Patents Assigned to Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140009084
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load (e.g, an LED light source) comprises an isolated forward converter comprising a transformer, a controller, and a current sense circuit operable to receive a sense voltage representative of a primary current conducting through to a primary winding of the transformer. The primary winding is coupled in series with a semiconductor switch, while a secondary winding is adapted to be operatively coupled to the load. The forward converter comprises a sense resistor coupled in series with the primary winding for producing the sense voltage that is representative of the primary current. The current sense circuit receives the sense voltage and averages the sense voltage when the semiconductor switch is conductive, so as to generate a load current control signal that is representative of a real component of a load current conducted through the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Publication number: 20140001977
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140001846
    Abstract: 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 energy controllers. Each energy controller is operable to control at least one of the electrical loads. The load control system also includes a first broadcast controller that has a first antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna is arranged in a first position and the second antenna is arranged in a second position that is orthogonal to the first position. The broadcast controller is operable to transmit a first wireless signal via the first antenna and a second wireless signal via the second antenna. Each of the energy controllers is operable to receive at least one of the first and second wireless signals, and to control the respective load in response to the received wireless signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130333849
    Abstract: A window treatment includes mechanisms allowing for easy leveling of a bottom bar of the window treatment without the use of tools and without requiring any portion of the window treatment to be disassembled. The mechanisms allow for incremental adjustment of the amounts of each of two lift cords that extend from the bottom bar to a drive shaft to thus provide fine-tuning adjustment of the levelness of the bottom bar. The mechanisms may be hidden from view on the sides of the bottom bar, such that the mechanisms do not detract from the attractive, aesthetically pleasing appearance of the window treatment. Each lift cord extends from the drive shaft to a pulley of the respective mechanism and wraps around the pulley, such that the amount of the lift cord that extends from the drive shaft to the mechanism may be adjusted in response to rotations of the pulley.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: David A. Kirby, James J. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8598978
    Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) load control system includes both two-way and one-way (e.g., transmit-only) remote control devices, and provides a simple, reliable process for configuring the one-way devices into the system. The one-way device may be programmed to operate at one of a predetermined number of radio frequencies as part of a frequency-selection procedure, during which, the one-way device transmits a test command to a signal repeater of the system. If the test command is transmitted at the same frequency as the repeater, the repeater emits an audible beep to inform the user that the remote control is transmitting at the appropriate frequency. To associate the two-way devices with the system, the signal repeater streams an “enter address mode” command. To allow the one-way device to be associated with the system, the signal repeater pauses the transmission of the enter address mode command to allow the one-way device to transmit an activation request message to the signal repeater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Galen Edgar Knode
  • Publication number: 20130313998
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Robert C. Newman, JR.
  • Patent number: 8593076
    Abstract: An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp includes a power converter for generating a DC bus voltage, where the bus voltage is controlled to different magnitudes during different operating modes of the ballast. The ballast comprises a control circuit that is coupled to the power converter for adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage to a first magnitude when the lamp is off, to a second magnitude when preheating filaments of the lamp, and to a third magnitude when the lamp is on. The control circuit is also operable to preemptively adjust the magnitude of the bus voltage prior to changing modes of operation. For example, when turning the load on, the control circuit first adjusts a power-conversion-drive level of the power converter to begin adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage towards a predetermined magnitude, and then waits for a predetermined time period before attempting to turn the load on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Patent number: 8584939
    Abstract: Merchandise display systems for lighting control devices are disclosed. Such a display system may include one or more distinct lighting control devices, each having a respective user-manipulatable actuator, and a video display that presents a virtual lighting scene associated with a selected lighting control device. A lighting load may be connected to one or more of the lighting control devices. User manipulation of a selected actuator may simultaneously affect both the presentation of the virtual lighting scene and a light intensity level of the lighting load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scott Ott, Eric Alan McCoy
  • Publication number: 20130293137
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device such as a dimmer switch for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load such as a high-efficiency lighting load may be provided. The load control device may include a bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled between the source and the load and a controller operable to control the bidirectional semiconductor switch. The load control device may also include a front accessible trimming actuator to adjust a low end intensity setting of the load control device. The trimming actuator may be coupled to the controller such that the controller may control the bidirectional semiconductor switch appropriately. Additionally, the trimming actuator may include indicia to help a user readily identify the proper low end intensity setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jason Edward Jennings, Christopher James Salvestrini, John Panos Petropoulos, Nicholas Robert Baer, Walter S. Zaharchuk, James P. Steiner, Andrew Ryan Offenbacher, Robert C. Newman, JR., Mikko Hakkarainen
  • Patent number: 8571719
    Abstract: A load control system for a building having a heating and cooling system and a window located in a space of the building controls amount of daylight entering the window in order to attempt to reduce the power consumption of the heating and cooling system, and adjusts amount of daylight entering the window if the heating and cooling system is not saving energy. A motorized window treatment of the load control system is operable to move a fabric covering the window in a first direction, and a temperature control device is operable to subsequently determine if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy than when the fabric was in the initial position. The motorized window treatment then moves the fabric in a second direction opposite the first direction if the heating and cooling system is consuming more energy than when the fabric was in the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Altonen, William Bryce Fricke, Elliot G. Jacoby, Michael W. Pessina, Walter S. Zaharchuk, Joel S. Spira
  • Publication number: 20130271025
    Abstract: A dimmer switch uses different fade rates when turning on or off lighting load depending on a device used to adjust the lighting load. For example, the dimmer switch uses a first fade rate when turning off a lighting load in response to an actuation of a local actuator or accessory switch and uses a second fade rate faster than the first fade rate when turning off the lighting load in response to an actuation of a connected three-way switch may be provided. The dimmer switch may slowly turn off the lighting load in response to an actuation of the actuator to provide an aesthetically pleasing reduction in the intensity of the lighting load. When a user actuates the three-way switch to turn off the lighting load, the dimmer switch quickly reduces the intensity of the lighting load to approximately zero percent as may be expected by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: William D. Horn
  • Publication number: 20130257406
    Abstract: A load control device may control the amount of power provided to an electrical load utilizing a phase control signal that operates in a reverse phase control mode, a center phase control mode, and a forward phase control mode. A load control device may be configured to determine that the electrical load should be operated via a phase control signal operating in a forward phase-control mode. After determining to operate the electrical load via the phase control signal in the forward phase-control mode, the load control device may provide the phase control signal in a reverse phase-control mode for a predetermined period of time to the electrical load, for example, to charge a bus capacitor of the electrical load. Subsequently, the load control device may be configured to provide the phase control signal in the forward phase-control mode to the electrical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Donald F. Hausman, JR., Robert C. Newman, JR., Christopher J. Salvestrini
  • Patent number: D690668
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot G. Jacoby, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D691097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick J. Lind, III, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Noel Mayo, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D692398
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Gregory M. Snyder, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D692399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics, Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., David William Petrillo, Gregory M. Snyder, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D694196
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics, Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Gregory M. Snyder, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Noel Mayo, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D694197
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Gregory M. Snyder, David William Petrillo, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Noel Mayo
  • Patent number: D694198
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Gregory M. Snyder, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Noel Mayo, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: D694716
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Gregory M. Snyder, Gregory Altonen, Elliot G. Jacoby, Noel Mayo