Network based electrical control system with distributed sensing and control

Claim 2

A local operating network, comprising: a communications network for sharing information; and a plurality of electrical devices operatively connected to said communications network, each electrical device adapted to perform a first function, wherein function-specific information is generated by a first electrical device having the associated first function, wherein such function-specific information is transmitted to the plurality of electrical devices over the communications network, and wherein such function-specific information is received by a second electrical device adapted to detect such function-specific information over the communications network and to respond to such function-specific information to perform a second function associated with the first function; and wherein said communications network and said plurality of electrical devices operate in combination to distribute device functionality and share information thus forming a local operating network.

Claim 3

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said electrical device comprises a sensor device sensitive to and operative to measure physical stimuli, said sensor device is operative to communicate a quantity representing said measured physical stimuli over said communications network.

Claim 4

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said electrical device comprises a switch device adapted to include at least one electrical switch means operable by a user for turning electrical power to a load on and off, said switch device operative to communicate the actions of said user over said communications network.

Claim 5

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said electrical device comprises a dimming device adapted to include at least one electrical switch means operable by a user for brightening and dimming an electrical lighting load, said dimming device operative to communicate the actions of said user over said communications network.

Claim 6

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said electrical device comprises a control unit adapted to control an electrical load in accordance with information received over said communications network from one or more said electrical devices.

Claim 7

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises relay control means for controlling electrical power in on/off fashion to a relay load electrical coupled to said control unit.

Claim 8

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises dimming control means adapted to brighten and dim a dimming load electrically coupled to said control unit.

Claim 9

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises ballast control means adapted to generate a 0 to 10 volt light level control signal for brightening and dimming a fluorescent electronic ballast electrically coupled to said control unit.

Claim 10

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises motor control means for controlling electrical power to a motor load coupled to said control unit.

Claim 11

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises low voltage analog control means operative to generate a 0 to 10 volt analog signal for input to an analog load coupled to said control unit.

Claim 12

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein said control unit comprises interface means for interfacing said control unit to non-protocol devices.

Claim 13

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises relay software application code for controlling the on/off state of one or more relays connected to said electrical device.

Claim 14

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises occupancy software application code for controlling an electrical load in accordance with the detection of motion in an area.

Claim 15

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises lumens maintenance software application code for driving a dimming output level to less than maximum to yield a reduction in energy consumption.

Claim 16

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises dimming software application code for providing dimming and brightening control of a dimming load.

Claim 17

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises California Title 24 software application code for modifying relay and dimming functionality in accordance with the statute thereof.

Claim 18

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises ambient light level software application code for maintaining a particular light level within an area.

Claim 19

The local operating network according to claim 17 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises light harvesting software application code for maintaining the light level by dimming or brightening the lighting load.

Claim 20

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises ballast software application code for controlling the light level of a plurality of fluorescent lights connected to said control unit.

Claim 21

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises low voltage analog occupancy software application code for generating a low voltage analog signal output to an analog load.

Claim 22

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises reset software application code for placing said control unit into an initialization state.

Claim 23

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises go unconfigured software application code for placing said control unit in an unconfigured state.

Claim 24

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises communication input/output (I/O) software application code for receiving data from and/or transmitting data to said communications network.

Claim 25

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises inhibit software application code for inhibiting and overriding the normal operating mode of said electrical device.

Claim 26

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises scene mode software application code for providing a user with a plurality of scenes into which said electrical device can be placed via a command transmitted over said communications network.

Claim 27

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises scheduler software application code for providing a user with the ability to set scene events for controlling the operating of said control unit.

Claim 28

The local operating network according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit includes pin means; and wherein one or more of said electrical devices comprises low voltage input/output (I/O) software application code for providing the user the ability to set whether the pin means of the control unit functions as an input or an output.

Claim 29

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises twisted pair wiring.

Claim 30

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises radio frequency (RF) communications.

Claim 31

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises infrared communications.

Claim 32

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises optical communication over optical fiber.

Claim 33

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises power line carrier communications.

Claim 34

The local operating network according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises coaxial communications.

Claim 35

A control unit for use in a local operating network, said control unit comprising: load control means adapted to control electrical power to a load electrically connected to said control unit; a communications transceiver for transmitting and receiving data between said control unit and said local operating network, with the local operating network including: a communications network; and a plurality of electrical devices operatively connected to the communications network, each electrical device adapted to perform a first function, wherein function-specific information is generated by a first electrical device having the associated first function, wherein such function-specific information is transmitted to the plurality of electrical devices over the communications network, and wherein such function-specific information is received by a second electrical device adapted to detect such function-specific information over the communications network and to respond to such function-specific information to perform a second function associated with the first function; memory means for storing software application code; a controller adapted to execute one or more software applications stored in said memory means, said controller, in combination with said one or more software applications, operative to receive the function-specific information over said local operating network from one or more electrical devices and to control said load control means in accordance thereto, said controller also operative to transmit the function-specific information over said local operating network to one or more electrical devices; power supply circuitry electrically coupled to a source of electrical power, said power supply circuitry adapted to generate one or more voltages for use by said control unit and an output voltage for use by a plurality of external electrical devices.

Claim 36

A control unit for use in a local operating network, said control unit comprising: load control means adapted to control electrical power to a load electrically connected to said control unit; a communications transceiver for transmitting and receiving data between said control unit and said local operating network, with the local operating network including: a communications network; and a plurality of electrical devices operatively connected to the communications network, each electrical device adapted to perform a first function, wherein function-specific information is generated by a first electrical device having the associated first function, wherein such function-specific information is transmitted to the plurality of electrical devices over the communications network, and wherein such function-specific information is received by a second electrical device adapted to detect such function-specific information over the communications network and to respond to such function-specific information to perform a second function associated with the first function; memory means for storing software application code; a controller adapted to execute one or more software applications stored in said memory means, said controller, in combination with said one or more software applications, operative to receive the function-specific information over said local operating network from one or more electrical devices and to control said load control means in accordance thereto, said controller also operative to transmit the function-specific information over said local operating network to one or more electrical devices; power supply circuitry electrically coupled to a source of electrical power, said power supply circuitry adapted to generate one or more voltages for use by said control unit and an output voltage for use by a plurality of external electrical devices.

Claim 37

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said load control means comprises ballast dimming circuitry operative to provide a 0 to 10 V signal suitable for use by an electronic ballast electrically connected thereto.

Claim 38

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said load control means comprises relay driver circuitry operative to turn an electrical relay on and off, said relay electrically connected to a relay load.

Claim 39

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said load control means comprises dimming circuitry operative to brighten and dim a lighting load electrically connected thereto.

Claim 40

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said load control means comprises motor drive circuitry operative to control an electrical motor.

Claim 41

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said load control means comprises low voltage analog drive circuitry operative to provide an analog low voltage signal for use by an analog load electrically connected to said control unit.

Claim 42

The control unit according to claim 34 , further comprising input/output (I/O) means for interfacing said control unit to one or more non-protocol devices.

Claim 43

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises relay software application code for controlling the on/off state of one or more relays connected to said control unit.

Claim 44

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises occupancy software application code for controlling an electrical load in accordance with the detection of motion in an area.

Claim 45

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises lumens maintenance software application code for driving a dimming output level to less than maximum to yield a reduction in energy consumption.

Claim 46

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises dimming software application code for providing dimming and brightening control of a dimming load.

Claim 47

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises California Title 24 software application code for modifying relay and dimming functionality in accordance with the statute thereof.

Claim 48

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises ambient light level software application code for maintaining a particular light level within an area.

Claim 49

The control unit according to claim 46 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises light harvesting software application code for maintaining the light level by dimming or brightening the lighting load.

Claim 50

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises ballast software application code for controlling the light level of fluorescent lights connected to said control unit.

Claim 51

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises low voltage analog occupancy software application code for generating a low voltage analog signal output to an analog load.

Claim 52

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises reset software application code for placing said control unit into an initialization state.

Claim 53

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises go unconfigured software application code for placing said control unit in an unconfigured state.

Claim 54

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises communication input/output (I/O) software application code for receiving data from and/or transmitting data to said communications network.

Claim 55

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises inhibit software application code for inhibiting and overriding the normal operating mode of said control unit.

Claim 56

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises scene mode software application code for providing a user with a plurality of scenes into which said control unit can be placed via a command transmitted over said communications network.

Claim 57

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said one or more software applications comprises scheduler software application code for providing a user with the ability to set scene events for controlling the operating of said control unit.

Claim 58

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein the controller includes pin means; and wherein said one or more software applications comprises low voltage input/output (I/O) software application code for providing the user the ability to set whether the pin means on said controller functions as an input or an output.

Claim 59

The control unit according to claim 37 , wherein said dimming circuitry comprises: a triac circuit adapted to receive a dimming signal representing the desired light level, said triac circuit adapted to brighten or dim said lighting load in response to said dimming signal; a relay connected in series with said triac circuit, said relay operative to provide an air gap so as to disconnect electrical power from said dimming load; and zero detect circuitry electrically coupled to said source of electrical power, said zero detect circuitry operative to detect the zero crossings of said electrical power and generate a signal in accordance thereto.

Claim 60

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said memory means comprises random access memory (RAM).

Claim 61

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said memory means comprises read only memory (ROM).

Claim 62

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said memory means comprises electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

Claim 63

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises a twisted pair wiring transceiver.

Claim 64

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

Claim 65

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises a power line carrier transceiver.

Claim 66

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises an infrared (IR) transceiver.

Claim 67

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises an optical fiber transceiver.

Claim 68

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises a coaxial cable transceiver.

Claim 69

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said communications transceiver comprises a twisted pair wiring transceiver.

Claim 70

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said controller comprises an integrated circuit.

Claim 71

The control unit according to claim 34 , wherein said controller comprises a a microcontroller including an integrated circuit.