Multiple location load control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9521728-B2
Application number	US-201514978548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Apr 23, 2007
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A multiple location load control system comprises a main device and remote devices, which do not require neutral connections, but allow for visual and audible feedback at the main device and the remote devices. The main device and the remote devices are adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load, and to be further coupled together via an accessory wiring. The remote devices can be wired on the line side and the load side of the load control system, such that the main device is wired “in the middle” of the load control system. The main device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the remote devices to charge power supplies through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source. The main device and the remote devices are operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load control system for controlling power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
a main load control device comprising a first load terminal, a second load terminal, and an accessory terminal, the main load control device adapted to be electrically coupled in series between the AC power source and the electrical load for control of the power delivered to the electrical load, the main load control device configured to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load via the first and second load terminals; and
a remote load control device adapted to be coupled between the first load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device or between the second load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the accessory terminal of the main load control device via an accessory wiring, the remote load control device comprising a power supply;
wherein the main load control device is configured to enable a charging path to allow the power supply of the remote load control device to charge through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the main load control device and the remote load control device configured to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.

2. The load control system of claim 1 , wherein the main load control device generates a supply voltage and provides the supply voltage on the accessory wiring to allow the remote load control device to charge the power supply.

3. The load control system of claim 2 , wherein the main load control device limits the current supplied to the remote load control device across the accessory wiring.

4. The load control system of claim 3 , wherein the main load control device limits the current supplied to the remote load control device to a first current limit level during the first time period of the half-cycle and to a second current limit level during the second time period of the half-cycle.

5. The load control system of claim 1 , wherein the main load control device and the remote load control device are configured to transmit and receive digital messages via the accessory wiring during the second time period of the half-cycle.

6. The load control system of claim 1 , wherein the main load control device and the remote control device form a communication path that does not pass through either the AC power source or the electrical load.

7. The load control system of claim 1 , wherein the main load control device is adapted to be located on either the line-side or the load-side of the load control system.

8. A load control system for controlling power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
a main load control device comprising a first load terminal, a second load terminal, and an accessory terminal, the main load control device further comprising a bidirectional semiconductor switch adapted to be electrically coupled in series between the AC power source and the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the main load control device configured to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load via the first and second load terminals, the main load control device comprising a receiver for receiving digital messages, the main load control device configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the received digital messages; and
a remote load control device adapted to be coupled between the first load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device or between the second load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the remote load control device comprising a power supply configured to charge from the AC power source through the main load control device during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the remote load control device further comprising a transmitter for transmitting digital messages;
wherein the receiver of the main load control device and the transmitter of the remote load control device are coupled together so as to form a communication path, the transmitter of the remote load control device configured to transmit at least a portion of a digital message to the receiver of the main load control device during a second time period of the half-cycle.

9. The load control system of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter of the remote load control device is configured to transmit a single digital message to the receiver of the main load control device over multiple half-cycles, the transmitter configured to transmit a predetermined number of bits of the single digital message during each of the multiple half-cycles.

10. The load control system of claim 8 , wherein the remote load control device is adapted to be coupled to the main load control device through an accessory wiring, the main load control device configured to generate a supply voltage and provides the supply voltage on the accessory wiring to allow the remote load control device to charge the power supply, the transmitter of the remote load control device configured to transmit digital messages to the receiver of the main load device via the accessory wiring during the second time period.

11. The load control system of claim 8 , wherein the main load control device comprises a switching circuit configured to be rendered conductive to form the communication path between the receiver of the main load control device and the transmitter of the remote load control device during the second time period of half-cycle.

12. The load control system of claim 8 , wherein the first time period occurs at approximately the same time each half-cycle, and the second time period occurs at approximately the same time each half-cycle.

13. A load control system for controlling power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
a main load control device for controlling the electrical load, the main load control device comprising a first load terminal, a second load terminal, and an accessory terminal, the main load control device configured to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load via the first and second load terminals, the main load control device comprising a receiver configured to receive digital messages to allow the main load control device to control the electrical load in response to the received digital messages; and
a remote load control device adapted to be coupled between the first load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device or between the second load terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the remote load control device comprising a power supply configured to charge from the AC power source through the main load control device during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the remote load control device further comprising a transmitter for transmitting digital messages;
wherein the transmitter of the remote load control device and the receiver of the main load control device are coupled together such that the transmitter of the remote load control device is configured to transmit at least a portion of a digital message to the receiver of the main load control device during a second time period of the half-cycle.

14. The load control system of claim 13 , wherein the transmitter of the remote load control device and the receiver o

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co
• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Steiner James P
• Baby Cyril
• Buck Christopher
• Carmen Daniel F

Classifications

• H05B39/044

  continuously (H05B39/042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05B47/18

  via data-bus transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/185

  via power line carrier transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• H05B37/0245 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic