Control device for controlling multiple operating characteristics of an electrical load
AssigneeLutron Technology Company LLC
InventorShan Shi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load control device may be configured to control multiple characteristics of one or more electrical loads such as the intensity and color of a lighting load. The load control device may switch from controlling one characteristic of the electrical loads to controlling another characteristic of the electrical loads based on the position of one or more components of the load control device. Such a position may be manipulated by moving the one or more components relative to an idle position of the load control device. The load control device may be a wall-mounted device or a battery-powered remote control device.
Claims20
A control device configured for use in a load control system to control one or more electrical loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:
- a base portion;
- an actuation portion comprising a front surface that is parallel with a faceplate when installed, the front surface of the actuation portion biased to an idle plane along an axis that is perpendicular to the faceplate;
- and
- a control circuit configured to generate at least first and second control data for providing different control of the one or more electrical loads based respectively on first and second distances through which the front surface of the actuation portion is pressed away from the idle plane, wherein the first distance and the second distance are different, and wherein at least one of the first control data or the second control data is for toggling the one or more electrical loads between off and on.
A control device configured for use in a load control system to control one or more lighting loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:
- a base portion configured to be mounted over a toggle actuator of a mechanical switch that controls whether power is delivered to the one or more lighting loads;
- an actuation portion comprising a front surface that is parallel with a faceplate when installed, the front surface of the actuation portion biased to an idle plane along an axis that is perpendicular to the faceplate;
- and
- a control circuit configured to generate at least first and second control data based respectively on first and second distances through which the front surface of the actuation portion is pressed away from the idle plane, wherein the first distance and the second distance are different;
- wherein the first control data is for toggling the one or more lighting loads between off and on, and the second control data is for changing an operating mode of the control device, wherein, when in different operating modes, the control device is configured to control different characteristics of the one or more lighting loads, the characteristics comprising intensity and color of the one or more lighting loads.
A control device configured for use in a load control system to control one or more electrical loads external to the control device, the control device comprising:
- a base portion;
- an actuation portion comprising a front surface that is parallel with a faceplate when installed, the front surface of the actuation portion biased to an idle plane along an axis that is perpendicular to the faceplate;
- and
- a control circuit configured to generate at least first and second control data for providing different control of the one or more electrical loads based respectively on first and second distances through which the front surface of the actuation portion is pressed away from the idle plane, wherein the front surface of the actuation portion is closer to the base portion when pressed the second distance away from the idle plane than when the front surface is pressed the first distance away from the idle plane, and wherein at least one of the first control data or the second control data is for toggling the one or more electrical loads between off and on.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.