Patents by Inventor Rhodes B. Baker
Rhodes B. Baker 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).
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Publication number: 20240155751Abstract: A smart lighting device may be configured to be controlled in response to control instructions in messages and/or phase-control signals. The smart lighting device may determine whether to respond to the phase-control signal or the control instructions in messages. The smart lighting device may be configured to recognize whether it is electrically connected to a smart load control device or a non-smart load control device. A load control device may determine whether it is electrically connected to a mixed circuit or a non-mixed circuit. When the load control device determines that the circuit is a mixed circuit, the load control device may transmit phase-control signals and control instructions in messages at the same time. The load control device may determine that a smart lighting device has been added (e.g., electrically connected) to the circuit it is electrically connected to.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2022Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Gerard Darville, Matthew V. Harte, Robert C. Newman, Jr.
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Patent number: 11960264Abstract: A load control system may control an electrical load in a space of a building based on one or more parameters regarding the physical condition of an occupant. The parameters may be gathered by one or more sensing devices. The sensing devices may be included in a mobile device. A system controller may receive the parameters and may automatically control the electrical loads in response to the parameters. The system controller may control the electrical load to attempt to adjust the physical condition of the occupant in response to the sensed parameters. The system controller may control the electrical load to provide an alert, an alarm, and/or a warning in response to the sensed parameters.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jason C. Killo, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, Brent Protzman, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Greg Edward Sloan
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Publication number: 20240049375Abstract: A visible light sensor (VLS) may be configured to sense environmental characteristics using images of a space. The VLS may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to decrease or eliminate glares. In the daylighting sensor mode and/or color sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Craig Alan Casey, Galen Edgar Knode, Brent Protzman, Thomas M. Shearer, James P. Steiner
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Publication number: 20240040338Abstract: A load control system may include control-target devices for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load. The control-target devices may be capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on control instructions. The control-target devices and/or the control-instructions may be determined based on a gesture performed by a user. The user may wear a wearable control device capable of measuring movements performed by the user and transmit digital messages that may be used to control an electrical load. The wearable control device may identify gestures performed by the user for controlling a control-target device and/or provide control instructions to the control-target device based on the identified gestures. A gesture may be associated with a scene that includes a configuration of one or more control devices in a load control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Erica L. Clymer, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, John Nill, Daniel L. Twaddell, Michael J. Zizza
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Publication number: 20230409282Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
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Patent number: 11832365Abstract: A visible light sensor (VLS) may be configured to sense environmental characteristics using images of a space. The VLS may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to decrease or eliminate glares. In the daylighting sensor mode and/or color sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the VLS may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Craig Alan Casey, Galen Edgar Knode, Brent Protzman, Thomas M. Shearer, James P. Steiner
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Patent number: 11825579Abstract: A load control system may comprise an electrical load control device and/or a computing device. The electrical load control device may control, for example, motorized window treatments (e.g., shades), lighting controls, and/or sensors (e.g., occupancy, radio window, daylight, etc.). For example, a load control device comprising a motorized window treatment may control the position of a covering material in the window treatment. The computing device may comprise a processor and/or a graphical user interface (GUI). The computing device may be a server and/or a user device, such as a wireless user device (e.g., a cellular phone, tablet, or laptop computer). The computing device may be configured to provide graphical representations that may be displayed on a GUI based on load control information.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2023Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull
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Patent number: 11818627Abstract: A load control system may include control-target devices for controlling an amount of power provided to an electrical load. The control-target devices may be capable of controlling the amount of power provided to the electrical load based on control instructions. The control-target devices and/or the control-instructions may be determined based on a gesture performed by a user. The user may wear a wearable control device capable of measuring movements performed by the user and transmit digital messages that may be used to control an electrical load. The wearable control device may identify gestures performed by the user for controlling a control-target device and/or provide control instructions to the control-target device based on the identified gestures. A gesture may be associated with a scene that includes a configuration of one or more control devices in a load control system.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Erica L. Clymer, Galen Edgar Knode, Sanjeev Kumar, John Nill, Daniel L. Twaddell, Michael J. Zizza
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Publication number: 20230341882Abstract: A load control system for controlling an electrical load in a space of a building occupied by an occupant may include a controller configured to determine the location of the occupant, and a load control device configured to automatically control the electrical load in response to the location of the occupant. The load control system may include a mobile device adapted to be located on or immediately adjacent the occupant and configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The load control device may be configured to automatically control the electrical load when the mobile device is located in the space. The load control system may further comprise an occupancy sensor and the load control device may automatically control the electrical load when the occupancy sensor indicates that the space is occupied and the mobile device is located in the space.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Richard S. Camden, Sanjeev Kumar
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Patent number: 11797268Abstract: A scalable, distributed load control system for home automation based on a network of microphones may include control devices (e.g., load control devices) that may include microphones for monitoring the system and communicating audio data to a cloud server for processing. The control devices of the load control system may receive a single voice command and may be configured to choose one of the load control devices to transmit the voice command to the cloud server. The load control devices may be configured to receive a voice command, control a connected load according to the voice command if the voice command is a validated command, and transmit the voice command to a voice service in the cloud if the voice command is not a validated command. The voice service to which the load control devices transmit audio data to may be selectable.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Matthew V. Harte, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, John B. Nill, Jaykrishna A. Shukla
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Publication number: 20230284363Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: 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
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Patent number: 11726516Abstract: A load control system for controlling an electrical load in a space of a building occupied by an occupant may include a controller configured to determine the location of the occupant, and a load control device configured to automatically control the electrical load in response to the location of the occupant. The load control system may include a mobile device adapted to be located on or immediately adjacent the occupant and configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The load control device may be configured to automatically control the electrical load when the mobile device is located in the space. The load control system may further comprise an occupancy sensor and the load control device may automatically control the electrical load when the occupancy sensor indicates that the space is occupied and the mobile device is located in the space.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Richard S. Camden, Sanjeev Kumar
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Publication number: 20230225030Abstract: A load control system may comprise an electrical load control device and/or a computing device. The electrical load control device may control, for example, motorized window treatments (e.g., shades), lighting controls, and/or sensors (e.g., occupancy, radio window, daylight, etc.). For example, a load control device comprising a motorized window treatment may control the position of a covering material in the window treatment. The computing device may comprise a processor and/or a graphical user interface (GUI). The computing device may be a server and/or a user device, such as a wireless user device (e.g., a cellular phone, tablet, or laptop computer). The computing device may be configured to provide graphical representations that may be displayed on a GUI based on load control information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull
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Patent number: 11690157Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: 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
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Publication number: 20230126895Abstract: An occupant detection device may be configured to detect an occupant in a space where the occupant detection device is installed. The occupant detection device may include an occupant detection circuit that is configured to determine locations of one or more occupants in the space. The occupant detection device may also include a low-power detection circuit that is configured to indicate an occupancy or vacancy condition in the space. The occupant detection device may include a control circuit that is configured to determine that the low-power detection circuit indicates that there are no occupants within the space. The control circuit may determine that there is movement in an occupant map or a region of interest (ROI) as indicated by the locations of the one or occupants as determined by the occupant detection circuit. The control circuit may configure masked regions around the locations of the movement, and store the masked regions in memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Craig Alan Casey, Shilpa Sarode, James P. Steiner
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Patent number: 11638342Abstract: A load control system may comprise an electrical load control device and/or a computing device. The electrical load control device may control, for example, motorized window treatments (e.g., shades), lighting controls, and/or sensors (e.g., occupancy, radio window, daylight, etc.). For example, a load control device comprising a motorized window treatment may control the position of a covering material in the window treatment. The computing device may comprise a processor and/or a graphical user interface (GUI). The computing device may be a server and/or a user device, such as a wireless user device (e.g., a cellular phone, tablet, or laptop computer). The computing device may be configured to provide graphical representations that may be displayed on a GUI based on load control information.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull
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Patent number: 11587322Abstract: A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Craig Alan Casey, Galen Edgar Knode, Brent Protzman, Thomas M. Shearer, James P. Steiner
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Publication number: 20230046132Abstract: Devices that record data from a space, such as audio or video devices having microphones and/or cameras, may have a privacy mode which allows a user to temporarily prevent the device from recoding audio or video of the space. The privacy mode may be a privacy cover, button, airgap, or other mechanism to obfuscate the acoustic or video signal, or to remove power and/or communication from the camera, microphone, control circuit, or to the entire device itself. Additionally, the privacy mode may be remotely enabled for multiple devices in a space.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Jeffrey Karc, Galen E. Knode, Robert C. Newman, Jr., John B. Nill
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Patent number: D986917Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, John H. Bull, Erica L. Clymer, Sanjeev Kumar, Jennifer Wong
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Patent number: RE49638Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Erica L. Clymer, Benjamin F. Bard