JP2010536248A - Wireless scene configuration - Google Patents

Abstract

  An example lighting control configuration includes a power source, a first load operable to receive power when connected to the power source, and a second load operable to receive power when connected to the power source. Including. The receiver is programmable to connect the first load, the second load, or both to the power source in response to the wireless signal. The switch includes a wireless transmission unit that is powered by the energy self-sufficiency unit. The wireless transmission unit transmits a wireless signal to the receiver in response to the operation of the switch.

Description

  The present application relates to scene control using an energy self-sufficiency switch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/954007 filed Aug. 5, 2007 and US Provisional Patent Application No. 61/033838 filed Mar. 5, 2008. . Both of these are incorporated herein by reference.

  Switches that transmit wireless communications are well known. For example, there is a switch that transmits wireless communication to a garage door switch. Many switches use a replaceable internal power source, such as a battery, to power the transmission of wireless communications. Maintenance of such an internal power supply takes time and cost. For example, it is difficult and time consuming to access the battery in the wall mounted light switch. Some switches recover energy for powering wireless communication transmissions rather than a replaceable internal power source.

  There are buildings that contain complex control systems for lighting, sound equipment, etc. Conventional control systems include wired based switches and battery based switches. Both of these are often expensive and inflexible.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/016089 (A1) International Publication No. 03/00538 (A) Pamphlet European Patent Application No. 0656612 (A) specification US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/012317 (A1) International Publication No. 2006/111934 (A) Pamphlet International Publication No. 2007/072325 (A) Pamphlet

  An example lighting control configuration includes a power source, a first load operable to receive power when connected to the power source, and a second load operable to receive power when connected to the power source. Including. The receiver is programmable to connect the first load, the second load, or both to the power source in response to the wireless signal. The switch includes a wireless transmission unit that is powered by the energy self-sufficiency unit. The wireless transmission unit transmits a wireless signal to the receiver in response to the operation of the switch.

  Another example lighting control configuration includes a power source, a first light operable to illuminate when connected to the power source, and a second light operable to illuminate when connected to the power source. . The programmable controller is configured to store at least one scene. The receiver is operable to connect the first light, the second light, or both to the power source in response to the wireless signal and based on the scene. The switch has a wireless transmission unit that is powered by an energy self-sufficiency unit. The wireless transmission unit transmits a wireless signal to the receiver in response to the operation of the switch.

  An exemplary method used with a wireless security system is to program a controller to store at least one lighting scene and to transmit a wireless signal using power supplied by the energy self-sufficiency of the switch. including. The method includes initiating one of the scenes in response to the transmitted wireless signal.

  These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings. A brief description of the drawings is as follows.

1 schematically illustrates an example lighting control configuration. FIG. 2A shows an example receiver portion of the configuration of FIG. 1 implemented in an example building. FIG. 2B shows an exemplary switch portion that controls the receiver portion of FIG. 2A. FIG. 3A shows a receiver portion of another example of the configuration of FIG. 1 implemented in another example building. FIG. 3B shows the exemplary switch portion of FIG. 1 for controlling the receiver portion of FIG. 3A.

  With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary control configuration 10 includes a switch 14 in wireless communication with a receiver 18. The power source 22 is operable to supply power to the first light 26a, the second light 26b, and the third light 26c. The receiver 18 selectively connects the power source 22 to one or more of the lights 26a-26c in response to the wireless communication 30 from the switch 14.

  In this example, the switch 14 is energy self-contained and includes a wireless transmitter 34 and an energy self-sufficient unit 38. The energy self-sufficiency unit 38 supplies power to the wireless transmission unit 34. The wireless transmission unit 34 transmits the wireless communication 30. An example switch 14 suitable for transmitting wireless communication 30 is available from EnOcean® as product number PTM250.

  The illustrated switch 14 is a rocker type switch and operates by swinging a part of the switch 14 within the switch housing 50. Other example switch actuations include, for example, motion sensors that indicate the presence of the user's hand, or push button type switches. In one example, the operation of a part of the switch 14 supplies energy to the energy self-sufficiency unit 38 of the switch 14. In another example, the energy self-sufficiency unit 38 supplies energy via a photovoltaic cell, a piezoelectric device, or the like. Thus, the exemplary switch 14 does not rely on an internal power source to power the wireless communication 30 and instead recovers energy to power the wireless communication 30.

  Although receiver 18 is shown as a multi-channel receiver, receiver 18 may be a single channel receiver. Another example includes the receiver 18 connected to a different number of lights 26a-26c.

  Another example control configuration 10 uses more than one receiver 18. An example receiver 18 suitable for use within the control arrangement 10 is available from EnOcean as product number RCM 130C. In this example, the position of the receiver 18 is fixed, but the receiver of another example is portable. For example, another example receiver 18 includes a USB portion and is operable to receive wireless communications once the USB portion is connected to a computer (not shown). In such an example, it becomes easy to move the receiver 18 to receive wireless communication in a plurality of areas.

  The exemplary receiver 18 includes a programmable controller 46. The programmable controller 46 controls the illumination levels of the lights 26a-26c by controlling the connection between the power supply 22 and each light 26a-26c, the power level supplied from the power supply 22 to the lights 26a-26c, or both. To do. Those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure can develop a controller suitable for providing such control over the illumination of lights 26a-26c. Exemplary programmable controller 46 includes a microprocessor, laptop computer, and the like.

  The first light 26a, the second light 26b, and the third light 26c provide a scene 42, which is an illumination scene in this example. In the scene 42 in this example, the first light 26a is brighter than both the second light 26b and the third light 26c, and the second light 26b is brighter than the third light 26c. In this example, the third light 26c is off. That is, the third light 26c is not illuminated in the exemplary scene 42. Other example scenes 42 include audiovisual equipment such as stereo or computers.

  Referring now to FIG. 2 with continued reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary control configuration 110 that is somewhat similar to the control configuration 10 described in the example of FIG. In this disclosure, the same reference numerals will appropriately indicate the same elements. A reference number to which 100 or a multiple of 100 is added indicates a correction element. A correction element includes the same features and advantages as the corresponding original element unless specifically stated otherwise.

  In this example, the control arrangement 110 includes four lights 126a-126d and two receivers 118a and 118b. User 66 activates switch 114. Switch 114 then transmits wireless signal 130 to both receiver 118a and receiver 118b. The receivers 118a, 118b are programmed such that upon receipt of the wireless signal 130, the receivers 118a, 118b connect the lights 126a and 126d to a power source (not shown). The building includes a plurality of rooms 62a-62d. The room 62a is illuminated by supplying power to the light 126a, and the room 62d is illuminated by supplying power to the light 126d. Thus, in this example, scene 142 for building 58 illuminates rooms 62a and 62d and does not illuminate rooms 62b and 62c. Another example includes using the control arrangement 110 to control power distribution to the stereo 60 in the room 62a that is part of the scene 142. Still other examples include supplying power to the computer 61, television 63, ceiling fan 64, or power outlet 65.

  Referring now to FIG. 3 with continued reference to FIG. 1, the user 66 activates the switch 214 to send a wireless signal 230 to a receiver 218 mounted outside the home 70. Receiver 218 is programmed via a wired connection (not shown) to initiate illumination of scene 242 in response to wireless signal 230. In this example, the lighting scene 242 includes illuminating the first plurality of lights 226a-226c, but does not include illuminating the second plurality of lights 226d-226g. In this example, the lights 126a, 126b illuminate the exterior area 74 of the house 70, and the light 126c illuminates the interior area 78. In this way, the user 66 can use the switch 214 to start the lighting scene 242 associated with the house 70 from a remote location.

  Features of the present disclosure include controlling specific lighting scenes using energy self-sufficiency switches. The lighting scene can be changed by programming the controller. Another feature of the present disclosure is that the switch is movable relative to the receiver. This eliminates the need for a wired connection for supplying power to the wireless communication from the switch.

  While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain modifications are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is necessary to review the following claims in order to determine the true scope and content of the invention.

Claims (20)

Power supply,
A first load operable to receive power when connected to the power source;
A second load operable to receive power when connected to the power source;
A receiver programmable to connect the first load, the second load, or both to the power source in response to a wireless signal;
A switch having a wireless transmission unit powered by an energy self-sufficiency unit,
The wireless transmission unit is configured to transmit the wireless signal to the receiver in response to the operation of the switch.   The control arrangement of claim 1, comprising a second receiver programmable to selectively connect at least one third load to the power source in response to the wireless signal. The first load and the second load are a first light and a second light,
The receiver of claim 1, wherein the receiver is programmable to connect the first and second loads to the power source such that the first load provides a brighter or darker illumination than the second load. Control configuration.   The control arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first load and the second load are operable to illuminate at least one interior space.   The control configuration according to claim 1, wherein the energy self-sufficiency unit recovers energy from the operation of the switch.   The control configuration according to claim 1, wherein the switch is movable between an internal space and an external space.   The control arrangement of claim 1, wherein the receiver is programmable for a scene that provides a desired illumination level for the first light and a desired illumination level for the light in response to the wireless signal.   The control configuration according to claim 1, wherein the first load includes at least one of a television, an audiovisual device, and a computer. Power supply,
A first light operable to illuminate when connected to the power source; a second light operable to illuminate when connected to the power source;
A programmable controller configured to store at least one lighting scene;
A receiver operable to connect a first light, a second light, or both to the power source in response to a wireless signal and based on the at least one lighting scene;
A switch having a wireless transmission unit powered by an energy self-sufficiency unit,
The wireless transmission unit is a lighting control configuration in which the wireless signal is transmitted to the receiver in response to the operation of the switch.   The lighting control arrangement of claim 9, wherein the switch includes the programmable controller.   The lighting control arrangement of claim 9, wherein the receiver includes the programmable controller.   The lighting control arrangement of claim 9, wherein the at least one lighting scene includes a desired lighting level for the first light, the second light, or both.   The lighting control arrangement of claim 9, wherein the first light is operable to illuminate an interior area and the second light is operable to illuminate an external area.   The control arrangement of claim 9, comprising a stereo operable to generate sound when connected to the power source. A method of using a wireless control system, comprising:
Programming the memory portion to store at least one scene;
Transmitting wireless signals using the power supplied by the energy self-sufficiency of the switch;
Initiating one of the at least one scene in response to the transmitted wireless signal.   The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one scene includes illuminating a first light, a second light, or both.   The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one scene includes a desired lighting level for the first light, the second light, or both.   16. The method of claim 15, comprising selectively electrically connecting the first light, the second light, or both to a power source based on the at least one scene.   In response to the transmitted wireless signal, the at least one scene connects a first light to a power source, connects a second light to a power source, or connects both the first light and the second light to the power source. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is connected to a power source and the connection depends on the at least one scene.   The at least one scene is responsive to the transmitted wireless signal for a receiver to connect a first light to a power source, a second light to a power source, or the first light and the second light. The method of claim 15, wherein the method begins to connect to the power source, the connection being dependent on the at least one lighting scene.

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