Patent ID: 9699863
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G11C,H05B

Claim:
1. A multiple location load control system for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control system comprising: a main load control device comprising a first main terminal, a second main terminal, and an accessory terminal, the main load control device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load for control of the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the main load control device configured to conduct a load current from the AC power source to the electrical load via the first and second main terminals; and a remote load control device adapted to be coupled between the first main terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device or between the second main terminal and the accessory terminal of the main load control device, the remote load control device adapted to be coupled to the accessory terminal of the main load control device via an accessory wiring, the remote load control device comprising a power supply; wherein the main load control device is configured to control the accessory wiring using tri-state logic, the main load control device configured to enable a charging path to allow the power supply of the remote load control device to charge through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source, the main load control device and the remote load control device configured to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle of the AC power source; wherein the main load control device comprises a first switching circuit operably coupled between the AC power source and the accessory wiring for conducting a charging current from the AC power source to the power supply of the remote load control device; and wherein the main load control device further comprises a second switching circuit operably coupled between the accessory wiring and a circuit common.