TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates to regulator/dimmer circuits and more particularly to electronic-circuits forming a part of a regulator/dimmer circuit.

BACKGROUND:

Regulators/dimmers are known to be used to adjust fan speed and light intensity. To attain the desired output of temperature and air flow, fan-speeds are regulated at various speeds. Likewise, light intensities are controlled to control illumination levels. Fan-speeds and light-intensity are known to be regulated by controlling a current supplied to the fan-motor, light filament/circuit, respectively. Various dimmer technologies such as TRIAC dimmer, capacitive dimmer, resistive dimmer are used to control the current supplied to fans and lights. The dimmers are manually operable devices (e.g. a rotary device), wherein a user manually moves the dimmer to different earmarked levels for controlling fan and the light.

With the advent of IOT, automatic switches have evolved which facilitates the user-controlled dimming-operation remotely through a mobile/web application. However, such switches in are monolithic-entities and require substitution of the conventional dimmer switches. This creates following problems:
i) Manual dimmer switches have to be discarded.
ii) Old people are not accustomed to new mobile/web application and are rather used to doing manual regulators only.
ii) Even young members in the family or household will either take a while to learn usage or may not be able to use the new switches at all, owing to vast-differences between the new switches and manual regulators.

Accordingly, there lies at to interface existing manual dimmer switches/dimmer regulators with contemporary IOT based infrastructure and mobile device based applications

SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified format that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The present subject matter refers an electronic-system for controlling electrical-loads. The system comprises a detector circuit configured for generating logical values by sensing at least one of: a position of a user-operable control, and a position communicated wirelessly from a user-device. A microcontroller is provided for generating an optimized value based on at least one of: a latest received position from the control or the user-device or a comparison of the one or more sensed in case of simultaneously operated user-operable control and the user device. A dimmer-circuit is provided for dimming the operation of an electrical load based on the generated optimum value by the microcontroller.

In an embodiment, the present invention describes a logic-circuit for receiving inputs from a manual regulator/dimmer and converting into discrete logic levels (i.e. 1, 0) based on the a position of the dimmer actuator (e.g. a knob). For such purpose, a DC voltage is supplied to the manual regulator/dimmer as input and the corresponding output is through a circuit comprising of an ADC converter (or in other words a dimmer detector circuit).

In another embodiment, the present invention describes an electronic dimmer-circuit for simultaneously controlling an array of loads, wherein the dimmer circuit includes the aforesaid logic circuit for calculating the dimming value set by the manual dimmer. Furthermore, the dimmer circuit includes another logic circuit to calculate dimming values set through a wireless medium. The output load is dimmed based on last logic circuit which had sent the dimming value to the dimmer circuit.

To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES:
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a Manual Regulator/Dimmer Circuit 100, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates a capacitive fan dimmer detector circuit corresponding to the detector circuit 106 of Fig. 1, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 illustrates a Manual capacitive regulator dimmer control block diagram as corresponding to Fig. 1, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 4 illustrates a manually driven resistor based regulator dimmer control block diagram, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention; and
Fig. 5 illustrates a manually driven TRIAC opto-coupler based regulator dimmer control block diagram, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6 illustrates method steps, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 7 illustrates an example computing-device based implementation of the system as depicted in preceding figures, in accordance with the embodiment of the present subject matter.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the invention and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

Reference throughout this specification to “an aspect”, “another aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a Manual Regulator/Dimmer 100 provided with an interface or adaptor arrangement (formed by detector 106, microcontroller 104, and dimmer circuit 108) in accordance with the present subject matter. As may be clear from forthcoming description, said adapter at least enables a real time capturing of the state/position of the manual dimmer control as well as a smartphone based remote control of the dimming action. Further, while Fig. 1 illustrates the manual regulator/dimmer as a capacitive dimmer based fan regulator, the same may be extended to cover other dimming actions (say dimming of illumination levels) through other dimming technologies (e.g. resistive, TRIAC based, etc)

In operation, the manual dimmer control or rotary knob 102 receives a DC input signal from a Micro-Controller 104. The output or state of the Manual Regulator/Dimmer knob 102 is passed to a detector circuit 106 (as ALSO shown in Fig. 2). The DC input signal from the microcontroller 104 is a 5V DC supply voltage that is used to charge the capacitors of the manual capacitive regulator/dimmer 102.
The output from the regulator/dimmer 102 is a function of the capacitor that is connected with the input i.e. the position selected on the regulator. Capacitors charge with time constant depending upon the charging/discharging resistor and capacitor value. The time constant is provided by expression T=RC. Capacitive dimmers have different capacitors connected in parallel in series combination to lower the voltage level in AC.

The output from the regulator 102, i.e. the movement of the regulator is passed to a discharging circuit (acting as a part of the detector circuit 106 of the dimmer) and then forwarded to an ADC input of the microcontroller 104.

- The microcontroller 104 checks the voltage value (received from the detector circuit 106) observed in real time. A fixed voltage value (say +3.75 V) is used as reference to calculate the charging and discharging time. When the voltage value (received from the detector circuit 106) crossing the reference voltage is observed by the microcontroller 104, an interrupt is triggered to undertake time measurement. The observed value of the time measurement is used by the microcontroller 104 to calculate the position of the regulator 102 by comparing it with the already stored time values corresponding to the various positions in a regulator/dimmer 102. The stored values are mentioned above are updated in real-time automatically without any user input whenever a new regulator/dimmer 102 is connected with the detector circuit 106.

In an implementation, instead of microcontroller 104, a voltage level comparator may be used to check the threshold voltage value, and a timer circuit may be used to calculate the time. Based on the timer circuit value, an input is sent to a dimmer circuit 108 for generating dimmer voltages.
Based on the regulator/dimmer position detected by the microcontroller 104, the dimming signals are sent to the corresponding load via the dimmer circuit 108.

Fig. 2 illustrates a capacitive fan dimmer detector circuit corresponding to the detector circuit 106 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a Manual capacitive regulator dimmer control block diagram as corresponding to Fig. 1 and accordingly corresponds to a capacitive dimmer action as manually executed by user through control of the knob as well as wirelessly through a smartphone application.

Fig. 4 illustrates a manually driven resistor based regulator dimmer control block diagram and accordingly corresponds to a resistor based dimmer action as manually executed by user through control of the knob as well as wirelessly through a smartphone application. The dimmer detection circuit 406 in such a scenario may comprises an arrangement for generate voltages values based on chosen resistance, which in turn depends upon the state/position of the manual knob.

Fig. 5 illustrates a manually driven TRIAC opto-coupler based regulator dimmer control block diagram and accordingly corresponds to PWM based dimmer action as manually executed by user through control of the knob as well as wirelessly through a smartphone application. The dimmer detection circuit 506 in such a scenario comprises an arrangement for measuring PWM based time calculation, which in turn depends upon the state/position of the manual knob.
1
Fig. 6 illustrates a method for controlling electrical-loads in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
The method comprises generating logical values (step 602) by sensing at least one of a position of a user-operable control (102), and/or a position communicated wirelessly from a user-device (102). The user-control (102) corresponds to at least one of: a capacitive dimmer based voltage regulator, a resistive-dimmer based voltage regulator; and a TRIAC based voltage regulator. In such a scenario, DC voltage coupled to the user-control. In other example, the user-device (102) corresponds to at least one of: a wireless remote, a smartphone incorporating an application. The detector circuit (106) comprises an ADC converter.
The method further comprises generating (step 604) an optimized value based on at least one of: a latest received position from the control (102) or the user-device (102). A comparison of the one or more sensed positions in case of simultaneously operated user-operable control and the user device to obtain the optimized value.

For such purposes, the microcontroller (104) is configured to determine a voltage value received from the detector circuit (106) exceeding a reference voltage, triggering an interrupt to undertake time measurement, and calculate the position by comparing with pre-stored time values corresponding to the historical positions using the observed value of the time measurement. The microcontroller (104) comprises a voltage level comparator, and a timer-circuit to compute the time to cause the dimmer-circuit at generating dimmer voltages for electrical load.

Finally, the method comprises dimming (step 606) the operation of an electrical-load through a dimmer circuit (108) based on the generated optimum value by the microcontroller (104). In an implementation, the detector circuit (106), the microcontroller (104) and the dimmer circuit (108) are integrated as a single unit.

Overall, the present subject matter facilitates interfacing of the microcontroller with any type of dimmer circuit, such that position of manual regulators as a part of any dimmer circuit is detectable and sent to microcontroller.
Figure 7 shows yet another exemplary implementation in accordance with the embodiment of the invention, and yet another typical hardware configuration of the system 104, 106 in the form of a computer-system 700. The computer system 800 can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the computer system 800 to perform any one or more of the methods disclosed. The computer system 800 may operate as a standalone-device or may be connected, e.g., using a network, to other computer systems or peripheral devices.

In a networked deployment, the computer system 800 may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system 800 can also be implemented as or incorporated across various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while a single computer system 800 is illustrated, the term "system" shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.

The computer system 800 may include a processor 802 e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. The processor 802 may be a component in a variety of systems. For example, the processor 802 may be part of a standard personal computer or a workstation. The processor 802 may be one or more general processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, servers, networks, digital circuits, analog circuits, combinations thereof, or other now known or later developed devices for analysing and processing data. The processor 802 may implement a software program, such as code generated manually (i.e., programmed).

The computer system 800 may include a memory 804, such as a memory 804 that can communicate via a bus 808. The memory 804 may include, but is not limited to computer readable storage media such as various types of volatile and non-volatile storage media, including but not limited to random access memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable read-only memory, flash memory, magnetic tape or disk, optical media and the like. In one example, the memory 804 includes a cache or random access memory for the processor 802. In alternative examples, the memory 804 is separate from the processor 802, such as a cache memory of a processor, the system memory, or other memory. The memory 804 may be an external storage device or database for storing data. The memory 804 is operable to store instructions executable by the processor 802. The functions, acts or tasks illustrated in the figures or described may be performed by the programmed processor 802 for executing the instructions stored in the memory 804. The functions, acts or tasks are independent of the particular type of instructions set, storage media, processor or processing strategy and may be performed by software, hardware, integrated circuits, firm-ware, micro-code and the like, operating alone or in combination. Likewise, processing strategies may include multiprocessing, multitasking, parallel processing and the like.

As shown, the computer system 800 may or may not further include a display unit 810, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid state display, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a projector, a printer or other now known or later developed display device for outputting determined information. The display 810 may act as an interface for the user to see the functioning of the processor 802, or specifically as an interface with the software stored in the memory 804 or in the drive unit 1016.

Additionally, the computer system 800 may include an input device 812 configured to allow a user to interact with any of the components of system 800. The computer system 800 may also include a disk or optical drive unit 816. The disk drive unit 816 may include a computer-readable medium 822 in which one or more sets of instructions 824, e.g. software, can be embedded. Further, the instructions 824 may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described. In a particular example, the instructions 824 may reside completely, or at least partially, within the memory 804 or within the processor 802 during execution by the computer system 800.

The present invention contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions 824 or receives and executes instructions 824 responsive to a propagated signal so that a device connected to a network 826 can communicate voice, video, audio, images or any other data over the network 826. Further, the instructions 824 may be transmitted or received over the network 826 via a communication port or interface 820 or using a bus 808. The communication port or interface 820 may be a part of the processor 802 or may be a separate component. The communication port 820 may be created in software or may be a physical connection in hardware. The communication port 820 may be configured to connect with a network 826, external media, the display 810, or any other components in system 800, or combinations thereof. The connection with the network 826 may be a physical connection, such as a wired Ethernet connection or may be established wirelessly as discussed later. Likewise, the additional connections with other components of the system 800 may be physical connections or may be established wirelessly. The network 826 may alternatively be directly connected to the bus 808.

The network 826 may include wired networks, wireless networks, Ethernet AVB networks, or combinations thereof. The wireless network may be a cellular telephone network, an 802.11, 802.16, 802.20, 802.1Q or WiMax network. Further, the network 826 may be a public network, such as the Internet, a private network, such as an intranet, or combinations thereof, and may utilize a variety of networking protocols now available or later developed including, but not limited to TCP/IP based networking protocols. The system is not limited to operation with any particular standards and protocols. For example, standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) may be used

While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.

Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.

WE CLAIM:
1. An electronic-system (100) for controlling electrical-loads, the system comprising:
a detector circuit (106) configured for generating logical values by sensing at least one of:
a position of the a user-operable control (102);
a position communicated wirelessly from a user-device (102);
a microcontroller (104) for generating an optimized value based on at least one of:
a latest received position from the control or the user-device;
comparison of the one or more sensed in case of simultaneously operated user-operable control and the user device;
and
a dimmer-circuit (108) for dimming the operation of an electrical load based on the generated optimum value by the microcontroller.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a DC voltage coupled to the user-control.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector circuit comprises an ADC converter

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector circuit, the microcontroller and the dimmer circuit are integrated as a single unit.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-control (102) corresponds to at least one of:
a capacitive dimmer based voltage regulator,
a resistive-dimmer based voltage regulator; and
a TRIAC based voltage regulator.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-device (102) corresponds to at least one of:
a wireless remote; and
a smartphone incorporating an application.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller (104) is configured to:
determine a voltage value received from the detector circuit exceeding a reference voltage;
triggering an interrupt to undertake time measurement
calculate the position by comparing with pre-stored time values corresponding to the historical positions using the observed value of the time measurement.

8. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:
updating the stored values in real-time automatically upon installation of a new user-control (102)

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller (104) comprises:
a voltage level comparator; and
a timer circuit to compute the time to cause the dimmer circuit at generating dimmer voltages for electrical load.

10. A method for controlling electrical-loads, the method comprising:
generating (step 602) logical values by sensing at least one of:
a position of the a user-operable control;
a position communicated wirelessly from a user-device;
generating (step 604) an optimized value based on at least one of:
a latest received position from the control or the user-device;
comparison of the one or more sensed in case of simultaneously operated user-operable control and the user device;
and
dimming (step 606) the operation of an electrical load based on the generated optimum value by the microcontroller.