Wireless control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9652979-B2
Application number	US-201514879986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the wireless control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). The antenna of the wireless control device may comprise a driven element and a conductive component. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input;
an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element and a conductive component, the driven element defining an elongated slot, the conductive component defining an elongated slot, the elongated slot of the driven element substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device;
a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and
a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

2. The wireless control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a yoke configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox;
a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke, wherein the driven element is configured to be located between the bezel and the yoke, and wherein the bezel is configured to be located between the conductive component and the driven element.

3. The wireless control device of claim 2 , wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.

4. The wireless control device of claim 3 , wherein the conductive component is connected to the yoke via a screw.

5. The wireless control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, wherein the elongated opening of the faceplate is substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device.

6. The wireless control device of claim 5 , wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate or the faceplate is a non-conductive faceplate.

7. The wireless control device of claim 5 , wherein the conductive component is attached to the rear surface of the faceplate.

8. The wireless control device of claim 5 , wherein the conductive component is integrated into the faceplate.

9. The wireless control device of claim 6 , wherein the conductive material is the conductive component.

10. The wireless control device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises one or more actuation members configured to receive the user input and wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit radio frequency signals in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

11. The wireless control device of claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control one or more electrical loads in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

12. The wireless control device of claim 1 , wherein the radio-frequency communication circuit is electrically coupled to the driven element via two drive points located on opposite sides of the elongated slot of the driven element at approximately the middle of the elongated slot.

13. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:
a yoke configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox;
a user interface configured to receive a user input;
a bezel configured to be attached to the yoke, the user interface provided through the bezel;
an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, the antenna comprising a driven element and a conductive component, wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke and capacitively coupled to the driven element, the driven element is configured to be located between the bezel and the yoke, and the bezel is configured to be located between the conductive component and the driven element;
a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and
a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

14. The wireless control device of claim 13 , wherein the driven element defines an elongated slot through which the user interface extends, the conductive component defines an elongated slot through which the user interface extends, and the elongated slot of the driven element is substantially the same size as and configured to be substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component each other when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device.

15. The wireless control device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive component is configured to be attached to the front surface of the bezel.

16. The wireless control device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a single electrical connection.

17. The wireless control device of claim 13 , wherein the conductive component is configured to be electrically coupled to the yoke via a screw.

18. The wireless control device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a faceplate defining an elongated opening for receiving the user interface, wherein the conductive component is configured to be located between the faceplate and the bezel.

19. The wireless control device of claim 18 , wherein the faceplate comprises a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate or the faceplate is a non-conductive faceplate.

20. The wireless control device of claim 13 , wherein the user interface comprises one or more actuation members configured to receive the user input and the control circuit is configured to transmit radio frequency signals in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

21. The wireless control device of claim 20 , wherein the control circuit is configured to control one or more electrical loads in response to actuations of the one or more actuation members.

22. A wall-mountable wireless control device comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input;
an antenna configured to transmit or receive radio frequency signals, wherein the antenna comprises a driven element and a conductive component, the driven element defining an elongated slot and a plurality of openings extending from the elongated slot, the conductive component defining an elongated slot and comprising a conductive strip next to the elongated slot, and the plurality of openings in the driven element configured to be substantially aligned with the conductive strip of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device;
a radio-frequency communication circuit configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna; and
a control circuit responsive to the user input and the radio-frequency communication circuit.

23. The wireless control device of claim 22 , wherein the user interface is configured to extend through the elongated slot of the driven element and the elongated slot of the conductive component, the elongated slot of the driven element substantially the same size as and substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the conductive component when the driven element and the conductive component are installed in the wireless control device.

24. The wireless control device of claim 22 , further comprising:
a yoke configured to mount the wireles

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Camden Richard S
• Mosebrook Donald R
• Shivell William Taylor
• Miller Amy E

Classifications

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H01Q1/44

  using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna {, e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspect}(H01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04L12/2816

  Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities (arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00) · CPC title