Patents Assigned to Leviton Manufacturing Co.
  • Publication number: 20230072486
    Abstract: Operating an electrical load controller includes, in one aspect, detecting zero-crossings of an AC waveform, determining periods each corresponding to a full cycle of the AC waveform, determining a frequency of the AC waveform based on the determined periods, and controlling a supply of AC power to a load based thereon using the determined frequency to fire a switching circuit of the electrical load controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Anthony YOKUM, Ronald James GUMINA
  • Patent number: 11595186
    Abstract: Techniques for securely controlling multiple lighting devices simultaneously with a lighting control device are disclosed. Command messages may be transmitted from the lighting control device to multiple lighting devices over a computer network without routing through a remote cloud service. The messages may be encrypted and may include an incremented sequence number. Lighting devices that receive a command message may compare the incremented sequence number to a previously stored sequence number corresponding to the lighting control device. If the incremented sequence number is greater than the stored sequence number, then a lighting device may determine the message was transmitted by an authorized lighting control device and may implement any command instruction included therein. If the incremented sequence number is equal to or less than the stored sequence number, then the lighting device may determine the command message was transmitted by a malicious source and may ignore the command message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ard, Brian Yokum, Frederick J. Hebert, Jr., Ronald J. Gumina, James Shurte
  • Patent number: 11594950
    Abstract: An AC-DC power supply receives input AC power and outputs DC power. The converter includes a high power factor bridge rectifier, a barrier circuit with resistor(s) and capacitor(s), and a step-down switching DC-DC converter to step-down a first DC voltage to a second, lower, DC voltage for output. Additionally, fault-protection is provided by redundancy in diodes on diode legs of a bridge rectifier and capacitor(s) of a filter circuit thereof, and a fault-protection circuit to sense current from a step-down switching DC-DC converter, a first voltage from the step-down switching DC-DC converter, and/or a second voltage at an output of the step-down switching DC-DC converter, and open the circuit on a fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventor: Wen Shi
  • Publication number: 20230050425
    Abstract: A wiring device includes a line input terminal configured to couple to a source of alternating current (AC) power and a charging circuit having an induction coil to propagate a magnetic charging field to emanate from the wiring device. The wiring device can be provided individually or in a kit with a wall plate configured for covering the wiring device. Magnet(s) can be provided proximate a front face of a housing of the wiring device, and/or included in/on a wall plate, to magnetically attract an electronic device when the electronic device is positioned proximate the front face. Such wall plates can be provided individually without a wiring device. Additionally or alternatively, a wall plate with or without magnets can include a shelf protruding from a bottom portion thereof, the shelf configured to support an electronic device in position of a front face of a housing of a wiring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle COHEN, Melissa Ann CINELLI, William RANDALL
  • Patent number: 11576040
    Abstract: A wireless enabled lighting device having the ability to retrieve credentials for a primary wireless LAN from another previously configured wireless enabled lighting device is disclosed. After installation, the lighting device may be instructed to join a secondary wireless network temporarily provided by the previously configured lighting device. Once connected to the secondary wireless network, the lighting device may be provided the credentials for the primary wireless LAN from the previously installed device. The lighting device may then join the primary wireless LAN based on the provided credentials and may automatically initiate enrollment with a remote cloud service. After enrollment, the lighting device may be instructed to operate as an access point for the secondary wireless network, thereby allowing a subsequently installed lighting device to retrieve the credentials for the primary wireless LAN from the newly enrolled lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ard, James Shurte
  • Publication number: 20230018632
    Abstract: An occupancy sensor device may comprise a lens having a rated focal length, the lens to refract infrared radiation to converge at a point at the rated focal length; a passive infrared (PIR) sensor comprising detecting elements; and a body coupled with the lens and the PIR sensor to fix a distance between the lens and the PIR sensor, wherein the distance is less than a rated focal length of the lens and between the rated focal length of the lens and the lens, and the detecting elements of the PIR sensor are positioned to capture infrared radiation refracted by the lens. Some embodiments comprise a PIR sensor comprising an exposure area to capture infrared radiation incident to the exposure area; the PIR sensor comprising a first circuit board and a second circuit board coupled with the PIR sensor, the second circuit board perpendicular to the first circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Vikas Asthana, Yuming Qin, Raman Nair Harish Gopala Pillai
  • Patent number: 11545327
    Abstract: Multi-pole and single-pole circuit breakers include a housing and a reset lockout mechanism disposed within the housing. The reset lockout mechanism disables electrical communication between line and load terminals of the circuit breaker if a predefined condition exists. Some circuit breakers include a single actuator, transition between ON and OFF states, and are capable of performing test functions. The test functions may involve testing AFCI and/or GFCI functions of the circuit breakers. The test functions may be performed when the circuit breaker transitions from an OFF state to an ON state. Some circuit breakers including a reset lockout mechanism may be powered only on its line side. Some circuit breakers provide an electrical indication when they are in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ostrovsky, Michael Kamor, Alfred J. Lombardi, Adam Kevelos, James Bugryn
  • Patent number: 11545315
    Abstract: An electrical device such as, for example, an electrical switch is disclosed. The switch being arranged and configured to prevent ingress or intrusion of water, dust, or the like from the external environment thus making the switch particularly suitable for use outdoors or indoors where water and dust are expected. In one embodiment, the switch includes a base or housing, an internal actuator positioned within an internal cavity of the base, an external actuator accessible by a user, a barrier layer positioned between the internal actuator and the external actuator, the barrier layer arranged and configured to seal the internal cavity and the internal actuator, and a magnetic coupling arranged and configured to transfer movement of the external actuator to the internal actuator through the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Aaron, Michael Kamor
  • Publication number: 20220394835
    Abstract: Timing adjustment for accurate zero-crossing determination includes obtaining time offset(s) representing amounts of time between (i) zero-crossings of an input signal waveform, representative of an input AC waveform, input to a zero-crossing detector circuit and (ii) corresponding transitions of an output signal from an output of the circuit to a microcontroller, and determining times of the zero-crossings of the input AC waveform, which includes determining times of the corresponding transitions as detected by the microcontroller and adjusting the determined times using the time offset(s) to produce the times of the zero-crossings of the input AC waveform. In another aspect, input AC frequency is determined by determining pulse width(s) of pulse(s) of the output signal, and adjusting a half-cycle time corresponding to the pulse width(s) using the time offset(s) to provide a duration of half-cycles of the input AC waveform and inform a frequency of the input AC waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Anthony YOKUM, Ronald James GUMINA
  • Patent number: 11515665
    Abstract: An electrical pin and sleeve device is disclosed. The pin and sleeve device incorporating one or more features to facilitate easier assembly. For example, the pin and sleeve device may include an interrupted thread or a multi-start thread for coupling a first or main housing portion to a second or front housing portion of the device. In this manner, the outer housing can be assembled together with minimal number of turns to facilitate easier and faster assembly. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the front housing portion and the main housing portion may include a key such as, for example, a releasable lock (e.g., a spring plunger assembly) for indexing/indicating the proper rotational position of the front housing relative to the main housing to limit or prevent over-rotation. Additionally, and/or alternatively, a hollow O-ring may be positioned between the first and second housing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Amit Pai, Gaurav Surana, Robert Cannetti
  • Patent number: 11515779
    Abstract: Operating an electrical load controller includes, in one aspect, detecting zero-crossings of an AC waveform, determining periods each corresponding to a full cycle of the AC waveform, determining a frequency of the AC waveform based on the determined periods, and controlling a supply of AC power to a load based thereon using the determined frequency to fire a switching circuit of the electrical load controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Brian Anthony Yokum, Ronald James Gumina
  • Patent number: 11513764
    Abstract: A wireless enabled load control device having integrated voice control is disclosed. The load control device may be connected to a variety of local and remote devices, including lighting devices and smart appliances, as well as various cloud service platforms. The load control device may receive a voice command from a user. The load control device may transmit the voice command to a first cloud service platform for processing to determine an instruction included in the voice command. The determined instruction may be provided to a second cloud service platform connected to the first cloud service platform. The first and second cloud service platforms may be connected to a device to be controlled based on the voice command. The cloud service platforms can adjust an operation of the device based on the determined instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Ard, James Shurte, Thomas M. Morgan, Ronald J. Gumina
  • Publication number: 20220336972
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to wire terminals and/or termination mechanisms arranged and configured for use with a wiring device The wire terminals may be used in any suitable line-voltage wiring device. The wire terminals are arranged and configured to selectively receive a distal end of a wire therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Michael Kamor, Kelly Tyler, Stanley Mayer, William Grande, William Randall
  • Patent number: 11476623
    Abstract: An electrical contact suitable for use within data connectivity applications in which both power and data are conveyed over the same pair of conductors is configured with a staggered profile geometry that isolates the location of high-current disconnects while maintaining a surface that remains free of electrical arcing and erosion. The electrical contact is designed with two points of contact, and the staggered geometry ensures that only one of the two points of contact is exposed to electrical arcing when the connector is disconnected while under power, thereby protecting the other point of contact from arc-related surface damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R Bragg, Ross Goldman
  • Patent number: 11464096
    Abstract: A zero-crossing detection method, and devices incorporating the method, enable a selectively enabled bias to pull-up a zero-crossing signal, thereby enabling monitoring of the zero-crossing of both half-cycles of the alternating current (AC). This improves synchronization of the device in noisy environments and enables the detection of dimming problems during either half-cycle. Aspects can detect improper dimmer firing events on either polarity of the power cycle and restore normal dimmer operations when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Michael Ostrovsky, Ozgur Keser
  • Patent number: 11456138
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is a fault interrupter device comprising at least one sensor comprising at least one first transformer having at least one outer region forming an outer periphery and at least one inner hollow region. There is also at least one second transformer that is disposed in the inner hollow region of the at least one first transformer. The transformers can be substantially circular in configuration, and more particularly, ring shaped. In another embodiment there is a rotatable latch which is used to selectively connect and disconnect a set of separable contacts to selectively disconnect power from the line side to the load side. The rotatable latch is in one embodiment coupled to a reset button. In at least one embodiment there is a slider which is configured to selectively prevent the manual tripping of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kamor, James Porter, Kurt Dykema
  • Publication number: 20220239218
    Abstract: An AC-DC power supply receives input AC power and outputs DC power. The converter includes a high power factor bridge rectifier, a barrier circuit with resistor(s) and capacitor(s), and a step-down switching DC-DC converter to step-down a first DC voltage to a second, lower, DC voltage for output. Additionally, fault-protection is provided by redundancy in diodes on diode legs of a bridge rectifier and capacitor(s) of a filter circuit thereof, and a fault-protection circuit to sense current from a step-down switching DC-DC converter, a first voltage from the step-down switching DC-DC converter, and/or a second voltage at an output of the step-down switching DC-DC converter, and open the circuit on a fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Wen SHI
  • Publication number: 20220232689
    Abstract: A smart wall-plate system having customizable device controls to initiate automation functions, routines, actions, activities, or control to be performed by a variety of local or remote devices is disclosed. The smart wall-plate system may be connected directly or indirectly to any number and type of local and remote devices as well as various cloud service platforms and home service hubs or assistants. The local and remote devices can include, for example, lighting devices, smart devices, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. The wall-plate system may receive an input from a user. The wall-plate system or another system in communication with the wall-plate system may determine an instruction corresponding to, or triggered by, the received input. The instruction may specify an automated activity to be performed. In response, the wall-plate system or another system may transmit one or more signals to perform the automated activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: James Shurte, Aaron Ard, Jesse Ide, Ronald J. Gumina
  • Patent number: 11387610
    Abstract: A mechanical interlock including one or more features to facilitate easier assembly and/or manufacturing. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the mechanical interlock may include one ore more features to provided increased protection. The mechanical interlock may include a baseplate arranged and configured to receive one or more components thereon so that the components can be coupled and wired as a sub-assembly prior to inserting into the enclosure. The mechanical interlock may include an adapter positioned between a connector and a contact carrier bracket to enable variously sized connectors to be coupled to a common contract carrier bracket. The adapter may include one ore more keys to prevent improper coupling of the adapter. The contact carrier bracket may be arranged and configured to receive one or more PCBs to provide an increased level of protection for the PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: William Hagen, Eugene Frid, Jose Torres Barrera
  • Patent number: 11382229
    Abstract: A cable management device comprises cable management tray with a door that is connected to the cable management tray by a hinge, allowing the door to be opened without removing the door from the tray, and which also permits the door to be easily disengaged from the tray using a simple manual interaction that can be performed even if visibility to the hinge is limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hua Wang, Tony Yuen, Sean McCloud