US 12,455,663 B2
Load control device responsive to non-contact actuations
Dinesh Sundara Moorthy, Allentown, PA (US)
Assigned to Lutron Technology Company LLC, Coopersburg, PA (US)
Filed by Lutron Technology Company LLC, Coopersburg, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/612,264.
Application 18/612,264 is a continuation of application No. 18/138,374, filed on Apr. 24, 2023, granted, now 11,968,761.
Application 18/138,374 is a continuation of application No. 17/457,415, filed on Dec. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,672,069, issued on Jun. 6, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/120,683, filed on Dec. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0260160 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. H05B 47/175 (2020.01); G06F 3/044 (2006.01)
CPC H05B 47/175 (2020.01) [G06F 3/044 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control device configured for use in a load control system to control a lighting load external to the control device, the control device comprising:
an actuation member having a front surface that defines a touch sensitive surface along at least a portion of the front surface;
a touch sensitive device comprising one or more capacitive touch pads located behind the actuation member and arranged adjacent to the touch sensitive surface, the touch sensitive device configured to detect touch actuations along the touch sensitive surface, and configured to detect non-contact actuations proximate to the front surface of the actuation member; and
a control circuit configured to:
turn the lighting load on in response to a non-contact actuation proximate to the front surface of the actuation member;
begin to reduce an amount of power delivered to the lighting load to fade an intensity level of the lighting load according to a fade rate in response to a determination that the non-contact actuation persists for a predetermined amount of time; and
stop the reduction of the amount of power delivered to the lighting load and maintain the intensity level of the lighting load in response to the touch sensitive device no longer detecting the non-contact actuation.