Electronic device capable of checking power supply status
First Claim
1. A power supply checking system having an electronic device and a remote controller for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said electronic device, said electronic device having a power supply and being controlled by said remote controller, the system comprising:
- in said remote controller, means for transmitting to said electronic device a power supply checking signal, and a liquid crystal display for displaying a power status indication in response to receipt of a power status signal from said electronic device;
in said electronic device, power supply checking means responsive to receipt of said power supply checking signal from said remote controller for checking the power supply status of said power supply, and transmitting means for transmitting to said remote controller said power status signal representing the status determined by said checking means, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device is disclosed having a main body and being in communication with a remote controller capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from the electronic device. The main body has a portable power supply and is controlled by the remote controller. The electronic device is composed of a power supply checking device that checks the status of the portable power supply when receiving a power supply checking signal from the remote controller. The remote controller has a liquid crystal display for displaying on the remote controller the status of the portable power supply in response to a status signal transmitted from the power supply checking device. Thus, the power supply status of the portable power source can easily be detected by the remote controller.
23 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A power supply checking system having an electronic device and a remote controller for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said electronic device, said electronic device having a power supply and being controlled by said remote controller, the system comprising:
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in said remote controller, means for transmitting to said electronic device a power supply checking signal, and a liquid crystal display for displaying a power status indication in response to receipt of a power status signal from said electronic device; in said electronic device, power supply checking means responsive to receipt of said power supply checking signal from said remote controller for checking the power supply status of said power supply, and transmitting means for transmitting to said remote controller said power status signal representing the status determined by said checking means, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A remote power supply checking system comprising an electronic device, and a remote controller for said electronic device, said electronic device and remote controller being capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from each other, said electronic device having a portable power source and being controlled by said remote controller, said electronic device comprising:
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a power controller for receiving a constant supply of power from a power source, and for controlling the power thus supplied from the source; a power sensor for sensing a discharge status of said power source; a parallel-to-serial converter for converting a parallel digital signal output from said power sensor indicating the discharge status into a serial digital signal; a system transmitter for mixing an output signal from said parallel-to-serial converter with a predetermined frequency and transmitting the signal thus mixed; a system receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from said remote controller; and a system microcomputer for controlling said parallel-to-serial converter and said system transmitter according to an output signal from said system receiver, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level, said remote controller comprising; a remote control receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from said system transmitter; key input means for generating a control signal so as to control the function of the electronic device; a liquid crystal display for displaying on said remote controller a discharge status signal received at said remote control receiver; a remote control microcomputer for controlling said remote control receiver and said liquid crystal display according to output signals from said key input means and said remote control receiver; and a remote control transmitter for mixing an output signal from said remote control microcomputer with a predetermined frequency and transmitting the signal thus mixed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A power supply checking device for checking a status of a power supply of an electronic device, the checking device comprising:
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a comparator, coupled to said power supply, that produces an output indicative of a difference between power output from the power supply and a reference power output; a transmitter, coupled to said comparator, that transmits a status signal corresponding to the difference output produced by said comparator; and a control unit, coupled to said comparator and said transmitter, that controls said transmitter to transmit the status signal as an indication of the status of said power supply, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A remote controller for use in remotely controlling the functions of an electronic device that has a power supply, the remote controller comprising:
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a keypad that receives input commands related to functions performed by the electronic device; a control unit, coupled to said keypad, receiving the input commands from said keypad, and generating command signals corresponding to the functions to be performed; a transmitter, coupled to said control unit, transmitting the command signals generated by said control unit; a receiver, coupled to said control unit, receiving external signals from the electronic device indicative of the status of the power supply of the electronic device; and a display unit that is controlled by said control unit to display the received external signals in a form that indicates the status of the power supply, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A power supply checking system having an electronic device and a remote controller for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said electronic device, said electronic device having a power supply and being controlled by said remote controller, the system comprising:
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a liquid crystal display, disposed in said remote controller, for displaying a power status indication in response to receipt of a power status signal from said electronic device; and power supply checking means responsive to signals transmitted from said remote controller for checking the power supply status of said power supply, and transmitting means for transmitting to said remote controller said status signal representing the status determined by said checking means, said power checking means and said transmitting means being disposed in said electronic device, wherein said electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply when the power supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and when a function signal is received from said remote controller, wherein the external signals are transmitted each time the supply level has fallen below the predetermined level.
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21. A power supply checking system having an electronic device and a remote controller for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said electronic device, said electronic device having a power supply and being controlled by said remote controller, the system comprising:
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in said remote controller, means for transmitting to said electronic device a power supply checking signal, and a liquid crystal display for displaying a power status indication in response to receipt of a power status signal from said electronic device; in said electronic device, power supply checking means responsive to receipt of said power supply checking signal from said remote controller for checking the power supply status of said power supply, and transmitting means for transmitting to said remote controller said power status signal representing the status determined by said checking means, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein said transmitting means in said electronic device is capable of transmitting external signals to said remote controller when said remote controller is located at a remote sight.
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22. A remote power supply checking system comprising an electronic device, and a remote controller for said electronic device, said electronic device and remote controller being capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from each other, said electronic device having a portable power source and being controlled by said remote controller, said electronic device comprising:
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a power controller for receiving a constant supply of power from a power source, and for controlling the power thus supplied from the source; a power sensor for sensing a discharge status of said power source; a parallel-to-serial converter for converting a parallel digital signal output from said power sensor indicating the discharge status into a serial digital signal; a system transmitter for mixing an output signal from said parallel-to-serial converter with a predetermined frequency and transmitting the signal thus mixed; a system receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from said remote controller; and a system microcomputer for controlling said parallel-to-serial converter and said system transmitter according to an output signal from said system receiver, wherein the electronic device automatically transmits without an external prompt external signals indicative of the status of its power supply in response to a determination that the supply level has fallen below a predetermined level and wherein said transmitting means in said electronic device is capable of transmitting external signals to said remote controller when said remote controller is located at a remote sight, said remote controller comprising; a remote control receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from said system transmitter; key input means for generating a control signal so as to control the function of the electronic device; a liquid crystal display for displaying on said remote controller a discharge status signal received at said remote control receiver; a remote control microcomputer for controlling said remote control receiver and said liquid crystal display according to output signals from said key input means and said remote control receiver; and a remote control transmitter for mixing an output signal from said remote control microcomputer with a predetermined frequency and transmitting the signal thus mixed.
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23. A power supply checking method for use in a system having an electronic device and a hand-held remote controller for transmitting and receiving signals to and from said electronic device, said electronic device having a power supply and being controlled by said hand-held remote controller and said hand-held remote controller having a display, the method comprising the steps of:
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in said hand-held remote controller, transmitting a power supply checking signal to said electronic device; in said electronic device, checking the power status of said power supply in response to receiving said power supply checking signal from said hand-held remote controller, determining whether a supply level of said power supply has fallen below a predetermined level, and transmitting to said hand-held remote controller external signals indicative of the status of said power supply each time said supply level has fallen below said predetermined level; and in said hand-held remote controller, displaying a power status indication signal in response to receiving said external signals remotely transmitted from said power status signal transmission step.
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24. A remote power supply checking method for use in a system having an electronic device and a hand-held remote controller, said electronic device and said hand-held remote controller being capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from each other, said electronic device having a portable power source and being controlled by said hand-held remote controller, the method comprising the steps of:
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in said electronic device; receiving a constant supply of power from said power source within said electronic device and controlling said power supplied from the power source; sensing a discharge status of said power source; transforming said discharge status of said power source into a parallel digital signal; converting said parallel digital signal into a serial digital signal; mixing said serial digital signal with a predetermined frequency to form a first mixed signal; determining whether a supply level of said power source has fallen below a predetermined level; automatically transmitting said first mixed signal without an external prompt as an external signal indicative of the status of said power source when said supply level has fallen below said predetermined level, wherein said external signals are transmitted each time said supply level has fallen below said predetermined level; and receiving a second mixed signal transmitted from said hand-held remote controller; in said hand-held remote controller; receiving said first mixed signal transmitted from said electronic device via a remote control receiver; and generating control signals from key inputs for controlling functions of said electronic device and said hand-held remote controller; displaying said discharge status of said power source on a liquid crystal display in accordance with said first mixed signal; controlling the receipt of said first mixed signal by said remote control receiver and the display of said discharge status on said liquid crystal display according to said control signals generated from said key inputs and according to signals output from said remote control receiver; and mixing said control signals generated from said key inputs with a predetermined frequency to form said second mixed signal; and transmitting said second mixed signal to said electronic device.
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Specification