Patent ID: 7723925

Claim:
A multiple location dimming system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising: a first dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the first dimmer comprising a first controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a first controller coupled to the first controllably conductive device for control of the first controllable conductive device, the first controller operable to monitor a first electrical characteristic of the first dimmer; and a second dimmer coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the second dimmer comprising a second controllably conductive device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the electrical load and a second controller coupled to the second controllably conductive device for control of the second controllably conductive device, the second controller operable to monitor a second electrical characteristic of the second dimmer; wherein the first dimmer is coupled to the second dimmer such that the first controllably conductive device is coupled in parallel electrical connection with the second controllably conductive device, the parallel combination of the first and second controllably conductive devices in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load; and wherein the first controller is operable to render the first controllably conductive device conductive at a first time each half-cycle of the AC power source, the second controller operable to determine the first time in response to the second electrical characteristic, and to render the second controllably conductive device conductive at a second time before the first time during a first half-cycle, the first controller operable to determine whether the second controller has rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle, and to render the first controllably conductive device non-conductive in response to determining that the second controller rendered the second controllably conductive device conductive before the first time during the first half-cycle.