# US 11,309,111 B2 · Magnetic sensing system for a rotary control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,111 B2 - Document ID: US11309111B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/902,891 - Filed: 2020-06-16 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30 - Assignees: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Applicants: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr.; Alexander Wade Gage; Stephen M. Ludwig, Jr.; William Taylor Shivell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309111B2 ## CPC - H01F 7/0205: {Magnetic circuits with PM in general} - G01R 33/07: Hall effect devices - H01F 7/0273: {Magnetic circuits with PM for magnetic field generation} - H02K 11/215: Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements - H03K 17/97: using a magnetic movable element - G01D 5/2451: {Incremental encoders (G01D5/2454 takes precedence)} - G01R 33/0005: {Geometrical arrangement of magnetic sensor elements; Apparatus combining different magnetic sensor types (G01R33/0206 takes precedence)} - H03K 2017/9527: {Details of coils in the emitter or receiver; Magnetic detector comprising emitting and receiving coils} - H03K 2017/9713: {Multiposition, e.g. involving comparison with different thresholds} - H03K 2217/94068: with magnetic detection - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A control device includes a moving portion, a magnetic element coupled to the moving portion, at least one magnetic sensing circuit responsive to magnetic fields, and at least one magnetic flux pipe structure. The magnetic element may comprise alternating positive and negative sections configured to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic element may be any shape, such as circular, linear, etc. The magnetic sensing circuit may be radially offset from the magnetic element, and the magnetic flux pipe structure may be configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element towards the magnetic sensing circuit. The magnetic element may generate the magnetic field in a first plane, and the magnetic sensing may be responsive to magnetic fields in a second direction that is angularly offset from the first plane. The magnetic flux pipe structure may redirect the magnetic field towards the magnetic sensing circuit in the second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device comprising: a moving portion; a magnetic element coupled to the moving portion, the magnetic element comprising alternating positive and negative sections configured to generate a magnetic field in a first direction; at least one magnetic sensing circuit responsive to magnetic fields in a second direction that is angularly offset from the first direction; and at least one magnetic flux pipe structure configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element and redirect the magnetic field towards the at least one magnetic sensing sensor circuit in the second direction, wherein the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises a magnetic element coupling portion and a sensor coupling portion, and wherein the magnetic element coupling portion and the sensor coupling portion are located at opposite ends of the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the sensor coupling portion is arranged in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane of the respective magnetic element coupling portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises a mounting portion that is configured to be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) of the load control device, and wherein the magnetic element coupling portion is positioned adjacent to the magnetic element and located in a notch in the PCB when the mounting portion is attached to the PCB. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the angular offset is a 90 degree offset. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic sensing circuit comprises a Hall-effect sensing circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic element comprises a circular magnetic element, and wherein the moving portion comprises a rotating portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic element comprises a linear magnetic element, and wherein the moving portion comprises a linear slider. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises: a first magnetic flux pipe structure extending from a first location adjacent the magnetic element to a second location adjacent a first side of the at least one magnetic sensing circuit; and a second magnetic flux pipe structure extending from a third location adjacent the magnetic element to a fourth location adjacent a second side of the at least one magnetic sensing circuit, wherein the first and second magnetic flux pipe structures are configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element towards the at least one magnetic sensing circuit and redirect the magnetic field towards the at least one magnetic sensing circuit in the second direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic sensing circuit comprises two magnetic sensing circuits, and the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises two pairs of magnetic flux pipe structures. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic sensing circuit comprises two magnetic sensing circuits, and the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises three magnetic flux pipe structures, wherein first and second magnetic flux pipe structures are configured to share a third magnetic flux pipe structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control device of claim 10, wherein the first and second magnetic flux pipe structures are angularly offset such that the first and second magnetic flux pipe structures are both directed toward the third magnetic flux pipe structure; and wherein, when the magnetic element is moved, the magnetic field extends between the first and third magnetic flux pipe structures toward a first magnetic sensing circuit of the two magnetic sensing circuits, and extends between the second and third magnetic flux pipe structures toward a second magnetic sensing circuit of the two magnetic sensing circuits. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic sensing circuit comprises two magnetic sensing circuits that each comprise two magnetic element coupling portions, wherein the magnetic element coupling portions of the two magnetic sensing circuits are offset from the centers of two adjacent positive and negative sections of the magnetic element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control device of claim 12, wherein the at least one magnetic sensing circuit comprise a first magnetic sensing circuit and a second magnetic sensing circuit, and wherein, when magnetic element coupling portions of the first magnetic sensing circuit are lined up with the centers of two adjacent positive and negative sections of the magnetic element, magnetic element coupling portions of the second magnetic sensing circuit are each lined up with a transition between a positive section and a negative section of the magnetic element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising: a base portion configured to be fixedly attached to an actuator of a mechanical switch; and a control unit comprising the moving portion, the magnetic element, the at least one magnetic sensing circuit, and the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure, wherein the control unit is configured to be removably attached to the base portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control device of claim 14, wherein the base portion is configured to maintain the actuator in an on position, and wherein the control unit further comprises a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit one or more wireless communication signals to one or more control devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising: a yoke configured to mount the control device to a standard electrical wallbox, wherein the control device is configured to be coupled in series electrical connection between an alternating current (AC) power source and a controllable electrical load. ### Claim 17 A magnetic sensing system comprising: a magnetic sensing circuit responsive to a magnetic field generated by a magnetic element, the magnetic element comprising alternating positive and negative sections configured to generate the magnetic field in a first direction, and the magnetic sensing circuit responsive to the magnetic field in a second direction that is angularly offset from the first direction; and at least one magnetic flux pipe structure configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element and redirect the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element towards the magnetic sensing circuit in the second direction, wherein the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises a magnetic element coupling portion and a sensor coupling portion, and wherein the magnetic element coupling portion and the sensor coupling portion are located at opposite ends of the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The magnetic sensing system of claim 17, wherein the angular offset is a 90 degree offset. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The magnetic sensing system of claim 17, wherein the magnetic element comprises a circular magnetic sensing circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The magnetic sensing system of claim 17, wherein the at least one magnetic flux pipe structure comprises: a first magnetic flux pipe structure extending from a first location adjacent the magnetic element to a second location adjacent a first side of the magnetic sensing circuit; and a second magnetic flux pipe structure extending from a third location adjacent the magnetic element to a fourth location adjacent a second side of the magnetic sensing circuit; wherein the first and second magnetic flux pipe structures are configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element towards the magnetic sensing circuit and redirect the magnetic field towards the magnetic sensing circuit in the second direction. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The magnetic sensing system of claim 20, wherein the magnetic sensing circuit is a first magnetic sensing circuit, the magnetic sensing system further comprising: a second magnetic sensing circuit, wherein, when magnetic element coupling portions of the first magnetic sensing circuit are lined up with the centers of two adjacent positive and negative sections of the magnetic element, magnetic element coupling portions of the second magnetic sensing circuit are each lined up with a transition between a positive section and a negative section of the magnetic element. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The magnetic sensing system of claim 17, wherein the sensor coupling portion is arranged in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane of the respective magnetic element coupling portion.