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-0626589
(2017-06-19)
등록번호
US-10075003
(2018-09-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Clement, Matthew A.
출원인 / 주소
ABL IP HOLDING LLC
대리인 / 주소
RatnerPrestia
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
8
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 power supply having a charge level available to supply power to the lighting control device;an input device configured to receive an input related to a selected lighting system control function from a user;an indicator light selectively coupled to the powe
1. A lighting control device, comprising: a power supply having a charge level available to supply power to the lighting control device;an input device configured to receive an input related to a selected lighting system control function from a user;an indicator light selectively coupled to the power supply;charge level detection circuitry coupled to the power supply, the charge level detection circuitry configured to output a charge level signal indicating a level of charge available for output from the power supply; anda control unit coupled to the input device, the charge level detection circuitry and the indicator light, the control unit configured to implement one or more selected lighting system control functions, the control unit further configured to implement functions including functions to:(a) in response to a tactile input of duration not exceeding a predetermined duration:operate the indicator light in a first manner to output an indication of actuation of the input device to trigger a selected lighting system control function of the lighting control device; and(b) in response to a tactile input of duration exceeding the predetermined duration:operate the indicator light, in a second manner different from the first manner, to output an indication of a present charge level amount of the power supply in response to an outputted charge level signal. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein: the power supply is a battery; andthe charge level signal is a scaled voltage of a voltage detected by the charge level detection circuitry. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to: in response to the outputted charge level signal from the 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, wherein the one or more indicator light signals applied to the indicator light causes the indicator light to blink in response to each applied indicator light. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator light is coupled to the input device, each input device enabling delivery of power directly to an indicator light upon actuation of the input device. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein 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: 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 the indication of actuation of the wall switch 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 control system in which the control unit is coupled to an input device associated with a control function, an indication of a user input to the input device;in response to a duration of the user input to the input device exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, obtaining an indication of a charge level of a power supply coupled to the control unit;comparing, by the control unit, the obtained charge level indication 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 power supply;in response to the obtained charge level being below the selected comparison threshold, outputting a charge signal indicating the charge level of the power supply, the charge signal corresponding to an immediately preceding comparison threshold; andcontrolling operation of an indicator light collocated with the input device in response to the charge signal. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the obtained indication of a charge level of the power supply is a charge level signal output by a charge level detection circuitry coupled to the control unit. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling operation of an 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. 10. A control device for use in a control system, comprising: a power supply having a charge level available to supply power to the control device;an input device configured to receive an input related to a selected control function from a user;an indicator light selectively coupled to the power supply;charge level detection circuitry coupled to the power supply, the charge level detection circuitry configured to output a signal indicating a level of charge available for output from the power supply; anda control unit coupled to the input device, the charge level detection circuitry and the indicator light, the control unit configured to implement one or more selected control functions, the control unit further configured to implement functions, including functions to:receive an indication of a user input to the input device;in response to a duration of the user input to the input device exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, obtain an indication of a charge level of the power supply;operate an indicator light collocated with the input device in response to the obtained indication of a charge level;wherein execution of the function to obtain an indication of the charge level of the power supply further configures the controller to:send a signal to the charge level detection circuitry; andin response to the sent signal, receive a charge level signal indicating a charge level. 11. The control device of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to implement functions, including functions to: compare the obtained charge level indication 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 power supply; andin response to the obtained charge level being below the selected comparison threshold, output a charge signal indicating the charge level of the power supply to operate the indicator light, the charge signal corresponding to an immediately preceding comparison threshold. 12. The control device of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured, when applying the indicator light signal to the indicator light collocated with the input device, to implement functions, including functions 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. 13. A control device for use in a control system, comprising: a power supply having a charge level;charge level detection circuitry coupled to the power supply;an indicator light selectively coupled to the power supply;an input device coupled to the indicator light, the input device associated with a control function in the control system;a control unit coupled to the power supply, the charge level detection circuitry, the indicator light and the input device, the control unit configured to implement functions including functions to:in response to an input received from the input device having a duration exceeding a predetermined input duration threshold, obtain a charge level signal from the charge level detection circuitry, wherein the charge level signal represents an amount of charge remaining in the power supply; andin response to the obtained charge level signal, present an indication of the charge level by illuminating the indicator light independent of the actuation of the input device. 14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the charge level detection circuitry is configured to: in response to receiving a signal output by the control unit, provide a voltage as the obtained charge level signal to the control unit, wherein the voltage is representative of the amount of charge remaining in the power supply. 15. The control device of claim 13, the control unit is further configured to implement functions, including functions to: determine based on the obtained charge level signal a percentage amount of charge remaining in the power supply; andwhen presenting an indication of the charge level by illuminating the indicator light, the control unit is configured to:apply an 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 application of the indicator light signal for a time interval; andre-apply a subsequent indicator light signal repeatedly to cause the indicator light to blink when illuminated. 16. The control device of claim 15, 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 power supply. 17. A method, comprising: measuring a duration of an input received by an input device of a control device in a control system associated with a control function, wherein the input received by the input device of the control device is received from a sensor or detector;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 power supply of the control device;in response to the obtained charge level signal determining by a control unit of the control device, a percentage amount of charge remaining in the power supply; andin response to the determined percentage amount of charge remaining, illuminating a number of indicator lights coupled to the control unit, wherein the number of the indicator lights illuminated indicates the determined percentage amount of charge remaining in the power supply. 18. A control device for use in a control system, comprising: a power supply;an indicator light having a first indicator light terminal and a second indicator light terminal, wherein the first indicator light terminal is coupled to the power supply;a capacitor configured to maintain a voltage at the second indicator light terminal when charged;an input device associated with a control function in the control system, the input device having a first input device terminal coupled to the second indicator light terminal and a first terminal of the capacitor and a second input device terminal coupled to a second terminal of the capacitor, wherein the input device is configured to:when actuated, discharge the capacitor to illuminate the indicator light;a control unit coupled to the power supply, the charge level detection circuitry, the second indicator light terminal and the first input device terminal,wherein the control unit is configured to implement functions, including functions to:respond to a detected actuation of the input device so as to implement the control function associated with the input device based on a change in a voltage at the second indicator light terminal. 19. The control device of claim 18, the control unit further configured to implement functions to: in response to a detected actuation of the input device that exceeds a predetermined input duration, operate the indicator light to indicate a level of charge available for output from the power supply by discharging the capacitor. 20. The control device of claim 18, further comprising: charge level detection circuitry coupled to the power supply, the charge level detection circuitry configured to output a charge level signal indicating a level of charge available for output from the power supply. 21. The control device of claim 20, wherein the charge level detection circuitry is configured to: in response to receiving a signal output by the control unit, provide a voltage as the obtained charge level signal to the control unit, wherein the voltage is representative of the amount of charge remaining in the power supply.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
Faunce, Rita L.; Laurx, Joseph A.; Wentink, Robert F., Battery charge indicator.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.