Patents Assigned to Lutron Technology Company LLC
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Patent number: 11979952Abstract: A wall-mountable remote control device may be installed in place of an existing light switch and may be configured to transmit wireless signals to an electrical load device, such as a screw-in light-emitting diode (LED) lamp, to provide control of the electrical load device. The remote control device may comprise an air-gap switch adapted to be electrically coupled in series between a power source and the controllable light source, but may not comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load device using a phase-control dimming technique. The remote control device may have a low-profile enclosure that is smaller than an enclosure of a standard dimmer switch, and thus may be easier to install in an electrical wallbox. The remote control device may comprise two parts including an air-gap switch device and a wireless communication device mounted to the air-gap switch device.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Joel S. Spira
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Patent number: 11979955Abstract: A load control device for controlling the intensity of a lighting load, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) light source, may include a power converter circuit operable to receive a rectified AC voltage and to generate a DC bus voltage, a load regulation circuit operable to receive the bus voltage and to control the magnitude of a load current conducted through the lighting load, and a control circuit operatively coupled to the load regulation circuit for pulse width modulating or pulse frequency modulating the load current to control the intensity of the lighting load to a target intensity. The control circuit may control the intensity of the lighting load by pulse width modulating the load current when the target intensity is above a predetermined threshold and control the intensity of the lighting load by pulse frequency modulating the load current when the target intensity is below the predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2023Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Timothy P. Gredler, Matthew R. Zartman
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Patent number: 11979957Abstract: A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Craig Alan Casey, James P. Steiner
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Publication number: 20240147596Abstract: A two-way load control system comprises a power device, such as a load control device for controlling an electrical load receiving power from an AC power source, and a controller adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the power device. The load control system may be installed without requiring any additional wires to be run, and is easily configured without the need for a computer or an advanced commissioning procedure. The power device receives both power and communication over two wires. The controller generates a phase-control voltage and transmits a forward digital message to the power device by encoding digital information in timing edges of the phase-control voltage. The power device transmits a reverse digital message to the controller via the power wiring.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2024Publication date: May 2, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Mark S. Taipale, Timothy P. Gredler, Akshay Bhat
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Patent number: 11970903Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are described herein for pre-winding a motorized roller shade. The motorized roller shade may include a roller tube, a flexible material attached to the roller tube, a motor drive unit, and mounting brackets configured to support respective ends of the roller tube. The roller tube of the roller shade may be slid to an extended position. A configuration procedure may be determined to have been initiated. The flexible material may be secured, for example, to prevent the flexible material from unrolling. The roller tube may be wound a predetermined number of rotations with the flexible material and a hembar of the roller shade secured, for example, to prevent the flexible material from being raised or lowered. Winding the roller tube may include pre-winding a spring that is coupled to the roller tube. The flexible material may be unsecured when the roller tube has been pre-wound.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Olli T. Friman
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Patent number: 11968756Abstract: The network device may be configured to define or update a scene for controlling a zone in a certain area or location of a load control system. For example, the load control system may be installed in a residential home or building. At least one lighting control device that is configured to control a corresponding lighting load may be assigned to each of the one or more zones. The network device may be configured to display one or more graphical user interfaces that a user of the network device may interact with to define or update a scene. The network device may also be configured to display one or more graphical user interfaces that a user of the network device may interact with to define or update natural show functionality. After a scene and/or natural show have been configured, the may enabled or activated in response to a triggering event.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2022Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Bryan Robert Barnes, Shilpa Sarode, Shenchi Tian, Kenneth Priester, Brad Michael Kreschollek
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Patent number: 11966202Abstract: Motorized window treatment systems are disclosed. A motorized window treatment system may include a covering material, a sensor circuit, and a control circuit. The sensor circuit may be configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a position of the covering material. The control circuit may be configured to determine a present sensor state of the sensor circuit, determine a predicted sensor state for the sensor circuit based at least in part on a power-down position recorded at a first time and a final position recorded at a second time, compare the predicted sensor state with the present sensor state, and determine a present position of the covering material based on the comparison of the predicted sensor state and the present sensor state. Methods of adjusting a position of a covering material of a motorized window treatment also are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Thomas F. Rebbert, Robert J. Thompson
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Patent number: 11968761Abstract: A control device configured for use in a load control system to control an electrical load external to the control device may comprise an actuation member having a front surface defining a capacitive touch surface configured to detect a touch actuation along at least a portion of the front surface. The control device includes a main printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a control circuit, a tactile switch, a controllably conductive device, and a drive circuit operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive or non-conductive to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load. The control device also includes a capacitive touch PCB that comprises a touch sensitive circuit comprising one or more receiving capacitive touch pads located on the capacitive touch PCB and arranged in a linear array adjacent to the capacitive touch surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Dinesh Sundara Moorthy
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Patent number: 11967821Abstract: A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical load includes a plurality of independent units responsive to a broadcast controller. Each independent unit includes at least one commander and at least one energy controller for controlling at least one of the electrical loads in response to a control signal received from the commander. The independent units are configured and operate independent of each other. The broadcast controller transmits wireless signals to the energy controllers of the independent units. The energy controllers do not respond to control signals received from the commanders of other independent units, but the energy controllers of both independent units respond to the wireless signals transmitted by broadcast controller. The energy controller may operate in different operating modes in response to the wireless signals transmitted by the broadcast controller.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Timothy S. Majewski, Christopher Buck, Daniel Vander Valk, John H. Bull, Joel S. Spira
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Publication number: 20240125643Abstract: A wireless battery-powered daylight sensor for measuring a total light intensity in a space is operable to transmit wireless signals using a variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The sensor comprises a photosensitive circuit, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the wireless signals, a controller coupled to the photosensitive circuit and the wireless transmitter, and a battery for powering the photosensitive circuit, the wireless transmitter, and the controller. The photosensitive circuit is operable to generate a light intensity control signal in response to the total light intensity in the space. The controller transmits the wireless signals in response to the light intensity control signal using the variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The variable transmission rate may be dependent upon an amount of change of the total light intensity in the space.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: James P. Steiner, Greg Edward Sloan, Nathan A. Boring
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Publication number: 20240130019Abstract: A controllable lighting device may comprise a drive circuit characterized by one or more cycles and a control circuit configured to control the drive circuit to conduct a load current through a light source of the lighting device. The control circuit may be configured to determine one or more operating parameters of the lighting device during a present cycle of the drive circuit based on a feedback signal indicative of a peak magnitude of the load current conducted through the light source. The control circuit may be able to adjust an average magnitude of the load current conducted through the light source so as to adjust an intensity of the light source towards a target intensity based on the operating parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Stuart W. DeJonge
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Publication number: 20240125910Abstract: A control device for a ceiling fan may have a motor drive circuit configured to control a rotational speed of a motor of the ceiling fan, an occupancy sensing circuit, and a control circuit configured to adjust the rotational speed of the motor in response to a detected occupancy or vacancy condition. The control circuit may process the signals generated by the occupancy sensing circuit to eliminate the effects of vibrations and/or wobbling of the ceiling fan. The control circuit may control the motor drive circuit to adjust the rotational speed of the motor in response to an accelerometer to minimize the magnitude of the wobble of the ceiling fan. The control circuit may be configured to learn a preferred rotational speed for the motor. The control circuit may also be configured to control the rotational speed of the motor to affect a thermal comfort level of an occupant.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: James P. Steiner
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Publication number: 20240126055Abstract: A multi-color LED illumination device and specifically a lens comprising a cylindrical opening extending into the lens from a light entry region at which one or more LEDs are configured. A concave spherical surface extends across the entirety of the light exit region of the lens, and a TIR outer surface shaped as a CPC extends between the light entry region and the light exit region. There are various diffusion surfaces placed on the sidewall surface of the cylindrical opening, as well as its upper planar surface and the exit surface of the lens. Lunes can also be configured on the sidewall surfaces of the cylindrical opening. The combination of lunes, diffusion elements, and the overall configuration of the lens provides improved color mixing and output brightness using three interactions in a first portion of light and two interactions in a second portion of light.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventor: Fangxu Dong
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Publication number: 20240130023Abstract: A load control system for controlling an electrical load may include a sensor, a remote control, and a load control device. The remote control may comprise a button and may be configured to wirelessly transmit a digital message in response to an actuation of the button. The load control device may be configured to control the electrical load, be responsive to the sensor, and/or be configured to be associated with the remote control. The load control device may be responsive to the digital message transmitted by the remote control if the remote control is associated with the load control device. The load control device may be configured to automatically operate in a first mode of operation if the remote control is not associated with the load control device, and automatically operate in a second mode of operation if the remote control is associated with the load control device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: David T. Saveri, III, Andrew Peter Schmalz, Akshay Bhat
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Patent number: 11960264Abstract: A load control system may control an electrical load in a space of a building based on one or more parameters regarding the physical condition of an occupant. The parameters may be gathered by one or more sensing devices. The sensing devices may be included in a mobile device. A system controller may receive the parameters and may automatically control the electrical loads in response to the parameters. The system controller may control the electrical load to attempt to adjust the physical condition of the occupant in response to the sensed parameters. The system controller may control the electrical load to provide an alert, an alarm, and/or a warning in response to the sensed parameters.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jason C. Killo, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Brent Protzman, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Greg Edward Sloan
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Patent number: 11960260Abstract: A method comprises measuring a light intensity at a window; determining if the light intensity exceeds a cloudy-day threshold; operating in a sunlight penetration limiting mode to control the motorized window treatment to control the sunlight penetration distance in the space; enabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the light intensity is greater than the cloudy-day threshold; and disabling the sunlight penetration limiting mode if the total lighting intensity is less than the cloudy-day threshold. The cloudy-day threshold is maintained at a constant threshold if a calculated solar elevation angle is greater than a predetermined solar elevation angle, and the cloudy-day threshold varies with time if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle. The cloudy-day threshold is a function of the calculated solar elevation angle if the calculated solar elevation angle is less than the predetermined solar elevation angle.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: LUTRON TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LLCInventors: Brian Michael Courtney, Timothy Gill, Shilpa Sarode
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Patent number: 11957261Abstract: A motorized window treatment system may include a roller tube, a flexible material, a drive assembly, electrical wiring, and/or mounting brackets. A mounting bracket may include a channel configured to secure the roller tube in position along a longitudinal axis of the roller tube. A mounting bracket may include a base and an attachment member. The base may be configured to attach the mounting bracket to a structure. The attachment member may extend from the base and may be configured to receive an end of a roller tube. The mounting bracket may be configured to retain electrical wiring for powering a drive assembly within the roller tube. The mounting bracket may include a spring that is configured to retain the roller tube within the channel in the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket may include a sliding cover that is configured to cover an access opening of the channel.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Nirav Giri, David A. Kirby, Douglas George Kistler, Rohan Krishnan, Glenn S. Laverty, IV, Vladislav Pejic
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Publication number: 20240120827Abstract: An illumination device and method are provided for controlling light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs (specifically, the LED loads) are controlled, e.g., brightness and color of the LED loads, independent of a phase-cut dimmer applied to the AC mains feeding a DC power supply. The power supply is active dependent upon the duration of a conduction angle supplied from the dimmer The power supply, however, produces drive currents that are independent from the conduction angle by using a two-stage power supply and a relatively slow and fast control loops that are controlled through a microprocessor-based control circuit. Parameters stored in the control circuit are drawn by the microprocessor to control the two-stage power supply to produce the drive currents independent and decoupled from the conduction angle yet dependent on the controller parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Jason E. Lewis, Ryan Matthew Bocock
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Patent number: D1024984Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Nicholas R. Baer, Jason C. Killo, Noel Mayo, Sean R. Pearson
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Patent number: D1025097Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Prashant Chaturvedi, Rhythm Agarwal, Karelys Alfonzo, Gregory Altonen, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Shenchi Tian