System and method for remotely controlling low battery warnings for smoke detectors and the like

• US 20050151636A1
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Maple Chase Company
• Inventors: Ashworth, Nicholas, Wallaert, Timothy E., Chapman, John Gilman Jr., Burt, Robert, Noesner, Kevin Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 7,265,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply

Abstract

An intelligent thermostat communicates with battery-powered threat detectors, such as smoke detectors, to allow remote quieting and coordination of a low battery warning detected by the threat detector. In one embodiment, the threat detector transmits a pre-warning signal to the thermostat indicating that a low battery condition is imminent. The thermostat uses this information to display a pre-warning to the consumer so that the consumer may better coordinate replacing of the battery at a convenient time. Once a low battery condition has been detected, the threat detector transmits a low battery warning signal to the thermostat. The thermostat then displays a warning message and an option for the consumer to quiet the chirping for a period of time from the thermostat. Preferably, the thermostat automatically quiets the chirping during quite times so as to not disturb the consumer.

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling low battery warnings of a hazardous condition detector, comprising the steps of:

receiving battery information from the hazardous condition detector;

transmitting a low battery warning hush signal to the hazardous condition detector to hush the low battery warning produced thereby.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a visual indication of the low battery information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving battery information comprises the step of receiving battery strength information, and wherein the step of displaying the visual indication comprises the step of displaying a low battery pre-warning visual indication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of displaying a low battery pre-warning visual indication includes the step of generating a visual cue to alert a user of the low battery pre-warning visual indication.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of comparing the battery strength information to a predetermined threshold, and wherein the step of displaying a low battery pre-warning visual indication occurs when the battery strength information indicates that the battery strength is below the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of setting the predetermined threshold to a level sufficient to provide approximately one week'"'"'s notice before the hazardous condition detector sounds the low battery warning.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving user input requesting the low battery warning be hushed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the low battery warning hush signal continues for a hush period to continue to hush the low battery warning for the hush period.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing at least one quite time during which no low battery warnings are to be sounded by the hazardous condition detector, and wherein the step of transmitting the low battery warning hush signal occurs automatically when the step of receiving low battery information occurs during the at least one quiet time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of establishing the at least one quiet time comprises the step of receiving user programming input identifying desired starting and ending time for each of the at least one quiet time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving low battery information from the hazardous condition detector comprises the step of receiving low battery information from the hazardous condition detector indicating that the hazardous condition detector is about to sound its low battery warning and wherein the step of automatically transmitting the low battery warning hush signal occurs before the hazardous condition detector sounds its low battery warning.

12. A method of remotely controlling low battery warnings of a hazardous condition detector, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a charge condition of a battery;

transmitting low battery information to a remotely located control point;

receiving a low battery hush signal from the control point; and

hushing an audible low battery warning signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of generating the audible low battery warning signal until the step of receiving the low battery hush signal has occurred.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of generating the audible low battery warning signal after a predetermined period of time after the step of transmitting the low battery information has occurred when the step of receiving the low battery hush signal has not yet occurred.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting low battery information comprises the step of transmitting battery strength information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting low battery information comprises the step of transmitting information indicating that a low battery condition has been detected.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of generating the audible low battery warning signal a predetermined length of time after the step of receiving a low battery hush signal.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of generating the audible low battery warning signal after the step of receiving a low battery hush signal no longer occurs.

19. A system for remotely controlling a low battery warning signal, comprising:

a hazardous condition detector having a battery and battery monitoring circuitry therein, the hazardous condition detector further including communication circuitry;

a thermostat including communications circuitry therein; and

wherein the hazardous condition detector is configured to transmit battery information to the thermostat; and

wherein the thermostat is configured to transmit a low battery warning hush signal to the hazardous condition detector to hush an audible low battery warning signal produced by the hazardous condition detector.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the thermostat is programmable to establish at least one quiet time during which no audible low battery warning is to be sounded, wherein the hazardous condition detector is programmed to transmit the battery information to the thermostat before generating the audible low battery warning signal, and wherein the thermostat is programmed to automatically transmit the low battery warning hush signal to the hazardous condition detector when the battery information indicates that the audible low battery warning signal will be produced during the at least one quiet time.