Detecting actuations of buttons of a control device
AssigneeLutron Technology Company LLC
InventorJaykrishna A. Shukla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load control device may be used to control and deliver power to an electrical load. The load control device may comprise a control circuit for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load. The load control device may comprise multiple actuators, where each of the actuators is connected between a terminal of the control circuit and a current regulating device. The number of the actuators may be greater than the number of the terminals. The control circuit may measure signals at the terminals and determine a state configuration for the actuators based on the measured signals. The control circuit may compare the state configuration to a predetermined dataset to detect a ghosting condition.
Claims22
A load control device for controlling power delivered to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
- an actuator input circuit comprising a plurality of actuators and a plurality of current regulating devices;
- and
- a control circuit comprising a plurality of terminals, wherein each of the plurality of actuators are electrically coupled between a current regulating device of the plurality of current regulating devices and a terminal of the plurality of terminals, the number of the actuators being greater than the number of the terminals;
- and
- wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- measure the magnitude of a signal at a first terminal of the plurality of terminals, wherein an actuator of the plurality of actuators is electrically coupled between the first terminal and a second terminal;
- compare the magnitude of the measured signal to a first threshold that is dependent upon a magnitude of a voltage drop associated with the current regulating device;
- and
- determine that the actuator electrically coupled between the first and second terminals has been actuated when the magnitude of the measured signal is less than the first threshold.
A method for controlling power delivered to an electrical load, the method comprising:
- measuring the magnitude of a signal at a first terminal of a plurality of terminals of a control circuit, the plurality of terminals electrically coupled to a plurality of actuators, wherein the number of the actuators is greater than the number of the terminals, and wherein each of the plurality of actuators is electrically coupled between a terminal of the plurality of terminals and a current regulating device;
- comparing the magnitude of the measured signal to a first threshold that is dependent upon a magnitude of a voltage drop associated with the current regulating device;
- and
- determining that the actuator electrically coupled between the first and a second terminal has been actuated when the magnitude of the measured signal is less than the first threshold.
A load control device for controlling power delivered to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
- a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators connected with a current regulating device in series electrical connection;
- and
- a control circuit comprising a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the plurality of actuators, wherein the number of the actuators is greater than the number of the terminals, and wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- measure the magnitudes of the signals at the terminals of the control circuit;
- and
- compare the magnitudes of each of the measured signals to one or more thresholds that are dependent upon the magnitudes of one or more voltage drops associated with the current regulating devices;
- and
- detect which actuators of the plurality of actuators are currently being actuated based on the comparison.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.