Dual-antenna wireless communication device in load control system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a dual-antenna wireless communication device in a load control system. A wireless communication device used in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads may include a balancer, a first and a second antenna, an RF communication circuit, and a control circuit. The two antennas may be oriented differently and spaced apart from each other. For example, the first antenna may extend vertically from the balancer, while the second antenna extends in a plane substantially parallel to the balancer. The first antenna may extend from the balancer at a point substantially located at the center of the balancer, while the second antenna may extend along the periphery of the balancer. The RF communication circuit may transmit wireless signals via the first and second antennas. The control circuit may cause the RF communication circuit to transmit a first wireless signal in a first time slot and a second wireless signal in a second time slot.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with an international application date of October 28, 2016, a national application number of 201680063968.6, and an invention name of “Dual-antenna wireless communication device in a load control system”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62 / 248,762, filed on October 30, 2015. Technical Field

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a dual-antenna wireless communication device in a load control system. Background Art

[0005] Buildings such as residences, office buildings, warehouses, factories, and the like often use load control systems to control electrical loads. Examples of electrical loads include electric lights, electric window coverings, fans, and other energy consuming devices. A load control system may include one or more load control devices, such as wall mounted dimmer switches, temperature controllers, electric window coverings, and the like. The load control devices may operate completely independently of one another and simultaneously be subject to system-wide control. For example, a central command unit of a load control system may activate a full-room clock function to set all electrical loads in one mode during the day and in another mode after hours. Therefore, it is desirable that the load control system include a wireless communication device for transmitting digital messages (e.g., system-wide control messages) to and receiving digital messages (e.g., response or status messages) from one or more individual load control devices.

[0006] It is also desirable to use multiple antennas to increase the reliability of the communication link between a wireless communication device such as a central command unit and the individual load control devices in the load control system. For example, the antenna system can use multiple antennas to obtain diversity, such as spatial diversity and polarization diversity. In order to achieve spatial diversity, the two antennas of the prior art antenna system are typically spaced apart from each other by a distance greater than one-quarter of the wavelength of the operating frequency. The spacing between the two antennas helps to ensure that there is proper isolation between the antennas so that the antennas act as independent structures and spatial diversity can be obtained. In some cases, due to other electrical characteristics of the wireless communication device, the antennas may need to be spaced apart by up to half the wavelength of the operating frequency. When the transmission frequency is reduced to, for example, below 1 GHz, the transmission wavelength and the typical spacing required for the antennas increase. The spacing between the antennas may be a limiting factor in the size and form factor of the wireless control device.

[0007] Wireless communication devices used in load control systems such as central command units may have to meet requirements unique to the environment in which the load control system is used, such as adhering to certain size restrictions in order to utilize limited installation space and / or having certain aesthetic requirements to meet consumer demands. A wireless communication device is needed that includes features that meet the unique set of requirements while maintaining optimal performance levels. Summary of the invention

[0008] As described herein, a wireless communication device used in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads may include two polarization diversity antennas that are spaced from each other by less than one-quarter of a wavelength of an operating frequency of the wireless communication device, but still achieve isolated antenna performance. The arrangement of the two antennas may provide many benefits, including, for example, polarization diversity between the two antennas, reduced size of the communication device due to reduced spacing between the antennas (e.g., spacing less than one-quarter of a wavelength), and other benefits.

[0009] A wireless communication device may include a counterpoise that may be shared by two antennas. The two antennas may be oriented differently from each other to achieve polarization diversity. For example, the first antenna may have a longitudinal axis extending perpendicularly from the counterpoise, while the second antenna may extend in a plane substantially parallel to the counterpoise (e.g., may be coplanar with the plane of the counterpoise). In addition, the first antenna may extend from the counterpoise at a point substantially located in the center of the counterpoise, while the second antenna may extend along the periphery of the counterpoise.

[0010] One or more electrical loads of the load control system may be controlled by a load control device that forms part of the load control system. The wireless communication device may enable the load control system to communicate with the load control device by sending and receiving radio frequency (RF) messages to and from the load control device via RF communication circuitry and an antenna.

[0011] The RF communication circuit can be coupled to the two antennas to enable wireless communication at a specific frequency (e.g., 434 MHz and / or 868 MHz). The control circuit can control the manner of wireless communication. For example, the control circuit can cause the RF communication circuit to send a first wireless signal in a first time slot and send a second wireless signal in a second time slot.

[0012] The wireless communication device may also include a printed circuit board, which may include a balancer. The balancer may define a substantially circular area, and the second antenna may extend in a substantially circular manner in an area outside the balancer area. Either or both of the RF communication circuit and the control circuit may be mounted on the printed circuit board. In addition, the wireless communication device may include one or more visual indicators (e.g., light emitting diodes), light guides, and / or light reflective components for illuminating at least the first antenna. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a diagram of an example load control system.

[0014] Figure 2 is a bottom view of an example wireless communication device.

[0015] Figure 3 is a side view of an example wireless communication device showing a housing.

[0016] Figure 4 is a first cross-sectional view of an example wireless communication device.

[0017] Figure 5 is a second cross-sectional view of an example wireless communication device.

[0018] Figure 6 is a front perspective view of an example wireless communication device without a housing.

[0019] Figure 7 is a simplified bottom view of an example PCB showing the second antenna and the connections between the first and second antennas and the RF transceiver.

[0020] Figure 8 is a simplified block diagram of an example wireless communication device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1An example load control system 100 is shown. The load control system 100 may include, for example, a dimmer switch 110, a plug-in load control device (PID) 120, a temperature control device 130, a motorized window treatment 140, a remote control 150, an occupancy sensor 160, and a daylight sensor 170. The dimmer switch 110 may be coupled between an alternating current (AC) power source (not shown) and a lighting load 112 with a series electrical connection for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load. The dimmer switch 110 may be adapted to be wall mounted in a standard electrical wall box, or may alternatively be implemented as a desktop load control device. The dimmer switch 110 may include a toggle actuator 114 and / or an intensity adjustment actuator 116. Actuation of the toggle actuator 114 may toggle (i.e., turn off and on) the lighting load 112, while upward and downward actuation of the intensity adjustment actuator 116 may increase or decrease the current lighting intensity of the lighting load between a minimum intensity (e.g., approximately 1%) and a maximum intensity (e.g., approximately 100%), respectively. The dimmer switch 110 may also include a plurality of visual indicators 118, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), which may be arranged in a linear array on the dimmer switch and may be illuminated to provide feedback of the intensity of the lighting load. Examples of dimmer switches are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,919, issued Sept. 29, 1993, entitled LIGHTING CONTROL DEVICE, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0022] The plug-in load control device 120 may be configured to be plugged into a standard electrical outlet 122 for receiving power from an AC power source. The plug-in load control device 120 may control the power delivered to a plug-in electrical load 124 (e.g., a desk lamp or other lighting load, or a television or other appliance) that may be plugged into the plug-in load control device 120. For example, the plug-in load control device 120 may be operable to turn the plug-in load 124 on and off and / or control the amount of power delivered to the plug-in electrical load 124, thereby adjusting the lighting intensity of a desk lamp plugged into the plug-in load control device 120.

[0023] The temperature control device 130 is operable to control a heating, ventilation, and / or air conditioning (HVAC) control system (not shown) for adjusting the current temperature of the room in which the load control system 100 is installed. The temperature control device 130 is operable to determine the current temperature in the room and control the HVAC system to adjust the current temperature to a set point temperature. For example, a temperature sensor (not shown) is operable to measure the current temperature in the room and transmit the current temperature to the temperature control device 130. The temperature control device 130 may include a user interface 132 having a temperature adjustment actuator for adjusting the set point temperature and a visual display for displaying the current temperature.

[0024] A motorized window treatment 140 (e.g., a roller blind) may be positioned in front of a window for controlling the amount of daylight entering a room. The motorized window treatment 140 may include a flexible blackout fabric 142 rotatably supported by a roller tube 144. Each motorized window treatment 140 may be controlled by an electronic drive unit (EDU) 146, which may be located within the roller tube 144. The electronic drive unit 146 may be operable to rotate the corresponding roller tube 144 to move the bottom edge of the blackout fabric 142 to, for example, a fully open position or a fully closed position, or to any position (e.g., a preset position) between the fully open position and the fully closed position. In addition, the motorized window treatment 140 may include other types of daylight control devices, such as motorized curtains, Roman curtains, pleated curtains or blinds, tensioned roller blind systems for non-vertical windows (e.g., skylights), controllable window glazing (e.g., electrochromic windows), controllable exterior curtains, or controllable blinds or louvers. Examples of motorized window treatments are described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,983,783, issued on January 10, 2006 (entitled MOTORIZED SHADE CONTROL SYSTEM) and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0261078, issued on October 18, 2012 (entitled MOTORIZED WINDOW TREATMENT), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0025] The load control devices (e.g., dimmer 110, plug-in load control device 120, temperature control device 130, and motorized window treatments 140) are operable to control their respective electrical loads in response to signals received from one or more remote controls 150. For example, the load control device may include a wireless communication module for transmitting and / or receiving RF signals. The wireless communication module may include an RF transceiver and an antenna. Examples of antennas for wall mounted dimmer switches are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,103, issued on Nov. 9, 1999, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,362,285, issued on April 22, 2008, both of which are entitled COMPACT RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ANTENNA AND CONTROL DEVICE EMPLOYING SAME, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The remote control 150 may be battery powered and operable to transmit RF signals for controlling various electrical loads in response to actuation of a plurality of buttons of the remote control by a user (e.g., to provide a manual override). The remote control 150 may include an on button 152, an off button 154, an increase button 155, a decrease button 156, and / or a preset button 158. The remote control 150 may, for example, transmit a digital message to various load control devices via an RF signal, the digital message including a serial number (e.g., a unique identifier) ​​of the remote control and information about which buttons are actuated. For example, the dimmer switch 110 may turn the lighting load 112 on and off in response to actuation of the on button 152 and the off button 154 of the remote control 150, respectively. The dimmer switch 110 may increase and decrease the intensity of the lighting load 112 in response to actuation of the increase button 155 and the decrease button 156, respectively. The dimmer switch 110 may control the intensity of the lighting load 112 to a preset intensity in response to actuation of the preset button 158. Examples of battery-powered remote controls are described in more detail in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 8,330,638, issued December 1, 2012, entitled WIRELESS BATTERY-POWERED REMOTE CONTROL HAVING MULTIPLE MOUNTING MEANS, and U.S. Patent No. 7,573,208, issued August 22, 2009, entitled METHOD OF PROGRAMMING ALIGHTING PRESET FROM A RADIO-FREQUENCY REMOTE CONTROL, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0026] One or more load control devices (e.g., dimmer 110, plug-in load control device 120, temperature control device 130, and motorized window treatment 140) are operable to control their respective electrical loads in response to signals received from occupancy sensor 160. Occupancy sensor 160 may be mounted (e.g., mounted on a ceiling) to cover a sufficiently large area for determining the occupancy state of a room. Occupancy sensor 160 is operable to transmit RF signals to load control devices in response to detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the room where occupancy sensor 160 is located, for controlling various electrical loads. Occupancy sensor 160 may include an internal detector (e.g., a pyroelectric infrared (PIR) detector) that is operable to receive infrared energy from an occupant in the space, thereby sensing an occupancy condition in the space. Occupancy sensor 160 is operable to process the output of the PIR detector to determine whether an occupancy condition (e.g., occupant presence) or a vacancy condition (e.g., occupant absence) is currently occurring in the space, for example, by comparing the output of the PIR detector to a predetermined occupancy voltage threshold. Alternatively, the interior detector may include an ultrasonic detector, a microwave detector, or a PIR detector, any combination of an ultrasonic detector and a microwave detector. The occupancy sensor 160 may operate in an "occupied" state or a "vacant" state in response to detecting an occupied or vacant condition in the space, respectively. For example, if the occupancy sensor 160 is in a vacant state and the occupancy sensor 160 determines that the space is occupied in response to the PIR detector, the occupancy sensor 160 may change to an occupied state. The load control device may respond to the RF signal transmitted by the occupancy sensor 160 as a result of the state change, and may adjust the operating settings of various electrical loads accordingly. Examples of RF load control systems with occupancy sensors are described in more detail in the following commonly assigned patents: U.S. Patent No. 8,009,042, issued on August 30, 2011, entitled RADIO-FREQUENCY LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM WITH OCCUPANCY SENSING; U.S. Patent No. 8,228,184, issued on July 24, 2012, entitled BATTERY-POWERED OCCUPANCY SENSOR; and U.S. Patent No. 8,199,010, issued on June 12, 2012, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING A WIRELESS SENSOR, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0027] One or more of the load control devices (e.g., dimmer 110, plug-in load control device 120, temperature control device 130, and motorized window treatment 140) are operable to control their respective electrical loads in response to signals received from daylight sensor 170. Daylight sensor 170 may be mounted (e.g., mounted on a ceiling) to measure the total light intensity in a space surrounding the daylight sensor. Daylight sensor 170 may be responsive to the total light intensity measured by an internal light-sensitive circuit (e.g., a photodiode). Daylight sensor 170 is operable to wirelessly transmit a digital message including a value representing the total lighting intensity to a load control device of load control system 100 via an RF signal. Examples of load control systems with daylight sensors are described in more detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application publication No. 2010 / 0244709, entitled WIRELESS BATTERY-POWERED DAYLIGHT SENSOR, published on September 30, 2010, and U.S. patent application publication No. 2010 / 0244706, entitled METHOD OF CALIBRATING A DAYLIGHT SENSOR, published on September 30, 2010, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0028] The load control system 100 may also include a wireless control device 200 that is operable to transmit digital messages (e.g., from a central command unit of the load control system 100) to one or more of the load control devices (e.g., dimmers 110, plug-in load control devices 120, temperature control devices 130, electric window treatments 140, and / or remote controls 150) in the load control system 100. The wireless communication device 200 may be configured to receive digital messages from one or more load control devices. For example, the wireless communication device 200 may be configured to transmit RF messages to a load control device that inquires about its operating status. The wireless communication device 200 may also be configured to receive RF messages from a load control device that reports its operating status. In addition, the wireless communication device 200 may be configured to send command messages (e.g., personalized command messages and / or system-wide command messages), for example, to a load control device that controls its corresponding electrical load. As described herein, the load control devices may each include a wireless communication module to facilitate communication between the load control device and the wireless communication device 200. For example, the wireless communication module may include an RF transceiver and an antenna for transmitting and / or receiving RF signals.

[0029] In addition to or in lieu of communicating with one or more load control devices in the load control system 100, the wireless communication device 200 may also be operable to communicate with systems or devices external to the load control system 100. For example, the wireless communication device 200 may be configured to receive operating mode commands from a building or energy management system that manages one or more load control systems 100, and relay those commands to the load control devices in each load control system 100. The wireless communication device 200 may be configured to collect data (e.g., status information) from the load control devices of each load control system 100, and transmit the data to the building or energy management system for, for example, aggregation and / or analysis. The wireless communication device 200 may be connected to these external systems or devices via a network communication link through a network such as a local area network or the Internet. In one or more examples, the network communication link may include, for example, a digital communication link operating according to a predefined communication protocol (e.g., one of Ethernet, IP, WiFi, QS, DMX, BACnet, Modbus, LonWorks, and KNX protocols). In one or more examples, the network communication link can include a serial digital communication link, an RS-485 communication link, an RS-232 communication link, a Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) communication link, or a LUTRON ECOSYSTEM communication link.

[0030] The wireless communication device 200 is operable to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive digital messages via RF signals) using time division techniques (e.g., the wireless communication device 200 may transmit digital messages during predetermined time slots). Examples of wireless communications in a load control system using time division techniques are described in more detail in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 033,223, filed on February 19, 2008, entitled COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL FOR RADIIO-FREQUENCY LOAD CONTROL SYSTEM, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The communications may be unidirectional or bidirectional. An example of a load control system having one-way and two-way communication devices is described in more detail in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0056712, published on March 8, 2012, entitled METHOD OF CONFIGURING A TWO-WAY WIRELESS LOAD CONTROLSYSTEM HAVING ONE-WAY WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL DEVICES, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0031] The wireless communication device 200 may be installed in a room in which one or more load control devices (e.g., dimmers 110, plug-in load control devices 120, temperature control devices 130, motorized window treatments 140, and / or remote controls 150) are installed. Alternatively, the wireless communication device 200 may be located in a room or location that is different from the room or location in which the one or more load control devices are installed. For example, the wireless communication device 200 may be installed in a hallway outside of the room in which the load control devices are installed. The specific location for installing the wireless communication device 200 may also vary. For example, the wireless communication device 200 may be mounted on a ceiling (e.g., as in a room such as a living room). Figure 1 as shown) or on a wall.

[0032] Figure 2 is a bottom view of the wireless communication device 200 . Figure 3 2 is a side view of the wireless communication device 200 showing the housing 250 . Figure 4 and Figure 5 2 are first and second cross-sectional views of the wireless communication device 200 . Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the wireless communication device without the housing 250.

[0033] The wireless communication device 200 may include a printed circuit board (PCB) 210, a first antenna 220, a second antenna 230, an RF communication circuit (e.g., one or more RF transceivers 240), a control circuit 260 (e.g., Figure 8 250 ) and a housing 250. The housing 250 may house one or more of the aforementioned components. The housing 250 may be mounted to a variety of locations, including, for example, a ceiling or a wall. In one or more examples, an opening may be formed in the ceiling through which the housing 250 may be inserted and secured to the ceiling. In other examples, an opening may be formed in the wall through which the housing 250 may be inserted and attached to a structure behind the wall. The housing 250 may include a cover 252 that may be attached (e.g., snapped) to the body of the housing 250 to, for example, cover the opening in the ceiling or wall after the housing 250 has been installed. The cover 252 may have different shapes, including circular, square, hexagonal, and the like. In addition, the cover 252 may have a central (e.g., substantially central) opening 254 through which the first antenna 220 may extend as described herein.

[0034] The wireless communication device 200 may include a balancer 212 that may be formed on the PCB 210. The first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 may share the balancer 212. In other words, the balancer 212 may be used as a common RF ground for the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230. The PCB 210 may include one or more layers and have different shapes, such as circular, square, rectangular, polygonal, etc. (e.g., including irregular shapes). The balancer 212 may have a shape similar to or different from the PCB 210. The balancer 212 may include one or more layers of conductive material (e.g., copper), and may thus define one or more planes. For example, the balancer 212 may include one or more parallel layers of conductive material, which may be connected together by conductive material plated by through-holes passing through the layers of the PCB 210. The layers of the balancer 212 may vary in size and / or shape. When the PCB 210 includes multiple layers, the conductive material of the balancer 212 may contact one or more layers of the PCB 210 (e.g., locations within the balancer region) to provide grounding for various PCB components located on each PCB layer. In this manner, the balancer 212 may function as a ground plane (eg, or multiple parallel ground planes) for the PCB 210 .

[0035] Figure 7 2 is a simplified bottom view of an example PCB (e.g., PCB 210), showing the second antenna 230 and the connection between the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 and the RF transceiver 240. Either or both of the RF communication circuit and the control circuit 260 can be mounted on the PCB 210. The RF communication circuit can include one or more RF transceivers 240, which can be implemented as an integrated circuit (IC) or other types of RF transmitters and receivers. The RF communication circuit can be coupled to the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230. In one or more examples, the first antenna 220 can be coupled to one of the transceivers 240, and the second antenna 220 can be coupled to the other of the transceivers 240. In one or more examples, any of the antennas 220, 230 can be coupled to more than one transceiver 240, and can be operated to switch between multiple transceivers, for example, via a switching device. In one or more examples, both antennas 220, 230 can be coupled to the same transceiver and can be operated to share the transceiver, for example, through a switching device.

[0036] The first antenna 220 may have various structures. For example, the first antenna 220 may be a monopole antenna (eg, Figure 4 and Figure 5The first antenna 220 may have a variety of sizes and orientations, depending on, for example, the spatial characteristics of the use environment and / or the transmission frequency used by the wireless communication device 200. Regarding size, for example, the first antenna 220 may have a length of about a quarter wavelength or less of the transmission frequency (e.g., about 6.8 inches for a transmission frequency of about 434 MHz). Regarding orientation, the first antenna 220 may, for example, have a longitudinal axis extending from the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the balancer (e.g., one or more planes of the balancer) and / or the PCB 210. In one or more examples, the balancer 212 may define a substantially circular area, and the first antenna 220 may have a longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicularly from the balancer 212 through the area of ​​the balancer 212 (e.g., through the central opening 254 of the cover 252). In the case of this exemplary orientation, a portion or all of the first antenna 220 may extend to the outside of the cover 252 (and thus the housing 250). The exact length of the first antenna 220 extending outside the cover 252 can vary based on, for example, desired aesthetic requirements and / or RF transmission requirements (e.g., desired transmission range, signal strength, etc.). In one or more examples, the wireless communication device 200 can be configured to be mounted on a ceiling, in which configuration, the first antenna 220 can be configured to extend vertically from the ceiling.

[0037] The wireless communication device 200 may include a light-transmissive cover 228 for the first antenna 220. The wireless communication device 200 may also include a lighting assembly for illuminating at least the light-transmissive cover 228 of the first antenna 220. The lighting assembly may be operable to provide feedback to a user regarding an operational state (e.g., startup, fault condition) of the first antenna 220. The lighting assembly may include one or more visual indicators 222 (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)), light pipes 224, and / or reflective components (e.g., reflective covers) 226.

[0038] The second antenna 230 may be oriented differently from the first antenna 220 and / or spaced apart from the first antenna 220. This arrangement may produce a variety of benefits, including, for example, polarization diversity. In one or more examples, the second antenna 230 may be oriented orthogonally relative to the first antenna 220. For example, the second antenna may be located in a plane substantially parallel to the balancer 212 (e.g., at least one layer of the balancer 212) and / or the PCB 210, while the first antenna 220 may extend vertically from the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210. The plane in which the second antenna 230 is located may be the same plane as the balancer 212 layer (e.g., coplanar with the balancer layer) or a plane different from the balancer. In one or more examples, the second antenna 230 may be positioned on the PCB 210. Alternatively, the second antenna 230 may not be located on the PCB 210, but may still extend in a plane substantially parallel to the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210. For example, the second antenna 230 may extend around an inner surface of the housing 250 in a plane substantially parallel to the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 .

[0039] The second antenna 230 may be located in an area outside the area of ​​the balancer 212 on the PCB 210 (eg, Figure 7 ). For example, the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 may include a substantially circular perimeter (e.g., defining a substantially circular area), and the second antenna 230 may also be positioned outside the area of ​​the balancer 212 in a substantially circular manner along the perimeter of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210). The profile of the second antenna 230 may be substantially similar to the profile (e.g., periphery) of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210). Alternatively, the second antenna 230 may have a profile that is different from the profile of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210). For example, the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 may include a substantially circular perimeter, and the second antenna 230 may extend along the perimeter of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210) in a non-circular manner (e.g., forming an open or closed polygon, or even zigzagging around the perimeter of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210)), or vice versa.

[0040] The second antenna 230 can extend along part or all of the perimeter of the counterpoise 212 (and / or the PCB 210). The exact length of the second antenna 230 can be adjusted based on factors such as the desired impedance, transmission frequency, bandwidth, directivity, efficiency, gain radiation pattern, polarization between the two antennas 220, 230, and / or RF isolation between the two antennas 220, 230. For example, the second antenna 230 can include two or more sections (e.g., Figure 7), and the wireless communication device may include one or more jumpers 232 for changing the transmission frequency of the antennas 220, 230 (e.g., from 434 MHz to 868 MHz or vice versa). For example, the transmission frequency can be changed by removing the jumper 232 to disconnect a portion of the second antenna 230 and replacing the first antenna 220 with a shorter monopole antenna (e.g., thereby changing the length of the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230). In addition, the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 may be characterized by dual resonance and may be configured to operate at two different transmission frequencies (e.g., 434 MHz and 868 MHz). In addition, the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 may be configured to operate at other transmission frequencies, such as 2.4 GHz.

[0041] The second antenna 230 can be spaced apart from the first antenna 220. As described in one or more examples herein, the first antenna 220 can extend from the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 at a point substantially located in the center of the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 (e.g., through the central opening 254 of the cover 252). The second antenna can be positioned along the perimeter of the balancer 212 (e.g., and / or the PCB 210) in the manner described herein. Thus, the two antennas can be spaced apart from each other by a distance, the value of which can depend on, for example, the size of the balancer 212 and / or the PCB 210 and / or the transmission frequency of the wireless communication device 200. For example, the dimensions of the counterweight 212 and / or PCB 210 can be determined so that the two antennas 220, 230 can be spaced apart by less than one-quarter of the wavelength of the antenna transmission frequency (e.g., less than about 6.8 inches for a transmission frequency of approximately 434 MHz) while maintaining an appropriate amount of RF isolation between the two antennas 220, 230 (e.g., greater than about 15 dB of isolation, e.g., greater than about 24 dB of isolation).

[0042] Figure 82 is a simplified block diagram of a wireless communication device 200 according to one or more examples described herein. An RF communication circuit (e.g., an RF transceiver 240) may transmit a first wireless signal via a first antenna 220 at a first transmission frequency, and may transmit a second wireless signal via a second antenna 230 at a second transmission frequency. The first and second transmission frequencies may be the same or different from each other. For example, both the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 may transmit at approximately 434 MHz or approximately 868 MHz. Alternatively, one of the antennas (e.g., the first antenna 220) may transmit at approximately 434 MHz, while the other of the antennas (e.g., the second antenna 230) may transmit at approximately 868 MHz, or vice versa. In addition, the first transmission frequency and / or the second transmission frequency may be less than 1 GHz. The wireless communication device 200 may employ one or more algorithms to use the two antennas 220, 230 for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques, such as spatial multiplexing, transmission diversity, and the like.

[0043] The control circuit 260 may be coupled to the RF communication circuit and may be operable to cause the RF communication circuit to transmit a message in a predetermined time slot according to one or more time division techniques described herein, for example. For example, the control circuit 260 may be operable to transmit a message on two antennas 220, 230 in two different corresponding time slots. In one or more examples, the control circuit 260 may cause a first RF signal to be transmitted via the first antenna 220 in a first time slot, and cause a second RF signal to be transmitted via the second antenna 230 in a second time slot. The first and second RF signals may include the same digital message (e.g., the same command, query, data, etc.). The first time slot and the second time slot may not overlap, and the first time slot may occur immediately before the second time slot. In one or more examples, the control circuit 260 may cause the first RF signal and the second RF signal to be transmitted in a randomly selected time slot, for example, selected from a plurality of non-overlapping time slots. In one or more examples, the load control system 100 may include more than one wireless communication device (e.g., the wireless communication device 200), and the additional wireless communication device may be operable to transmit in an additional time slot (e.g., different from the first time slot and the second time slot).

[0044] The control circuit 260 is operable to cause the RF communication circuit to simultaneously receive an RF signal transmitted by one of the load control devices (e.g., dimmer 110, plug-in load control device 120, temperature control device 130, electric window treatment 140, and / or remote control 150, etc.) via both the first antenna 220 and the second antenna 230 in a single time slot. The control circuit 260 can cause the wireless communication device 200 to respond to both the first and second received signals, for example, by decoding the RF signal received by the first antenna 220 (e.g., the first received signal) and the RF signal received by the second antenna 230 (e.g., the second received signal), and respond to the signal decoded first. The control circuit 260 is operable to determine which of the first and second received signals has a greater signal strength, and respond to the signal with the greater signal strength. In addition, the control circuit 260 is operable to combine the first and second received signals and respond to the combined signal.

[0045] In one or more examples, the control circuit 260 can use one or more algorithms to allow one or more transmission time slots to be allocated to each respective antenna of the two antennas 220, 230. For example, the control circuit 260 can allocate one or more transmission time slots of one of the two antennas 220, 230 to the first RF transceiver, and can allocate the same transmission time slots of the second antenna of the two antennas 220, 230 to the first RF transceiver, or one or more different transmission time slots. The control circuit 260 can allocate one or more transmission time slots of one or both of the two antennas 220, 230 to the second RF transceiver, which can be different from the transmission time slots allocated to the first RF transceiver. The two antennas 220, 230 can be used to receive signals from one or more load control devices (e.g., dimmers 110, plug-in load control devices 120, temperature control devices 130, electric window treatments 140, and / or remote controls 150, etc.) with which the wireless communication device 200 can communicate. For example, an algorithm employed by control circuit 260 may evaluate checksums or other quality control measurements associated with the two antennas 220, 230 respectively to determine which signals (or packets, etc.) received via the two antennas 220, 230 may be more reliable and / or may meet a predetermined quality threshold.

[0046] although Figure 8Two RF transceivers 240 are shown coupled to two antennas 220, 230, respectively, but one RF transceiver may be used for both antennas 220, 230 via an RF switch within the scope of the present disclosure. The control circuit 260 may be able to control the position of the RF switch, and which of the two antennas 220, 230 is coupled to the RF transceiver and is therefore transmitting an RF signal. The control circuit 260 may be operable to control the RF switch to a first position to couple the RF transceiver to the first antenna 220 to transmit a first wireless signal in a first time slot, and to control the RF switch to a second position to couple the RF transceiver to the second antenna 230 to transmit a second wireless signal in a second time slot, which may occur immediately after the first time slot. When the wireless communication device 200 is not transmitting an RF signal, the control circuit 260 may lock the RF switch in a position so that only one of the antennas 220, 230 is able to receive an RF signal.

[0047] The control circuit 260 may use one or more algorithms to control the broadcast transmission power of one or more RF signals transmitted from the two antennas 220, 230, for example, because there are regulatory limits on radio transmission power. In one or more examples, the control circuit 260 may use the two antennas 220, 230 to transmit signals at or below the regulated transmission power limits, respectively, thereby effectively increasing the transmission range of one or more RF transceivers used by the wireless communication device 200.

[0048] The control circuit 260 described herein may be powered by a power source 261 and may include a microprocessor and / or other types of integrated circuits. For example, the control circuit 260 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any suitable processing device or control circuit. The wireless communication device 200 may also include a memory 262 for storing operating characteristics of the wireless communication device 200, and the control circuit 260 may be operably coupled to the memory 262. The memory 262 may be implemented as an external integrated circuit (IC) or an internal part of the control circuit 260. In addition, the control circuit 260 may be operable to receive user input from the button 264 and illuminate the visual indicator 266 to provide feedback (e.g., by illuminating the light-transmissive cover 228 of the first antenna 220). In addition, the control circuit 260 may be operable to connect to a network communication link via a communication circuit 268 (e.g., an Ethernet communication circuit) and a network connection port, both of which may be part of the wireless communication device 200.

Claims

1. A load control communication system for transmitting one or more commands to control one or more electrical loads, the load control communication system comprising: a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being opposite the first surface across a thickness of the printed circuit board; one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitter circuits, wherein the one or more RF transmitter circuits are disposed on the second surface of the printed circuit board; a counterpoise galvanically coupled to the first monopole antenna and the second antenna, the counterpoise operating as a common RF ground shared by the first monopole antenna and the second antenna; the first monopole antenna, the first monopole antenna being communicatively coupled to one of the one or more RF transmitter circuits, the first monopole antenna extending at an angle from the second surface of the printed circuit board, the first monopole antenna being configured to transmit a first wireless signal having a first polarization; as well as The second antenna is communicatively coupled to one of the one or more RF transmitter circuits, the second antenna is arranged on the second surface of the printed circuit board, and the second antenna is used to transmit a second wireless signal having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

2. The load control communication system according to claim 1: in, The printed circuit board comprises a plurality of layers; and Wherein, the balancer includes a single-layer balancer disposed on the second surface of the printed circuit board.

3. The load control communication system according to claim 1: in, The printed circuit board comprises a plurality of layers; and The balancer includes a plurality of layers, and each of the plurality of layers of the balancer is disposed on a corresponding layer of the plurality of layers of the printed circuit board.

4. The load control communication system according to claim 1: in, the first monopole antenna being communicatively coupled to a first RF transmitter circuit included in the one or more RF transmitter circuits; Wherein the second antenna is communicatively coupled to a second RF transmitter circuit included in the one or more RF transmitter circuits, the second RF transmitter circuit being different from the first RF transmitter circuit.

5. The load control communication system according to claim 4, wherein: The first RF transmitter circuit and the second RF transmitter circuit transmit on the same frequency.

6. The load control communication system according to claim 4, wherein: The first RF transmitter circuit transmits at a first frequency and the second RF transmitter circuit transmits at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

7. The load control communication system according to claim 1, wherein: The printed circuit board comprises a planar printed circuit board.

8. The load control communication system according to claim 7, wherein: The balancer includes a planar balancer having a geometric shape.

9. The load control communication system according to claim 8, wherein: The second antenna is disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter formed by the geometric shape of the counterpoise.

10. The load control communication system according to claim 9, wherein: The balancer includes a balancer having a circular geometry.

11. The load control communication system according to claim 10, wherein: The first monopole antenna extends from the counterpoise at a point substantially located at the center of the counterpoise.

12. The load control communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a housing disposed around the printed circuit board, wherein the first monopole antenna passes through an outer surface of the housing.

13. The load control communication system of claim 12, further comprising a transparent housing disposed around a portion of the first monopole antenna that passes through the outer surface of the housing.

14. The load control communication system of claim 13, further comprising one or more light sources disposed proximate to the transparent housing, the one or more light sources being configured to illuminate the transparent housing.

15. The load control communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The first monopole antenna has a length approximately equal to one quarter of the wavelength of the transmission frequency.

16. The load control communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising: A control circuit is coupled to the one or more RF transmitter circuits, the control circuit being configured to cause the one or more RF transmitter circuits to transmit the first wireless signal in a first time slot and transmit the second wireless signal in a second time slot.

17. The load control communication system according to claim 1, wherein: The first monopole antenna forms an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to the second surface of the printed circuit board.

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