Patents by Inventor Richard S. Camden

Richard S. Camden 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: 20190250201
    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: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Jordan H. Crafts, Vidur Garg, Kevin L. Gascho, Alexander F. Mosolgo, Dragan Veskovic, Sean R. Pearson
  • Publication number: 20190141818
    Abstract: A control module attached to a lighting fixture and having a front cover portion may comprise one or more sensors, such as a daylight and/or occupancy sensor, for sensing information through the front cover portion. The control module may have a main printed circuit board (PCB) that extends from a front side to a rear side of the control module, and a sensor PCB perpendicular to the main PCB to enable at least one sensor attached to the sensor PCB to face the front side of the control module. The main PCB may comprise a wireless communication circuit and an antenna for communicating radio frequency (RF) signals, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is located within a plastic lip of the front cover portion of the control module. The control module may further have a conductive enclosure to reduce radio-frequency interference noise from coupling into the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Sean R. Pearson, Nicholas R. Baer, Angelo Caruso, Thomas E. Hibshman, Kevin L. Gascho, Robert Bollinger, Jr., Richard S. Camden
  • Patent number: 10149367
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, a control circuit, an enclosure, a conductive yoke, and/or a conductive member. The antenna may be configured to transmit and/or receive radio-frequency signals. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit and/or receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna. The control circuit may be responsive to the radio-frequency communication circuit. The enclosure may be configured to house the radio-frequency communication circuit and the control circuit. The conductive yoke may be attached to the enclosure and configured to mount the control device to an electrical wallbox. The conductive member may extend around a rear side of the enclosure between opposite sides of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 10147311
    Abstract: A wireless control device may include a housing, a yoke, an antenna, a communication circuit, and a control circuit. The yoke may be electrically conductive and be configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox. The antenna may be configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals. The antenna may be a slot antenna. The communication circuit may be configured to transmit and receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna, and the control circuit may be responsive to the communication circuit (e.g., the signals received via the communication circuit). The control device may also include a conductive component that is attached to a front surface of the housing. For example, the conductive component may be electrically connected to the yoke via a single electrical connection (e.g., a screw). Further, the conductive component may be parallel with the antenna and configured to be capacitively coupled to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 10098074
    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: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONIC CO., INC.
    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
  • Patent number: 10068466
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). A faceplate comprising a conductive element may be installed on the wireless control device, such that the conductive element operates as a radiating element of the antenna. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20180240332
    Abstract: A wireless control device may include a housing, a yoke, an antenna, a communication circuit, and a control circuit. The yoke may be electrically conductive and be configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox. The antenna may be configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals. The antenna may be a slot antenna. The communication circuit may be configured to transmit and receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna, and the control circuit may be responsive to the communication circuit (e.g., the signals received via the communication circuit). The control device may also include a conductive component that is attached to a front surface of the housing. For example, the conductive component may be electrically connected to the yoke via a single electrical connection (e.g., a screw). Further, the conductive component may be parallel with the antenna and configured to be capacitively coupled to the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William T. Shivell, Amy E. Yanek
  • Patent number: 9955548
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an enclosure, a bezel, a metal yoke, a slot antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, and one or more conductive elements. The bezel and the enclosure may define a space. The slot antenna may be located within the space defined by the enclosure and the bezel. The slot antenna may be configured to communicate radio-frequency signals. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the slot antenna. The one or more conductive elements may be electrically coupled to the yoke, and may be configured to re-radiate the radio-frequency signals transmitted by the slot antenna. The one or more conductive elements may include a conductive backer in electrical connection with the metal yoke, where in some instances, the conductive backer is electrically connected to the metal yoke via a single electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20170257927
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an enclosure, a bezel, a metal yoke, a slot antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, and one or more conductive elements. The bezel and the enclosure may define a space. The slot antenna may be located within the space defined by the enclosure and the bezel. The slot antenna may be configured to communicate radio-frequency signals. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive the radio-frequency signals via the slot antenna. The one or more conductive elements may be electrically coupled to the yoke, and may be configured to re-radiate the radio-frequency signals transmitted by the slot antenna. The one or more conductive elements may include a conductive backer in electrical connection with the metal yoke, where in some instances, the conductive backer is electrically connected to the metal yoke via a single electrical connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 9742580
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals. The wireless control device may comprise a user interface, an antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, a control circuit, and/or a conductive faceplate. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals via the antenna. The user interface may be configured to receive a user input. The conductive faceplate may be configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the conductive faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received in the opening of the conductive faceplate. The conductive faceplate may comprise a conductive material arranged over a plastic carrier, for example, the conductive material may be provided adjacent to greater than or equal to approximately 85% of the front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20170229010
    Abstract: A wireless control device may include a housing, a yoke, an antenna, a communication circuit, and a control circuit. The yoke may be electrically conductive and be configured to mount the wireless control device to an electrical wallbox. The antenna may be configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals. The antenna may be a slot antenna. The communication circuit may be configured to transmit and receive the radio-frequency signals via the antenna, and the control circuit may be responsive to the communication circuit (e.g., the signals received via the communication circuit). The control device may also include a conductive component that is attached to a front surface of the housing. For example, the conductive component may be electrically connected to the yoke via a single electrical connection (e.g., a screw). Further, the conductive component may be parallel with the antenna and configured to be capacitively coupled to the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 9699864
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may comprise a yoke, a faceplate assembly, an antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, and/or a control circuit. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals via the antenna. The faceplate assembly may comprise a conductive element that is configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the faceplate assembly is attached to the yoke. The conductive element may comprise a conductive material on the front surface of the faceplate. The conductive element may be attached to a rear surface of the faceplate (e.g., as a conductive backer). The conductive element may be located inside of the faceplate. The conductive element may comprise metallization applied to a plastic carrier of the faceplate. The faceplate assembly may comprise an adapter plate comprising a surface on which the conductive element is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20170169702
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). A faceplate comprising a conductive element may be installed on the wireless control device, such that the conductive element operates as a radiating element of the antenna. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 9652979
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the wireless control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). The antenna of the wireless control device may comprise a driven element and a conductive component. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20170126422
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals. The wireless control device may comprise a user interface, an antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, a control circuit, and/or a conductive faceplate. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals via the antenna. The user interface may be configured to receive a user input. The conductive faceplate may be configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the conductive faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received in the opening of the conductive faceplate. The conductive faceplate may comprise a conductive material arranged over a plastic carrier, for example, the conductive material may be provided adjacent to greater than or equal to approximately 85% of the front surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 9609719
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). A faceplate comprising a conductive element may be installed on the wireless control device, such that the conductive element operates as a radiating element of the antenna. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Patent number: 9578720
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals. The wireless control device may comprise a user interface, an antenna, a radio-frequency communication circuit, a control circuit, and/or a conductive faceplate. The radio-frequency communication circuit may be configured to transmit or receive radio-frequency signals via the antenna. The user interface may be configured to receive a user input. The conductive faceplate may be configured to operate as a radiating element of the antenna when the conductive faceplate is mounted to the wireless control device and the user interface is received in the opening of the conductive faceplate. The conductive faceplate may comprise a conductive material arranged over a plastic carrier, for example, the conductive material may be provided adjacent to greater than or equal to approximately 85% of the front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller
  • Publication number: 20170041886
    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 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    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: 20170038787
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Rhodes B. Baker, Richard S. Camden, Sanjeev Kumar
  • Publication number: 20160035217
    Abstract: A wall-mountable wireless control device may include an antenna (e.g., a slot antenna or a hybrid slot-patch antenna) for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency signals, and may have a conductive material on a large amount (e.g., greater than or equal to approximately 85%) of a front surface of the wireless control device. The wireless control device may operate consistently when installed with different types of faceplate assemblies (e.g., faceplate assemblies having metal and/or plastic components) and when installed with different types of electrical wallboxes (e.g., metal and plastic wallboxes). The antenna of the wireless control device may comprise a driven element and a conductive component. The wireless control device may comprise a conductive member (e.g., a conductive label or a conductive strap) extending around a rear enclosure of the wireless control device between opposite sides of a conductive yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Camden, Donald R. Mosebrook, William Taylor Shivell, Amy E. Miller