Control device having an illuminated portion controlled in response to an external sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016270191-A1
Application number	US-201615067899-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A load control system for controlling at least one electrical load may comprise a plurality of control devices and a sensor external to at least one of the control devices. The sensor may be configured to sense a condition of a space in which the control devices are installed. The at least one electrical load may be controlled in response to the condition sensed by the sensor. The control devices may include respective illuminated portions. The control devices may adjust the intensity of the respective illuminated portions in response to the condition sensed by the sensor. If multiple sensors are included in the load control system to sense the condition, the control devices may adjust the intensity of their respective illuminated portions by aggregating the condition sensed by each sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for controlling one or more electrical loads, the system comprising:
a plurality of control devices each configured to receive a user input and control at least one of the electrical loads, the control devices each comprising an illuminated portion; and a first sensor external to at least one of the control devices and configured to sense a condition of a space in which the control devices are installed, wherein the control devices are configured to control their respective illuminated portions in response to the condition sensed by the first sensor.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a first control device of the plurality of control devices comprises the first sensor, and the plurality of control devices are each configured to receive a signal indicative of the condition sensed by the first sensor.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second sensor configured to sense the condition of the space in which the plurality of control devices are installed; wherein the plurality of control devices are configured to receive a signal indicative of the condition sensed by the second sensor.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of control devices are configured to control their respective illuminated portions based on an aggregation of the condition sensed by the first sensor and the condition sensed by the second sensor.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein second sensor is comprised in a second control device of the plurality of control devices, or the second sensor is external to each of the plurality of control devices.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the condition sensed by the first sensor and the second sensor is a light level in the space in which the plurality of control devices are installed.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the aggregation of the condition sensed by the first sensor and the condition sensed by the second sensor is based on an averaging algorithm.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to transmit a first control signal for controlling at least one of the electrical loads in response to sensing the condition, the plurality of control devices each configured to transmit a second control signal for controlling at least one of the electrical loads.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a load control circuit configured to control at least one of the electrical loads in response to the first and second control signals.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to measure a light level in the space in which the plurality of control devices are installed, the plurality of control devices configured to adjust an intensity of their respective illuminated portions in response to the light level measured by the first sensor.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to detect an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space in which the plurality of control devices are installed, the plurality of control devices configured to turn on their respective illuminated portions if the first sensor detects an occupancy condition in the space, and to turn off their respective illuminated portions if the first sensor detects a vacancy condition in the space.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the illuminated portion of one of the plurality of control devices comprises a visual display configured to display feedback to a user, the one of the plurality of control devices configured to turn the visual display on and off in response to the condition sensed by the first sensor.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the illuminated portion of one of the plurality of control devices comprises an actuator configured to be illuminated by a light source and actuated by a user to receive the user input.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to transmit a control signal to the plurality of control devices in response to sensing the condition, the plurality of control devices configured to control their respective illuminated portions in response to the control signal transmitted by the first sensor.

15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a system controller configured to transmit a control signal to the plurality of control devices in response to the first sensor; wherein the plurality of control devices are configured to control their respective illuminated portions in response to the control signal received from the system controller.

16 . A control device for use in a load control system for controlling an electrical load, the load control system comprising a sensor, the control device comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input; an illuminated portion; a communication circuit configured to transmit and receive control signals; and a control circuit electrically coupled to the user interface, the illuminated portion, and the communication circuit, the control circuit responsive to the user input received by the user interface, the control circuit configured to receive a first control signal from the sensor and to control the illuminated portion in response to the first control signal; wherein the control device is external to the sensor.

17 . The control device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control the electrical load in response to the user interface receiving the user input.

18 . The control device of claim 17 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to control the electrical load in response to the first control signal.

19 . The control device of claim 18 ,
wherein the first control signal is indicative of a measured light level in a space in which the control device is installed, and wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust an intensity of the illuminated portion in response to the measured light level.

20 . The control device of claim 18 ,
wherein the first control signal is indicative of an occupancy or vacancy condition in a space in which the control device is installed, and wherein the control circuit is configured to turn on the illuminated portion if the first control signal indicates an occupancy condition in the space, and to turn off the illuminated portion if the first control signal indicates a vacancy condition in the space.

21 . The control device of claim 17 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the communication circuit to transmit a second control signal for controlling the electrical load in response to the user interface receiving the user input.

22 . The control device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a load control circuit for controlling an amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load in response to the first control signal.

23 . The control device of claim 16 , wherein the illuminated portion comprises a visual display configured to display feedback to a user.

24 . The control device of claim 16 , wherein the illuminated portion comprises a button configured to be illuminated by a light source and to be actuated by a user to receive the user input.

25 . The control device of claim 16 , wherein the communication circuit comprises a wireless communication circuit.

26 . A load control system for controlling an electrical load, the load control system comprising:
an input device comprising a user interface and an illumina

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Ludwig Jr Stephen M
• Steiner James P

Classifications

• H05B47/11 Primary

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

• Y02B20/40

  Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B47/1965

  using handheld communication devices · CPC title

• H05B47/199

  Commissioning of light sources · CPC title