Patient Room Pillow Speaker Integration
with Lutron Control Systems
Application Note #783
Revision A
February 2021
1 Customer Assistance — 1.844.LUTRON1
Lutron systems help enhance the patient experience by providing patients control over their environment.
In many cases, patients in hospitals or long-term care facilities interact with their environment via the pillow speaker.
This app note describes the methods to integrate a pillow speaker into a Lutron lighting and shading control system.
System Components
There are multiple required components involved in a patient room control system:
• Pillow Speaker – provides the user interface for the patient
• Patient Station – connection point for the pillow speaker; provides signals to other devices (TV, lights, nurse call
station, etc.); this is made by a different manufacturer than the pillow speaker and is part of the overall nurse
call system
• Lighting System Interface – connects the patient station to the lighting control system
The diagram below shows a typical setup:
x
Pillow Speaker
To Nurse Call Station
Contact
Closure
outputs
QS Link to Load Controllers
Patient Station
Lutron
Contact
Closure
Interface
While this basic diagram is true for most scenarios, there can be wide variation in the specifics. For example: different
types of pillow speakers with differing button combinations may be used; different types of patient stations may be
used which provide different types of integration; different lighting control interfaces may be necessary for the proper
integration. This app note will provide details on some of the most common applications for contact-closure based pillow
speaker integration using Curbell MedicalT products as an example.
2 www.lutron.com/support
Application Note #783
In most cases, the patient station provides a contact closure, corresponding to various light or shade control buttons, to
the lighting system interface. These buttons are usually momentary, meaning they close when the button on the pillow
speaker is pressed, and open when it is released. A patient station will have one contact closure output for each light or
shade control button. Check documentation from the patient station manufacturer for specifics, including mapping of
buttons on the pillow speaker to specific contact closures.
In some cases, pillow speaker and patient station systems may provide a more sophisticated digital method of control,
such as using Ethernet or BACnet commands. In these cases, coordination between the pillow speaker manufacturer,
patient station manufacturer, and Lutron is required. These solutions are outside the scope of this app note.
System Components (continued)
Sequences of Operation
Depending on the client’s needs, there are a variety of configurations of pillow speakers a client may choose. The choice
of pillow speaker will determine the sequence of operation (SOO) that the system can support. The choice of Lutron
system will also determine what SOOs are supported; see the System Support section of this document for details.
The following are some common types of pillow speakers, along with typical supported SOOs, using a variety of Curbell
MedicalT designs. The number of buttons and configurations of pillow speakers from other manufacturers will vary:
One Button: Lights Only
This scenario provides a single contact-closure output from the pillow speaker to the lighting control system. While
usually used for one zone of control, as shown in the image, it may allow for control of multiple zones if scenes are used.
Typical supported SOOs include:
• Toggle lights (switch between 100% and off, for one or more zones)
• Toggle scenes (switch between a scene and off, for multi-zone spaces)
• Cycle dim (press and hold the button to toggle between dimming up to full and down to off)
• Scene sequence (step between high/medium/low light levels or scenes)
3 Customer Assistance — 1.844.LUTRON1
Application Note #783
Sequences of Operation (continued)
Two Buttons: Lights Only or Lights and Shades
This scenario provides two contact-closure outputs from the pillow speaker to the lighting control system. This is
typically used for two zones of lighting control, as shown in the image; however, based on the desired functionality,
additional SOOs could be supported using Button 1 / Button 2:
• Toggle zone 1 / toggle zone 2, shown on left
• Lights raise / lower (allowing patient to raise the lights from off, or lower them to off)
• Toggle scene
• Toggle lights / toggle shades (for rooms that have shades, using an open/stop/close/stop
“garage door style” function)
Note: Icons on image are illustrative only, if using other functions (e.g., shades) different icons
may be used.
Four Buttons: Lights and Shades
In this scenario, there are two buttons for lights, and two buttons for shades. This provides four contact closures from
the pillow speaker to the lighting control system. This is commonly used for two zones of light control, plus raise and
lower of shades, as shown. However, other SOOs could be supported:
• Toggle zone 1 / toggle zone 2 / shade raise / shade lower, shown on left
• Lights raise / lights lower / shade raise / shade lower
• Select scene / turn off / shade raise / shade lower
• Toggle zone 1 / toggle zone 2 / toggle shade 1 / toggle shade 2
• Lights raise / lights lower / toggle shade 1 / toggle shade 2
• Select scene / turn off / toggle shade 1 / toggle shade 2
Note: Icons on image are illustrative only, if using other functions (e.g., shades) different icons
may be used.
4 www.lutron.com/support
Application Note #783
Wiring Details
There are multiple ways that the contact closure output from a patient station can be integrated into a Lutron system.
In many patient room applications, the Quantum or Athena lighting control systems will be utilized, which allows very
flexible programming to support a variety of different sequence of operation for lights and shades. If other systems are
being considered, ensure the necessary devices and sequence of operation are supported, as described in the System
Support section of this document. Contact your local Lutron representative for more details of individual
system functionality.
Wiring to the Patient Station in the diagrams below is for reference only. The Patient Station manufacturer’s datasheet
and install guides should be consulted for appropriate wiring details. For example, some Patient Stations have multiple
lighting common connections that need to be tied together to yield a single COM connection going to the Lutron
system components.
Option 1: QSE-IO or QSE-CI-WCI
In this scenario, the output of the patient station can tie into a QSE-IO or QSE-CI-WCI, which can integrate with other
Lutron devices and systems over the QS link (see diagram below). The QSE-IO can accept up to 5 contact-closure
inputs, allowing it to be used for many of the scenarios in this app note. The QSE-CI-WCI can accept up to 8 contact
closure inputs, allowing it to be used for many of the scenarios in this app note. For applications where only one or two
contact closures are necessary, one QSE-IO or QSE-CI-WCI could be shared across multiple patient stations.
x
Lutron QSE-IO Contact Closure Interface Patient Station
COM: contact closure common
* Number of contact closures
used is based on the number
of contacts supported by
the pillow speaker and
patient station
Connections to patient station will vary based on
manufacturer. Consult install guides or spec sheets
of patient station for details.
CCI4: Contact Closure 4 (optional)*
CCI2: Contact Closure 2 (optional)*
CCI3: Contact Closure 3 (optional)*
CCI1: Contact Closure 1
QS Link to Load Controllers
x
Lutron QSE-CI-WCI
Contact Closure Interface
CCI4: Contact Closure 4 (optional)*
CCI5: Contact Closure 5 (optional)*
CCI6: Contact Closure 6 (optional)*
CCI7: Contact Closure 7 (optional)*
CCI8: Contact Closure 8 (optional)*
CCI2: Contact Closure 2 (optional)*
CCI3: Contact Closure 3 (optional)*
CCI1: Contact Closure 1
COM: contact closure common
To patient stations
in other rooms
* Number of contact closures used is based
on the number of contacts supported by the
pillow speaker and patient station
QS Link to
Load Controllers
Patient Station
Connections to patient station will vary based on
manufacturer. Consult install guides or spec sheets
of patient station for details.
5 Customer Assistance — 1.844.LUTRON1
Application Note #783
x
Patient Station
QS Link to
Load Controllers
(3) 18 AWG
(1.0 mm
2
)
Wiring Details (continued)
Option 2: CCI on Energi Savr Node (ESN) Modules
If 0-10 V- or Softswitch ESN modules are being used for control of the lighting zones, they have integral contact closure
inputs that can be used to activate the desired functionality (see diagram below). Each 0-10 V- and Softswitch ESN has
five contact closure inputs, allowing it to be used for many of the scenarios in this app note. For applications where only
one or two contact closures are necessary, one ESN can be shared across multiple patient stations.
x
-
Patient Station
ESN Setup
Group 1 shown
Connections to patient station will vary based on
manufacturer. Consult install guides or spec sheets
of patient station for details.
To sensors (if used)
CCI4: Contact Closure 4 (optional)*
CCI2: Contact Closure 2 (optional)*
COM: Contact Closure common
CCI3: Contact Closure 3 (optional)*
CCI1: Contact Closure 1
COM: contact closure common
Switch – IEC PELV/NECR Class 2
Note: QS Link and line/load connections not shown
* Number of contact closures used
is based on the number of contacts
supported by the pillow speaker and
patient station
Option 3: CCI on seeTouch keypads
If seeTouch keypads are being used for manual control, their onboard CCIs can be used to achieve the one- and two-
button functionalities described in this app note. Each seeTouch keypad has two contact closure inputs (see diagram
below). For applications where only one contact closure is necessary, one seeTouch keypad can be shared across
multiple patient stations.
CCI2: Contact Closure 2
(optional)*
CCI1: Contact Closure 1
COM: Contact
Closure common
Common
4
3
2
1
Input 2
Input 1
C
B
A
6 www.lutron.com/support
Application Note #783
System Support
Depending on the exact sequence of operation desired, and the integration method used, different Lutron systems
may be required. Confirm your desired sequence of operation and integration method in the table below. As system
capabilities are subject to change, always verify desired functionality with Lutron before finalizing any design.
Zone Toggle Scene Sequence Cycle Dim Scene Activate Lights Raise/
Lower
Shade Raise/
Lower
Toggle Shade
QSE-IO Q, A, S Q, A Q, A, S Q, A, S Q, A, S
ESN / CCI Q, A, S Q, A Q, A, S Q, A Q, A
seeTouch
Keypad CCI
1
Q, A, S Q, A Q, A, S Q, A, S Q, A, S
QSE-CI-WCI Q, A, S Q, A Q, A Q, A, S Q, A, S Q, A, S Q, A, S
1
Mimics button press from front of keypad in a Standalone QS system
Conclusion
Integrating lighting control into the pillow speaker is an important element to allow a patient control over their
environment. While the integrations detailed in this app note involve contact closures, there are a variety of different
number of closures, and therefore different sequences of operation, that can be supported. By matching the desired
sequence of operation to the proper pillow speaker configuration, you can achieve the necessary contact closure
functionality when tied to a variety of different Lutron devices and systems.
Q = Supported by Quantum Systems
A = Supported by Athena Systems
S = Supported by Standalone QS Systems (may require programming using ESN app)
Application Note #783
7
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
7200 Suter Road
Coopersburg, PA 18036-1299 U.S.A.
02/2021 P/N 048783 Rev. A
Lutron Contact Numbers
Lutron, Energi Savr Node, Quantum, Athena, and seeTouch are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. in the
US and/or other countries.
All other product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.
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Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
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TEL: +1.610.282.3800
FAX: +1.610.282.1243
www.lutron.com/support
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