicator signals the row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller by at least one of flashing a number of times corresponding to location of the row within the settings data structure or signaling a color corresponding to location of the row within the settings data structure.

5. The load control of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light indicators signal different colors for different column locations or different row locations within the settings data structure.

6. The load control of claim 5 , wherein the one or more light indicators further include 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. A load control, comprising:
a wall-box housing;
an electrical device to control electrical power to a load, the electrical device being disposed at least partially within the wall-box housing;
a controller disposed at least partially within the wall-box 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 select a column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the first button switch comprising a first electro-mechanical device, and the first button switch being selectable by a user without disassembly of the load control;
a second button switch to select a row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller for user-programming of the controller, the second button switch comprising a second electro-mechanical device, and the second button switch being selectable by the user without disassembly of the load control; and
one or more light indicators to signal a selected column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller, and to signal a selected row of the settings data structure 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 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.

10. The load control of claim 9 , wherein the one or more light indicators signal in a first color the column of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller, and signal in a second color the row of the settings data structure in the settings mode of the controller.

11. The load control of claim 9 , wherein the one or more light indicators comprise a first light indicator to signal the select

Assignees

• Leviton Manufacturing Co
• Leviton Manufacting Co Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G08B5/22

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

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

• G05B2219/2639

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

• G05B19/042 Primary

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