The Watt Stopper, Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150028998 | Location-Based Addressing Lighting and Environmental Control System, Device and Method - Location-Based Addressing (LBA) is a method of controlling and commissioning networked lighting devices. The lighting devices communicate over a wireless network using radio frequency communication protocols. The lighting devices are commissioned or grouped based on their 5 respective locations in a building floor plan or a building architecture. The lighting devices are commissioned to respond to radio frequency communications that correspond to their respective locations. This imposed location-based architecture reduces the amount of transmitted data required to control the lighting devices and, thus, reduces the radio bandwidth required to control the lighting devices. In other words, controlling devices “multicast” instructions and controlled devices “listen” for instructions and act only upon instructions that correspond to their respective location. Hand shaking or two-way communication between the controlling devices and the controlled devices is not required. | 01-29-2015 |
20150013464 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OCCUPANCY SENSING - An active ultrasonic room occupancy sensor with the output amplitude of the transmitter controlled by the amplitude of power applied to the transmitter to control the zone of coverage for a sensor. An adjustable voltage regulator under control of a microcontroller applies controlled amplitude voltage to the transmitter to adjust the output amplitude of the transmitter. The adjustable amplitude transmitter allows an occupancy sensor to have its total output energy adjusted to conform to the area to be covered. Lowering the total ultrasonic energy in the monitored space lowers the sensitivity of the receiver to inappropriate activations. Lowering the input power to the transmitter also lowers the total internal system noise and provides an improved signal to noise ratio in the receiver. Alternatively, the power applied to the receiver may also be controlled by an adjustable voltage regulator under control of the microcontroller to improve receiver efficiency. | 01-15-2015 |
20140285309 | Side Looking Occupancy Sensor - A side looking occupancy sensor is incorporated in a conventional wall switch mounted into a switch box adjacent to a door. The side-looking proximity sensor preferably is mountable to either side of the doorjamb to make the side-looking proximity sensor face the door opening. During operation, the side-looking sensor monitors the door movement or senses the passage of a person for indication that a person is entering or leaving the space. Entry and exit determination is made based on activation of the side-looking sensor. | 09-25-2014 |
20140283607 | Method and Apparatus for Noise Control in Ultrasonic Sensors - The adjustable voltage regulator under control of a microcontroller applies controlled amplitude voltage in the range of 5 to 9 VDC to the sensor transmitter to adjust the output amplitude of the transmitter. The adjustable amplitude transmitter allows an occupancy sensor to have its total output energy adjusted to reduce environmental noise-induced false triggering and to conform to the area to be covered. Lowering the total ultrasonic energy in the monitored space lowers the sensitivity of the receiver to inappropriate activations. Lowering the input power to the transmitter also lowers the total internal system noise and provides an improved signal to noise ratio in the receiver. | 09-25-2014 |
20140175985 | Method and Apparatus for Multiple Sensor Lighting Control Systems for Daylight Harvesting - A multi-sensor lighting control system includes at least two light sensors. Each sensor gathers light from different sources, by comparing and contrasting the output signals from the two sensors, the controller can automate many lighting control and commissioning processes leading to easier, simpler installations and maintenance and happier customers, and removing the need for special tools. Applying automated closed loop lamp warm-up techniques, the daylight ratio and the maximum electric light contribution can be learned automatically by the system. A multi-sensor lighting control system may also provide intermediate zones of lighting control between adjacent task areas with different lighting requirements. | 06-26-2014 |
20140071573 | Electrical Load Controller with Neutral Detection - An electrical load control device as disclosed above is capable of detecting when it has been connected to either a leakage type (two-wire) or a Neutral type (three-wire) power input and automatically adjust its operation accordingly. In leakage operation the leakage current is limited to 0.5 ma and in three-wire or neutral operation the power supply provides more current than in leakage operation. In neutral operation, one or more signals are provided to the microprocessor to enable operation of indicator or other power consuming elements. | 03-13-2014 |
20140062310 | Method and Apparatus for Controlling Light Levels to Save Energy - An occupancy sensor with integral light level sensors is configured to turn off or disable peripheral circuits and go into a periodic deep sleep mode to reduce phantom loading. Peripheral circuits include occupancy sensor circuits and relay drive circuits, but may include other circuits such as communication circuits. The sensor may be configured to periodically wake itself up, check ambient light conditions to see if lighting is below the set threshold. If it is not, the sensor goes back to sleep. If it is, then the sensor can power up the occupancy sensor circuit to see if the space is occupied; if not, it can go back to sleep. If the space is occupied, it can turn on other peripheral circuits necessary to control the load. | 03-06-2014 |
20140028018 | Locking Nipple for Electronic Sensors - A nipple adapter is provided to secure a sensor to a fixture to be controlled by the sensor. The nipple adapter includes a collar bushing to be blind fitted to an opening in the fixture. A cooperating nipple is secured to the sensor and the nipple is press fit into the collar bushing and the sensor and nipple are rotated to engage locking structures in the collar bushing and secure the sensor and nipple adapter to the fixture. | 01-30-2014 |
20130027832 | Method and Apparatus for Isolating High Voltage Power Control Elements - The devices and methods described below provide for a high voltage control circuits using commercial lower voltage, and lower cost, relays. A low voltage control system using commercial switching relays is used to control and switch an isolated low voltage power supply through an isolation layer. The isolated low voltage power supply is used to drive commercial switching relays that control the high voltage power applied to the high voltage load. Adding the isolated low voltage power supply controlled through an isolation layer enables the use of commercial low voltage components to switch high voltage power such as 347VAC without violating Underwriters Laboratories spacing or testing requirements. | 01-31-2013 |
20110285204 | Method and apparatus for electrical load control network - The methods and apparatus described enable automatic configuration, or commissioning, of controller devices and load control devices through a low voltage communication network controlled by one or more controller devices. These methods and apparatus further enable expansion of the load control system by connection of additional loads and or load control devices and or controller devices which will reinitialize the low voltage communication network and automatically reconfigure the controller devices and load control devices connected to the network. | 11-24-2011 |