Patents by Inventor Jordan H. Crafts

Jordan H. Crafts 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).

  • Patent number: 11303471
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. The control devices may include a load control discovery device capable of sending discovery messages configured to discover control devices within a location. The discovered control devices may be organized by signal strength and may be provided to a network device to enable association of the discovered control devices within a location. The discovery messages may be transmitted within an established discovery range. The discovery range may be adjusted to discover different control devices. Different control devices may be identified as the load control discovery device for discovering different control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, Erica L. Clymer, Brian Michael Courtney, Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Stephen M. Ludwig, Jr., Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Richard M. Walsh, III
  • Publication number: 20220046780
    Abstract: A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Stephen M. Ludwig, JR., Jonathan T. Lenz, Bryan Robert Barnes, Kyle Thomas Barco
  • Patent number: 11229106
    Abstract: A faceplate remote control device may be attached to a wall-mounted mechanical light switch that has a toggle actuator. The faceplate remote control device may include a toggle indicator that detects operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch. The toggle indicator may cause the generation of an indication of detected operation of the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator may comprise a sliding member that is configured to move with the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator may comprise an obstruction detection device that includes an infrared (IR) transmitter and an IR receiver. The faceplate remote control device may include a control circuit and a wireless communication circuit. The control circuit may be configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit one or more messages in response to detecting operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Karc, Jamie Steffie, Jordan H. Crafts
  • Publication number: 20220014041
    Abstract: A load control system may include multiple devices capable of communicating with one another to enable load control via a network. Devices communicating in the load control system may be powered by a lower power supply (e.g., a battery). These devices may be power-conservative control devices. A device may transmit an indication that it is a power-conservative control device. The device may be assigned a multicast slot. The multicast slot may occur periodically and may be associated with a multicast phase. An indication of the device's assigned multicast slot may be transmitted to other devices in the load control system. Messages may be transmitted to the device from one or more other devices during its configured multicast slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Jordan H. Crafts
  • Publication number: 20210400793
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices capable of being associated with each other at one or more locations for performing load control. Control devices may include control-source devices and/or control-target devices. A location beacon may be discovered and a unique identifier in the location beacon may be associated with a unique identifier of one or more control devices. Upon subsequent discovery of the location beacon, the associated load control devices may be controlled. The beacons may be communicated via radio frequency signals, visible light communication, and/or audio signals. The visible light communication may be used to communicate other types of information to devices in the load control system. The visible light communication may be used to identify link addresses for communicating with load control devices, load control instructions, load control configuration instructions, network communication information, and/or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, John H. Bull, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, David J. Dolan, Jason Groller, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Miguel Aguado Pelaez, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Publication number: 20210360761
    Abstract: A control module for a lighting fixture may include an input circuit (e.g., a wireless communication circuit) that may be susceptible to noise generating by a noise-generating source (e.g., a lighting control device in the lighting fixture). The control circuit may execute a self-test procedure to determine if the magnitude of the noise is acceptable or unacceptable for normal operation of the control module. During the self-test procedure, the control circuit may measure a noise level at a connection of the input circuit and determine if the noise level causes the self-test procedure to fail. The control circuit may control the lighting load to multiple intensities, measure noise levels of the output signal at each intensity, and process the noise levels to determine if the test has passed or failed. The control circuit may illuminate a visual indicator to provide an indication that the self-test procedure has failed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Vidur Garg, Kevin L. Gascho, Alexander F. Mosolgo, Dragan Veskovic, Sean R. Pearson
  • Patent number: 11160154
    Abstract: A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Stephen M. Ludwig, Jr., Jonathan T. Lenz, Bryan Robert Barnes, Kyle Thomas Barco
  • Patent number: 11153956
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices capable of being associated with each other at one or more locations for performing load control. Control devices may include control-source devices and/or control-target devices. A location beacon may be discovered and a unique identifier in the location beacon may be associated with a unique identifier of one or more control devices. Upon subsequent discovery of the location beacon, the associated load control devices may be controlled. The beacons may be communicated via radio frequency signals, visible light communication, and/or audio signals. The visible light communication may be used to communicate other types of information to devices in the load control system. The visible light communication may be used to identify link addresses for communicating with load control devices, load control instructions, load control configuration instructions, network communication information, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, John H. Bull, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, David J. Dolan, Jason Groller, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Miguel Aguado Pelaez, Daniel L. Twaddell
  • Publication number: 20210307137
    Abstract: Devices of a load control system may communicate with each other via a network. The load control system may include different control devices, such as load control devices, input devices, or other devices capable of communicating with each other to perform load control. These control devices may be capable of providing feedback to a user that indicates different network information that may be used for network diagnostics and/or configuration. For example, a lighting control device may be capable of providing feedback via a corresponding lighting load that indicates network information that may be used in network diagnostics and/or configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Vidur Garg, Galen Edgar Knode, Prasad P. Kulkarni, Craig Alan Casey, John F. Yamrick
  • Patent number: 11079421
    Abstract: A control module for a lighting fixture may include an input circuit (e.g., a wireless communication circuit) that may be susceptible to noise generating by a noise-generating source (e.g., a lighting control device in the lighting fixture). The control circuit may execute a self-test procedure to determine if the magnitude of the noise is acceptable or unacceptable for normal operation of the control module. During the self-test procedure, the control circuit may measure a noise level at a connection of the input circuit and determine if the noise level causes the self-test procedure to fail. The control circuit may control the lighting load to multiple intensities, measure noise levels of the output signal at each intensity, and process the noise levels to determine if the test has passed or failed. The control circuit may illuminate a visual indicator to provide an indication that the self-test procedure has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Vidur Garg, Kevin L. Gascho, Alexander F. Mosolgo, Dragan Veskovic, Sean R. Pearson
  • Publication number: 20210194766
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices configured to communicate via a network. The network may include router devices for enabling communication of messages throughout the network. A control device may operate as a router device in the network. The control device may receive advertisement messages from a leader device in the network. When the leader device fails to communicate advertisement messages within a predefined period of time to other control devices that are operating as router devices in the network, one or more router devices may be identified as backup-leader devices to take over operation as the leader device in the network. When a control device that has the role of a leader device or router device is intentionally deactivated, the control device may perform a deactivation process that is specific to the role of the control device on the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, Jason A. King, Galen Edgar Knode
  • Publication number: 20210183236
    Abstract: A load control system may include devices for performing communications for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load. The devices may include load control devices that may communicate by transmitting digital messages. A user device having an adjustable wireless communication range may be used for discovering devices, configuring devices, and/or diagnosing devices in the load control system. The user device may detect whether devices are within an established wireless communication range of one another for performing communications. The user device may detect digital messages transmitted from a device and/or digital messages received at a device to determine whether the digital messages are correctly communicated in the load control system. The user device may provide an indication to a user indicating whether a digital message is correctly transmitted or received by a device in the load control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, David J. Dolan, William Bryce Fricke, Joel Hnatow, Jonathan T. Lenz
  • Publication number: 20210082280
    Abstract: A load control system may include multiple control devices that may send load control messages to load control devices for controlling an amount of power provided electrical loads. To prevent collision of the load control messages, the load control messages may be transmitted using different wireless communication channels. Each wireless communication channel may be assigned to a load control group that may include control devices and load control devices capable of communicating with one another on the assigned channel. A control device may send load control messages to a load control device within a transmission frame allocated for transmitting load control messages. The transmission frame may include equal sub-frames and load control messages may be sent at a random time within each sub-frame. Control devices may detect a status event within a sampling interval to offset transmissions from multiple control devices based on detection of the same event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: John H. Bull, Jordan H. Crafts, James P. Steiner
  • Patent number: 10937307
    Abstract: A load control system may include devices for performing communications for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load. The devices may include load control devices that may communicate by transmitting digital messages. A user device having an adjustable wireless communication range may be used for discovering devices, configuring devices, and/or diagnosing devices in the load control system. The user device may detect whether devices are within an established wireless communication range of one another for performing communications. The user device may detect digital messages transmitted from a device and/or digital messages received at a device to determine whether the digital messages are correctly communicated in the load control system. The user device may provide an indication to a indicating whether a digital message is correctly transmitted or received by a device in the load control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, David J. Dolan, William Bryce Fricke, Joel Hnatow, Jonathan T. Lenz
  • Publication number: 20210037633
    Abstract: A faceplate remote control device may be attached to a wall-mounted mechanical light switch that has a toggle actuator. The faceplate remote control device may include a toggle indicator that detects operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch. The toggle indicator may cause the generation of an indication of detected operation of the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator may comprise a sliding member that is configured to move with the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator may comprise an obstruction detection device that includes an infrared (IR) transmitter and an IR receiver. The faceplate remote control device may include a control circuit and a wireless communication circuit. The control circuit may be configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit one or more messages in response to detecting operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Karc, Jamie Steffie, Jordan H. Crafts
  • Publication number: 20210021133
    Abstract: A load control system may include load control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The load control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. A user device may discover load control devices when the load control devices are within an established range associated with the user device. The user device and the load control devices may communicate via a wireless communications module. The established range may be adjusted based on the configurable transmit power of the user device or the wireless communications module associated with the user device. A discovered control-target device may be associated with a control-source device to enable the control-target device to control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Stephen M. Ludwig, JR., Jonathan T. Lenz, Bryan Robert Barnes, Kyle Thomas Barco
  • Publication number: 20200403866
    Abstract: A control device may be configured to form a network at a unique coordinated startup time. The control device may identify a role assigned to the control device in a previously-formed network that the control device was attached to. The control device may determine a unique coordinated startup time for the control device based on the role assigned to the control device in the previously-formed network. The control device may initiate a network formation procedure at the unique coordinated startup time for the device. For example, the network formation procedure may cause the control device to attach to another control device in the network. The network formation procedure is configured to enable the control device to assume the role assigned to the control device in the previously-formed network in the new network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Hayes, Galen Edgar Knode, Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Jason A. King, Prasad Pramod Kulkarni
  • Publication number: 20200404513
    Abstract: A control device may communicate messages with devices in a network through a parent device, and receive messages from auxiliary parent devices. The control device may store a respective communication metric associated with each of the parent device and the one or more auxiliary parent devices. The control device may set an auxiliary parent device of the one or more auxiliary parent devices as the parent device of the control device, e.g., when a respective communication metric of the auxiliary parent device determined to be set as the parent device indicates a stronger communication link than the parent device. The control device may determine that the respective communication metric of the auxiliary parent device indicates a stronger potential communication link than the parent device when the average received signal strength indicator of auxiliary parent device is greater than the average received signal strength indicator of the parent device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Hayes, Galen Edgar Knode, Ankit Bhutani, Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Jason A. King
  • Patent number: 10854070
    Abstract: A load control system may include multiple control devices that may send load control messages to load control devices for controlling an amount of power provided electrical loads. To prevent collision of the load control messages, the load control messages may be transmitted using different wireless communication channels. Each wireless communication channel may be assigned to a load control group that may include control devices and load control devices capable of communicating with one another on the assigned channel. A control device may send load control messages to a load control device within a transmission frame allocated for transmitting load control messages. The transmission frame may include equal sub-frames and load control messages may be sent at a random time within each sub-frame. Control devices may detect a status event within a sampling interval to offset transmissions from multiple control devices based on detection of the same event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: John H. Bull, Jordan H. Crafts, James P. Steiner
  • Publication number: 20200310371
    Abstract: A load control system may include control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The control devices may include a control-source device and a control-target device. The control-target device may control the power provided to the electrical load based on digital messages received from the control-source device. The control devices may include a load control discovery device capable of sending discovery messages configured to discover control devices within a location. The discovered control devices may be organized by signal strength and may be provided to a network device to enable association of the discovered control devices within a location. The discovery messages may be transmitted within an established discovery range. The discovery range may be adjusted to discover different control devices. Different control devices may be identified as the load control discovery device for discovering different control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Thomas Barco, Bryan Robert Barnes, Erica L. Clymer, Brian Michael Courtney, Jordan H. Crafts, William Bryce Fricke, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Jonathan T. Lenz, Stephen M. Ludwig, JR., Sandeep Mudabail Raghuram, Richard M. Walsh, III