Patents Assigned to Lutron Technology Company LLC
  • Patent number: 11920780
    Abstract: 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, depending on whether glare control is not needed, the exit surface of the lens. Lunes can also be configured on the sidewall surfaces of the cylindrical opening and if lessening glare is needed, also on the TIR outer reflective surface. The combination of lunes, diffusion elements, and the overall configuration of the lens provides improved color mixing and output brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: Fangxu Dong
  • Patent number: 11923596
    Abstract: A controllable electrical outlet may comprise a resonant loop antenna. The resonant loop antenna may comprise a feed loop electrically coupled to a radio-frequency (RF) communication circuit and a main loop magnetically coupled to the feed loop. The controllable electrical outlet may comprise one or more electrical receptacles configured to receive a plug of a plug-in electrical load and may be configured to control power delivered to the plug-in electrical load in response to an RF signal received via the RF communication circuit. The RF performance of the controllable electrical outlet may be substantially immune to devices plugged into the receptacles (e.g., plugs, power supplies, etc.) due to the operation of the resonant loop antenna. For example, degradation of the RF performance of the controllable electrical outlet may be less when the controllable electrical outlet includes the resonant loop antenna rather than other types of antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bollinger, Jr., Dragan Veskovic
  • Patent number: 11924932
    Abstract: A load control device may be configured to control an electrical load, such as a lighting load. The load control device may include a first terminal adapted to be coupled to an alternating-current (AC) power source, and a second terminal adapted to be coupled to the electrical load. The load control device may include a bidirectional semiconductor switch, a filter circuit, and a control circuit. The bidirectional semiconductor switch may be coupled in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, and be configured to provide a phase-control voltage to the electrical load. The filter circuit may be coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal. The control circuit may be configured to render the bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive to control an amount of power delivered to the electrical load, and be configured to adjust the impedance and/or filtering characteristics of the filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: Robert C. Newman, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20240072711
    Abstract: A wall-mountable load control device may include an illuminated rotary knob for providing a nightlight feature. The load control device may be configured to control an intensity of a lighting load. The load control device may include a yoke adapted to be mounted to an electrical wall box, an enclosure attached to the yoke, a faceplate attached to the yoke and having an opening, a mounting member attached to the yoke, and/or a potentiometer located within the enclosure and having a shaft extending through an opening in the yoke and the opening of the faceplate. The load control device may include a collar attached to the boss of the mounting member and surrounding the shaft of the potentiometer. The mounting member may be configured to conduct light from at least one light source housed within the enclosure to illuminate the faceplate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Altonen, Nikhil V. Bhate, Chris Dimberg, Matthew P. McDonald, Rebecca Michalski
  • Patent number: 11917513
    Abstract: A load control system may include one or more wireless control devices that may be associated via a programming device. An identifier for a first wireless control device may be determined in response to an actuation of a button on the first wireless control device. An association between the first wireless control device and a second wireless control device may be defined at the programming device. The identifier for the first wireless control device may be transmitted to the second wireless control device, which may cause the first wireless control device to enter a sleep mode. The first wireless control device may enter the sleep mode after an actuation of a button on the first wireless control device. The identifier may be determined in response to the actuation of the button on the first wireless control device and/or prior to the first wireless control device entering the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Mann
  • Patent number: 11915580
    Abstract: A wireless control device may include a housing, a yoke, an antenna, a communication circuit, and a control circuit. The yoke may be electrically conductive and be configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox. The antenna may be configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals. The antenna may be a slot antenna. The communication circuit may be configured to transmit and receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna, and the control circuit may be responsive to the communication circuit (e.g., the signals received via the communication circuit). The control device may also include a conductive component that is attached to a front surface of the housing. For example, the conductive component may be electrically connected to the yoke via a single electrical connection (e.g., a screw). Further, the conductive component may be parallel with the antenna and configured to be capacitively coupled to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William T. Shivell, Amy E. Yanek
  • Patent number: 11917739
    Abstract: A linear lighting device may include an elongated housing that defines a cavity. The linear lighting device may include plurality of emitter printed circuit boards configured to be received within the cavity. Each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards may include a plurality of emitter modules mounted thereto. Each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards may include a control circuit configured to control the plurality of emitter modules mounted to the respective emitter printed circuit board based on receipt of one or more messages. The linear lighting device may include a total internal reflection lens for each of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards. The total internal reflection lens may be configured to diffuse light emitted by the emitter modules of the plurality of emitter printed circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Ryan M. Bocock, Fangxu Dong, Ari L. Fox, Christopher M. Green, Peter W. Ogden, Jr., Stephen Phillips, Jonathan R. Redus, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
  • Patent number: 11915581
    Abstract: A system and method are provided herein for communicating with and controlling various devices using visible light communication (VLC). According to one embodiment, a method is provided for extending a communication range of a VLC system comprising a plurality of controlled devices and a remote-control device. Such a method may include, for example, transmitting a communication message from a remote-control device to a first controlled device located within range of the remote-control device, wherein the communication message is transmitted through free space using visible light, and extending the communication range of the VLC system to a second controlled device, which is located outside of the range of the remote-control device, by using the first controlled device to retransmit the communication message through free space using visible light to the second controlled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: David J. Knapp, Horace C. Ho
  • Publication number: 20240063526
    Abstract: A control module attached to a lighting fixture and having a front cover portion may comprise one or more sensors, such as a daylight and/or occupancy sensor, for sensing information through the front cover portion. The control module may have a main printed circuit board (PCB) that extends from a front side to a rear side of the control module, and a sensor PCB perpendicular to the main PCB to enable at least one sensor attached to the sensor PCB to face the front side of the control module. The main PCB may comprise a wireless communication circuit and an antenna for communicating radio frequency (RF) signals, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is located within a plastic lip of the front cover portion of the control module. The control module may further have a conductive enclosure to reduce radio-frequency interference noise from coupling into the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Sean R. Pearson, Nicholas R. Baer, Angelo Caruso, Thomas E. Hibshman, Kevin L. Gascho, Robert Bollinger, JR., Richard S. Camden
  • Publication number: 20240064881
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load may comprise a thyristor, a gate current path, and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to control the gate current path to conduct a pulse of gate current through a gate terminal of the thyristor to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half-cycle of the AC power source. The control circuit may operate in a first gate drive mode in which the control circuit renders the gate current path non-conductive after a pulse time period from the firing time. The control circuit may operate in a second gate drive mode in which the control circuit maintains the gate current path conductive after the pulse time period during the half-cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Russell L. MacAdam, Joseph T. Parent, Russell Weightman
  • Patent number: 11907774
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for swapping or changing between stacks associated with respective applications when one application calls the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Nathan B. Elsishans, Francois Carouge
  • Patent number: 11908638
    Abstract: An illumination system and method are disclosed for maintaining a consistent change in illumination value among a group of illumination devices whenever a change command is manually sent from a keypad to those illumination devices. The consistent change results from maintaining a common start illumination value among not only the group, but also the keypad which controls the group. From the start illumination value, the keypad can then compute an end illumination value depending upon the amount of time that an increase or decrease in illumination value button is depressed and held. Since the change command can arrive at different illumination devices within the group depending upon where each illumination device is geographically located, a masking time is reserved after the button is released so that enough time is allocated for each of the illumination devices within that group to arrive at a common end illumination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Mark Quilling, Rebecca Frank, Kenneth Priester
  • Patent number: 11910508
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Mark S. Taipale, Timothy P. Gredler, Akshay Bhat
  • Patent number: 11909204
    Abstract: A control system may include a direct-current (DC) power bus for charging (e.g., trickle charging) internal energy storage elements in control devices of the control system. For example, the control devices may be motorized window treatments configured to adjust a position of a covering material to control the amount of daylight entering a space. The system may include a DC power supply that may generate a DC voltage on the DC power bus. For example, the DC power bus may extend from the DC power supply around the perimeter of a floor of the building and may be connected to all of the motorized window treatments on the floor (e.g., in a daisy-chain configuration). Wiring the DC power bus in such a manner may dramatically reduce the installation labor and wiring costs of an installation, as well as decreasing the chance of a miswire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. Blair, Joseph R. Parks, John H. Bull, Samuel F. Chambers, Stuart W. DeJonge
  • Patent number: 11907038
    Abstract: A temperature control device (e.g., a thermostat) may be configured to control an internal heat-generating electrical load so as to accurately measure a present temperature in a space around the temperature control device. The temperature control device may comprise a temperature sensing circuit configured to generate a temperature control signal indicating the present temperature in the space, and a control circuit configured to receive the temperature control signal and to control the internal electrical load. The control circuit may be configured to energize the internal electrical load in an awake state and to cause the internal electrical load to consume less power in an idle state. The control circuit may be configured to control the internal electrical load to a first energy level (e.g., a first intensity) during the awake state and to a second energy level (e.g., second intensity) that is less than the first during the idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jason C. Killo, Donald R. Mosebrook, James P. Steiner
  • Patent number: 11906611
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: James P. Steiner
  • Publication number: 20240057242
    Abstract: A device may detect a power removal event, determine whether the power removal event is a local power removal event or a system power removal event, and perform state correction. For example, the device may receive an indication of a state change event turning on the lighting device. The indication may be received from a sensor. For example, the sensor may include a photosensing circuit (e.g., capable of detecting light emission from the lighting device) or the sensor may include a live voltage sensor (e.g., capable of detecting a change in current driven to the lighting device). The device may then determine whether the power removal event is a system power removal event or a local power removal event. If the device determines that the power removal event is a system power removal event, the device may perform state correction (e.g., setting the lighting device to its state prior to the power removal event).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Ankit Bhutani, Matthew Knauss, Timothy Mann, Michael W. Pessina, David T. Saveri, III, Matthew J. Swatsky
  • Patent number: 11900650
    Abstract: A sensor and/or system controller may process an image multiple times at multiple resolutions to detect glare conditions. A glare condition threshold used to determine whether a glare condition exists may be based on the resolution of the image. When the resolution of the image is higher, the glare condition threshold may be higher. The sensor and/or system controller may organize one or more adjacent pixels having similar intensities into pixel groups. The pixel groups may vary in size and/or shape. The sensor and/or system controller may determine a representative group luminance for the pixel group (e.g., an average luminance of the pixels in the group). The sensor and/or system controller may determine a group glare condition threshold, which may be used to determine whether a glare condition exists for the group of pixels and/or may be based on the size of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Craig Alan Casey, Brent Protzman
  • Patent number: 11901139
    Abstract: A remote control device may control electrical loads and/or load control devices of a load control system without accessing electrical wiring. The remote control device may be configured to be mounted over an installed mechanical switch having a paddle actuator and may include a base and a control unit that is configured to be removably attached to the base. The base may include a frame, a clamp arm, a screw, and/or a sleeve. The clamp arm may be configured to secure the base to a protruding portion of the paddle actuator. The clamp arm may be attached to the frame at a pivot joint. The clamp arm may be configured to pivot about the pivot joint. The pivot joint may be located proximate to an endpoint or a midpoint of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: William Taylor Shivell
  • Publication number: 20240047157
    Abstract: A remote control device my comprise a control unit and a mounting structure (e.g., a smart mounting structure) to which the control unit is configured to be mounted. The control unit may be configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes. The control unit may transmit a first message for controlling a first electrical load when the control unit is operating in a first operating mode and a second message for controlling a second electrical load when the control unit is operating in a second operating mode. When the control unit is mounted to the mounting unit, the mounting unit may transmit a third message to the first control circuit of the control unit in response to receiving a user input received via an input circuit of the control unit. The control unit may change between the plurality of operating modes in response to receiving the third message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Matthew P. McDonald, Robert C. Newman, Jr., Daniel L. Twaddell