Patents by Inventor John H. Bull
John H. Bull has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20190288554Abstract: A load control system may include control devices capable of being associated with each other at one or more locations for performing load control. Control devices may include control-source devices and/or control-target devices. A location beacon may be discovered and a unique identifier in the location beacon may be associated with a unique identifier of one or more control devices. Upon subsequent discovery of the location beacon, the associated load control devices may be controlled. The beacons may be communicated via radio frequency signals, visible light communication, and/or audio signals. The visible light communication may be used to communicate other types of information to devices in the load control system. The visible light communication may be used to identify link addresses for communicating with load control devices, load control instructions, load control configuration instructions, network communication information, and/or the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2018Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, John H. Bull, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, David J. Dolan, Jason Groller, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Miguel Aguado Pelaez, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Patent number: 10098074Abstract: A load control system may include control devices capable of being associated with each other at one or more locations for performing load control. Control devices may include control-source devices and/or control-target devices. A location beacon may be discovered and a unique identifier in the location beacon may be associated with a unique identifier of one or more control devices. Upon subsequent discovery of the location beacon, the associated load control devices may be controlled. The beacons may be communicated via radio frequency signals, visible light communication, and/or audio signals. The visible light communication may be used to communicate other types of information to devices in the load control system. The visible light communication may be used to identify link addresses for communicating with load control devices, load control instructions, load control configuration instructions, network communication information, and/or the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONIC CO., INC.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, John H. Bull, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, David J. Dolan, Jason Groller, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Miguel Aguado Pelaez, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20180241587Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for using one or more gateway systems for integrating multiple load control systems running multiple versions of software such that the load control systems may appear to a user and be controlled by the user as a unified load control system. Gateways that manage or have managed the same resource may be organized into a Gateway Group. Gateway Groups names may be used for prefix attachment to facilitate routing. For example, a Composite Gateway may receive a request associated with a resource from a user. The Composite Gateway may determine which Gateway actively manages that resource and/or is the Gateway is a member of a Gateway Group. The composite Gateway may then apply one or more policies to facilitate the request. For example, if the Composite Gateway receives an information request, it may apply an authorization policy, a routing policy, and/or an aggregation policy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: John H. Bull, Ram K. Prasad
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Publication number: 20180238579Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for using one or more gateway systems for integrating multiple load control systems such that the load control systems may appear to a user and be controlled by the user as a unified load control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2018Publication date: August 23, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: John H. Bull, Ram K. Prasad
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Publication number: 20180198893Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load may include a controllably conductive device. The apparatus may also include a first wireless communication circuit that may be operable to communicate on a first wireless communication network via a first protocol and the first communication circuit may be in communication with the controller. The apparatus may also include a second communication circuit that may be operable to communicate on a second communication network via a second protocol. The controller may be further operable to control the first wireless communication circuit to communicate configuration data with the first wireless communication network via the first protocol. The controller may also be operable to control the second wireless communication circuit to communicate operational data with the second communication network via the second protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Lawrence R. Carmen, John H. Bull
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Publication number: 20170179762Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Timothy S. Majewski, Christopher Buck, Daniel Vander Valk, John H. Bull, Joel S. Spira
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Publication number: 20170133878Abstract: A load control system may include multiple control devices that may send load control messages to load control devices for controlling an amount of power provided electrical loads. To prevent collision of the load control messages, the load control messages may be transmitted using different wireless communication channels. Each wireless communication channel may be assigned to a load control group that may include control devices and load control devices capable of communicating with one another on the assigned channel. A control device may send load control messages to a load control device within a transmission frame allocated for transmitting load control messages. The transmission frame may include equal sub-frames and load control messages may be sent at a random time within each sub-frame. Control devices may detect a status event within a sampling interval to offset transmissions from multiple control devices based on detection of the same event.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2017Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: John H. Bull, Jordan H. Crafts, James P. Steiner
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Patent number: 9590453Abstract: A load control system may include multiple control devices that may send load control messages to load control devices for controlling an amount of power provided electrical loads. To prevent collision of the load control messages, the load control messages may be transmitted using different wireless communication channels. Each wireless communication channel may be assigned to a load control group that may include control devices and load control devices capable of communicating with one another on the assigned channel. A control device may send load control messages to a load control device within a transmission frame allocated for transmitting load control messages. The transmission frame may include equal sub-frames and load control messages may be sent at a random time within each sub-frame. Control devices may detect a status event within a sampling interval to offset transmissions from multiple control devices based on detection of the same event.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventors: John H. Bull, Jordan H. Crafts, James P. Steiner
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Publication number: 20170041886Abstract: A load control system may include control devices capable of being associated with each other at one or more locations for performing load control. Control devices may include control-source devices and/or control-target devices. A location beacon may be discovered and a unique identifier in the location beacon may be associated with a unique identifier of one or more control devices. Upon subsequent discovery of the location beacon, the associated load control devices may be controlled. The beacons may be communicated via radio frequency signals, visible light communication, and/or audio signals. The visible light communication may be used to communicate other types of information to devices in the load control system. The visible light communication may be used to identify link addresses for communicating with load control devices, load control instructions, load control configuration instructions, network communication information, and/or the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, John H. Bull, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, David J. Dolan, Jason Groller, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Miguel Aguado Pelaez, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20160322817Abstract: A load control system may comprise an electrical load control device and/or a computing device. The electrical load control device may control, for example, motorized window treatments (e.g., shades), lighting controls, and/or sensors (e.g., occupancy, radio window, daylight, etc.). For example, a load control device comprising a motorized window treatment may control the position of a covering material in the window treatment. The computing device may comprise a processor and/or a graphical user interface (GUI). The computing device may be a server and/or a user device, such as a wireless user device (e.g., a cellular phone, tablet, or laptop computer). The computing device may be configured to provide graphical representations that may be displayed on a GUI based on load control information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull
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Publication number: 20160056629Abstract: A load control system may control an electrical load in a space of a building occupied by an occupant. The load control system may include a controller configured to determine the location of the occupant, and a load control device configured to automatically control the electrical load in response to the location of the occupant. The load control system may also include a mobile device adapted to be located on or immediately adjacent the occupant and configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The load control device may be configured to automatically control the electrical load when the mobile device is located in the space. The load control system may further comprise an occupancy sensor and the load control device may automatically control the electrical load when the occupancy sensor indicates that the space is occupied and the mobile device is located in the space.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull, William Bryce Fricke, Jason C. Killo, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Sean R. Pearson, James Mathias Weber, Daniel L. Twaddell, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Timothy Mann, Sriram Gopalakrishnan, Jeffrey Karc, Greg Edward Sloan
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Publication number: 20150015377Abstract: A load control system may include multiple control devices that may send load control messages to load control devices for controlling an amount of power provided electrical loads. To prevent collision of the load control messages, the load control messages may be transmitted using different wireless communication channels. Each wireless communication channel may be assigned to a load control group that may include control devices and load control devices capable of communicating with one another on the assigned channel. A control device may send load control messages to a load control device within a transmission frame allocated for transmitting load control messages. The transmission frame may include equal sub-frames and load control messages may be sent at a random time within each sub-frame. Control devices may detect a status event within a sampling interval to offset transmissions from multiple control devices based on detection of the same event.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: John H. Bull, Jordan H. Crafts, James P. Steiner
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Patent number: 8842008Abstract: A multi-modal load control system includes a sensor that operates as an occupancy sensor in a first mode of operation and operates as a vacancy sensor in a second mode of operation. The load control system comprises a load control circuit coupled in series between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load in response to sensor, which is operable to detect occupancy or vacancy conditions in a space in which the sensor is located. In the first mode, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition and turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition. In the second mode, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2013Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: John H. Bull
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Publication number: 20140282172Abstract: A system for displaying the consumption of electrical energy by an electrical energy consumer in a graphical format. An amount of electrical energy saved is the difference between a reference amount of the electrical energy capable of being consumed by the consumer and an actual amount of the electrical energy consumed by the consumer, wherein the reference amount is determined either from a peak amount of power consumed during a preset window of time during which the consumer utilizes electrical energy, or by an average amount of power consumed during the preset time window. A visual display provides an electronic representation of the amount of the electrical energy consumed and the amount of the electrical energy saved in a graphical format.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS, CO., INC.Inventors: John H. Bull, Timothy S. Majewski
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Patent number: 8665090Abstract: A multi-modal load control system includes a sensor that operates as an occupancy sensor in a first mode of operation and operates as a vacancy sensor in a second mode of operation. The load control system comprises a load control circuit adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load in response to sensor, which is operable to detect occupancy or vacancy conditions in a space in which the sensor is located. In the first mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition and turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition. In the second mode of operation, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: John H. Bull
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Publication number: 20130285472Abstract: A multi-modal load control system includes a sensor that operates as an occupancy sensor in a first mode of operation and operates as a vacancy sensor in a second mode of operation. The load control system comprises a load control circuit coupled in series between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load in response to sensor, which is operable to detect occupancy or vacancy conditions in a space in which the sensor is located. In the first mode, the load control circuit turns the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition and turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition. In the second mode, the load control circuit turns the load off when the sensor detects the vacancy condition and does not turn the load on when the sensor detects the occupancy condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2013Publication date: October 31, 2013Inventor: John H. Bull
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Patent number: 8536984Abstract: The present invention relates to a semi-automatic method of replacing a ballast within a lighting control system, such that the new replacement ballast can operate in the same manner as the ballast that was replaced. If multiple ballasts in a lighting control system are removed from the system and multiple new ballasts are installed to replace those ballasts, any operational configurations such as group configurations or area information associated with each removed (missing) ballast must be assigned to the proper new replacement ballast. The semi-automatic replacement method relies upon the operational configurations of the removed ballast to help a user identify which new ballast should replace each missing ballast.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Frank H. Benetz, John H. Bull, Thomas Richard Hinds, William H. Howe
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Patent number: D794669Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull, Erica L. Clymer, Sanjeev Kumar, Jennifer Wong
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Patent number: D820862Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Karelys Alfonzo, Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull, Erica L. Clymer, Sanjeev Kumar, Aaron Peters, Rahul Subramany, Shannon M. Sullivan
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Patent number: D826975Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull, Erica L. Clymer, Sanjeev Kumar, Jennifer Wong