IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,658,840
Granted Patent B2
US 11,658,840 · App. 17/521,015 · Granted May 23, 2023

State retention load control system

Inventors: Ankit Bhutani (Aston, PA); Timothy Mann (Quakertown, PA); David T. Saveri, III (Nazareth, PA)
Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
H04L12/2816H05B39/041H05B47/11H05B47/14H05B47/19E06B9/322E06B9/68E06B2009/6809H04L67/10H05B47/115
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,658,840
App. No.
17/521,015
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A load control system may include control devices for controlling power provided to an electrical load. The control devices may include an input device and a load control device. The load control system may include a hub device. The hub device may include a communication circuit and a control circuit. The communication circuit may be configured to receive a digital message from the control device. The control circuit may be configured to determine, based on content of the digital message, whether the control device has experienced a power removal event. The hub device may send, via the communication circuit, a power removal event indication to the control device of whether the control device has experienced the power removal event.

Claims (53)

1. A control device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to transmit and receive messages to and from other devices; and

a control circuit configured to:

determine that the control device has experienced a loss of power;

transmit, via the communication circuit, a query message to an external device;

determine, based on contents of a response message received from the external device in response to the query message, that the external device has experienced a loss of power;

determine, based on the loss of power at the control device and the loss of power at the external device, that the control device experienced a system power removal event; and

in response to the determination that the control device experienced the system power removal event, adjust a power state of the control device to a prior power state, wherein the prior power state of the control device is a power state of the control device prior to the control device experiencing the system power removal event.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the external device comprises a dimmer device for controlling power delivered to a lighting device.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein:

the control device is connected to a switch for controlling power to the control device;

and

the external device is wired to an alternating current power source.

4. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the switch is connected in series between the control device and the alternating current power source.

5. The control device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store the prior power state of the control device.

6. The control device of claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:

retrieve, from the memory, the prior power state of the control device; and

adjust the power state of the control device to the retrieved prior power state.

7. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to detect a loss of power prior to transmitting the query message to the external device.

8. A method comprising:

determining that a control device has experienced a loss of power;

sending a query message to an external device;

determining, based on contents of a response message received from the external device in response to the query message, that the external device has experienced a loss of power;

determining, based on the loss of power at the control device and the loss of power at the external device, that the control device experienced a system power removal event; and

in response to the determination that the control device experienced the system power removal event, adjusting a power state of the control device to a prior power state, wherein the prior power state of the control device is a power state of the control device prior to the control device experiencing the system power removal event.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the external control device comprises a dimmer device for controlling power delivered to a lighting device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the control device is connected to a switch for controlling power to the control device;

and

the external device is wired to an alternating current power source.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the switch is connected in series between the control device and the alternating current power source.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing the prior power state of the control device in a memory of the control device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

retrieving, from the memory, the prior power state of the control device; and

adjusting the power state of the control device to the retrieved prior power state.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising detecting a loss of power prior to sending the query message to the external control device.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions for configuring at least one processor to:

determine that the control device has experienced a loss of power;

send a query message to an external device;

determine, based on contents of a response message received from the external device in response to the query message, that the external device has experienced a loss of power;

determine, based on the loss of power at the control device and the loss of power at the external device, that the control device experienced a system power removal event; and

in response to the determination that the control device experienced the system power removal event, adjust a power state of the control device to a prior power state, wherein the prior power state of the control device is a power state of the control device prior to the control device experiencing the system power removal event.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the external device comprises a dimmer device for controlling power delivered to a lighting device.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the control device is connected to a switch for controlling power to the control device;

and

the external device is wired to an alternating current power source.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the switch is connected in series between the control device and the alternating current power source.

19. The at least non-transitory one computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the device comprises a memory configured to store the prior power state of the control device.

20. The at least non-transitory one computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , the executable instructions further for configuring the at least one processor to:

retrieve, from the device memory, the prior power state of the control device; and

adjust the power state of the control device to the retrieved prior power state.

21. The at least non-transitory one computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the executable instructions further for configuring the at least one processor to detect a loss of power prior to sending the query message to the external device.