Patents by Inventor William Zotter

William Zotter 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: 10325740
    Abstract: A load control device (e.g., a switching device) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical device (e.g., a lighting load) may be configured to detect that a relay is stuck closed and attempt to fix the relay. The relay of the load control device may be adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical device to control the power delivered to the electrical device so as to generate a switched-hot voltage. The load control device may comprise a detect circuit configured to generate a detect signal indicating a magnitude of the switched-hot voltage, and a control circuit configured to monitor the detect signal. The control circuit may be configured to determine that the relay is stuck closed in response to the detect signal, and to control the relay in order to attempt to fix the relay by repeatedly closing and opening the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20190179354
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Blakeley, William Zotter
  • Patent number: 10082815
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Blakeley, William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20170223812
    Abstract: A lighting device, such as a two-wire lighting control device, may include a controllably conductive device and a control circuit. The controllably conductive device may supply an AC line voltage to a load in response to a dive signal such that the controllable conductive device is non-conductive for a first duration of time and conductive for a second duration of time within a half-cycle of the AC line voltage. The control circuit may receive a signal from the controllably conductive device that represents a voltage developed across the controllable conductive device during the first duration of time. The control circuit may generate a sine-wave-shaped signal that complements the voltage developed across the controllably conductive device during the second duration of time. The control circuit may also filter the signal from the controllably conductive device during the first duration of time and the sine-wave-shaped signal during the second duration of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: William Zotter, Bingrui Yang, Henry Kite
  • Publication number: 20170162351
    Abstract: A load control device (e.g., a switching device) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical device (e.g., a lighting load) may be configured to detect that a relay is stuck closed and attempt to fix the relay. The relay of the load control device may be adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical device to control the power delivered to the electrical device so as to generate a switched-hot voltage. The load control device may comprise a detect circuit configured to generate a detect signal indicating a magnitude of the switched-hot voltage, and a control circuit configured to monitor the detect signal. The control circuit may be configured to determine that the relay is stuck closed in response to the detect signal, and to control the relay in order to attempt to fix the relay by repeatedly closing and opening the relay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: William Zotter
  • Patent number: 9674933
    Abstract: A two-wire lighting control device, may include a controllably conductive device, a signal generation circuit, and a filter circuit. The controllably conductive device may apply an AC line voltage to a load, being conductive for a first duration of time and non-conductive for a second duration of time within a half-cycle of the AC line voltage. The signal generation circuit may generate a non-zero-magnitude signal. And, the filter circuit may receive a signal from the controllably conductive device during the first duration of time and the non-zero-magnitude signal from the signal generation circuit during the second duration of time. The non-zero-magnitude signal may, in effect, fill-in or complement the signal from the controllably conductive device, and any delay variation as a function of the firing angle of the controllably conductive device through the filter circuit may be mitigated by the presence of the non-zero-magnitude signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: William Zotter, Bingrui Yang, Henry Kite
  • Patent number: 9609704
    Abstract: A load control device (e.g., a switching device) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical device (e.g., a lighting load) may be configured to detect that a relay is stuck closed and attempt to fix the relay. The relay of the load control device may be adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical device to control the power delivered to the electrical device so as to generate a switched-hot voltage. The load control device may comprise a detect circuit configured to generate a detect signal indicating a magnitude of the switched-hot voltage, and a control circuit configured to monitor the detect signal. The control circuit may be configured to determine that the relay is stuck closed in response to the detect signal, and to control the relay in order to attempt to fix the relay by repeatedly closing and opening the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20160295652
    Abstract: A load control device (e.g., a switching device) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical device (e.g., a lighting load) may be configured to detect that a relay is stuck closed and attempt to fix the relay. The relay of the load control device may be adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical device to control the power delivered to the electrical device so as to generate a switched-hot voltage. The load control device may comprise a detect circuit configured to generate a detect signal indicating a magnitude of the switched-hot voltage, and a control circuit configured to monitor the detect signal. The control circuit may be configured to determine that the relay is stuck closed in response to the detect signal, and to control the relay in order to attempt to fix the relay by repeatedly closing and opening the relay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20160124453
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Blakeley, William Zotter
  • Patent number: 9250669
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Blakeley, William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20150373817
    Abstract: A two-wire lighting control device, may include a controllably conductive device, a signal generation circuit, and a filter circuit. The controllably conductive device may apply an AC line voltage to a load, being conductive for a first duration of time and non-conductive for a second duration of time within a half-cycle of the AC line voltage. The signal generation circuit may generate a non-zero-magnitude signal. And, the filter circuit may receive a signal from the controllably conductive device during the first duration of time and the non-zero-magnitude signal from the signal generation circuit during the second duration of time. The non-zero-magnitude signal may, in effect, fill-in or complement the signal from the controllably conductive device, and any delay variation as a function of the firing angle of the controllably conductive device through the filter circuit may be mitigated by the presence of the non-zero-magnitude signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: William Zotter, Bingrui Yang, Henry Kite
  • Patent number: 9155162
    Abstract: A two-wire lighting control device, may include a controllably conductive device, a signal generation circuit, and a filter circuit. The controllably conductive device may apply an AC line voltage to a load, being conductive for a first duration of time and non-conductive for a second duration of time within a half-cycle of the AC line voltage. The signal generation circuit may generate a non-zero-magnitude signal. And, the filter circuit may receive a signal from the controllably conductive device during the first duration of time and the non-zero-magnitude signal from the signal generation circuit during the second duration of time. The non-zero-magnitude signal may, in effect, fill-in or complement the signal from the controllably conductive device, and any delay variation as a function of the firing angle of the controllably conductive device through the filter circuit may be mitigated by the presence of the non-zero-magnitude signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: William Zotter, Bingrui Yang, Henry Kite
  • Publication number: 20140081474
    Abstract: A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Blakeley, William Zotter
  • Publication number: 20140077718
    Abstract: A two-wire lighting control device, may include a controllably conductive device, a signal generation circuit, and a filter circuit. The controllably conductive device may apply an AC line voltage to a load, being conductive for a first duration of time and non-conductive for a second duration of time within a half-cycle of the AC line voltage. The signal generation circuit may generate a non-zero-magnitude signal. And, the filter circuit may receive a signal from the controllably conductive device during the first duration of time and the non-zero-magnitude signal from the signal generation circuit during the second duration of time. The non-zero-magnitude signal may, in effect, fill-in or complement the signal from the controllably conductive device, and any delay variation as a function of the firing angle of the controllably conductive device through the filter circuit may be mitigated by the presence of the non-zero-magnitude signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: William Zotter, Bingrui Yang, Henry Kite
  • Patent number: 7468132
    Abstract: A method and a facility for the treatment of waste from concentrated animal feed operations are disclosed. The method includes receiving manure at a central location, digesting the manure and producing therefrom combustible gases, solid matter and water containing dissolved organic pollutants. The combustible gases are used to provide energy and the water is separated from the solid matter. The solid matter is dried to produce a useful bedding material and the water is treated using an activated sludge aeration system to reduce the dissolved organic pollutants to carbon dioxide, bacteria and water. The facility includes various means for executing the method and includes an ultrasonic treatment station for disrupting bacteria cell walls to improve digestion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignees: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay William Zotter, Jason David Wert, Christopher Anthony Quentin Harvey
  • Publication number: 20080093292
    Abstract: A method and a facility for the treatment of waste from concentrated animal feed operations are disclosed. The method includes receiving manure at a central location, digesting the manure and producing therefrom combustible gases, solid matter and water containing dissolved organic pollutants. The combustible gases are used to provide energy and the water is separated from the solid matter. The solid matter is dried to produce a useful bedding material and the water is treated using an activated sludge aeration system to reduce the dissolved organic pollutants to carbon dioxide, bacteria and water. The facility includes various means for executing the method and includes an ultrasonic treatment station for disrupting bacteria cell walls to improve digestion efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Jay William Zotter, Jason David Wert, Christopher Anthony Quentin Harvey