Battery-powered retrofit remote control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12475780-B2
Application number	US-202418675810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2024
Priority date	Jun 24, 2014
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device. The remote control device may include a base portion and a rotating portion supported by the base portion so as to be rotatable about the base portion. The remote control device may include a control circuit, a wireless communication circuit, and a rotary encoder circuit. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into input signals, and to operate as an antenna of the remote control device. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to provide the input signals to the control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to translate the one or more input signals into control signals for transmission to the load control device via the wireless communication circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A remote control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch having a switch actuator configured to extend through a faceplate, the switch actuator operable to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the remote control device comprising:
a base portion comprising a first opening that is configured to at least partially receive the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, wherein the base portion comprises an arm configured to be located adjacent to the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, the arm configured to bias a surface of the switch actuator against a surface of the first opening to retain the base portion in a mounted position relative to the switch actuator; a rotating portion configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, receive a battery and a portion of the switch actuator, the rotating portion configured to be supported by the base portion; a printed circuit board disposed in a cavity defined by the rotating portion; a wireless communication circuit mounted to the printed circuit board; and a control circuit that is mounted to the printed circuit board and is responsive to movement of the rotating portion, and the control circuit communicatively coupled to the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to, in response to movement of the rotating portion relative to the base portion, cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit a control signal that causes an adjustment of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load, wherein the rotating portion is configured to be rotatable relative to the base portion and the printed circuit board.

2 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the battery is disposed in a space vacated by the switch actuator when the switch actuator is operated from a first position to a second position such that the switch actuator does not interfere with the battery.

3 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board comprises a second opening configured to receive a portion of the switch actuator when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

4 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion defines a front wall and an annular side wall that extends from a perimeter of the front wall, wherein the front wall and the annular side wall define the cavity.

5 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is indicative of a change in the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

6 . The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein when the rotating portion rotates a distance that does not exceed a predetermined distance, the control signal is indicative of changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load by a predetermined amount.

7 . The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein when the rotating portion rotates a distance that exceeds a predetermined distance, the control signal is indicative of continuously changing the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

8 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion is configured to operably attach to the base portion such that the rotating portion is resiliently biasable toward the base portion.

9 . The remote control device of claim 8 , wherein when the rotating portion is biased toward the base portion, the control signal is indicative of power being applied to, or power being removed from, the electrical load.

10 . The remote control device of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to, when the rotating portion is biased toward the base portion for a predetermined amount of time, initiate a configuration procedure to associate the remote control device with a load control device that is configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load.

11 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the switch actuator is a first surface of the switch actuator, and wherein the arm is located adjacent to a second surface of the switch actuator when the base portion is mounted over the switch actuator.

12 . The remote control device of claim 11 , wherein the arm creates friction forces between the arm and the second surface of the switch actuator and between the first surface of the switch actuator and the surface of the first opening to clamp the switch actuator within the first opening.

13 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the base portion comprises a resilient strap that abuts the arm and is configured to bias the arm against a first surface of the switch actuator.

14 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the base portion defines a recess that is configured to at least partially receive the battery.

15 . The remote control device of claim 14 , wherein the first opening is located adjacent to the recess such that the switch actuator does not interfere with the battery when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch.

16 . The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the base portion is configured to, when the remote control device is mounted over the light switch, deter movement of the switch actuator when force is applied to the rotatable portion.

17 . The remote control device of claim 1 , further comprising a rotary encoder circuit mounted to the printed circuit board, the rotary encoder circuit configured to detect rotational movement of the rotating portion.

18 . The remote control device of claim 17 , wherein the rotary encoder circuit comprises a plurality of discrete input zones that are electrically connected.

19 . The remote control device of claim 18 , wherein the rotary encoder circuit comprises a plurality of electrically conductive circuit board pads arranged in an annular array proximate to a perimeter of the printed circuit board.

20 . The remote control device of claim 17 , wherein the rotary encoder circuit is configured to operate as an antenna.

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Dimberg Chris
• Mcdonald Matthew Philip

Classifications

• G08C2201/12

  Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices · CPC title

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title