Patents by Inventor Benjamin F. Bard

Benjamin F. Bard 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).

  • Publication number: 20250070453
    Abstract: A wireless communication device for use in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads may comprise a counterpoise, a first and second antennas, a RF communication circuit and a control circuit. The two antennas may be oriented differently and spaced apart from each other. For example, the first antenna may extend perpendicularly from the counterpoise while the second antenna extends in a plane substantially parallel to the counterpoise. The first antenna may extend from the counterpoise at a point substantially central to the counterpoise while the second antenna may extend along a perimeter of the counterpoise. The RF communication circuit may transmit wireless signals via the first and second antennas. The control circuit may cause the RF communication circuit to transmit a first wireless signal in a first time slot and a second wireless signal in a second time slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Robert Bollinger, JR., Donald R. Mosebrook, Walter S. Zaharchuk
  • Patent number: 12232233
    Abstract: A load control system may be configured using a graphical user interface (GUI) software. The GUI software may be implemented to collect control devices and add the control devices to the load control system for configuration. Programming data may be automatically determined for the added control devices based on the type of control device, the location of the control device, and/or the load type controlled by the control device. The programming data may include control settings for a scene, a schedule, or an automated control feature. The programming data may be displayed for being viewed and/or adjusted by a user. The programming data may be transmitted to the control devices and/or a system controller for being implemented in performing load control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Craig Alan Casey, Erica L. Clymer, Christina Evans, Christoper Matthew Jones, Sanjeev Kumar, John Nill, Neil R. Orchowski, Brent Protzman
  • Publication number: 20240414820
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Patent number: 12166266
    Abstract: A wireless communication device for use in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads may comprise a counterpoise, a first and second antennas, a RF communication circuit and a control circuit. The two antennas may be oriented differently and spaced apart from each other. For example, the first antenna may extend perpendicularly from the counterpoise while the second antenna extends in a plane substantially parallel to the counterpoise. The first antenna may extend from the counterpoise at a point substantially central to the counterpoise while the second antenna may extend along a perimeter of the counterpoise. The RF communication circuit may transmit wireless signals via the first and second antennas. The control circuit may cause the RF communication circuit to transmit a first wireless signal in a first time slot and a second wireless signal in a second time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Robert Bollinger, Jr., Donald R. Mosebrook, Walter S. Zaharchuk
  • Publication number: 20240388464
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices for controlling electrical loads. The control devices may include load control devices, such as a lighting device for controlling an amount of power provided to a lighting load, and input devices, such as a remote control device configured to transmit digital messages comprising lighting control instructions for controlling the lighting load via the lighting device. The remote control device may communicate with the lighting device via an intermediary device, such as a hub device. The remote control device may detect a user interface event, such as a button press or a rotation of the remote control device. The remote control device or the hub device may determine whether to transmit digital messages to as unicast messages or multicast messages based on the type of user interface event detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Thomas Lee Olson, David T. Saveri, III, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
  • Patent number: 12096528
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Patent number: 12081358
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices for controlling electrical loads. The control devices may include load control devices, such as a lighting device for controlling an amount of power provided to a lighting load, and input devices, such as a remote control device configured to transmit digital messages comprising lighting control instructions for controlling the lighting load via the lighting device. The remote control device may communicate with the lighting device via an intermediary device, such as a hub device. The remote control device may detect a user interface event, such as a button press or a rotation of the remote control device. The remote control device or the hub device may determine whether to transmit digital messages to as unicast messages or multicast messages based on the type of user interface event detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Thomas Lee Olson, David T. Saveri, III, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
  • Publication number: 20240192716
    Abstract: A wireless load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads comprises a wireless control device (e.g., a gateway device) able to obtain a present time from a server via a network (e.g., the Internet), control the electrical loads according to a timeclock schedule, and disable the timeclock schedule if the present time is not able to be obtained from the server via the network. The wireless control device may also be able to obtain the present time from a digital message received from an external device (e.g., a smart phone or a tablet device) via the network. The wireless control device may be configured to receive a control signal indicating a power outage (e.g., from a battery backup device), and to operate in a low-power mode in response to receiving the control signal indicating the power outage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, David J. Dolan, Timothy Mann, Christopher M. Riedl
  • Patent number: 11983027
    Abstract: A wireless load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads comprises a wireless control device (e.g., a gateway device) able to obtain a present time from a server via a network (e.g., the Internet), control the electrical loads according to a timeclock schedule, and disable the timeclock schedule if the present time is not able to be obtained from the server via the network. The wireless control device may also be able to obtain the present time from a digital message received from an external device (e.g., a smart phone or a tablet device) via the network. The wireless control device may be configured to receive a control signal indicating a power outage (e.g., from a battery backup device), and to operate in a low-power mode in response to receiving the control signal indicating the power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, David J. Dolan, Timothy Mann, Christopher M. Riedl
  • Publication number: 20230389148
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Patent number: 11765800
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Chris Dimberg, Matthew V. Harte, Jason C. Killo, Matthew Philip McDonald, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Patent number: 11672057
    Abstract: A wearable wireless device may be configured for control of a parameter of a load control device. The load control device may be responsive to a network device, for example, to provide fine tune adjustment of the parameter. The wearable wireless device may include a touch-responsive visual display for displaying feedback of the parameter of the load control device. The visual display may be configured to be actuated to receive a user input to adjust the parameter of the load control device. An actuation of the visual display of the wearable wireless device may adjust the parameter by a greater percentage than the fine tune adjustment provided by the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Erica L. Clymer, Jason C. Killo, Jeremy B. Kleinberg
  • Patent number: RE49638
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Erica L. Clymer, Benjamin F. Bard
  • Patent number: D1002662
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhythm Agarwal, Benjamin F. Bard, Erica L. Clymer, Shenchi Tian
  • Patent number: D1003255
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Edward J. Blair, Kenneth Priester
  • Patent number: D1036482
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhythm Agarwal, Benjamin F. Bard, Erica L. Clymer, Jemma C. Robinson, Sara M. Thompson, Shenchi Tian
  • Patent number: D1038976
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhythm Agarwal, Benjamin F. Bard, Erica L. Clymer, Shenchi Tian
  • Patent number: RE50169
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Erica L. Clymer, Benjamin F. Bard
  • Patent number: D1056857
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Bard, Edward J. Blair, Kenneth Priester
  • Patent number: D1063979
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Erica L. Clymer, Benjamin F. Bard, Jennifer Wong, Joel Hnatow