Wireless occupancy sensing with portable power switching

Abstract

A system may include a wireless receiver to receive a wireless signal from an occupancy sensor and at least one power switch to control power to at least one load in response to the wireless signal, where the wireless receiver and power switch are included in a local switching device, and where the local switching device comprises a power pack having a housing, a power supply to convert high-voltage power to a low-voltage source for operating internal circuitry in the power pack, and switch control logic to implement an unoccupied delay time.

1 . A system comprising:
 a wireless receiver to receive a wireless signal from an occupancy sensor; and   at least one power switch to control power to at least one load in response to the wireless signal;   where the wireless receiver and power switch are included in a local switching device; and   where the local switching device comprises a power pack having a housing, a power supply to convert high-voltage power to a low-voltage source for operating internal circuitry in the power pack, and switch control logic to implement an unoccupied delay time.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  where the power pack further includes a user interface coupled to the switch control logic to enable a user to set the unoccupied delay time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises one of a dial, a push-button switch, and a keypad with full text display. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the load comprises one of a light fixture, an exhaust fan, a space heater and landscape wiring. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless receiver comprises a wireless receiver to receive a high-level occupancy signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless receiver comprises a wireless receiver to receive a low-level detector signal. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power switch operates at one of 120, 240 or 277 VAC. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power switch operates at one of 12 VDC and 24 VDC. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power switch comprises one of an air-gap relay, solid state relay, an SCR based switch, a triac based switch, a transistor based switch, a power switch of discrete steps, and a power switch with continuous switching. 
     
     
         10 . A power pack comprising:
 a housing;   a wireless receiver located within the housing, the wireless receiver being adapted and configured to receive a wireless signal from an occupancy sensor;   a power switch located in the housing, the power switch being adapted and configured to control power to a load in response to the wireless signal; and   switch control logic located in the housing, the switch control logic implementing an unoccupied time delay.   
     
     
         11 . The power pack of  claim 10 , wherein the power switch turns on a flow of power to the load in response to receiving the wireless signal from the occupancy sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The power pack of  claim 11 , wherein the power switch turns off the flow of power to the load after delaying for the unoccupied time delay after no longer receiving the wireless signal from the occupancy sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The power pack of  claim 10 , further comprising a user interface coupled to the switch control logic to enable a user to set the unoccupied time delay. 
     
     
         14 . The power pack of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface comprises one of a dial, a push-button switch, and a keypad with full text display. 
     
     
         15 . The power pack of  claim 10 , further comprising a conduit connection extending from the housing for connecting to a light fixture. 
     
     
         16 . The power pack of  claim 10 , wherein the power switch operates at one of 120, 240 or 277 VAC. 
     
     
         17 . The power pack of  claim 10 , wherein the power switch operates at one of 12 VDC and 24 VDC. 
     
     
         18 . The power pack of  claim 10 , wherein the power switch comprises one of an air-gap relay, solid state relay, an SCR based switch, a triac based switch, a transistor based switch, a power switch of discrete steps, and a power switch with continuous switching. 
     
     
         19 . The power pack of  claim 10 , further comprising a power supply located in the housing for converting high-voltage power received by the power pack to a low-voltage source for operating internal circuitry in the power pack. 
     
     
         20 . A power pack comprising:
 a housing;   a wireless receiver located within the housing, the wireless receiver being adapted and configured to receive a wireless signal from an occupancy sensor;   a power switch located in the housing, the power switch being adapted and configured to control power to a load in response to the wireless signal, the power switch being adapted and configured to turn on a flow of power to the load in response to receiving the wireless signal from the occupancy sensor;   a power supply located in the housing, the power supply converting high-voltage power received by the power pack to a low-voltage source for operating internal circuitry in the power pack; and   switch control logic located in the housing, the switch control logic implementing an unoccupied time delay such that the power switch turns off the flow of power to the load after delaying for the unoccupied time delay after no longer receiving the wireless signal from the occupancy sensor.