Remote control with energy harvesting
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A remote control comprising:
- a portable housing;
a user input;
a transmitter and a receiver disposed within the housing, the transmitter operative to send commands, the receiver operative to receive vehicle status from a vehicle;
a display disposed within the housing;
a battery disposed within the housing;
at least one energy harvesting system disposed within the housing, the energy harvesting system operative to supply power to at least one of the receiver, the transmitter, and the display;
a power control switch disposed within the housing, the power control switch operative to interconnect the battery with at least one of the receiver, the transmitter, and the display; and
control logic in communication with the power control switch and disposed within the housing, the control logic operative to control the power control switch based on at least one of the user input and an availability of energy from the energy harvesting system;
wherein the control logic is further operative to control the receiver to receive the vehicle status only when energy is determined by the control logic to be available from the at least one energy harvesting system to update the display with the received vehicle status.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control includes energy harvesting that provides power in addition to a battery. The energy harvesting and the battery may be switchably used to power transmit operations, receive operation, and/or display operations. The remote control may be used as part of an automotive vehicle remote keyless entry system in which vehicle status is displayed by the remote control.
93 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A remote control comprising:
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a portable housing; a user input; a transmitter and a receiver disposed within the housing, the transmitter operative to send commands, the receiver operative to receive vehicle status from a vehicle; a display disposed within the housing; a battery disposed within the housing; at least one energy harvesting system disposed within the housing, the energy harvesting system operative to supply power to at least one of the receiver, the transmitter, and the display; a power control switch disposed within the housing, the power control switch operative to interconnect the battery with at least one of the receiver, the transmitter, and the display; and control logic in communication with the power control switch and disposed within the housing, the control logic operative to control the power control switch based on at least one of the user input and an availability of energy from the energy harvesting system; wherein the control logic is further operative to control the receiver to receive the vehicle status only when energy is determined by the control logic to be available from the at least one energy harvesting system to update the display with the received vehicle status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of using a remote control for controlling at least one vehicle function in an automotive vehicle separated from the remote control, the remote control having a display, the method comprising:
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generating energy through energy harvesting within the remote control, the energy harvesting separate from energy supplied by a battery within the remote control; determining by a control logic if a sufficient amount of energy from energy harvesting is available;
if sufficient then periodically receiving vehicle status from the automotive vehicle; anddisplaying the vehicle status on the remote control display. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A remote control comprising:
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at least one battery within the remote control; at least one supplemental power supply device within the remote control, the supplemental power supply converting at least one of motion and light into electricity, the at least one supplemental power supply device connected to a power bus within the remote control; a control logic; a switch for switchably connecting the at least one battery to the power bus; and a display connected to the power bus, the display operative to display information about a device controllable by the remote control, wherein the display displays the information only when energy is determined by the control logic to be available from the at least one supplemental power supply device. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification