Patents by Inventor William Lark, JR.

William Lark, JR. 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: 11528794
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Savant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Charles Smith, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11483914
    Abstract: A lighting control system can be implemented to analyze information such as occupancy of a room, to track movements of one or more subjects in a room and to determine how many subjects are in a room. The lighting control system includes a lighting control module configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a luminaire electrically connected to the lighting control module. The lighting control system include a sensor system positioned in the lighting control module. The sensor system includes a primary sensor and at least one auxiliary sensor. The sensor system includes a plurality of sensor types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Savant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 11375598
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides light switch modules and methods of implementing a light switch module for a lighting control system. The light switch modules include a light switch actuator including an actuation surface. The light switch actuator is movable to connect an electrical flow path and to activate a tactile display housed in the light switch actuator. One or more tactile motions are applied on the actuation surface of the light switch actuator for selecting a lighting setting from among a plurality of lighting settings using the tactile display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Savant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 11302494
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Savant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Charles Smith, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11243006
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control system configured for positioning on a floor surface and having a controller communicably coupled to a vibration sensor facing the floor and configured to detect movement in a room via the floor so as to control a flow of electricity received at an electrical wall outlet to a corded luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Savant Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11116064
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules determines a time of day. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. Occupancy at the first light control module is detected after a specific time of day. The flow of electricity from one or more light control modules in the plurality of light control modules is changed to change the flow of electricity to the respective lighting circuits connected to the one or more light control modules to turn off the respective light fixture based on the occupancy detection the time of day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 11096262
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control apparatus for automated lighting adjustments based on sensor and alarm signals. A light control apparatus detects a signal, such as an alarm signal and a sensor signal, from an electronic device, such as a mobile electronic device and a security system, or a sensor device, such as a motion detector. The light control apparatus is configured to select a scene based on the detected signal and modulate a flow of electrical current to a lighting circuit controlled by the light control apparatus according to one or more parameters of the selected scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 11071188
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system includes a base module including a base housing forming a well and including a first electrical connector positioned in the well. A depressible switch is housed in the well that includes a spring biasing the depressible switch into an extended position that opens an electrical circuit between the power terminal and the first electrical connector. The lighting control system also includes a light switch module configured for nesting, at least in part, in the well of the base module. The light switch module includes a module housing configured to press the depressible switch into a retracted position upon nesting in the well and thereby close the electrical circuit between the power terminal and the first electrical connector and release the depressible switch into the extended position when unnested from the well of the base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas David Pennycooke, William Lark, Jr., Ryan Aylward
  • Patent number: 11044794
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first switch control circuit of a first lighting control module of a plurality of lighting control modules is actuated. The actuation is detected at each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules. The light sensor in each lighting control module are polled by the respective processor in each lighting control module, to detect a change in a light level. The change in the light level detected by the respective lighting control module is transmitting, from each lighting control module. The lighting control modules that detected the change in the light level are catalogued into a 1st zone of one or more zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: William Lark, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20210185789
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides intelligent lighting control systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Ian Charles Smith, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11032894
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A detector circuit of a lighting control module detects a line voltage of an electrical line connected to a power terminal of the light control module. The lighting control module is configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the lighting control module. The lighting control module reduces a flow of electricity transmitted to the lighting circuit to turn off the respective light fixture in response to detecting substantially no change in the line voltage over a pre-specified period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Clark Edwards, William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton
  • Patent number: 11017963
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including a releasable faceplate. The faceplate is used for installation of at least one base module. The base module has a base housing that forms a well and includes a first connector positioned in the well. The base module further includes a power terminal configured to receive electrical current and a dimmer circuit configured to modulate a flow of the electrical current to a load terminal coupled to a lighting circuit. A switch controller is mounted in the faceplate and includes a second connector configured to electrically engage with the first connector when the faceplate is pivoted to the base module. The switch controller is further configured to send one or more commands to the base module to control the dimmer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 11013089
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatuses and methods for bulb detection for a lighting control system. The apparatus includes a lighting control module configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the lighting control module. The apparatus includes a detector circuit positioned in the lighting control module. The detector circuit is configured to measure a response of the lighting circuit to the transmission of the quantity of electrical energy. The apparatus also includes a controller in electrical communication with the detector circuit. The controller is specially programmed to correlate the quantity of electrical energy transmitted to the lighting circuit to the response of the lighting circuit. The controller is further programmed to determine the bulb type of a bulb electrically coupled to the lighting circuit of the light fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Aylward, Andreas Wagner, Erik Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 10986720
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system for automated lighting adjustments. The system includes a lighting control module configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit and a detector circuit positioned in the lighting control module and configured to detect a change in a strength of detected signal, such as wireless signal. The system includes a controller coupled to the detector circuit and the lighting control module. The controller includes a processor configured to determine a time of day and to cause the lighting control module to change the quantity of electrical energy transmitted to the lighting circuit in response to the time of day exceeding a predetermined time threshold and the change in the strength of the wireless signal falling below a predetermined value. The controller can cause the lighting control module to reduce the quantity of electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton
  • Patent number: 10985755
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system include a pre-mount chassis system. The methods include attaching a chassis to an electrical wall box, the chassis comprising at least one hook extending in an upward direction and at least one opening, the at least one hook positioned along a peripheral portion of the at least one opening. The methods include hanging a base module from the at least one hook in the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventor: William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10973107
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules determines a time of day. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. Occupancy at the first light control module is detected after a specific time of day. The flow of electricity from one or more light control modules in the plurality of light control modules is changed to change the flow of electricity to the respective lighting circuits connected to the one or more light control modules to turn off the respective light fixture based on the occupancy detection the time of day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Allen Charlton, William Lark, Jr., Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung
  • Patent number: 10957498
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including a scalable wall-plate system. The wall-plate system is used for installation of a plurality of base modules in a multi-gang electrical box. The base modules in a base housing forms a well and includes a first electrical connector positioned in the well. A first light control module of a plurality of light control modules is nested in a first base module. A wall-plate cover is connected to the plurality of base modules such that the nested first light control module is positioned in a recess formed in a back surface of the wall-plate cover such that an aperture in the wall-plate cover is positioned over a well in a second base module of the plurality of base modules. A second light control module is nested through the aperture and into the well of the second base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Nicholas David Pennycooke
  • Patent number: 10932347
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system including an electrical connector interface. The lighting control system includes a module housing, a switch control circuit positioned in the module housing and including a processor configured to modulate a flow of electrical energy to a lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit to produce a plurality of lighting scenes. The lighting control system includes a graphical user interface coupled to the module housing and communicably coupled to the switch control circuit. The lighting control system includes a first electrical connector electrically connected to the switch control circuit and at least one of extending from and recessed in a surface of the module housing. The electrical connector includes a plurality of electrical pins. The first electrical connector is configured for a press fit engagement with a second electrical connector of a base module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas David Pennycooke, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10912177
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system includes a module housing, a graphical user interface coupled to the module housing and a switch control circuit positioned in the housing and including a processor. The processor is configured to modulate the flow of electrical energy to a lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit. The switch control circuit is electrically connected to the graphical user interface. The processor is also configured to identify a device identification address compare the identified device address with one or more registered identification addresses saved in a dataset. The processor is configured to catalogue a command received at the processor and at least one event parameter detected contemporaneously with receipt of the command, if the identified proximate device identification address corresponds to one of the one or more registered device identification addresses saved in the dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Ann Claire Lim Chi Cheung, William Lark, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10893593
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intelligent lighting control system. The lighting control system detects a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of each light control module in a plurality of light control modules. Each light control module in the plurality of light control modules is configured to cause a transmission of a quantity of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a light fixture electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. The lighting control system controls at least one of a heating and an air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor of the light control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Racepoint Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William Lark, Jr., Erik Allen Charlton