Low voltage alerting device in a paging receiver and method therefor
First Claim
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1. A low voltage alerting circuit in a paging receiver for driving vibrating means in response to received self data in a memory mode, said low voltage alerting circuit comprising:
- power supply means for providing a power supply voltage;
low voltage detector means connected to controller means, for generating a first low voltage detection signal independently of reception of said self data by said paging receiver whenever said power supply voltage is less than a first reference voltage, and a second low voltage detection signal independently of reception of said self data by said paging receiver whenever said power supply voltage is less than a second reference voltage lower than said first reference voltage;
alerting driver means interposed between said power supply means and said low voltage detector means, for sequentially disconnecting electrical conduction between said power supply means and said vibrating means, and between said power supply means and buzzer means in dependence upon said first and second low voltage detection signals, respectively; and
said controller means for enabling a visual display of low voltage status of said power supply means in dependence upon said first and second low voltage detection signals, and said buzzer means for producing a first audible tone scheme comprised of audible tones each having a first time duration to alert a user of the low voltage status of said power supply means in response to said first low voltage detection signal and for producing a second audible tone scheme comprised of audible tones each having a second time duration to alert the user of the reception of said self data, said first time duration being different than said second time duration.
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Abstract
A paging receiver with a motor and buzzer for saving a battery voltage by alerting a low voltage state of the battery. A low voltage detector compares the battery voltage with a reference voltage to generate a low voltage detection signal when the battery voltage is less than the reference voltage. In this case, an alerting driver is switched by the low voltage detection signal for cutting off the electrical passage between a motor and the battery and connecting the tone generator to the buzzer so as to generate alert tone.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A low voltage alerting circuit in a paging receiver for driving vibrating means in response to received self data in a memory mode, said low voltage alerting circuit comprising:
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power supply means for providing a power supply voltage; low voltage detector means connected to controller means, for generating a first low voltage detection signal independently of reception of said self data by said paging receiver whenever said power supply voltage is less than a first reference voltage, and a second low voltage detection signal independently of reception of said self data by said paging receiver whenever said power supply voltage is less than a second reference voltage lower than said first reference voltage; alerting driver means interposed between said power supply means and said low voltage detector means, for sequentially disconnecting electrical conduction between said power supply means and said vibrating means, and between said power supply means and buzzer means in dependence upon said first and second low voltage detection signals, respectively; and said controller means for enabling a visual display of low voltage status of said power supply means in dependence upon said first and second low voltage detection signals, and said buzzer means for producing a first audible tone scheme comprised of audible tones each having a first time duration to alert a user of the low voltage status of said power supply means in response to said first low voltage detection signal and for producing a second audible tone scheme comprised of audible tones each having a second time duration to alert the user of the reception of said self data, said first time duration being different than said second time duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 15, 16)
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5. A low voltage circuit for conserving a battery voltage of a battery in a paging receiver having vibrating means and buzzer means, wherein said paging receiver drives said vibrating means during a first mode, said low voltage circuit comprising:
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low voltage detector means for comparing said battery voltage with a first reference voltage to generate a first low voltage signal whenever said battery voltage is less than said first reference voltage, and for comparing said battery voltage with a second reference voltage to generate a second low voltage signal whenever said battery voltage is less than said second reference voltage, said low voltage detector means performing said comparisons independently of reception of a paging message by said paging receiver; driver means for cutting off said battery voltage from said vibrating means in response to said first low voltage signal, and for cutting off said battery voltage from said buzzer means in response to said second low voltage signal; and control means for cutting off said battery voltage from said vibrating means and transmitting a warning tone signal to said driver means to drive said buzzer means to generate a first audible tone sequence comprised of audible tones each having a first time duration in response to receipt of said first low voltage signal, and for cutting off said battery voltage from said buzzer means in response to receipt of both of said first low voltage signal and said second low voltage signal, said buzzer means generating a second audible tone sequence comprised of audible tones each having a second time duration unequal to said first time duration in response to the reception of said paging message by said paging receiver. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19)
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13. A method of generating a low voltage warning signal in a paging receiver, comprising:
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making a first comparison between a battery voltage of the paging receiver and a first reference voltage independently of reception of a paging message by said paging receiver; making a second comparison between said battery voltage and a second reference voltage lower than said first reference voltage independently of reception of said paging message by said paging receiver whenever said battery voltage is less than said first reference voltage; cutting off electrical connection between said battery voltage and a motor, and generating a tone signal to drive a buzzer to generate a first audible tone sequence whenever said battery voltage is less than said first reference voltage and greater than said second reference voltage; and cutting off said electrical connection between said battery voltage and said motor, and cutting off electrical connection between said battery voltage and said buzzer whenever said battery voltage is less than said first reference voltage and said second reference voltage, said buzzer generating a second audible tone sequence that is audibly distinguishable from said first audible tone sequence in response to said reception of said paging message by said paging receiver. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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20. A low voltage alerting device in a paging receiver having a plurality of operating modes, said device comprising:
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voltage supply means for providing an operating voltage for said paging receiver; voltage detection means for, independently of reception of a paging message, detecting a magnitude of said operating voltage corresponding to one of said plurality of operating modes; vibrating means for generating a vibration to alert a user of the reception of said paging message during a first of said plurality of operating modes, said vibrating means operating only during said first operating mode; buzzer means for generating a first audible tone indicative of the reception of said paging message during a second of said plurality of operating modes, and for generating a second audible tone indicative of a transition from said first operating mode to said second operating mode, said first and second audible tones being audibly distinguishable from each other by the user; and said first operating mode indicating that said magnitude of said operating voltage exceeds a first threshold level, said second operating mode indicating that said magnitude of said operating voltage is below said first threshold level and above a second threshold level lower than said first threshold level, said buzzer means turning off during a third operating mode indicating that said magnitude of said operating voltage is below said second threshold level. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification