Remote control with low battery indication
First Claim
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1. A remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device, the remote control apparatus comprising:
- a power supply having a voltage;
a user input mechanism;
a backlight source;
a processor operatively coupled to the power supply, the user input mechanism and the backlight source and being operative to detect the voltage;
wherein if the user input mechanism is activated and the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold, the processor causes the backlight source to illuminate for a first predetermined time; and
wherein if the user input mechanism is activated and the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold, the processor causes the backlight source to illuminate for a second predetermined time.
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Abstract
The invention is a method and remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device that is capable of indicating a low battery state without the need for cooperation with the electronic device. In one aspect, the invention is a remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device comprising: a power supply having a voltage; and means to activate an indicator, wherein the activation means activates the indicator in the first way when the voltage is at or above a predefined threshold and the activation means activates the indicator in the second way when the voltage is below a predefined threshold.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device, the remote control apparatus comprising:
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a power supply having a voltage; a user input mechanism; a backlight source; a processor operatively coupled to the power supply, the user input mechanism and the backlight source and being operative to detect the voltage; wherein if the user input mechanism is activated and the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold, the processor causes the backlight source to illuminate for a first predetermined time; and wherein if the user input mechanism is activated and the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold, the processor causes the backlight source to illuminate for a second predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for indicating when a power source of a remote control apparatus is in a low voltage state comprising:
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providing a backlight source on the remote control apparatus; using a processor of the remote control apparatus to detect a voltage of the power source; upon a user input mechanism of the remote control apparatus being activated, the processor causing the backlight source to illuminate for a first predetermined time if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold; and upon the user input mechanism being activated, the processor causing the backlight source to illuminate for a second predetermined time if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for indicating when a power source of a remote control apparatus is in a low voltage state comprising:
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providing a plurality of backlight elements on the remote control apparatus; using a processor of the remote control apparatus to detect a voltage of the power source; upon a user input mechanism of the remote control apparatus being activated, the processor causing the backlight elements to illuminate for a first time period if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold; and upon the user input mechanism being activated, the processor causing the backlight elements to illuminate for a second time period if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold.
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17. A remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device, the remote control apparatus comprising:
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a power supply having a voltage; illumination means for providing an illumination; control means for detecting the voltage and controlling the illumination means responsive to the detection; and wherein the control means causes the illumination means to illuminate for a first predetermined time if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold and causes the illumination means to illuminate for a second predetermined time if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold.
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Specification