Patents by Inventor John C. Browne

John C. Browne 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: 20190089551
    Abstract: An energy control network may include a number of load control devices, such as dimmer switches, multi-button selector switch, occupancy sensors, and remote controllers, among others. These load control devices may be configured for wireless communication. Other wireless devices, such as laptops, tablets, and “smart” cellular phones may be configured to communicate with the load control devices of the energy control network. The load control devices and the other wireless communication devices may also be configured for Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC may be used to provide a load control device with its initial default configuration and/or an application specific configuration. Also, NFC may be used to transfer a configuration from one load control device that may have become faulty, to a replacement load control device. And NFC may be used to provide and trigger commands that may cause a load control load device to operate in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Browne, Sean Henley, Ratan Dominic Rego, William Bryce Fricke, Robert D. Stevens
  • Publication number: 20190037673
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals directly from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Pessina, Theodore F. Economy, John C. Browne
  • Publication number: 20170064798
    Abstract: A load control device is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between an AC power source and an electrical load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network. The load control device may further comprise an optical module operable to receive an optical signal, such that the controller may obtain an IP address from the received optical signal and control the power delivered to the load in response to a wireless signal that includes the IP address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore F. Economy, John C. Browne, William Bryce Fricke, Galen Edgar Knode, Ryan S. Bedell, Christopher J. Salvestrini