# US 12,016,094 B2 · Multiple location load control system

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- Number: US 12,016,094 B2
- Document ID: US12016094B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/154,907
- Filed: 2023-01-16
- Published: 2023-06-08
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-30
- Assignees: Lutron Technology Company LLC
- Applicants: Lutron Technology Company LLC
- Inventors: Russell Weightman; Jonathan T. Lenz; Jaykrishna A. Shukla; Daniel Curtis Raneri
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016094B2

## CPC

- H05B 39/086: {with possibility of remote control}
- G11C 5/005: {Circuit means for protection against loss of information of semiconductor storage devices}
- G11C 5/025: {Geometric lay-out considerations of storage- and peripheral-blocks in a semiconductor storage device (geometrical lay-out of the components in integrated circuits, geometrical lay-out of the components in integrated circuits H10D89/10)}
- G11C 7/04: with means for avoiding disturbances due to temperature effects
- G11C 7/24: Memory cell safety or protection circuits, e.g. arrangements for preventing inadvertent reading or writing; Status cells; Test cells
- G11C 11/40626: {Temperature related aspects of refresh operations}
- G11C 29/12: Built-in arrangements for testing, e.g. built-in self testing [BIST] {or interconnection details}
- H05B 39/04: Controlling
- H05B 47/10: Controlling the light source
- H05B 47/165: following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
- H05B 47/17: Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
- H05B 47/185: via power line carrier transmission
- H05B 47/196: {characterised by user interface arrangements}
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A load control device may include a semiconductor switch, a control circuit, and first and second terminals adapted to be coupled to a remote device. The load control device may include a first switching circuit coupled to the second terminal, and a second switching circuit coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal. The control circuit may be configured to render the first switching circuit conductive to conduct a charging current from an AC power source to a power supply of the remote device during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, and further configured to render the first and second switching circuits conductive and non-conductive to communicate with the remote device via the second terminal during a second time period of the half-cycle of the AC power source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A load control device, comprising:
a zero cross detection circuit operatively coupled to an alternating current (AC) supply voltage; and
a control circuit communicatively coupled to the zero cross detection circuit, the control circuit to:
receive, from the zero-cross detection circuit, an indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
responsive to the detected zero crossing of the AC supply voltage, provide, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during one half of the AC cycle, a voltage to an operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via an accessory dimmer (AD) conductor;
responsive to completion of the charge time period, provide a buffer time period (TBUFFER) during the one-half of the AC cycle;
responsive to completion of the buffer time period communicate a message using a defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the AD conductor; and
responsive to completion of the communication of the message to the remote dimmer circuit, place the AD conductor in a high impedance state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The load control device of claim 1:
wherein the zero cross detection circuit is operatively coupled to the line side of a load electrical device; and
wherein to provide, for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, the control circuit to further:
provide, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the positive half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The load control device of claim 1:
wherein the zero cross detection circuitry is operatively coupled to the load side of a load electrical device; and
wherein to provide, for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, the control circuit to further:
provide, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the negative half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The load control device of claim 1, the control circuit to further:
provide a local display corresponding to a local dimming set point received via a local input device operatively coupled to the control circuit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The load control device of claim 4, the control circuit to further:
provide a local display corresponding to a remote dimming set point received via a remote input device operatively coupled to the remote dimmer circuit, the remote dimming set point included in the message received from the remote dimming circuit via the AD conductor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The load control device of claim 1 wherein to communicate the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, the control circuit to further:
communicate, to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, a first 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field; and
a 15-bit event data field.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The load control device of claim 6 wherein to communicate the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, the control circuit to further:
communicate, to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, a second 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field;
a 7-bit event type field;
a 3-bit device address field; and
a 5-bit error detection field.

### Claim 8

A load control method, comprising:
receiving, by an electrical load control circuit from the zero-cross detection circuit, an indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
providing, by the electrical load control circuit, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during one half of the AC cycle, a voltage to an operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via an accessory dimmer (AD) conductor responsive to the detected zero crossing of the AC supply voltage;
providing, by the electrical load control circuit, a buffer time period (TBUFFER) during the one-half of the AC cycle responsive to completion of the charge time period;
communicating, by the electrical load control circuit, a message using a defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the AD conductor responsive to completion of the buffer time period; and
placing, by the electrical load control circuit, the AD conductor in a high impedance state responsive to completion of the communication of the message to the remote dimmer circuit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8:
wherein receiving the indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage, further comprises:
receiving, by the electrical load control circuit from zero-cross detection circuit coupled to a line side of an operatively coupled electrical load device, an indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
wherein providing for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit further comprises:
providing, by the electrical load control circuit, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the positive half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8:
wherein receiving the indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage, further comprises:
receiving, by the electrical load control circuit from zero-cross detection circuit coupled to a load side of an operatively coupled electrical load device, an indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
wherein providing for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit further comprises:
providing, by the electrical load control circuit, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the negative half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
causing, by the electrical load control circuit, a local display corresponding to a local dimming set point received via a local input device operatively coupled to the control circuit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
causing, by the electrical load control circuit, a local display corresponding to a remote dimming set point received via a remote input device operatively coupled to the remote dimmer circuit, the remote dimming set point included in the message received from the remote dimming circuit via the AD conductor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein communicating the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, further comprises:
communicating, by the electrical load control circuit to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, a first 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field; and
a 15-bit event data field.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein communicating the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, further comprises:
communicating, by the electrical load control circuit to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, a second 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field;
a 7-bit event type field;
a 3-bit device address field; and
a 5-bit error detection field.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by an electrical load control circuit causes the control circuit to:
receive, from the zero-cross detection circuit, an indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
provide, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during one half of the AC cycle, a voltage to an operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via an accessory dimmer (AD) conductor responsive to the detected zero crossing of the AC supply voltage;
provide a buffer time period (TBUFFER) during the one-half of the AC cycle responsive to completion of the charge time period;
cause a communication of a message using a defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the AD conductor responsive to completion of the buffer time period; and
place the AD conductor in a high impedance state responsive to completion of the communication of the message to the remote dimmer circuit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 15:
wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to receive the indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
receive, from the zero-cross detection circuit coupled to a line side of an operatively coupled electrical load device, the indication of the detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to provide for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, a voltage to an operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
provide for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the positive half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 15:
wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to receive the indication of a detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
receive, from the zero-cross detection circuit coupled to a load side of an operatively coupled electrical load device, the indication of the detected zero crossing of the alternating current (AC) supply voltage;
wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to provide for the charge time period (TCHRG) during the one half of the AC cycle, a voltage to an operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
provide, for a charge time period (TCHRG) during the negative half of the AC cycle, the voltage to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit via the accessory dimmer (AD) conductor, responsive to.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 15 wherein the instructions, when executed by the electrical load control circuit, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
cause a local display corresponding to a local dimming set point received via a local input device operatively coupled to the control circuit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 18 wherein the instructions, when executed by the electrical load control circuit, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
cause a local display corresponding to a remote dimming set point received via a remote input device operatively coupled to the remote dimmer circuit, the remote dimming set point included in the message received from the remote dimming circuit via the AD conductor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to cause a communication of the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
cause a communication to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, of a first 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field; and
a 15-bit event data field.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 wherein the instructions that cause the electrical load control circuit to cause a communication of the message using the defined communication format to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, further cause the electrical load control circuit to:
cause a communication to the operatively coupled remote dimmer circuit, of a second 16-bit frame that includes:
a 1-bit frame identifier field;
a 7-bit event type field;
a 3-bit device address field; and
a 5-bit error detection field.