Low battery remote display system

• US 8,552,856 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Inventors: McRae, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US13/075,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 320/132, 348/730
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices

Abstract

A mobile device, e.g. a remote control, that communicates with a remote device. The device is controlled by a battery providing power for electronic circuits and components contained within the hand held remote control device. A battery monitoring device measures the voltage of the battery. A memory device saves the data generated by the battery monitoring device indicating the voltage of the battery. A transmission device transmits a notification to the display device when the voltage of the battery decreases to some predetermined level. The display device may receive the notification of a low battery from the hand held device. An application contained within the display device or the remote control displays a visual indication on the display device to the user indicating that the battery in the hand held device is low and requires recharging.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone comprising:

a control part, accepting commands from a user, and carrying out the commands by taking an action on the mobile telephone responsive to the commands;

a wireless communication part that communicates information indicative of the commands to a remote device;

a connection to a battery, operating said control part and said wireless communication part;

a battery monitor that monitors a charge level of the battery, wherein information indicative of said charge level of the battery is communicated to said remote device by said wireless communication part; and

a processing part that receives said charge level, detects a battery voltage lower than a specified amount as said charge level, and wherein said information indicative of said charge level comprises an indication that the battery voltage is lower than the specified amount, wherein said wireless communication part also receives information, wherein said wireless communication part sends said information indicative of the charge level multiple times until receiving an indication that the information has been received by the remote device, and wherein said wireless communication part also obtains a remaining time that the mobile telephone can operate and displays information on the display about a remaining time that the mobile telephone can operate.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said wireless communication part communicates via radio frequency.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said wireless communication part communicates via infrared.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein said wireless communication part sends information indicative of the charge level of the battery as part of a communication that is used to send a command to the remote device, at a time after a charge level of the battery reaches a specified amount.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein said wireless communication part sends information indicative of the charge level of the battery at a time when the remote device is not displaying.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said mobile telephone includes a remote control.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said mobile telephone is a cellular phone.

8. A method of controlling and communicating battery information in a mobile telephone, comprising:

accepting commands from a user, and carrying out the commands by taking an action on the mobile telephone responsive to the commands;

communicating information indicative of the commands from the mobile telephone to a remote device;

operating said accepting and said communicating based on a battery power in the mobile telephone;

monitoring a charge level of a battery by detecting a battery voltage lower than a specified amount, and wherein said information indicative of said charge level comprises an indication that the battery voltage is lower than the specified amount; and

communicating information indicative of said charge level of the battery from said mobile device;

receiving information from the remote device;

said communicating comprising sending said information indicative of the charge level multiple times until receiving an indication in the mobile device that the notification has been received; and

determining a remaining time that the mobile telephone can operate and displaying information on the display about a remaining time that the mobile telephone can operate.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein said communicating is via radio frequency.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein said communicating is via infrared.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said information indicative of the charge level of the battery is received as part of a communication that is used to send a command to the mobile device, at a time after a charge level of the battery reaches a specified amount.

12. A method as in claim 8, further comprising sending information indicative of the charge level of the battery at a time when the remote device is not displaying.

13. A method as in claim 8, wherein said mobile telephone includes a remote control.