Wall-Mount Wireless Switch With Air-Gap Control for Smart Lamps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-efficiency lamps with integral wireless receivers are unable to be controlled by remote devices when the light switch is turned off, and standard dimmer switches require additional wiring and bidirectional semiconductor switches, making installation and maintenance complex.
Innovation Solution
A wall-mountable remote control device with an air-gap switch that transmits wireless signals to control electrical loads without a neutral connection, using a power supply to generate voltage and omitting bidirectional semiconductor switches for smaller size and easier installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a light switch is installed to control a high-efficiency lamp, then the lamp can be turned on and off, but the lamp cannot be controlled by a remote device when the light switch is turned off
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is segmented into two independent parts: a wall-mounted switch that provides manual control and a remote device that provides wireless control. The wall switch can be opened to allow remote control operation while maintaining the ability for manual control through the same device, resolving the contradiction between remote control capability and control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall-mounted device serves as an intermediary between the power source and the lamp, and between manual control and remote control. It can function as a normal light switch for manual control and simultaneously as a receiver for remote control signals, enabling both control modes to work together without interfering with each other.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a standard dimmer switch is used to control power delivery, then the amount of power can be adjusted, but additional wiring and bidirectional semiconductor switches are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bidirectional semiconductor switch component from the traditional dimmer switch design. Instead of using a complex bidirectional switch that requires additional wiring, the invention uses a simple unidirectional switch combined with a capacitor and diode arrangement to achieve power control, significantly reducing wiring complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical bidirectional semiconductor switch system with an electronic circuit using a capacitor and diode. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical switching components and additional wiring, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the ability to control power delivery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bidirectional semiconductor switches are used in a dimmer switch, then power can be controlled, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bidirectional semiconductor switch from the device, replacing it with smaller components (capacitor and diode). This extraction of the bulky switching component directly reduces the overall device volume while maintaining the essential power control capability through the simplified circuit arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the complex bidirectional semiconductor switch and recovers the essential control function through a simpler circuit using passive components. This allows the same power control capability to be achieved in a much smaller package, eliminating the need for large switching components.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall-mountable remote control device may be installed in place of an existing light switch and may be configured to transmit wireless signals to an electrical load device, such as a screw-in light-emitting diode (LED) lamp, to provide control of the electrical load device. The remote control device may comprise an air-gap switch adapted to be electrically coupled in series between a power source and the controllable light source, but may not comprise a bidirectional semiconductor switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load device using a phase-control dimming technique. The remote control device may have a low-profile enclosure that is smaller than an enclosure of a standard dimmer switch, and thus may be easier to install in an electrical wallbox. The remote control device may comprise two parts including an air-gap switch device and a wireless communication device mounted to the air-gap switch device.