SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING REPLACEMENT OF A BATTERY IN A REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20090278701A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.150
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems, methods and apparatus are provided for indicating to a user a low battery condition of a remote control for a controlled device. More particularly, a remote control detects a low battery condition as well as the replacement of batteries in the remote control. The remote control transmits a low battery message to a controlled device responsive to detecting a low battery condition. Similarly, the remote control transmits a battery status message to the controlled device responsive to detecting the replacement of batteries in the remote control. The controlled device utilizes the low battery message and the battery status message to determine whether to present a low battery indicator to a user regarding a low battery condition of the remote control.

Claims

1. A remote control comprising:

a battery connector including terminals that connect to a battery powering the remote control;

a battery measurement module coupled to the battery connector that measures a battery terminal voltage at the terminals and that processes the battery terminal voltage and a reference value to determine whether the battery has been replaced; and

a transmitter coupled to the battery measurement module that transmits a battery status message to a controlled device responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the battery has been replaced, wherein the controlled device processes the battery status message to determine whether to present a low battery condition indicator to a user regarding a low battery condition of the remote control.

2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the reference value comprises a reference voltage indicating that the battery has been replaced, and wherein the battery measurement module determines whether the battery terminal voltage is greater than the reference voltage.

3. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the battery measurement module compares the battery terminal voltage with a previously measured battery terminal voltage to determine a battery terminal voltage increase, and that determines whether the battery terminal voltage increase is greater than an increase threshold value, the increase threshold value indicating that the battery has been replaced.

4. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising:

an input module that receives user input and that generates a command message for the controlled device responsive to the user input;

the battery measurement module measuring the battery terminal voltage during processing of the user input by the input module.

5. The remote control of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver that receives data from the controlled device;

the battery measurement module measuring the battery terminal voltage during reception of the data by the transceiver.

6. A remote control comprising:

a battery connector including terminals that connect to a battery powering the remote control;

a battery measurement module coupled to the battery connector that measures a battery terminal voltage at the terminals, and that determines whether the battery terminal voltage is less than a first threshold value, the first threshold value indicating a low battery condition of the remote control, and that determines whether the battery terminal voltage is greater than a second threshold value, the second threshold value indicating that the battery has been replaced; and

a transmitter coupled to the battery measurement module that transmits a first battery status message to the controlled device responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the battery terminal voltage is less than the first threshold value, and that transmits a second battery status message to the controlled device responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the battery terminal voltage is greater than the second threshold value, wherein the controlled device processes the first and second status messages to determine whether to present a low battery indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition of the remote control.

7. The remote control of claim 6, further comprising:

an input module that receives user input and that generates a command message for the controlled device responsive to the user input;

the battery measurement module measuring the battery terminal voltage during processing of the user input by the input module.

8. The remote control of claim 6, further comprising:

a transceiver that receives data from the controlled device;

the battery measurement module measuring the battery terminal voltage during reception of the data by the transceiver.

9. A remote control comprising:

a battery connector including terminals that connect to a battery powering the remote control;

a battery measurement module coupled to the battery connector that measures a first battery terminal voltage at the terminals, that measures a second battery terminal voltage at the terminals, that calculates a difference between the first battery terminal voltage and the second battery terminal voltage, and that determines whether the difference is greater than a first threshold value, the first threshold value indicating that the battery has been replaced; and

a transmitter coupled to the battery measurement module that transmits a first battery status message to the controlled device responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the difference is greater than the first threshold value, wherein the controlled device processes the first status message to determine whether to present a low battery indicator to a user.

10. The remote control of claim 9, wherein the difference is an absolute voltage change between the first battery terminal voltage and the second battery terminal voltage.

11. The remote control of claim 9, wherein the difference is a percentage change between the first battery terminal voltage and the second battery terminal voltage.

12. The remote control of claim 9, further comprising:

an input module that receives user input and that generates a command message for the controlled device responsive to the user input;

the battery measurement module measuring the first battery terminal voltage during processing of the user input by the input module.

13. The remote control of claim 9, further comprising:

a transceiver that receives data from the controlled device;

the battery measurement module measuring the first battery terminal voltage during reception of the data by the transceiver.

14. The remote control of claim 9, wherein:

the battery measurement module determines whether the first battery terminal voltage is less than a second threshold value, the second threshold value indicating a low battery condition of the remote control;

the transmitter transmits a second battery status message to the controlled device responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the first battery terminal voltage is less than the second threshold value; and

the controlled device processes the first and second status messages to determine whether to present a low battery indicator to a user.

15. A system comprising:

an entertainment device including;

an output interface that outputs a presentation stream for presentation on a presentation device; and

a wireless receiver;

a remote control including;

a battery connector with terminals that connect to a battery powering the remote control;

an input module that receives user input indicating a change to the output of the presentation stream by the entertainment device and that generates a control command based on the user input; and

a battery measurement module coupled to the battery connector that measures a first battery terminal voltage at the terminals during processing of the user input by the input module, and that processes the first battery terminal voltage to determine whether there is a low battery condition in the remote control, that measures a second battery terminal voltage at the terminals, and that processes the second battery terminal voltage to determine whether the battery has been replaced; and

a transmitter coupled to the input module that transmits the control command to the receiver of the entertainment device, the transmitter configured to transmit a first battery status message to the receiver responsive to the low battery detection module determining that there is a low battery condition in the remote control and to transmit a second battery status message to the receiver responsive to the battery measurement module determining that the battery has been replaced;

the output interface outputting a low battery indicator in the presentation stream responsive to receiving the first battery status message and prior to receiving the second battery status message.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery measurement module compares the first battery terminal voltage to a threshold value to determine whether there is a low battery condition in the remote control.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery measurement module compares the second battery terminal voltage to a threshold value to determine whether the battery has been replaced.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery detection module calculates a difference between the first battery terminal voltage and the second battery terminal voltage, and further determines whether the difference is greater than a second threshold value, the second threshold value indicating that the battery has been replaced.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the remote control further comprises a transceiver that receives data from the entertainment device;

the battery measurement module measures the first threshold value during reception of the data by the transceiver.

20. A method of indicating a low battery condition for a remote control, the method comprising:

measuring a first battery terminal voltage of the remote control;

determining whether the first battery terminal voltage is less than a first threshold value;

transmitting a first battery status message to an entertainment device responsive to determining that the first battery terminal voltage is less than the first threshold value;

measuring a second battery terminal voltage of the remote control;

determining whether the second battery terminal voltage is greater than a second threshold value; and

transmitting a second battery status message to the entertainment device responsive to determining that the second battery terminal voltage is greater than the second threshold value;

wherein the entertainment device processes the first battery status message and the second battery status message to determine whether to present an indicator to a user regarding a low battery condition of the remote control.