# US 12,764,848 B2 · Load control device having a mechanically-controllable actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,764,848 B2 - Document ID: US12764848B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/431,310 - Filed: 2024-02-02 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-03 - Assignees: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Applicants: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Inventors: Gregory S. Altonen; Edward J. Blair; Chris Dimberg; Jason C. Killo; Matthew P. McDonald; Daniel L. Twaddell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12764848B2 ## CPC - 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 ## Abstract A control device may include an analog intensity adjustment actuator that is configured to be manually operated to adjust an intensity level of a lighting load. The control device may include a communication circuit configured to receive a message from a remote device. The message may include a commanded intensity level. The control device may include an actuator adjustment system configured to adjust a position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator and a control circuit configured to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to manual operation of the analog intensity adjustment actuator. The control circuit may be further configured to control the actuator adjustment system to adjust the position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator in response to the message received from the remote device. The position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator may be adjusted to indicate the commanded intensity level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for controlling a lighting load, the control device comprising: an analog intensity adjustment actuator that is configured to be manually operated to adjust an intensity level of light emitted by the lighting load, wherein the analog intensity adjustment actuator comprises a slider knob configured to move within an elongated slot; a communication circuit configured to receive a message from a remote device, the message comprising a commanded intensity level for controlling the lighting load; an actuator adjustment system configured to adjust a position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator; and a control circuit configured to control an amount of power delivered to the lighting load in response to manual operation of the analog intensity adjustment actuator, the control circuit further configured to control the actuator adjustment system to adjust the position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator in response to the message received from the remote device via the communication circuit, wherein the position of the analog intensity adjustment actuator is adjusted to indicate the commanded intensity level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the actuator adjustment system to adjust the position of the slider knob within the elongated slot to indicate the commanded intensity level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control device of claim 2, wherein the slider knob is configured to move linearly within the elongated slot between a low-end position associated with a low-end intensity level and a high-end position associated with a high-end intensity level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The control device of claim 2, wherein the actuator adjustment system comprises a motor and a gear assembly coupled to the motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The control device of claim 4, wherein the gear assembly is operatively coupled to the slider knob such that rotation of the motor is transferred to linear movement of the slider knob. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control device of claim 5, wherein the gear assembly comprises a circular gear that engages a linear gear such that rotation of the circular gear is transferred to linear movement of the linear gear. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control device of claim 6, further comprising a linear potentiometer having a shaft coupled to the slider knob. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control device of claim 7, wherein the gear assembly is operatively coupled to the slider knob via the shaft of the linear potentiometer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control device of claim 8, wherein the linear gear comprises a coupling portion configured to receive the shaft of the potentiometer such that the linear potentiometer moves linearly with the linear gear. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control device of claim 9, wherein the coupling portion defines an opening configured to surround the shaft of the linear potentiometer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The control device of claim 9, wherein the slider knob moves in an upward direction when the motor rotates in a first angular direction and the slider knob moves in a downward direction when the motor rotates in a second angular direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control device of claim 11, wherein the linear gear comprises a plurality of teeth arranged in a linear array on a rack plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control device of claim 12, wherein the rack plate comprises a fin configured to maintain alignment between the circular gear and the linear gear. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control device of claim 13, wherein the fin is configured to move along a channel in a cradle of the control device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control device of claim 14, wherein the cradle is configured to secure a printed circuit board of the control device to a yoke of the control device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The control device of claim 15, wherein the cradle comprises a plurality of ribs that are configured to be received in a plurality of corresponding slots of the yoke. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of ribs and the corresponding plurality of slots are configured to provide mechanical support and allow for heat transfer in the yoke. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The control device of claim 2, further comprising a potentiometer that is configured to generate a direct-current (DC) voltage representative of the commanded intensity level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The control device of claim 18, wherein the slider knob is mechanically coupled to the potentiometer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The control device of claim 18, wherein the control circuit is configured to use a magnitude of the DC voltage generated by the potentiometer as feedback for closed loop control of the actuator adjustment system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The control device of claim 20, wherein the feedback is used to determine if a user is actuating the analog intensity adjustment actuator while the actuator adjustment system is operating, and to stop controlling the actuator adjustment system in response to determining that the user is actuating the analog intensity adjustment actuator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising: an actuation member configured to pivot in response to an actuation of an upper portion of the actuation member or a lower portion of the actuation member; wherein the control circuit is configured to turn the lighting load on in response to an actuation of the upper portion of the actuation member, and turn the lighting load off in response to an actuation of the lower portion of the actuation member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The control device of claim 22, wherein the actuation member is configured to return to an idle position when the upper portion or lower portion of the actuation member is released. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The control device of claim 23, wherein the actuation member comprises one or more biasing arms configured to hold the actuation member in the idle position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to illuminate the elongated slot of the analog intensity adjustment actuator. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the analog intensity adjustment actuator is configured to control a potentiometer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, further comprising: a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an alternating current (AC) power source and the lighting load; wherein the control circuit is configured to control the controllably conductive device to control the amount of power delivered to the lighting load in response to the manual operation of the analog intensity adjustment actuator. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The control device of claim 27, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the amount of power delivered to the lighting load in response to commanded intensity level included in the message received from the remote device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit a message including a command for controlling the lighting load in response to manual operation of the analog intensity adjustment actuator.