Lighting control device having improved long fade off

摘要

A lighting control device for controlling the light intensity level of at least one lamp is disclosed. The lighting control device includes a microcontroller and a user-actuatable switch controller that is operatively coupled to the microcontroller. The microcontroller causes the light intensity level of the lamp to fade at a first fade rate when the switch controller is actuated. If the microcontroller determines that the switch controller has been actuated for at least a predefined actuator hold time, the microcontroller causes the light intensity level of the lamp to fade at a second fade rate for a predefined long fade time. After the long fade time elapses, the microcontroller causes the light intensity level of the lamp to fade to off at a third fade. The first fade rate is based on a predefined fade-off time that represents a time allotted for fading the light intensity level of the lamp from its initial light intensity level to off. To prevent the light intensity level from fading to off before the actuation time elapses, the fade off time may be defined to be longer than the actuation time. The second fade rate may be slower than the first fade rate and have an exponential fade profile. The third fade rate may be a predefined rate at which the microcontroller is programmed to cause the light intensity level to fade from full on to full off. The third fade rate may be quicker than the second fade rate.