Patents Assigned to Racepoint Energy, LLC
  • Patent number: 11147143
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A controller of the lighting control system causes a phase change cut to be applied to an AC power signal to signal to a light bulb apparatus connected to a luminaire a request to self identify. The encoded phase changed AC power signal is transmitted to the light bulb apparatus for a predetermined time period. A response signal received from the light bulb in response to receipt of the encoded phase changed AC power signal by the light bulb is detected at the lighting control system. A bulb identification is determined based on the response signal from the light bulb apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Yao Hua Chu
  • Patent number: 11116064
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules determines a time of day. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. Occupancy at the first light control module is detected after a specific time of day. The flow of electricity from one or more light control modules in the plurality of light control modules is changed to change the flow of electricity to the respective lighting circuits connected to the one or more light control modules to turn off the respective light fixture based on the occupancy detection the time of day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 11096262
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control apparatus for automated lighting adjustments based on sensor and alarm signals. A light control apparatus detects a signal, such as an alarm signal and a sensor signal, from an electronic device, such as a mobile electronic device and a security system, or a sensor device, such as a motion detector. The light control apparatus is configured to select a scene based on the detected signal and modulate a flow of electrical current to a lighting circuit controlled by the light control apparatus according to one or more parameters of the selected scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 11067265
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control systems and methods. The methods include modulating, via a mobile electronic device, a characteristic of each light circuit in a plurality of light circuits connected to a respective lighting control module in a plurality of lighting control modules. The characteristic is modulated for each light circuit in the plurality of light circuits sequentially. The characteristic impacts at least one of the light intensity, light color, and color temperature of a light bulb connected to a light fixture connected to the respective light circuit, the mobile electronic device communicably coupled to the plurality of lighting control modules. The methods include capturing, via the mobile electronic device, a plurality of images of a room contemporaneously with the modulation of the characteristic. The methods include identifying, on the mobile electronic device, a region of the room impacted by the respective modulations of the characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: George Morariu, David Creighton Mott
  • Patent number: 11071188
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system includes a base module including a base housing forming a well and including a first electrical connector positioned in the well. A depressible switch is housed in the well that includes a spring biasing the depressible switch into an extended position that opens an electrical circuit between the power terminal and the first electrical connector. The lighting control system also includes a light switch module configured for nesting, at least in part, in the well of the base module. The light switch module includes a module housing configured to press the depressible switch into a retracted position upon nesting in the well and thereby close the electrical circuit between the power terminal and the first electrical connector and release the depressible switch into the extended position when unnested from the well of the base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas David Pennycooke, William Lark, Jr., Ryan Aylward
  • Patent number: 11044794
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first switch control circuit of a first lighting control module of a plurality of lighting control modules is actuated. The actuation is detected at each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules. The light sensor in each lighting control module are polled by the respective processor in each lighting control module, to detect a change in a light level. The change in the light level detected by the respective lighting control module is transmitting, from each lighting control module. The lighting control modules that detected the change in the light level are catalogued into a 1st zone of one or more zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11032894
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A detector circuit of a lighting control module detects a line voltage of an electrical line connected to a power terminal of the light control module. The lighting control module is configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the lighting control module. The lighting control module reduces a flow of electricity transmitted to the lighting circuit to turn off the respective light fixture in response to detecting substantially no change in the line voltage over a pre-specified period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Clark Edwards, William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton
  • Patent number: 11017963
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including a releasable faceplate. The faceplate is used for installation of at least one base module. The base module has a base housing that forms a well and includes a first connector positioned in the well. The base module further includes a power terminal configured to receive electrical current and a dimmer circuit configured to modulate a flow of the electrical current to a load terminal coupled to a lighting circuit. A switch controller is mounted in the faceplate and includes a second connector configured to electrically engage with the first connector when the faceplate is pivoted to the base module. The switch controller is further configured to send one or more commands to the base module to control the dimmer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 11013089
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatuses and methods for bulb detection for a lighting control system. The apparatus includes a lighting control module configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the lighting control module. The apparatus includes a detector circuit positioned in the lighting control module. The detector circuit is configured to measure a response of the lighting circuit to the transmission of the quantity of electrical energy. The apparatus also includes a controller in electrical communication with the detector circuit. The controller is specially programmed to correlate the quantity of electrical energy transmitted to the lighting circuit to the response of the lighting circuit. The controller is further programmed to determine the bulb type of a bulb electrically coupled to the lighting circuit of the light fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Aylward, Andreas Wagner, Erik Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 10985755
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system include a pre-mount chassis system. The methods include attaching a chassis to an electrical wall box, the chassis comprising at least one hook extending in an upward direction and at least one opening, the at least one hook positioned along a peripheral portion of the at least one opening. The methods include hanging a base module from the at least one hook in the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10986720
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system for automated lighting adjustments. The system includes a lighting control module configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit and a detector circuit positioned in the lighting control module and configured to detect a change in a strength of detected signal, such as wireless signal. The system includes a controller coupled to the detector circuit and the lighting control module. The controller includes a processor configured to determine a time of day and to cause the lighting control module to change the quantity of electrical energy transmitted to the lighting circuit in response to the time of day exceeding a predetermined time threshold and the change in the strength of the wireless signal falling below a predetermined value. The controller can cause the lighting control module to reduce the quantity of electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton
  • Patent number: 10973107
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules determines a time of day. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. Occupancy at the first light control module is detected after a specific time of day. The flow of electricity from one or more light control modules in the plurality of light control modules is changed to change the flow of electricity to the respective lighting circuits connected to the one or more light control modules to turn off the respective light fixture based on the occupancy detection the time of day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 10973104
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Caroline Sofiatti
  • Patent number: 10956992
    Abstract: A group of homes, businesses, or other electric power consuming premises are aggregated and commonly controlled to dynamically reduce loads in sufficient quantities, and with sufficient rapidity and duration, to participate as a market participant in the energy markets including participating as a peaking power plant. While the amount of reduced power consumption for a single premises is typically quite small, the total reduced consumption of an aggregation of just a few thousand homes or businesses may be on the order of hundreds of kilowatts. A premises power controller in conjunction with intelligent circuit breakers, which may include dimmers, enable dynamic management of individual loads in each premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Robert P. Madonna, Siegmar K. Eschholz, Anna E. Demeo, William H. Dillon
  • Patent number: 10957498
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including a scalable wall-plate system. The wall-plate system is used for installation of a plurality of base modules in a multi-gang electrical box. The base modules in a base housing forms a well and includes a first electrical connector positioned in the well. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules is nested in a first base module. A wall-plate cover is connected to the plurality of base modules such that the nested first light control module is positioned in a recess formed in a back surface of the wall-plate cover such that an aperture in the wall-plate cover is positioned over a well in a second base module of the plurality of base modules. A second light control module is nested through the aperture and into the well of the second base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 10943310
    Abstract: An intelligent circuit breaker electrically is capable of being actuated and interfacing with a conventional circuit breaker. The intelligent circuit breaker includes a wireless transceiver for communicating with other intelligent circuit breakers, a breaker controller, memory, and a display. The memory may be used to temporarily store data of interest regarding the intelligent circuit breaker's status, power consumption, operating history, and the like. The intelligent circuit breaker may advantageously be constructed in a form factor which is compatible with standard circuit breaker panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Robert P. Madonna, Siegmar K. Eschholz, Anna E. Demeo, William H. Dillon
  • Patent number: 10939531
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system for temporarily opening a circuit in the system. The lighting control system includes a light switch module including a switch control circuit. The switch control circuit includes a processor configured to modulate the flow of electrical energy to the lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit to produce a plurality of lighting scenes by varying the illumination of the light bulb. The processor is, in response to receipt of a control command to discontinue illumination of the light bulb, configured to cause, for a first pre-specified period of time, the amperage of the current flowing from an alternating current power supply to the power circuit to be reduced, and open, for the first pre-specified period of time, the electrical connection between the switch control circuit and an electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Allen Charlton
  • Patent number: 10932347
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including an electrical connector interface. The lighting control system includes a module housing, a switch control circuit positioned in the module housing and including a processor configured to modulate a flow of electrical energy to a lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit to produce a plurality of lighting scenes. The lighting control system includes a graphical user interface coupled to the module housing and communicably coupled to the switch control circuit. The lighting control system includes a first electrical connector electrically connected to the switch control circuit and at least one of extending from and recessed in a surface of the module housing. The electrical connector includes a plurality of electrical pins. The first electrical connector is configured for a press fit engagement with a second electrical connector of a base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas David Pennycooke, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10912177
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system includes a module housing, a graphical user interface coupled to the module housing and a switch control circuit positioned in the housing and including a processor. The processor is configured to modulate the flow of electrical energy to a lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit. The switch control circuit is electrically connected to the graphical user interface. The processor is also configured to identify a device identification address compare the identified device address with one or more registered identification addresses saved in a dataset. The processor is configured to catalogue a command received at the processor and at least one event parameter detected contemporaneously with receipt of the command, if the identified proximate device identification address corresponds to one of the one or more registered device identification addresses saved in the dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10893593
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system detects a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of each light control module in a plurality of light control modules. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules is configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. The lighting control system controls at least one of a heating and an air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor of the light control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton