Smart wall-plate system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022232689-A1
Application number	US-202017615229-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 9, 2020
Priority date	Jun 14, 2019
Publication date	Jul 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A smart wall-plate system having customizable device controls to initiate automation functions, routines, actions, activities, or control to be performed by a variety of local or remote devices is disclosed. The smart wall-plate system may be connected directly or indirectly to any number and type of local and remote devices as well as various cloud service platforms and home service hubs or assistants. The local and remote devices can include, for example, lighting devices, smart devices, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. The wall-plate system may receive an input from a user. The wall-plate system or another system in communication with the wall-plate system may determine an instruction corresponding to, or triggered by, the received input. The instruction may specify an automated activity to be performed. In response, the wall-plate system or another system may transmit one or more signals to perform the automated activity.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A wall-plate device, comprising:
a printed circuit board; a housing configured to receive the printed circuit board, wherein the housing is configured to operatively couple to a mounting surface to at least partially cover an in-wall device; a user input component configured to receive an input; and a wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with the user input component, the wireless communications interface configured to transmit a signal to a remote device in response to the input.

2 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a wall plate, a mounting bracket to couple the wall plate with an electrical junction box or the in-wall device, or a combination of the wall plate and the mounting bracket.

3 . The wall-plate device of claim 2 , wherein circuitry coupled with the printed circuit board resides partially on the mounting bracket and partially on the wall plate, resides only on the mounting bracket, resides only on the wall plate, resides in a cavity of the electrical junction box, or a combination thereof.

4 . The wall-plate device of claim 3 , wherein the circuitry comprises one or more connectors to interconnect the circuitry that partially resides on the mounting bracket with circuitry that partially resides on the wall plate.

5 . The wall-plate device of claim 2 , wherein the wall plate comprises at least one opening to access the in-wall device, wherein the wall plate is configured to snap onto the mounting bracket.

6 . The wall-plate device of claim 3 , wherein the circuitry comprises a power source to provide power for at least part of the circuitry, wherein the power source comprises a battery, a connector to interconnect the circuitry with an external power source, or a combination thereof.

7 . The wall-plate device of claim 6 , the connector to couple with wiring in the electrical junction box of the in-wall device to provide power for at least part of the circuitry, wherein the circuitry further comprises a power regulator.

8 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry comprises a memory component and a processor coupled with the memory component, the processor to execute code to process the input.

9 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry comprises one or more sensors, wherein the input is a physical input, an audible input, a proximity input, or a combination thereof.

10 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the user input component comprises at least one switch or at least one sensor, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least one of a capacitive touch switch, a capacitive proximity sensor, and a physical button.

11 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the user input component comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

12 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the user input component comprises a display, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen, at least a portion of the user interface is provided through the touchscreen.

13 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the in-wall device is one of a switch, a receptacle, a lighting device, or a breaker; the switch to comprise at least one of a light switch, a double switch, a dimmer switch, and a breaker; the outlet to comprise at least one of a power receptacle, a phone line outlet, a data outlet, and an audio outlet.

14 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the wall-plate device is configured to communicate with a remote application.

15 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the remote device is a local lighting device, smart device, Wi-Fi-enabled device, an Internet-of-Things (IoT) device, a smart appliance, a home service hub, or a combination thereof.

16 . The wall-plate device of claim 15 , wherein the local lighting device is a wireless-enabled local lighting device.

17 . The wall-plate device of claim 1 , wherein the remote device is associated with a cloud services platform and the cloud services platform is configured to execute an instruction associated with the input.

18 . A method of using a wall-plate system having a user interface to direct operation of a remote device, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting the input from the user interface; generating a signal based on the step of detecting; and transmitting the signal to the remote device.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the remote device is one of a lighting device, a non-lighting device comprising one of an Internet-of-things (IoT) device and a smart appliance, and a home service hub.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the remote device is associated with a cloud services platform.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the signal directly to the remote device.

22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein receiving further comprises receiving the input as a physical input through at least one of a physical button, a capacitive switch, and a touchscreen.

23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein receiving further comprises receiving the input as an audible input.

24 . A method for configuring a wall-plate through a provisioning platform, comprising:
coupling a power source to circuitry of the wall-plate system; in response to coupling the power source to the circuitry, wirelessly transmitting a first identification signal from the wall-plate; receiving an input through a user interface of the wall-plate system; in response to receiving the input through the user interface, wirelessly transmitting a second identification signal from the wall-plate to the provisioning platform; wirelessly receiving by the wall-plate a setup signal from the provisioning platform, the setup signal including an identification of the provisioning platform; and processing the setup signal to establish a communication link between the wall-plate and the provisioning platform.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the communication link is a direct communication link between the wall-plate and the provisioning platform.

26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the communication link is a direct communication link with a local device associated with a local network, the local device to relay communications between the wall-plate and the provisioning platform to establish a communication link between the wall-plate and the provisioning platform.

27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the provisioning platform is one of a mobile computing device, a home service hub, and cloud services platform.

28 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising determining an input via a user input component and transmitting an indication of the input to a second device to initiate execution of an automated activity associated with the input, the second device to be one of a local controller and a cloud services platform.

29 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising wirelessly receiving by the wall-plate a configuration signal from the provisioning platform, the configuration signal indicating a user instruction to assign to a user input component of the user interface of the wall-plate.

30 . The method of claim 24 , wherein coupling the power source to the wall-plate comprises coupling a line voltage to the wall-plate, coupling a battery to the wall-plate, or a combination th

Assignees

• Leviton Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Shurte James
• Ard Aaron
• Ide Jesse
• Gumina Ronald J

Classifications

• H05B47/115 Primary

  by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B47/197

  Sound control or voice control · CPC title

• H05B47/19 Primary

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• G08C2201/30

  User interface · CPC title