US 10,856,396 B2Granted

Battery-powered control device including a rotating portion

AssigneeLutron Technology Company LLC

InventorsMatthew V. Harte, Jeffrey S. Hayes, Stephen M. Ludwig, Jr., Robert C. Newman, Jr., Jaykrishna A. Shukla

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Abstract

Provided herein are examples of a remote control device that provides a retrofit solution for an existing switched control system. The remote control device may comprise a control circuit, a rotatable portion, a magnetic ring coupled to the rotatable portion, and first and second Hall-effect sensor circuits configured to generate respective first and second sensor control signals in response to magnetic fields generated by the magnetic elements. The control circuit may operate in a normal mode when the rotatable portion is being rotated, and in a reduced-power mode when the rotatable portion is not being rotated. The control circuit may disable the second Hall-effect sensor circuit in the reduced-power mode. The control circuit may detect movement of the rotatable portion in response to the first sensor control signal in the reduced-power mode and enable the second Hall-effect sensor circuit in response to detecting movement of the rotatable portion.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A control device configured to be mounted over an installed light switch, the light switch comprising a toggle actuator that extends through a faceplate of the light switch, the toggle actuator configured to control whether power is delivered to an electrical load, the control device comprising:

a base portion configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of the light switch;
a rotating portion that is rotatable with respect to the base portion;
one or more magnetic elements connected to the rotating portion and configured to generate magnetic fields;
first and second magnetic sensing circuits configured to generate respective first and second sensor control signals in response to the magnetic fields generated by the one or more magnetic elements;
and
a control circuit configured to operate in an active mode and a reduced-power mode;
wherein, when the control device is operating in the reduced-power mode, the control circuit is configured to:
disable the second magnetic sensing circuit;
detect movement of the rotating portion in response to the first sensor control signal;
and
in response to detecting movement of the rotating portion, enable the second magnetic sensing circuit and cause the control device to operate in the active mode;
and
wherein, when the control device is operating in the active mode, the control circuit is configured to determine an angular speed or an angular direction of the rotating portion in response to the first and second sensor control signals generated by the first and second magnetic sensing circuits, respectively.

10 more elements

A method of detecting rotation of a rotating portion of a control device, the method comprising:

receiving first and second sensor control signals from respective first and second magnetic sensing circuits, the first and second sensor control signals generated in response to magnetic fields produced by one or more magnetic elements connected to the rotating portion;
disabling the second magnetic sensing circuit while operating in a reduced-power mode;
detecting movement of the rotating portion in response to the first sensor control signal while operating in the reduced-power mode;
in response to detecting movement of the rotating portion while operating in the reduced-power mode, enabling the second magnetic sensing circuit and causing the control device to operate in an active mode;
and
while operating in the active mode, determining an angular speed or an angular direction of the rotating portion in response to the first and second sensor control signals generated by the first and second magnetic sensing circuits, respectively.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/245,027Filed 10 Jan 2019 · continuation
Priority: 21 Oct 2016
Published: US 2019/0150252 A116 May 2019
Granted: 1 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

G08C 17/02
Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link: using a radio link
G06F 1/3246
Power saving characterised by the action undertaken: by software initiated power-off
G06F 1/325
Power saving characterised by the action undertaken: power saving in peripheral device
H01H 3/02
Mechanisms for operating contacts: operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch

Family

Application62/411,359Us provisional application · filed 21 Oct 2016
Application62/485,612Us provisional application · filed 14 Apr 2017
Application15/789,666Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Oct 2017
US 2019/0150252 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 May 2019
US 10,219,359 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2018/0116039 A1Published application
US 10,856,396 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.