Lighting control device with removable power supply charge state indication and a method therefor
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H02J-007/00
G01R-031/36
G06F-001/32
H05B-037/02
H03K-021/18
출원번호
US-0207651
(2016-07-12)
등록번호
US-9716394
(2017-07-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Clement, Matthew A.
출원인 / 주소
ABL IP HOLDING LLC
대리인 / 주소
RatnerPrestia
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
Examples of methods and devices provide a charge level indication of a removable power source of a lighting control device. An example method may include receiving an input indication. A duration of the input is measured. If the measured duration exceeds a predetermined input duration threshold, an
Examples of methods and devices provide a charge level indication of a removable power source of a lighting control device. An example method may include receiving an input indication. A duration of the input is measured. If the measured duration exceeds a predetermined input duration threshold, an indication of a charge level of a removable power supply is obtained. The obtained charge level indication is compared, by a control unit, to a threshold charge level of the power supply. The threshold charge level is indicates an amount of charge remaining in the power supply. In response to a comparison result, an indicator light signal is applied to an indicator light. An example device may include a removable electrical power supply, an input device, an indicator light, and a control unit all of which may cooperate to perform a disclosed method.
대표청구항▼
1. A lighting control device, comprising: a removable electrical power supply having a charge level that diminishes over time, wherein the charge level is an amount of charge available to supply power to the device;an input device configured to receive a tactile input related to a selected lighting
1. A lighting control device, comprising: a removable electrical power supply having a charge level that diminishes over time, wherein the charge level is an amount of charge available to supply power to the device;an input device configured to receive a tactile input related to a selected lighting system control function from a user;an indicator light selectively coupled to the removable electrical power supply;electrical power charge level detection circuitry coupled to the removable electrical power supply, the charge level detection circuitry configured to output a charge level signal indicating a level of charge available for output from the removable electrical power supply; anda control unit coupled to the input device, the electrical power charge level detection circuitry, the indicator light and the removable electrical power supply, the control unit configured to implement selected lighting system control functions, including functions to: in response to each tactile input from a user via the input device, determine whether or not duration of the tactile input exceeds a predetermined duration;(a) for a tactile input of duration not exceeding the predetermined duration: perform the selected lighting system control function of the device based on the tactile input from the user; andoperate the indicator light in a first manner to output an indication of actuation of the input device to trigger the selected lighting system control function of the device; and(b) for a tactile input of duration exceeding the predetermined duration: receive a charge level signal from the charge level detection circuitry; andoperate the indicator light, in a second manner different from the first manner, to output an indication of a present charge level amount of the removable electrical power supply based on received charge level signal. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein: the removable electrical power supply is a battery; andthe charge level is a scaled voltage of a voltage detected by the electrical power charge level detection circuitry. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to: in response to receiving the charge level signal from the electrical power charge level detection circuitry, compare the charge level signal to a threshold; andbased on the results of the comparison, apply one or more indicator light signals to the indicator light. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical power charge level detection circuitry is further configured to: measure a parameter of the electrical power supply; andin response to the measured parameter, output the charge level signal to the control unit. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator light is coupled to the input device, each input device enabling delivery of electrical power to an indicator light upon actuation of the input device, wherein the indicator light indicates the actuation of the input device; and the control unit is further configured to: apply one or more indicator light signals to the indicator light independent of the actuation of the input device, wherein the indicator light indicates the level of charge available. 6. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a radio transceiver coupled to the control unit, the radio transceiver configured to communicate with a lighting system,wherein: the input device is further configured as a wall switch that is actuated in response to the tactile input; andthe control unit is further configured to: in response to receiving an indication of the switch actuation from the control unit, begin implementation of the selected lighting system control function associated with actuation of the wall switch. 7. A method, comprising: receiving, at a control unit in a lighting control system in which the control unit is coupled to an input device, an indication of a user input to the input device associated with a lighting control function;measuring a duration of the user input to the input device;in response to the measured duration exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, obtaining an indication of a charge level of a removable power supply coupled to the control unit;comparing, by the control unit, the obtained charge level indication to a threshold charge level of the removable power supply, wherein the threshold charge level is an indication of an amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply; andin response to a result of the comparison, applying an indicator light signal to an indicator light collocated with the input device. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the obtained indication of a charge level of a removable power supply is a charge level signal from a charge level detection circuitry coupled to the control unit. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the comparison further comprises: comparing the obtained charge level to a comparison threshold iteratively selected from a plurality of comparison thresholds, each of the plurality of thresholds indicating a different percentage of the amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply; andin response to the obtained charge level being below the selected comparison threshold, outputting a charge signal indicating the charge level of the removable power supply, the signal corresponding to an immediately preceding comparison threshold. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein applying the indicator light signal to the indicator light collocated with the input device comprises: applying the indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink, wherein the number of blinks indicates a first digit of the percentage charge;pausing for a predetermined period of time; andapplying a subsequent indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink a subsequent number of times, wherein the number of subsequent blinks indicates a second digit of the percentage charge. 11. A control device for use in a wireless lighting control system, comprising: a removable power supply configured to output electrical power, the removable power supply having a charge level;charge level detection circuitry coupled to the removable power supply;an indicator light coupled to the removable power supply;an input device associated with a lighting control function in the wireless lighting control system coupled to the indicator light, the input device configured to enable electrical power to be supplied to the indicator light for illumination when the input device is actuated;a control unit coupled to the removable power supply, the charge level detection circuitry, the indicator light and the input device, the control unit configured to: in response to an input received from the input device associated with the lighting control function, measure a duration of the input received from the input device;in response to the measured duration exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, output a signal to the charge level detection circuitry;receive from the charge level detection circuitry a charge level signal, the charge level signal representing an amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply; andin response to the received charge level signal, present an indication of the charge level by illuminating the indicator light independent of the actuation of the input device. 12. The control device of claim 11, wherein the control device comprises: a plurality of indicator lights; anda plurality of input devices,wherein: each of the plurality of input devices is associated with an indicator light; andeach of the indicator lights illuminates to provide an indication of a state of the associated input device or of the control device. 13. The control device of claim 12, the control unit further configured to: in response to the received charge level signal, illuminate a number of the plurality of indicator lights based on a voltage of the received charge level signal, wherein the number of the indicator lights illuminated indicates the charge level of the removable power supply. 14. The control device of claim 11, wherein the charge level detection circuitry is configured to: in response to receiving the signal output by the control unit, provide a voltage as the charge level signal to the control unit, wherein the voltage is representative of the amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply. 15. The control device of claim 11, wherein the input device and the indicator light are positioned adjacent to one another. 16. The control device of claim 11, the control unit further configured to: apply the indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink, wherein the number of blinks indicates a first digit of the percentage charge;pause for a predetermined period of time; andapply a subsequent indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink a subsequent number of times, wherein the number of subsequent blinks indicates a second digit of the percentage charge. 17. The control device of claim 11, wherein the control unit, the input device, the indicator light and the removable power supply are coupled in a configuration enabling: the input device to illuminate the indicator light independent of the control unit. 18. The control device of claim 11, wherein the input device is a non-latching pushbutton switch or momentary switch. 19. The control device of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to: convert the received charge level signal to an indicator light signal number, the indicator light signal number equal to a number of times the indicator light signal is to be applied to the indicator light within a predetermined time period; andin response to a result of the conversion, apply an indicator light signal to the indicator light for the number of times within the predetermined time period to cause the indicator light to blink in a manner visually perceptible to a user, wherein the number of times the indicator light signal is applied indicates an amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply. 20. The control device of claim 19, wherein the control unit is further configured to: determine from the indicator light signal number a ten's-place ordinal value and a one's-place ordinal value;in response to the determined tens-place ordinal value, apply for a predetermined duration a number of indicator light signals to the indicator light in succession until the number of applied indicator light signals is equal to the ten's place ordinal value;pause for another predetermined period of time; andapply for a predetermined duration a number of indicator light signals to the indicator light in succession until the number of applied indicator light signals is equal to the one's place ordinal value. 21. The control device of claim 11, the control unit is further configured to: determine based on the received charge level signal, a percentage amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply; andwhen presenting an indication of the charge level by illuminating the indicator light, the control unit is configured to: apply the indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink when illuminated, wherein the number of blinks indicates a first digit of a percentage charge;pause the applying for a time interval;re-apply a subsequent indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink when illuminated. 22. The control device of claim 21, wherein the number of blinks resulting from the reapplication of the subsequent indicator light signal indicates a second digit of the percentage amount charge of charge remaining in the removable power supply. 23. A method, comprising: in response to an input received by an input device of a control device in a wireless lighting control system, measuring a duration of the input received by the input device associated with a lighting control function;in response to the measured duration exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, obtaining a charge level signal from charge level detection circuitry, the obtained charge level signal representing an amount of charge remaining in a removable power supply coupled to a control unit of the control device;determining, by the control unit based on the obtained charge level signal, a percentage amount of charge remaining in the removable power supply; andin response to the determined percentage amount of charge remaining, illuminating a number of a plurality of indicator lights coupled to the control unit, wherein the number of the indicator lights illuminated indicates the determined percentage amount of charge remaining of the removable power supply.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Faunce, Rita L.; Laurx, Joseph A.; Wentink, Robert F., Battery charge indicator.
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