Systems, methods and apparatus for determining whether a low battery condition exists in a remote control

• US 8,362,909 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yacob, Sisay
• Application Number:
  US13/188,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.15, 340/636.1, 340/635, 340/691.1, 34063611-63613, 324 7611-157, 324/426, 324/433, 324/437, 320/116, 320/132, 320/243, 320/136, 320148-152, 320/157, 320/159, 702 63- 65, 348/734, 348/E5.095, 429 90- 92
• US Class Current: 340/636.15
• 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 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• 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 adjusting a low battery detection threshold in a remote control. An embodiment of a method includes determining a type of a battery powering a remote control of an entertainment device and determining a first low battery threshold for the battery based on the type of the battery. The first low battery threshold indicates a low battery condition of the remote control. Responsive to measuring a voltage of the battery, a determination is made regarding whether the voltage of the battery is below the low battery threshold. Responsive to determining that the voltage of the battery is below the first low battery threshold, a low battery message is transmitted to an entertainment device. The entertainment device utilizes the message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition of the remote control.

Claims

1. A remote control comprising:

a battery connector that connects to a battery powering the remote control; and

a low battery detection module, coupled to the battery connector, operable to;

measure an initial voltage of the battery when the battery is connected to the battery connector;

determine a type of the battery connected to the battery connector from a plurality of possible battery types based upon a comparison of the initial voltage of the battery to initial voltages associated with each of the possible battery types;

determine a low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery;

measure a measurement voltage of the battery; and

determine whether a low battery condition exists in the remote control if the measurement voltage of the battery is less than the low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery.

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

a transmitter coupled to the low battery detection module that transmits a low battery message to a controlled device responsive to the low battery detection module determining whether the low battery condition exists, wherein the controlled device utilizes the low battery message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition.

3. The remote control of claim 2, wherein the transmitter transmits the low battery message with a control command.

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

a presentation device operable to output at least one indicator responsive to the low battery detection module determining that the low battery condition exists.

5. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the presentation device is operable to output an audible indicator regarding the low battery condition.

6. The remote control of claim 4, wherein the presentation device is operable to output a visual indicator regarding the low battery condition.

7. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the low battery detection module measures the measurement voltage of the battery during processing of user input received via an input device of the remote control.

8. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the low battery detection module measures the measurement voltage of the battery during exchange of information with a controlled device.

9. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the low battery detection module determines the low battery threshold voltage from a table that stores low battery threshold voltages for each of the plurality of possible battery types.

10. 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; and

a remote control including;

a battery connector that connects to a battery powering the remote control;

a low battery detection module coupled to the battery connector, operable to;

measure an initial voltage of the battery when the battery is connected to the battery connector;

determine a type of the battery connected to the battery connector from a plurality of possible battery types based upon a comparison of the initial voltage of the battery to initial voltages associated with each of the possible battery types;

determine a low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery;

measure a measurement voltage of the battery; and

determine whether a low battery condition exists in the remote control if the measurement voltage of the battery is less than the low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a transmitter coupled to the low battery detection module that transmits a low battery message to a controlled device responsive to the low battery detection module determining whether the low battery condition exists, wherein the entertainment device utilizes the low battery message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the low battery detection module determines the low battery threshold voltage from a table that stores low battery threshold voltages for each of the plurality of possible battery types.

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

measuring an initial voltage of a battery when the battery is connected to a battery connector;

determining a type of the battery connected to the battery connector from a plurality of possible battery types based upon a comparison of the initial voltage of the battery to initial voltages associated with each of the possible battery types;

determining a low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery;

measuring a measurement voltage of the battery; and

determining whether a low battery condition exists in the remote control if the measurement voltage of the battery is less than the low battery threshold voltage associated with the determined type of the battery.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting a low battery message to a controlled device; and

utilizing the low battery message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the low battery message is transmitted with a control command.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a visual indicator regarding the low battery condition on a presentation device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein measuring a measurement voltage of the battery occurs during processing of user input received via an input device of the remote control.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein measuring the measurement voltage of the battery occurs during exchange of information with a controlled device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the low battery threshold further comprises selecting a value from a stored table that corresponds with the battery type.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of the low battery threshold voltage comprises obtaining the low battery threshold voltage from a table that stores low battery threshold voltages for each of the plurality of possible battery types.