| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 5736965 |
Compact radio frequency transmitting and receiving antenna and control device employing same |
April 7, 1998 |
| A radio frequency antenna for use with a wall mounted transmitter and/or receiver for receiving and/or transmitting signals adapted to control a control device and/or indicate status of the control device. The antenna includes an insulating substrate sized to fit within an area defined b |
| 5671387 |
Method of automatically assigning device addresses to devices communicating over a common data b |
September 23, 1997 |
| A method of automatically assigning device addresses to devices communicating over a common data bus. Each of the devices may, for example, control an electrically operable system such as a panel assembly that can be disposed over a window opening to control the transmission of light |
| 5637964 |
Remote control system for individual control of spaced lighting fixtures |
June 10, 1997 |
| A plurality of spaced ceiling mounted fixtures or other controllable electrical appliances have wide angle radiation detectors mounted within each fixture and wired internally of the fixture to a dimming circuit or to a ballast. The radiation detectors have sensitivity over a wide angle |
| 5637930 |
Wall-mountable switch & dimmer |
June 10, 1997 |
| A wall-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load includes a switch and a dimmer, with the switch actuator being substantially larger than the dimmer actuator. Preferably, the switch is a short-throw, light-force switch and the dimmer is a linear slide dimmer. Another |
| 5633540 |
Surge-resistant relay switching circuit |
May 27, 1997 |
| In a relay switching panel, a switching circuit operates to selectively connect and disconnect resistive, capacitive and inductive loads to an AC power source with substantially no arcing. The switching circuit comprises a pair of relays, preferably connected in parallel, with one of suc |
| 5555150 |
Surge suppression system |
September 10, 1996 |
| Disclosed is a surge suppression system employed in a system comprising Hot and Neutral power line segments coupled via a filter to protected electronic circuitry. The surge suppression elements include a spark gap comprising a first electrode connected to the Neutral line segment and a |
| 5530322 |
Multi-zone lighting control system |
June 25, 1996 |
| 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 co |
| 5499930 |
In-line dimmer switch |
March 19, 1996 |
| A dimmer switch adapted to be connected in-line with an electrical power cord for selectively varying the power applied by the cord to an electric load, such as an electric lamp or the like. The dimmer switch includes a housing containing a dimming circuit and stab-type terminals for pie |
| 5467266 |
Motor-operated window cover |
November 14, 1995 |
| A motor-operated panel system includes a panel assembly consisting of an elongated flexible web formed of a plurality of different panels connected end-to-end for controlling the transmission of light, heat or air through a window and/or for producing different decorative scenes within a |
| 5463286 |
Wall mounted programmable modular control system |
October 31, 1995 |
| A wall mountable, fully modular lighting control system, is disclosed wherein several possible lighting scenes are user defined and stored in the lighting control system for recall by the user upon depression of a selected one of a plurality of scene select buttons. The lighting control |
| 5430356 |
Programmable lighting control system with normalized dimming for different light sources |
July 4, 1995 |
| A lighting control system is adapted to dim a plurality of groups of light sources in a room to any one of a number of different preset levels to achieve a like number of different lighting scenes. Each group of light sources defines a lighting zone of the same type of light source, for |
| 5399940 |
Lighting indicating device having plural illuminating elements with all such elements being illu |
March 21, 1995 |
| 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 pre |
| 5359231 |
Wallbox-mountable switch and dimmer |
October 25, 1994 |
| A wallbox-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load is disclosed. The system comprises a yoke, a frame, a toggle switch and at least one slidable lever. The yoke has an opening which is completely occupied by the frame member and the frame member has at least one ch |
| 5357170 |
Lighting control system with priority override |
October 18, 1994 |
| An energy-saving lighting control system is selectively operable in either a normal mode, in which certain lighting parameters (e.g., maximum and minimum light levels, fade rates, etc.) are preset and lighting level is determined by which of a plurality of inputs requires the least elect |
| 5309068 |
Two relay switching circuit for fluorescent lighting controller |
May 3, 1994 |
| In a fluorescent lighting controller, a switching circuit operates to selectively couple a bank of electronic ballasts to an AC power source (100-277 Volts, 50-60 Hertz). The switching circuit comprises a pair of relays, preferably connected in parallel, with one of such relays having a |
| 5293103 |
Quiet fan speed control with linear adjustment actuator |
March 8, 1994 |
| A fan speed control adjusts the speed of an electric fan motor without producing audible noise at frequencies above about 60 Hz. A linear slide switch is positionable in each of four discrete positions to connect various capacitances in series with the motor to limit the power provided |
| 5262678 |
Wallbox-mountable switch and dimmer |
November 16, 1993 |
| A wallbox-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load is disclosed. The system comprises a yoke, a frame, a toggle switch and at least one slidable lever. The yoke has an opening which is completely occupied by the frame member and the frame member has at least one ch |
| 5248919 |
Lighting control device |
September 28, 1993 |
| 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 generat |
| 5237264 |
Remotely controllable power control system |
August 17, 1993 |
| A remotely controllable power control system wherein the power supplied to a load may be varied locally via an actuator, positionable through a continuous range, on a wall control or from a remote location using a remote control device not electrically wired to the wall control. The load |
| 5237207 |
Master electrical load control system |
August 17, 1993 |
| A system controls electrical power to multiple loads from both a central location and from local three-way controls. In one embodiment, the system includes means for sensing the power to each load. That sensing capability, in turn, permits the master to set all loads to the same power |
| 5212478 |
Dynamic power recovery system |
May 18, 1993 |
| A dynamic system is provided by which an electrically-powered load recovers from a power outage after power is restored. In one embodiment, full power is applied to the load when power is first restored and load power is then gradually reduced to a final value. In another embodiment, loa |
| 5207317 |
Snap-action switch actuator |
May 4, 1993 |
| A switch actuator having a bezel, paddle and spring-biased lever. The bezel has a pivot defining a first pivot axis and an outer surface defining a plane. The paddle has an outer surface and an inner surface facing in a direction opposite the outer surface. The inner surface has structur |
| 5196782 |
Touch-operated power control |
March 23, 1993 |
| A system to control power from a source to a load consists of a cover plate, a touch-operable device that is mounted behind a flexible area on the cover plate, and a power control circuit that responds in accordance with a signal generated by the touch-operable device. The system is |
| 5191971 |
Multi-position wall mountable control switch with tactile feedback linear actuator |
March 9, 1993 |
| A multiple position wall mountable linear slide switch has a wheel disposed between a linearly moveable actuator and a stationary bearing surface for rolling the actuator in a linear path over the bearing surface upon application of an external sliding force to the actuator. The wheel |
| 5191265 |
Wall mounted programmable modular control system |
March 2, 1993 |
| A wall mountable, fully modular lighting control system, is disclosed wherein several possible lighting scenes are user defined and stored in the lighting control system for recall by the user upon depression of a selected one of a plurality of scene select buttons. The lighting control |
| 5180886 |
Wallbox electric device assembly |
January 19, 1993 |
| A facade assembly for an electric socket consists of a support for mounting to the socket, a cover plate to provide a raised decorative area that covers the socket, and a wallplate to surround the raised area and snap onto the cover plate. The facade assembly provides an attractive " |
| 5178350 |
Mounting frame for ganged electrical devices |
January 12, 1993 |
| A mounting frame facilitates the installation of ganged electrical devices into a single switchbox. The frame is a rectangular plate with a rectangular opening and provides a rigid support for the devices. Support is needed when the wall on which the devices are to be mounted is not |
| 5173643 |
Circuit for dimming compact fluorescent lamps |
December 22, 1992 |
| A dimming control circuit provides power from an ac source to a compact fluorescent lamp. The circuit generally includes a resonant half-bridge inverter driven by a pulse-duration-modulated voltage, for providing a high-frequency ac voltage between the lamp electrodes. A combination |
| 5170068 |
Master electrical load control system |
December 8, 1992 |
| A system controls electrical power to multiple loads from both a central location and from local three-way controls. In one embodiment, the system includes means for sensing the power to each load. That sensing capability, in turn, permits the master to set all loads to the same power |
| 5144278 |
Variable impedance device and circuit for sensing adjustment thereof |
September 1, 1992 |
| A circuit and apparatus for sensing the adjustment of a variable impedance device includes an elongated switching element having an alternating series of conductive and non-conductive areas. The conductive areas are electrically connected. As the device is adjusted, a wiper alternately |
| 5144205 |
Compact fluorescent lamp dimming system |
September 1, 1992 |
| A dimming system provides power from a switch-controlled power source in series with a leakage auto-transformer to a compact fluorescent lamp. The system incorporates a high-frequency resonant converter that provides high voltages to strike and maintain an electric discharge in the lamp. |
| 5105336 |
Modular multilevel electronic cabinet |
April 14, 1992 |
| An electronic cabinet is described which contains both control circuits containing heat producing components and a plurality of circuit breakers. The control circuits and the circuit breakers are located inside the cabinet with heat dissipating fins being located outside of the cabinet i |
| 5099193 |
Remotely controllable power control system |
March 24, 1992 |
| A remotely controllable power control system wherein the power supplied to a load may be varied locally via an actuator, positionable through a continuous range, on a wall control or from a remote location using a remote control device not electrically wired to the wall control. The load |
| 5055742 |
Gas discharge lamp dimming system |
October 8, 1991 |
| 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 |
| 5041763 |
Circuit and method for improved dimming of gas discharge lamps |
August 20, 1991 |
| A dimming circuit provides power from an ac source to a compact fluorescent lamp. The circuit generally includes a resonant circuit driven by a high-frequency switching inverter and a current feedback control system. The circuit is essentially an ac current source of unusually high i |
| 5038081 |
Reverse phase-controlled dimmer |
August 6, 1991 |
| 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 |
| 5030893 |
Wall box dimming system and face plate and switch assembly therefor |
July 9, 1991 |
| A wall box dimming system assembly controls the intensity level of a plurality of groups of lights in accordance with a plurality of preset scenes. A face plate assembly which is coupled to the housing of the wall box dimming system includes a face plate. The face plate is formed of a |
| 5017837 |
Indicator lamp system |
May 21, 1991 |
| An indicator lamp indicates the status of an electrically-powered load control system by providing dim light when the load power is off and a brighter light when the load power is on. In another embodiment, the lamp not only provides two levels of light to indicate whether or not power i |
| 5005211 |
Wireless power control system with auxiliary local control |
April 2, 1991 |
| A multiple-input power control system accepts control signals from a radiant signal transmitter and from a local control, selects one of the signals, and provides the selected signal to a power controller to control the power to a load. At least one of the control signal sources has an |
| 5001386 |
Circuit for dimming gas discharge lamps without introducing striations |
March 19, 1991 |
| A dimming circuit provides power from an ac source to a compact fluorescent lamp. The circuit generally includes a resonant circuit driven by a high-frequency switching inverter. The resonant circuit is essentially an ac current source and provides sinusoidal current to the lamp, which l |
| 4998635 |
Mounting frame for ganged electrical devices |
March 12, 1991 |
| A mounting frame facilitates the installation of ganged electrical devices into a single switchbox. The frame is a rectangular plate with a rectangular opening and provides a rigid support for the devices. Support is needed when the wall on which devices are to be mounted is not planar |
| 4987372 |
Potentiometer state sensing circuit |
January 22, 1991 |
| A circuit for sensing the state of a potentiometer includes a capacitor that is connected to the potentiometer wiper and that is successively charged by applying a voltage to each end of the potentiometer resistive element. The capacitor is discharged between successive chargings. The |
| 4965509 |
Quasi-constant gate drive circuit |
October 23, 1990 |
| A two-wire apparatus for controlling AC power to a load, by turning a thyristor on and off during each half cycle, includes a circuit that prevents the thyristor from being turned off prematurely. The circuit stores energy while the thyristor is off (i.e., non-conductive). After the |
| 4954768 |
Two wire low voltage dimmer |
September 4, 1990 |
| A low voltage two wire dimming circuit comprises a voltage compensating circuit for regulating the RMS value of an AC voltage applied to a load and a correcting circuit for eliminating damaging DC current that may flow through the load. The voltage compensating circuit adjusts the firing |
| 4947054 |
Sliding dimmer switch |
August 7, 1990 |
| A system for controlling power to an electrical load includes a linear slide dimmer and a switch, whose pushbutton actuator moves up and down with the dimmer slider. When the pushbutton is depressed, to actuate the switch, it rides in and out in the slider. The slider only moves up and |
| 4939383 |
Wallbox-mountable dimmer and switch |
July 3, 1990 |
| A dimmer and switch device is adapted for mounting on a wall. The elements of the device that are visible when it is mounted on a wall are easily replaced. In another embodiment, a linear slide dimmer and push-button switch device are arranged in juxtaposition, so that a section of the |
| 4924349 |
Face plate assembly for electrical devices |
May 8, 1990 |
| A wallbox-mountable face plate assembly includes a support plate for the control device, an intermediate plate that attaches to the support plate, and a face plate that snaps onto the intermediate plate. The face plate has a particularly simple construction, requiring no mounting structu |
| 4924151 |
Multi-zone, multi-scene lighting control system |
May 8, 1990 |
| A system for controlling power to multiple groups of lights requires only a few controls. The system permits power to each group of lights to be adjusted independently and, at the same time, to be stored for later recall. Several combinations of power levels can be stored, and a part |
| 4894587 |
High frequency gas discharge lamp dimming ballast |
January 16, 1990 |
| A high frequency dimming ballast dims to about 1 percent of rated output in a repeatable way so that parallel connected dimming ballasts will all produce the same light illumination when dimmed to a very low percentage of their rated light output. A first current sensor is connected in s |
| 4893062 |
Wall box dimming system and face plate and switch assembly therefor |
January 9, 1990 |
| A wall box dimming system assembly controls the intensity level of a plurality of groups of lights in accordance with a plurality of preset scenes. The electronics for carrying out the dimmer operations are preferably mounted in a housing adapted to fit in a standard four gang wall b |
