Method and apparatus for configuring a wireless sensor

A method of attaching a control device to a ceiling panel having a substantially-flat front surface and a rear surface, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing two posts extending from a rear surface of the control device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rear surface of the control device;
• piercing the front surface of the ceiling panel with the posts, such that the posts do not create large aesthetically-displeasing holes in the front surface of the ceiling panel;
• temporarily attaching the control device to the front surface of the ceiling panel by inserting the posts through the front surface and the rear surface of the ceiling panel, such that the posts extend from the rear surface of the ceiling panel;
• and
• permanently attaching the control device to the front surface of the ceiling panel by deforming the posts at the rear surface of the ceiling panel without the use of a tool, such that the ceiling panel is captured between the rear surface of the control device and the deformed posts.

An electronics assembly comprising:

• an electronics housing;
• an adapter plate releasably coupled to said electronics housing;
• and
• a single bendable wire received by said adapter plate, said bendable wire adapted to be manually bent to hold its bent shape under the pressure created by the weight of said electronics housing, said bendable wire comprising a central base section disposed against an interior surface of said adapter plate and first and second parallel legs extending from opposite ends of said central base section and bent perpendicular to the plane of said interior surface of said adapter plate and extending through said adapter plate, said legs being shaped to be able to penetrate the thickness of a support panel without bending and being manually bendable behind said panel in order to bind said adapter plate flat against said panel.

A process of affixing an electronic device to a ceiling panel, said process comprising the steps of:

• inserting parallel, spaced legs of a single wire through openings in a flat adapter plate until a base portion of said wire is pressed flat against one surface of said adapter plate;
• forcing said spaced legs of said wire through respective spaced points on a first surface of said ceiling panel;
• manually bending said legs against a second surface opposite said first surface of said ceiling panel to press and hold said adapter plate against said first surface of said ceiling panel;
• and
• removably connecting said electronic device to said adapter plate.

An occupancy sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in a space, the occupancy sensor adapted to be mounted to a surface, the occupancy sensor for use in a lighting control system for control of the amount of power delivered to an electrical load in response to detecting the presence or absence of the occupant in the space, the occupancy sensor comprising:

• an occupancy detector circuit for detecting the presence or absence of the occupant in the space;
• a controller responsive to the occupancy detector circuit and operable to change to an occupied state in response to the occupancy detector circuit detecting the presence of the occupant in the space, the controller further operable to change to a vacant state at the end of a timeout period after the occupancy detector circuit detecting the absence of the occupant in the space, the timeout period having a first value in a normal mode of operation of the sensor;
• a wireless transmitter coupled to the controller for transmitting digital messages when the controller changes between the occupied and vacant states;
• a first communication test button accessible by the occupant when the occupancy sensor is mounted to the surface, the controller operable to transmit a first digital message in response to an actuation of the first communication test button;
• and
• a sensor test button accessible by the occupant when the occupancy sensor is mounted to the surface, the controller operable to operate in a test mode in response to an actuation of the sensor test button;
• wherein when the controller is operating in the test mode, the timeout period has a second value less than the first value used in the normal mode of operation of the sensor.

A method of commissioning a load control system comprising a load control device for control of the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load and an occupancy sensor for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in a space, the method comprising the steps of:

• releasably mounting the occupancy sensor to a first position on a surface, the occupancy sensor operable to detect the presence or absence of the occupant in the space, such that the occupancy sensor changes to an occupied state in response to detecting the presence of the occupant in the space, and to a vacant state at the end of a timeout period after detecting the absence of the occupant in the space, the timeout period having a first value in a normal mode of operation of the sensor;
• actuating a first communication test button on the occupancy sensor without detaching the occupancy sensor from the surface;
• transmitting a first digital message from the occupancy sensor to the load control device in response to the step of actuating a first communication test button;
• adjusting the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to the load control device receiving the first digital message;
• actuating a sensor test button on the occupancy sensor without detaching the occupancy sensor from the surface;
• operating the occupancy sensor in a test mode in response to the step of actuating a sensor test button, the timeout period having a second value in the test mode, where the second value is less than the first value used in the normal mode of operation of the sensor;
• determining if the operation of the occupancy sensor at the first position on the surface is acceptable in response to the steps of the load control device adjusting the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and the occupancy sensor operating in a test mode;
• removing the occupancy sensor from the first position if the operation of the occupancy sensor at the first position is not acceptable;
• and
• permanently mounting the occupancy sensor to the first position if the operation of the occupancy sensor at the first position is acceptable.