Dimming Control Including An Adjustable Output Response

A method for estimating the power consumption of multiple loads comprising:

• providing a load circuit, the load circuit including a plurality of load control devices, a current detector and a voltage detector, each load control device in communication with a controlled device;
• providing a processor in communication with each load control device, the current detector and the voltage detector;
• providing a line feed associated with the load circuit and in communication with each load control device, the current detector and the voltage detector, at least a portion of the line feed configured to travel to and be output by each load control device as a load output to its respective controlled device;
• running a calibration sequence via the processor, the calibration sequence turning on each controlled device separately and individually at multiple dim levels;
• providing to the processor for each dim level of each controlled device:
• (i) a current measurement from the current detector, and (ii) a voltage measurement from the voltage detector;
• calculating and storing, via the processor, a measurement of the average power consumed by each controlled device at each dim level by utilizing the respective current and voltage measurements of each controlled device at each dim level;
• operating each controlled device at a present dim level;
• and
• calculating the power consumption of each individual controlled device at the present dim level of each controlled device by utilizing the stored measurements.

A method for estimating the power consumption of multiple loads comprising:

• providing a load circuit, the load circuit including a plurality of load control devices, a current detector and a voltage detector, each load control device in communication with a controlled device;
• providing a processor in communication with each load control device, the current detector and the voltage detector;
• providing a line feed associated with the load circuit and in communication with each load control device, the current detector and the voltage detector, at least a portion of the line feed configured to travel to and be output by each load control device as a load output to its respective controlled device;
• running a calibration sequence via the processor, the calibration sequence turning on each controlled device separately and individually at a maximum setting;
• providing to the processor for each maximum setting of each controlled device:
• (i) a current measurement from the current detector, and (ii) a voltage measurement from the voltage detector;
• calculating and storing, via the processor, a measurement of the power consumed by each controlled device at each maximum setting by utilizing the respective current and voltage measurements of each controlled device at each maximum setting;
• operating each controlled device at a present dim level;
• providing to the processor for each present dim level of each controlled device:
• (i) a current measurement from the current detector, and (ii) a voltage measurement from the voltage detector;
• calculating and storing, via the processor, a measurement of the total average power used by the controlled devices at the present dim level by utilizing the current and voltage measurements of the controlled devices at the present dim level;
• calculating, via the processor, the average power drawn at the present dim level by each individual controlled device by utilizing:
• (i) the measurements of the power consumed by the controlled devices at each maximum setting, (ii) the measurement of the total average power used by the controlled devices at the present dim level, and (iii) the percentage of the present dim level.

A method for estimating the voltage zero-crossing point of the waveform of a line feed comprising:

• providing a load circuit, the load circuit including at least one load control device and a voltage detector, the at least one load control device in communication with a controlled device, and the voltage detector including an analog-to-digital converter;
• providing a processor in communication with the at least one load control device and the voltage detector;
• providing a line feed associated with the load circuit and in communication with the at least one load control device and the voltage detector, at least a portion of the line feed configured to travel to and be output by the at least one load control device as a load output to its controlled device;
• measuring during each cycle of the line feed and via the analog-to-digital converter, a plurality of measurements of the voltage that is present at the analog-to-digital converter input;
• communicating the plurality of measurements to the processor;
• grouping, via the processor, the plurality of measurements into separate groups of measurements;
• calculating, via the processor, the average voltage measurement of each group;
• determining, via the processor, if the average voltage measurement is positive or negative;
• identifying and analyzing together, via the processor, consecutive groups of voltage measurements that have opposite positive/negative average voltage measurement values to estimate the voltage zero-crossing point of the line feed's waveform.

A method for generating a custom curve for a dimming signal comprising:

• providing a load control device in communication with a controlled device;
• providing a processor in communication with the load control device via a control signal line;
• storing on the processor a plurality of individual data points, each individual data point being a value that represents the magnitude of the control signal on the control signal line that is generated for a different dim level of the controlled device;
• and
• calculating, via the processor, the magnitude of the control signal for a dim level of the controlled device that is positioned between two data points of the plurality of data points.

A control assembly comprising:

• a load circuit, the load circuit including at least one load control device, the at least one load control device in communication with a controlled device;
• a processor in communication with the at least one load control device;
• and
• a first line feed associated with the load circuit and in communication with the at least one load control device;
• a heat sink member mounted with respect to the at least one load control device, the heat sink member having a baffle member;
• wherein at least a portion of the line feed is configured to travel to and be output by the at least one load control device as a load output to its controlled device;
• and
• wherein the baffle member extends along at least a portion of the top surface of the heat sink member for thermal management purposes.