FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a retrofit switch and more particularly related to a retrofit switch capable of wirelessly controlling a target device.

BACKGROUND

IoT (Internet of Things) technologies are developed rapidly and various devices are invented for making human life more convenient. For example, wireless speakers, door locks, lights are easily controlled by a mobile phone via Bluetooth today.

Meanwhile, there are many traditional devices like lamp or downlight installed in a conventional house. It would be very helpful if certain innovative modifications are provided to turn these traditional devices into a controllable IoT network device.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a retrofit switch apparatus is designed to be attached to a traditional switch device. The traditional switch device is fixed to an environment surface like a wall. The traditional switch device has a traditional switch and a traditional switch surface cover. The traditional switch has a protruding portion extended above the traditional switch surface cover. The traditional switch device being used for receiving a first user manual operation to control a target device like a downlight connected to the traditional switch device via an electrical wire. The retrofit switch apparatus has a cover body, a replacement switch and a wireless controller.

The cover body has a storing space for containing and covering the traditional switch to keep the traditional switch in a default operation mode. In other words, when the traditional switch is covered by the retrofit switch apparatus, a user would not accidently turn off the power supply to the target device, which may cause the wireless controller in the target device losing function.

A replacement switch is disposed at a first end of the cover body. The replacement switch is used for receiving a second user manual operation. The second user manual operation may be the same as the first user manual operation in functions, operation modes and may have additional function or operation modes compared with the traditional switch. The second user manual operation is performed by the wireless controller, not the original traditional switch connecting to the target device via the connection wire.

The wireless controller is disposed at a second end of the cover body. The wireless controller is electrically directly or indirectly connected to the replacement switch for converting the second user operation to a wireless control command to control the target device. For example, the replacement switch may use optical, mechanical, electronic or other methods for receiving user operations. The wireless controller receives the operation result by sensor, a signal line or any other approaches.

In some embodiments, the first end where the replacement switch is disposed and the second end where the replacement switch is disposed are at opposite ends of the cover body. In other words, in such embodiments, the replacement switch and the wireless controller are placed at two different and opposite ends of the cover body. This would help minimizing the height during design and make the overall design more balance.

In some embodiments, the first end where the replacement switch is disposed is at center portion of the cover body, and the second where the replacement switch is disposed is at peripheral area with respect to center portion of the cover body. In such embodiments, the replacement switch is in the middle of the cover body while the wireless controller is located at peripheral area away from the middle area of the cover body so as to prevent damage to the wireless controller which may contain sensitive circuits. With such design, the reliability and life span is increased.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has two buttons respectively located at two opposing peripheral areas of the cover body and the wireless controller is located in the central portion of the cover body. In such embodiments, the wireless controller is still distant, in certain way, from the two buttons.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has a mechanical switch connected to the wireless controller with a signal line. In other words, the wireless component does not need to be disposed under the replacement switch. Instead, the wireless component may be disposed away from the replacement switch but still is able to receive necessary operation signal.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has a switch circuit for converting the second user manual operation to an electrical signal transmitted to the wireless controller via the signal line. In other words, the replacement switch may have a mechanical portion, an electronic portion like a touch area, and also have related circuits to translate user operations into electronical signal that may be transferred to the wireless controller to be used for controlling the target device.

In some embodiments, the wireless controller has a module housing to be integrated to the cover body and the wireless controller is detachable from the cover body so that the wireless controller with the same module housing matches to different sizes and types of the cover bodies corresponding to different traditional switch devices. In other words, the wireless controller may be manufactured as a standard module to match different cover body containing one or more replacement switches corresponding to different traditional switch devices. During installation, a user only needs to install the wireless controller into the matched cover body to match any specific type of traditional switch device. In such design, the wireless controller may be installed from top side. It would be also a benefit to arrange the wireless controller not overlapping the replacement switch on the cover body to more easily implement such design.

In some embodiments, the cover body has a slot for receiving the module housing, and the slot is arranged horizontally neighboring to the replacement switch with respect to the environment surface instead of overlapping with the replacement switch vertically. In other words, such wireless controller module may be installed into the slot, which is convenient and flexible.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch is arranged horizontally neighboring to the wireless controller with respect to the environment instead of overlapping to the wireless controller vertically. There may be certain distance between the replacement switch and the wireless controller. In such embodiments, the wireless controller is not under the replacement switch.

In some embodiments, the cover body has a bottom part and a top part. The replacement switch is disposed at the top part and the bottom part is attached to the traditional switch surface cover. The bottom part has a plurality of supporting walls defining the storing space for covering the traditional switch so as to keep the traditional switch not operated by a user when the traditional switch is covered in the storing space. In other words, the walls define the storing space for covering the traditional switch.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has a light guide component to detect the second user manual operation. A sensor is used with the light guide component to convert the second user manual operation to the wireless controller to control the target device. Such light guide component is used as part of an optical switch, which may be more reliable compared with pure mechanical and electrical switch. An LED light is transmitted and detection of whether such light signal is changed is used for determining whether a predetermined operation is performed by a user.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has two buttons corresponding two operation modes of the target device. The two buttons change a status of the light guide component when the two buttons are pressed. With such design, the operation of the user is collected and responded by the wireless controller.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch may further have one ore more silicon dioxide components corresponding to buttons to detect the second user manual operation and to make the pressing more comfortable and to prevent damage of the buttons. A decoder is used with the silicon dioxide component to convert the second user manual operation to the wireless controller to control the target device.

In some embodiments, the replacement switch has two buttons corresponding two operation modes of the target device. The two buttons correspond to two silicon dioxide components to generate signals corresponding associated to the second user manual operations when the two buttons are pressed.

In some embodiments, the retrofit switch apparatus also has a circuit board for supporting the wireless controller and a switch circuit arranged horizontally with respect to the environment surface and without overlapping with each other. In other words, the wireless controller and the components of the replacement switch are not overlapped.

In some embodiments, there is a hole in the middle of the circuit board so that a portion of the traditional switch extends through the hole of the circuit board. This is particularly helpful to design a standard retrofit switch apparatus to be compatible with different size and types of traditional switch.

In some embodiments, the retrofit switch apparatus also has a hinge between the top part and the bottom part so that the top part is operable to be rotated with respect with the bottom part to change a battery of the wireless controller. In other words, the top part may be rotated with respect to the bottom part to expose the inside portion of the top part to a user when necessary.

In some embodiments, when the top part is rotated, the traditional switch is exposed to a user so that the user is able to control the traditional switch. When the top part is rotated, it is also easier to change a battery of the wireless controller.

In some embodiments, the wireless controller is electrically disconnected from the traditional switch device. In other words, the retrofit switch apparatus is attached to the traditional switch device but does not get electrical contact with the power source connecting to the traditional switch device.

In some embodiments, the traditional switch device may have a mode switch. When the retrofit switch apparatus is attached to the traditional device, the mode switch is activated so that the target device is kept supplied with electricity via the traditional switch device. Such mode switch may be a mechanical lever or an electronic signal receiver. When the retrofit switch is attached to the traditional switch device, the mode switch of the traditional switch device is activated so that the traditional switch device may change its behavior. For example, even a user switches the traditional switch, the target device may still be kept providing electrical current.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a retrofit switch apparatus. In an embodiment, the retrofit device is attached to a traditional switch device. The traditional switch device is fixed to an environment surface like a wall. The traditional switch device may also be fixed to other surface like a table, a cabin, car housing and any other devices that traditionally has traditional switch. Examples of such traditional switch includes but not limited to in-wall switches like On/Off Switches, keypads, digital switches, occupancy sensing switches, push-button switches, dimming switches such as rotary dimmers, slide dimmers, digital dimmers, and step dimmers.

Such traditional switch device has a traditional switch mounted on a traditional switch cover surface for accepting a first user manual operation to control a target device. The target device may be a light, an air conditioner, a fan or any other electrical device connected to the traditional switch device with an electrical wire. In some embodiments, such electrical wire is embedded behind a wall. The traditional switch device also has a connecting structure.

The retrofit switch apparatus has an attaching device, a retrofit housing and a control circuit.

The attaching device is used for attaching to the connecting structure of the traditional switch device. The retrofit housing is connected to the attaching device. The control circuit is connected to the retrofit housing for wirelessly controlling the target device. For example, the control circuit may support Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi or other wireless communication standard or customized communication protocols.

In some embodiments, the connecting structure is a socket and the attaching device has a pin to plug into the socket. Such connecting structure may be a standard electrical socket that may be found in most houses for providing electrical power to electric devices. In such case, the attaching device may be a standard electrical plug, i.e. having two or more metal plugs associated to standard electrical sockets.

In some embodiments, the attaching device further forwards electrical power from the connecting device to the control circuit when the retrofit switch apparatus is attached to the traditional switch device. With such arrangement, the control circuit has reliable and constant power supply and users do not need to worry to replace batteries for the retrofit switch apparatus.

In some embodiments, the connecting structure is a standard USB socket and the attaching device has a corresponding USB plug to plug into the standard USB socket. In other words, a regulated DC current is provided by the traditional switch device. This saves cost of the design of the retrofit switch apparatus.

In some embodiments, the connecting structure has a first hook structure and the attaching device is a second hook structure corresponding to the first hook structure for hooking the retrofit switch apparatus to the traditional switch device while remaining detachable connection relation. Various hook structures may be designed and all such variations including different pairing structures should be regarded within the invention scope. For example, plugs and associated grooves or sockets may be provided for forming such hook structures. Such hook structures may be designed so that users may easily take the retrofit switch apparatus away from the traditional switch device. Certain fixing level may also be applied to make it more difficult to un-hook the retrofit device from the traditional switch device.

In some embodiments, the retrofit housing exposes the traditional switch. Meanwhile, while the retrofit switch apparatus is connected to the traditional switch device, the traditional switch is disabled even when the traditional switch is operated by a user. The may be achieved by mechanical structure or electrical structure. For example, a sensor may be applied to detect existence of the retrofit switch apparatus. The function of the traditional switch may be disabled, i.e. not effect for operation thereof. Mechanical structures may be designed in the traditional switch device by physically triggering disabling function when the connecting device is attached with the attaching device.

In some embodiments, the attaching device changes operation mode of the traditional switch device to disable the traditional switch when the attaching device is connected to the traditional switch device.

In some embodiments, the traditional switch device may have a disabling switch to disable the traditional switch even when the traditional switch is operated by a user. For example, a toggle button may be disposed on the traditional switch device.

In some embodiments, the retrofit housing hides the traditional switch so that the traditional switch is not operated when the retrofit switch apparatus is connected to the traditional switch device. In other words, the retrofit housing prevents a user to touch the traditional switch so that to prevent accidently turning off power supply to the target device on which a control circuit may needs such power supply to work normally.

In some embodiments, the attaching device may have a rotating device for rotating the retrofit housing with respect to the traditional switch device. For example, a rotating hinge may be used for rotate the retrofit housing with respect to the traditional switch device. The attaching device may be a bracket fixed on the traditional switch device and contains an axis for connecting a portion of the retrofit housing so that a user may rotate the retrofit housing with respect to the traditional switch device.

With such design, the retrofit switch device may have a battery box. When the retrofit housing is rotated with respect to the traditional switch device, the battery box is facing to a user for the user to replace a battery in the battery box.

With such design, when the retrofit housing is rotated with respect to the traditional switch device, the traditional switch may be exposed to a user for the user to operate the traditional switch. This is very important because with such design, a user may easily operate the traditional switch in accident scenario, in the case which a user wants to replace a bulb of the target device, or in the case that the retrofit switch apparatus functions abnormally.

In some embodiments, the traditional switch cover surface has a standard electrical socket and the attaching device has a standard electrical plug to plug into the standard electrical socket. It is common to find such traditional switch in various houses. Or ore two light switches together with one or two standard electrical sockets are integrated as a traditional switch device placed on a wall. In such case, the retrofit switch apparatus is plugged into the electrical socket to attach the retrofit switch apparatus overlapping and covering the original traditional switch on the wall. Meanwhile, the retrofit switch apparatus may include an external standard electrical socket exposed on the retrofit housing for forwarding electrical power from the standard electrical socket of the traditional switch device. In other words, the retrofit switch device may get power supply from the electrical socket and may simply forwards the electrical power to another device plugging into the electrical socket on the retrofit switch apparatus.

In some embodiments, the control circuit is embedded in a control module. The control module is separable from the main body of the retrofit housing. For example, a reception hole is disposed for receiving the control module. With such design, manufacturers may produce the same control modules while pairing such control modules to different retrofit housings to fit different traditional switch device types. Such design saves a lot of manufacturing cost while keeping strong flexibility.

In some embodiments, the control module may include a touch surface for receiving a touch operation from a user to operate the control circuit. For example, variable types of capacitor or resistor touch devices may be used in such embodiments.

In some embodiments, the control module may be disposed with electrical connectors to be connected to a corresponding structure on the retrofit housing to receive power supply from a battery or from the traditional switch device.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a traditional switch apparatus for connecting to the retrofit switch apparatuses mentioned above. Such traditional switch apparatus has a similar appearance like convention switch device but new features as mentioned above. Such traditional switch apparatus has a traditional switch and a connecting structure for connecting to the attaching device of the retrofit switch apparatus as mentioned above.

In some embodiments, the connecting structure may even supply electrical power to the control circuit of the retrofit switch apparatus.

