Low battery indicator

• US 20060017581A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Paul G., Stoner, Marcus D., Mulhouse, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers

Abstract

Electronic devices that include batteries can be adapted to provide one or more indications of a low battery condition. An electronic device such as a controller can include a battery and can be adapted to determine a first low battery condition. A first indication can be provided in response to the first low battery condition. In some cases, a second battery condition can be determined and a second indication can be provided in response to the second battery condition. The indications provided to the user can be made progressively more noticeable over time, until the battery is replaced.

Claims

1. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a first low battery condition;

providing a first indication in response to said first low battery condition;

determining a second low battery condition, wherein the second low battery condition is determined to be more severe than the first low battery condition; and

providing a second indication in response to said second low battery condition, wherein the first indication and/or the second indication include an audible indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first low battery condition is determined by detecting a first battery voltage.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by detecting a second battery voltage, wherein the second battery voltage is lower than the first battery voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of a first elapse time period.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of a second elapse time period.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of an elapse time after the first battery voltage is detected.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second indication is more noticeable than the first indication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication includes a first audible indicator

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second indication includes a second audible indicator.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first audible indicator is different than the second audible indicator.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first audible indicator includes a different volume than the second audible indicator.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first audible indicator includes a different pitch than the second audible indicator.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first audible indicator includes more than one successive first audible signals, wherein at least selected first audible signals have a first duration and a first interval between successive first audible signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second audible indicator includes more than one successive second audible signals, wherein at least selected second audible signals have a second duration and a second interval between successive second audible signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second duration is greater than the first duration.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the second audible indicator includes more than one successive second audible signals, wherein at least selected second audible signals have a second duration and a second interval between successive second audible signals.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication includes a visual indication.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the second indication includes a visual indication.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication includes a first visual indication and the second indication includes a second visual indication, wherein the first visual indication is different from the second visual indication.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the second visual indication is more noticeable than the first visual indication.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the controller includes a display that normally displays one or more control parameters, and the second visual indication replaces at least some of the normally displayed control parameters.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the first visual indication and/or the second visual indication includes a blinking LED.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication and/or the second indication include altering a control parameter of the controller.

25. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a first low battery condition;

providing a first indication in response to said first low battery condition;

determining a second low battery condition; and

providing a second indication in response to said second low battery condition, wherein the first indication and/or the second indication include altering a control parameter of the controller.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first low battery condition is determined by detecting a first battery voltage.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by detecting a second battery voltage, wherein the second battery voltage is lower than the first battery voltage.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the first low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of a first elapse time period.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of a second elapse time period.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the second low battery condition is determined by tracking the passage of an elapse time after the first battery voltage is detected.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the control parameter includes a temperature control point.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the control parameter includes a cycle rate.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the control parameter includes an allowable temperature swing.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the first indication includes providing an aural and/or visual indication.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the second indication includes providing an aural and/or visual indication.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the first indication includes providing an aural and/or visual indication, and the second indication includes altering the control parameter of the controller.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the first indication and the second indication include altering the control parameter of the controller, and wherein the second indication includes altering the control parameter more than the first indication.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the first indication includes altering a first control parameter of the controller, and the second indication includes altering a second control parameter of the controller.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein the second indication includes altering a control parameter of the controller.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the control parameter includes a temperature control point.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the control parameter includes a cycle rate.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the control parameter includes an allowable temperature swing.

43. A controller comprising a battery, the controller adapted to:

determining a first low battery condition;

provide a first indication in response to said first low battery condition, wherein the first indication includes an aural and/or visual indication;

determining a second low battery condition; and

provide a second indication in response to said second low battery condition, wherein the second indication includes altering a control parameter of the controller.

44. The controller of claim 43, wherein the control parameter is a temperature control point.

45. The controller of claim 43, wherein the control parameter is a cycle rate.

46. The controller of claim 43, wherein the control parameter is an allowable temperature swing.

57. The method of claim 46, wherein the control parameter includes a temperature control point.

47. A method of communicating a low battery condition for a battery used in a thermostat, the thermostat having a control parameter, the method comprising steps of:

determining a first low battery condition;

changing the control parameter in response to the first determined low battery condition;

subsequently determining a second low battery condition; and

changing the control parameter in response to the second determined low battery condition.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of providing a first visual or audible indication that the first low battery condition has been determined.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising a step of providing a second visual or audible indication that the second low battery condition has been determined.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the first visual indication includes one or more of a steady light, a blinking light, a blinking display, a blank display, and/or a low battery message shown on a display.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the second visual indication includes one or more of a steady light, a blinking light, a blinking display, a blank display, and/or a low battery message shown on a display.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the control parameter includes a temperature control point.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the temperature control point is changed less than 5 degrees in response to the first determined low battery condition.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the temperature control point is changed less than 15 degrees in response to the second determined low battery condition.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein there is no user override for the change in the temperature control point, other than replacing the battery.

56. A method of communicating a low battery condition for a battery used in a thermostat, the thermostat having a control parameter, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition;

changing the control parameter in response to the low battery condition, wherein there is no user override for the change in the control parameter, other than replacing the battery.

58. A method of communicating a low battery condition for a battery used in a thermostat, the thermostat having a temperature control point, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition;

changing the temperature control point by less than 10 degrees some time after the low battery condition is determined.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein there is no user override for the change in the temperature control point, other than replacing the battery.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the changing step changes the temperature control point by less than 8 degrees after the low battery condition is determined.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein the changing step changes the temperature control point by less than 5 degrees after the low battery condition is determined.

62. The method of claim 58, wherein the changing step changes the temperature control point by less than 3 degrees after the low battery condition is determined.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the changing step first changes the temperature control point after the low battery condition is determined, and then subsequently changes the temperature control set point again if the battery is not replaced.

64. A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery and a control parameter, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

providing a first audible indication after the low battery condition is determined.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising the step of providing a second audible indication after the first audible indication is provided.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the first audible indication is more noticeable than the second audible indication.

67. The method of claim 64, further comprising the step of providing a visual indication before the first audible indication is provided and after the low battery condition is determined.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of disabling at least part of the user interface after the low battery condition is determined.

69. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

progressively providing more noticeable indications to the user over time after the low battery condition is determined, wherein at least one of the indications includes changing a temperature control parameter.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the temperature control parameter is progressively changed over time to be more noticeable to the user.

71. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

providing one or more visual indications to the user of the low battery condition, wherein at least one of the visual indications does not include flashing a low battery condition message on an LCD display.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein at least one visual indication includes flashing an LED.

73. The method of claim 71 wherein at least one visual indication includes blanking out an LCD display.

74. The method of claim 71 wherein the controller does not include an LCD display.

75. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery and a display, the method comprising steps of:

displaying one or more operating parameters of the controller on the display;

determining a low battery condition; and

providing a blank display except a low battery indication on the display after the low battery condition is determined.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein the low battery indication includes a low battery message or symbol.

77. The method of claim 75 wherein the low battery indication is blinking.

78. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

timing a first predetermined period of time;

determining a first low battery condition after the passage of the first predetermined time;

providing a first indication in response to said first low battery condition.

79. The method of claim 78 further comprising:

timing a second predetermined period of time;

determining a second low battery condition after the passage of the second predetermined time;

providing a second indication in response to said second low battery condition.

80. A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

providing a series of audible indications until the battery is replaced.

81. The method of claim 80 wherein the series of audible indications get more noticeable over time until the battery is replaced.

82. The method of claim 80 wherein the series of audible indications include a series of beeps with a beep duration and an interval between beeps.

83. The method of claim 82 wherein the interval between beeps decreases over time.

84. The method of claim 82 wherein the beep duration increases over time.

85. The method of claim 82 wherein the beeps have a pitch, and the pitch of the beeps changes over time.

86. The method of claim 81 wherein the at least one of the audible indications includes a voice message.

87. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the controller providing one or more control signals to equipment, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

ceasing to provide the one or more control signals to the equipment after the low battery condition is detected until the battery is replaced.

88. A method of indicating a low battery condition in a controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of:

determining a low battery condition; and

providing a low battery indication to a device that is remote from the controller via a communication path.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the communication path includes a phone system.

90. The method of claim 89 wherein the phone system includes a cellular network.

91. The method of claim 88 wherein the communication path includes the Internet.

92. The method of claim 88 wherein the communication path includes an RF link.

93. The method of claim 88 wherein the low battery indication includes a text message.

94. The method of claim 88 wherein the low battery indication includes an email message.

95. The method of claim 88 wherein the low battery indication includes a phone message.

96. The method of claim 88 wherein the controller is an HVAC controller, and the device includes a security system.

97. The method of claim 88 wherein the controller is sensor controller.