US RE49,828 E1
Ultrasonic sensing system
James P. Steiner, Royersford, PA (US); and Greg Edward Sloan, Allentown, PA (US)
Assigned to Lutron Technology Company LLC, Coopersburg, PA (US)
Filed by Lutron Technology Company LLC, Coopersburg, PA (US)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/999,558.
Application 16/999,558 is a reissue of application No. 14/569,618, filed on Dec. 12, 2014, granted, now 10,054,916, issued on Aug. 21, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/918,008, filed on Dec. 19, 2013.
Int. Cl. H02J 3/00 (2006.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 15/02 (2013.01) 37 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A load control system for controlling power delivered from a power source to an electrical load, the system comprising:
a load control device configured to be coupled in series between the power source and the electrical load for controlling the power to the electrical load [ via a switching circuit] , the load control device comprising a [ load control device ] communication circuit;
a remote ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit ultrasonic waves characterized by an ultrasonic frequency and an amplitude, wherein the remote ultrasonic transmitter does not include a receiver for receiving ultrasonic waves transmitted by the remote ultrasonic transmitter; and
a sensor comprising:
a [ sensor ] communication circuit;
a local ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit ultrasonic waves at the ultrasonic frequency;
an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive attenuated ultrasonic waves from the remote ultrasonic transmitter and configured to [ : ]
receive reflections of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the local ultrasonic transmitter;
[ convert a change in amplitude of the attenuated ultrasonic waves received from the remote ultrasonic transmitter and the change in frequency of the received reflected ultrasonic waves from the local transmitter to a voltage signal; and ]
a control circuit coupled to the [ sensor ] communication circuit and to the ultrasonic receiver, the control circuit configured to:
receive, via the ultrasonic receiver, signals representing the attenuated ultrasonic waves and the reflected ultrasonic waves;
determine occupancy from the received signals based on at least one of (i) a change in amplitude between the attenuated ultrasonic waves and the characterized amplitude and (ii) a change in frequency between the reflected ultrasonic waves and the characterized ultrasonic frequency
[ determine whether the voltage signal is at least one of: greater than upper voltage threshold value or less than a lower voltage threshold value;
determine an occupancy condition exists responsive to at least one of: the voltage signal being greater than the upper voltage threshold value or the voltage signal being less than a lower voltage threshold value] ; and
transmit a command via the [ sensor ] communication circuit to the load control device based on the determination of occupancy;
wherein the load control device, the remote ultrasonic transmitter device, and the sensor are each separate devices; and
further wherein the load control device is configured to receive the command via the communication circuit of the load control device and to control the power delivered [ via the switching circuit ] to the electrical load in response to the command.