Lutron Electronics Company, Inc.

Lutron Electronics, Inc.

Nutron Electronics Co., Inc

Donald F Hausman

Robin C Moseley

Joel S Spira

Robert Charles Newman

Walter Steven Zaharchuk

Jonathan H Ference

John F Loar

Robert S Spehalski

Noel Mayo

Donald R Mosebrook

Gregory R Martin

Mark A Cieri

Gary E Will

David E Houggy, Jr

Charles J Digney, Jr

Tony W Azar

Timothy R Reinhard

Stephen W Lynn

David L Kates

David G Luchaco

Dennis M Capewell

Robert S Hanna

Nicholas F Maiale, Jr

Christopher James Salvestrini

Stuart William Dejonge

Gregory T Davis

Audwin W Cash

Scott R Jurell

Robert William Lenig

Robert G Palmer, Jr

Eric R Motto

Aaron Jungreis

Gordon E Windows, Jr

David E Houggy

Yang Boon Quek

Eric S Lavin

Miguel Aguado Pelaez

Neil Orchowski

A phase controlled dimming system having an active filter for receiving the AC line voltage waveform, and for recovering the AC fundamental waveform therefrom is disclosed. The recovered AC fundamental waveform is supplied to a zero crossing detector that provides zero crossing indications of the AC fundamental waveform. The recovered AC fundamental is substantially free of noise or distortion, and of frequency components greater than at least second order harmonics, that may be present on the AC line voltage waveform, and that might otherwise result in faulty or incorrect zero crossing detection. An output of the zero crossing detector is supplied to a microprocessor that controls the gating of a controllably conductive device interposed between the controlled load and the AC source based on the zero crossing information. The filter may take an analog or digital (software) form.

Phase controlled dimming system with active filter for preventing flickering and undesired intensity changes

A load control circuit having an overload circuit capable of protecting a switching element from overload conditions over a wide range of operating conditions. The overload circuit limits the maximum average power dissipation of the switching element in accordance with a comparison of an average voltage across the switching element over a half-cycle and a variable threshold. The variable threshold is determined based on an ON-state resistance of the switching element and the environment in which the switching elements are operating. The variable threshold accounts for the squared term (V or I ) in determining power dissipation and allows power to be determined based on average voltage.

Load control system having an overload protection circuit

An elongated reelable shade, first and second spaced support brackets removably connected to first and second and opposite ends of said elongated reelable shade for supporting said reelable shade from a fixed support, an electrical drive motor having an output shaft for rotating said elongated reelable shade around its axis to selectively reel and unreel said shade, an electrical circuit for energizing and operating said motor, the electrical circuit including a controller coupled to and controlling the operation of said drive motor, and a coupler for removably coupling said output shaft of said motor to said first end of said elongated reelable shade, a single housing having said first bracket fixed thereto, said single housing containing and supporting said motor, said electrical circuit and said coupler, said coupler comprising an output driver which removably receives said first end of said shade with rotatable driving relationship.

Motorized window shade system

Phase controlled dimming system with active filter for preventing

A diagnostic apparatus for use in a light dimming circuit of the tape which selectively controls the current flow through a lighting load to adjust its luminous output. The dimming circuit has a controllably conductive device, such as a triac, connectable in series between an A.C. power source and a lighting load, and a control circuit which responds to a dimming level control signal to selectively apply a selected portion of an A.C. voltage waveform produced by the A.C. power source to the lighting load to adjust the RMS voltage across the load. The selected portion is determined by a firing angle at which the control circuit causes the controllably conductive device to conduct power during each half cycle of the A.C. waveform. The diagnostic appararus has a senior to sense the operating status of a component of the dimming circuit and/or the presence of the dimming level control signal. A logic circuit compares an output of the sensor to provide an indication of the present operating status of The component and/or the presence of the dimming level control signal. A status indicator responds to the output of the logic circuit to provide a visual indication of a change in status of the component and/or presence of the dimming control signal.

Multi-zone lighting control system

A lighting dimmer for controlling the current through a lighting load includes circuitry for applying a predetermined dimming level control signal to a control circuit in response to the absence of a dimming level control signal and the cycling OFF and ON of a circuit breaker. The dimmer further includes voltage compensation circuitry for maintaining a constant lighting load current notwithstanding short-lived changes in nominal line voltage.

Apparatus for controlling an electrical device by remote control including a control device coupled to the electrical device by a wire connection for providing power to the electrical device, the control device having an actuator for adjusting the status of the electrical device and a radio frequency transmitter/receiver and antenna for adjusting the status of the electrical device in response to control information in a radio frequency signal. The transmitter/receiver receives the radio frequency signal via the antenna and transmits a status radio frequency signal with information regarding the status of the electrical device. A master control unit has at least one actuator and status indicator and a transmitter/receiver for transmitting a radio frequency signal having the control information therein to control the status of the electrical device and for receiving the status information from the control device. The status indicator indicates the status of the electrical device in response to the status information. A repeater receives the radio frequency signal from the master unit and transmits the control information to the control device and receives the status information from the control device and transmits it to the master unit.

Method and apparatus for controlling and determining the status of

An elongated reelable shade, first and second spaced support brackets removably connected to first and second and opposite ends of the elongated reelable shade for supporting the reelable shade from a fixed support, an electrical drive motor having an output shaft for rotating the elongated reelable shade around its axis to selectively reel and unreel the shade, an electrical circuit for energizing and operating the motor, the electrical circuit including a controller coupled to and controlling the operation of the drive motor, a single shade limit switch for stopping the motor when the shade reaches a fully reeled or fully extended position, and a coupler for removably coupling the output shaft of the motor to the first end of the elongated reelable shade, a single housing having the first bracket fixed thereto, the single housing containing and supporting the motor, the electrical circuit and the coupler, the coupler comprising an output driver which removably receives the first end of the shade with rotatable driving relationship.

A dimmer panel for controlling the intensity of a plurality of electric light sources includes a plurality of dimming circuits. Each dimming circuit has a control circuit, a heat producing controllably conductive power switch such as a triac, and a heat producing coil such as a choke. The power switches and coils are arranged on a corrugated heat sink to minimize component temperatures in the dimming control circuit and of the power switches. The heat producing coils are remotely located from the control circuit and the power switches, so that the heat generated by the coils does not increase the temperature of the components in the control circuit or of the power switches.

Lighting control system with corrugated heat sink

A lighting control system operates to control multiple zones of lighting through multiple dimming circuits so as to achieve any one of several desired lighting scenes. The system includes a plurality of wallbox control units which collectively operate to multiplex digital lighting control information on a communications link. Each wallbox control unit includes a plurality of zone-intensity actuators which are manipulatable to alter the information transmitted by their respective wallbox control so as to vary the lighting intensity of an associated lighting zone. A central lighting control panel includes a microprocessor adapted to receive and processes the multiplexed information transmitted on the link, and re-transmit digital lighting control information, on a second multiplex link, to the dimming circuits. According to one aspect of the invention, the microprocessor is programmed to assign a preselected dimming circuit to any one of the zone-intensity actuators when that actuator is manipulated according to a predetermined sequence.

Reverse phase-controlled dimming of an a.c.-powered load is accomplished by switching power to the load on and off during each half cycle. In one embodiment of the present invention, power is switched on when line voltage is substantially equal to load voltage and off at a selected time later in the half cycle or at any time that the voltage across the switch exceeds a predetermined value. Preferably, switching is accomplished with a pair of field effect transistors. The load preferably includes a capacitor from load hot to neutral. The present circuit permits quiet dimming of incandescent lamp loads without the need for complex circuitry. It is particularly well adapted for dimming low voltage lamps using a converter solid state transformer.

Reverse phase-controlled dimmer with integral power adjustment means

A lighting control device for controlling the state and intensity of a lamp includes a user-actuatable intensity selector for selecting a desired lamp intensity level between minimum and maximum intensity levels. The device further includes a programmable microprocessor for storing a preset lamp intensity level, and a linear array of indicator lights (e.g. LED's) for indicating the available range of lamp intensities. According to a preferred embodiment, the microprocessor operates to illuminate all lights in the array when the lamp is OFF, with one indicator light being more brightly illuminated to indicate the preset intensity level. When the lamp is ON, only that indicator light representing the present lamp intensity level is illuminated.

Lighting indicating device having plural illuminating elements with all

A lighting control device for controlling the state and intensity level of at least one lamp. The device includes a user-actuatable intensity selector for selecting a desired intensity level between a minimum intensity level and a maximum intensity level, a control switch for generating control signals representative of preselected states and intensity levels of the lamp in response to an input, and a control responsive to the intensity selector and the control switch for causing the lamp to fade from an off state to the desired intensity level when the input from a user from a user causes a single switch closure of transitory duration, such fade occurring at a first fade rate, fade from any intensity level to the maximum intensity level when the input from a user comprises two switch closures of transitory duration in rapid succession, such fade occurring at a second fade rate, and fade from the desired intensity level to an off state when the input from a user comprises a single switch closure of more than a transitory duration, such fade occurring at a third fade rate, each of such fade rates being non-instantaneous.

Lighting control device

A dimming system, which provides a time-varying current from a power source between the electrodes of a gas discharge lamp, simultaneously provides high-frequency, low-level current between the electrodes to sustain an electric discharge in the lamp when the time varying current alone is insufficient. The system provides reduced starting stress in the lamp and, therefore, longer lamp life by delaying the formation of an arc discharge, during start-up, until the electrodes have been heated. The system can be used with standard magnetic ballasts to provide full-range dimming of gas discharge lamps from 3 to 100 percent light output with minimal striations, lamp drop out, and flicker.

Gas discharge lamp dimming system

Growing community of inventors

Emmaus, PA, United States of America

Donald F Hausman