Patents by Inventor Matthew Philip McDonald
Matthew Philip McDonald 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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Patent number: 11805589Abstract: A control device may have a plurality of buttons that may be backlit to multiple levels, such as first, second, and third adjacent buttons positioned in order, and first, second, and third LEDs positioned to illuminate a respective button. The control device may be configured to illuminate the first LED to a first LED illumination intensity to illuminate the respective button to a first surface illumination intensity; illuminate the third LED to a second LED illumination intensity to illuminate the respective button to a second surface illumination intensity; and illuminate the second LED to a third LED illumination intensity to illuminate the respective button to the second surface illumination intensity. The third LED illumination intensity may be less than the second LED illumination intensity, which may be less than the first LED illumination intensity, and the second surface illumination intensity may be less than the first surface illumination intensity.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell, Jason C. Killo
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Patent number: 11804339Abstract: A control device may be configured to control one or more electrical loads in a load control system. The control device may be a wall-mounted device such as dimmer switch, a remote control device, or a retrofit remote control device. The control device may include a gesture-based user interface for applying advanced control over the one or more electrical loads. The types of control may include absolute and relative control, intensity and color control, preset, zone, or operational mode selection, etc. Feedback may be provided on the control device regarding a status of the one or more electrical loads or the control device.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20230345594Abstract: A control device may comprise a plurality of buttons, a plurality of light sources located behind the respective buttons and configured to illuminate the buttons, a light detector circuit configured to measure an ambient light level around the control device, and/or a control circuit configured to control the light sources to adjust surface illumination intensities of the respective buttons in response to the measured ambient light level. Each button may comprise indicia indicating a function of the button. The control circuit set the first button as active and the second button as inactive in response to an actuation of the first button. The control circuit may, based on the measured ambient light level, control the light sources to illuminate the first button to an active surface illumination intensity, and to illuminate the second button to an inactive surface illumination intensity that is less than the active surface illumination intensity.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Daniel L. Twaddell, Matthew Philip McDonald, Jason C. Killo, Jonathan Robert Quayle
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Patent number: 11798403Abstract: A remote control device having capacitive touch controls may be configured to enter a sleep state (or mode). For example, the remote control device may be configured to enter the sleep state upon expiration of an interval of time since a most recent button press. The remote control may be configured to awaken from the sleep state when one or more portions of a housing of the remote control are deflected, for example, when a user grasps the remote control to actuate one or more of the capacitive touch controls. For example, the remote control device may include a switch. The switch may include a carbon structure that may be configured to contact an open circuit pad on a circuit board to close the corresponding circuit when the housing is deflected and awaken the remote control device from the sleep state.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2022Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Timothy Mann, Matthew Philip McDonald, Lawrence R. Carmen, Jr., Robert D. Stevens, Jr.
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Patent number: 11765800Abstract: A battery-powered control device may be configured to control an amount of power delivered to one or more electrical loads and provide various feedback associated with the control device and/or the electrical loads. The feedback may indicate a low battery condition and/or the amount of power delivered to the one or more electrical loads. The control device may include a light bar and/or one or more indicator lights for providing the feedback. The control device may operate in different modes including a normal mode and a low battery mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20230267826Abstract: A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device. The remote control device may include a base portion and a rotating portion supported by the base portion so as to be rotatable about the base portion. The remote control device may include a control circuit, a wireless communication circuit, and a rotary encoder circuit. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into input signals, and to operate as an antenna of the remote control device. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to provide the input signals to the control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to translate the one or more input signals into control signals for transmission to the load control device via the wireless communication circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: 11729873Abstract: A control device may comprise a plurality of buttons, a plurality of light sources located behind the respective buttons and configured to illuminate the buttons, a light detector circuit configured to measure an ambient light level around the control device, and/or a control circuit configured to control the light sources to adjust surface illumination intensities of the respective buttons in response to the measured ambient light level. Each button may comprise indicia indicating a function of the button. The control circuit set the first button as active and the second button as inactive in response to an actuation of the first button. The control circuit may, based on the measured ambient light level, control the light sources to illuminate the first button to an active surface illumination intensity, and to illuminate the second button to an inactive surface illumination intensity that is less than the active surface illumination intensity.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Daniel L. Twaddell, Matthew Philip McDonald, Jason C. Killo, Jonathan Robert Quayle
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Publication number: 20230238194Abstract: A remote control device is provided that is configured for use in a load control system that includes one or more electrical loads. The remote control device includes a mounting structure and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to be attached to the mounting structure in a plurality of different orientations. The control unit includes a user interface, an orientation sensing circuit, and a communication circuit. The control unit is configured to determine an orientation of the control unit via the orientation sensing circuit. The control unit is also configured to translate a user input from the user interface into control data to control an electrical load of the load control system based on the orientation of the control unit and/or provide a visual indication of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load based on the orientation of the control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Alexander Wade Gage, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20230223210Abstract: A mounting frame may be configured as a self-adjusting mounting frame that biases itself against a surface of structure. The mounting frame may be a component, for example, of a remote control device or a faceplate assembly. The mounting frame may be configured to bias a rear surface of the mounting frame against the surface of a structure. The mounting frame may include biasing members. Each biasing member may include an attachment portion and a pair of resilient spring arms that suspend the attachment portion relative to a perimeter wall of the mounting frame such that the attachment portion is spaced further from the rear surface of the mounting frame than locations where the spring arms extend from the mounting frame. The rear surface of the mounting frame may be defined by the perimeter wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Publication number: 20230189412Abstract: A control device may be configured to control an amount of power delivered to one or more electrical loads and provide various feedback associated with the control device and/or the electrical loads. The control device may be a wall-mounted device or a battery-powered remote control device. The feedback may indicate the amount of power delivered to the one or more electrical loads. The feedback may also indicate a low battery condition. The control device may include a light bar and/or one or more indicator lights for providing the feedback.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Patent number: 11657702Abstract: A remote control device may be configured to be mounted over the toggle actuator of a light switch and to control a load control device. The remote control device may include a base portion and a rotating portion supported by the base portion so as to be rotatable about the base portion. The remote control device may include a control circuit, a wireless communication circuit, and a rotary encoder circuit. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to translate a force applied to the rotating portion into input signals, and to operate as an antenna of the remote control device. The rotary encoder circuit may be configured to provide the input signals to the control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to translate the one or more input signals into control signals for transmission to the load control device via the wireless communication circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: 11646166Abstract: A remote control device is provided that is configured for use in a load control system that includes one or more electrical loads. The remote control device includes a mounting structure and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to be attached to the mounting structure in a plurality of different orientations. The control unit includes a user interface, an orientation sensing circuit, and a communication circuit. The control unit is configured to determine an orientation of the control unit via the orientation sensing circuit. The control unit is also configured to translate a user input from the user interface into control data to control an electrical load of the load control system based on the orientation of the control unit and/or provide a visual indication of an amount of power delivered to the electrical load based on the orientation of the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Alexander Wade Gage, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Publication number: 20230133984Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Quinn Brogan, Graham L. Christensen, Chris Dimberg, Jonathan H. Ference, Matthew V. Harte, Matthew Philip McDonald, Dinesh Sundara Moorthy, Matthew W. Nuhfer, Michael W. Pessina, James P. Steiner, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Patent number: 11626261Abstract: A mounting frame may be configured as a self-adjusting mounting frame that biases itself against a surface of structure. The mounting frame may be a component, for example, of a remote control device or a faceplate assembly. The mounting frame may be configured to bias a rear surface of the mounting frame against the surface of a structure. The mounting frame may include biasing members. Each biasing member may include an attachment portion and a pair of resilient spring arms that suspend the attachment portion relative to a perimeter wall of the mounting frame such that the attachment portion is spaced further from the rear surface of the mounting frame than locations where the spring arms extend from the mounting frame. The rear surface of the mounting frame may be defined by the perimeter wall.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company, LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: D995452Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Chris Dimberg, Susan Hakkarainen, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Noel Mayo, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: D1001751Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Susan Hakkarainen, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: D1001752Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Susan Hakkarainen, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Noel Mayo, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: D1003258Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Chris Dimberg, Jason C. Killo, Brad Michael Kreschollek, Matthew Philip McDonald
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Patent number: D1003841Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Chris Dimberg, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Gregory M. Snyder, Daniel L. Twaddell
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Patent number: D1005244Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Gregory Altonen, Chris Dimberg, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell