Control Device for Providing A Visual Indication of Energy Savings and Usage Information
A dimmer switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to and thus the intensity of a lighting load comprises a visual display operable to provide a visual indication representative of energy savings and usage information. The dimmer switch comprises an intensity adjustment actuator, such as a slider knob or a rotary knob, which may be coupled to a potentiometer for adjusting the amount of power delivered to the lighting load. The potentiometer may comprise a dual potentiometer including a resistive element and a conductive element having a cut. The visual display may comprise a single visual indicator, which may be illuminated a first color, such as green, when the intensity of the lighting load is less than or equal to the eco-level intensity, and illuminated a second different color, such as red, when the intensity of the lighting load is greater than the eco-level intensity.
1 . A control device for a load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from a power source to at least one electrical load, the load control system comprising:
a controller configured to receive an amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load; and
a visual display operable to provide a visual indication in a first color when the amount of power being delivered to the at least one electrical load is less than or equal to a predetermined level, and in a second color different than the first color when the amount of power being delivered to the at least one electrical load is greater than the predetermined level;
wherein the predetermined level is greater than 75% of a maximum possible amount of power that may be delivered to the at least one electrical load.
2 . The remote control of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface for receiving a user input;
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the load in response to the user input.
3 . The remote control of claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen for receiving the user input and providing the visual indication.
4 . The remote control of claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises an adjustment actuator operatively coupled to the controller, the controller configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the load between a low-end level and a high-end level in response to actuations of the adjustment actuator.
5 . The remote control of claim 1 , wherein the visual display comprises a vertically-arranged linear array of visual indicators.
6 . The remote control of claim 5 , wherein one of the visual indicators is illuminated the first color when the amount of power delivered to the load is less than or equal to the predetermined level, and a topmost visual indicator of the linear array is illuminated the second color different than the first color when the amount of power delivered to the load is greater than the predetermined level.
7 . The remote control of claim 1 , wherein the first color comprises green and the second color comprises one of red, orange, yellow, and blue.
8 . A control device for a load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from a power source to at least one electrical load, the load control system comprising:
a visual display comprising a linear array of visual indicators; and
a controller configured to receive an amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load, the controller configured to illuminate at least one of the visual indicators to indicate the amount of power being delivered to the at least one electrical load;
wherein the controller is configured to illuminate at least one of the visual indicators a first color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is above a first threshold, illuminate at least one of the visual indicators a second color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the first threshold and above a second threshold, and illuminate at least one of the visual indicators a third second when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the second threshold.
9 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to illuminate one of the visual indicators the first color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is above the first threshold, and illuminate the visual indicator the second color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the first threshold and above the second threshold.
10 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein the first color is red, the second color is yellow, and the third color is green.
11 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein the linear array of visual indicators are vertically-arranged.
12 . The control device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a communication circuit configured to receive a digital message including the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load.
13 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein further comprising:
a plurality of light-emitting diodes operatively coupled to the controller for illuminating each of the visual indicators.
14 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein further comprising:
a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the amount of power delivered to the load; and
an adjustment actuator operatively coupled to the controller;
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the load between a low-end level and a high-end level in response to actuations of the adjustment actuator.
15 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein the first threshold is greater than approximately 75% of a maximum possible amount of power that may be consumed by the load.
16 . The control device of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined level is approximately 85% of the maximum possible amount of power that may be delivered by the source to the load.
17 . A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from a power source to at least one electrical load, the load control system comprising:
at least one load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for adjusting the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load; and
a visual display comprising a linear array of visual indicators configured to be illuminated to indicate the amount of power being delivered to the at least one electrical load, the visual display configured such that at least one of the visual indicators is illuminated a first color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is above a first threshold, at least one of the visual indicators is illuminated a second color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the first threshold and above a second threshold, and at least one of the visual indicators is illuminated a third second when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the second threshold.
18 . The load control system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a remote control having a user interface for receiving a user input, the load control device configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load between a low-end level and a high-end level in response to the user input received by the user interface.
19 . The load control system of claim 18 , wherein the visual display is provided on the remote control.
20 . The load control system of claim 19 , wherein the remote control comprises a touch screen.
21 . The load control system of claim 19 , wherein the linear array of visual indicators are vertically-arranged.
22 . The load control system of claim 18 , wherein the load control device comprises a lighting control device for controlling a lighting load.
23 . The load control system of claim 18 , wherein the remote control is coupled to the load control device via a communication link, the remote control configured to transmit digital messages to the load control device in response to the user input received via the user interface.
24 . The load control system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a central processor coupled to the remote control via a communication link;
wherein the remote control transmits digital messages to the central processor in response to the user input received via the user interface.
25 . The load control system of claim 18 , wherein the user interface comprises an adjustment actuator operatively coupled to the controller, the controller configured to adjust the amount of power delivered to the load between a low-end level and a high-end level in response to actuations of the adjustment actuator.
26 . The load control system of claim 17 , wherein the visual display comprises a touch screen.
27 . The load control system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to illuminate one of the visual indicators the first color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is above the first threshold, and illuminate the visual indicator the second color when the amount of power delivered to the at least one electrical load is below the first threshold and above the second threshold.
28 . The load control system of claim 17 , wherein the first color is red, the second color is yellow, and the third color is green.
29 . The load control system of claim 17 , wherein the first threshold greater than approximately 75% of a maximum possible amount of power that may be consumed by the load.
30 . The load control system of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined level is approximately 85% of the maximum possible amount of power that may be delivered by the source to the load.