Low battery report inhibitor for a sensor
First Claim
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1. A method for reporting a condition of a battery that supplies power to, and is housed in, a sensor used in a residence, the method comprising:
- (a) detecting the condition of the battery;
(b) generating, if a low battery condition is detected, an initial report indicating that the battery condition is low, the initial report being generated during an initial period of time after the low battery condition is detected and designed to not be repetitively disturbing to a resident of the residence;
(c) inhibiting, during the initial period of time, the generation of a second report indicating that the battery condition is low, the second report designed to be repetitively disturbing to the resident.
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Abstract
In a battery-powered sensor such as a smoke detector, a passive report of unacceptable battery condition is first given while an active report of such condition is inhibited. Then, after the lapse of a period of time after the unacceptable battery condition is first detected, the active report is given.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for reporting a condition of a battery that supplies power to, and is housed in, a sensor used in a residence, the method comprising:
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(a) detecting the condition of the battery; (b) generating, if a low battery condition is detected, an initial report indicating that the battery condition is low, the initial report being generated during an initial period of time after the low battery condition is detected and designed to not be repetitively disturbing to a resident of the residence; (c) inhibiting, during the initial period of time, the generation of a second report indicating that the battery condition is low, the second report designed to be repetitively disturbing to the resident. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for reporting a condition of a battery that supplies power to, and is housed in, a smoke detector used in a residence, the method comprising:
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(a) detecting the condition of the battery; (b) generating, if a low battery condition is detected, an initial report indicating that the battery condition is low, the initial report being generated during an initial period of time after the low battery condition is detected and designed to not be repetitively disturbing to a resident of the residence; (c) inhibiting, during the initial period of time, the generation of a second report indicating that the battery condition is low, the second report designed to be repetitively disturbing to the resident. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for reporting a condition of a battery that supplies power to, and is housed in, a sensor used in a residence, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for detecting the condition of the battery; (b) means, responsive to the detecting means, for generating an initial report if a low battery condition is detected, the initial report being generated during an initial period of time after the detection of the low battery condition and designed to not be repetitively disturbing to a resident of the residence; (c) means, responsive to the detecting means, for generating a second report if a low battery condition is detected, the second report being designed to be repetitively disturbing to the resident; and (d) time delay circuitry, operably connected to the detecting means and the active report generating means, for delaying the generation of the second report for the initial period of time. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A sensor used in a security system having a local system controller in communication with a plurality of sensors, the sensor comprising:
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a housing for a battery source that supplies power to the sensor; a detector for detecting the condition of the battery power source; a transmitter, responsive to a low battery condition being detected by the battery condition detector, for conveying, remotely from the sensor, information indicating the existence of the low battery condition, thereby enabling the low battery condition to be indicated remotely from the sensor during an initial period of time after the low battery condition is detected; and an audible indicator on the sensor for providing a low battery report, wherein the audible indicator is activated after the initial period of time if the low battery condition persists. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification