Patent ID: 8009054
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: G01R,G08C,H02J,H04N

Abstract:
1. A remote control of an entertainment device comprising: a battery connector that connects to a battery powering the remote control; a low battery detection module, coupled to the battery connector, that measures an initial voltage of the battery when the battery is connected to the battery connector and compares the initial voltage of the battery to at least one battery type threshold voltage to determine a type of the battery connected to the battery connector, that determines a first low battery threshold voltage for the battery based on the type of the battery, the first low battery threshold voltage indicating a low battery condition of the remote control, and that measures a voltage of the battery to determine whether the voltage of the battery is below the first low battery threshold voltage; and a transmitter coupled to the low battery detection module that transmits a low battery message to the entertainment device responsive to the low battery detection module determining that the voltage of the battery is below the first low battery threshold voltage, wherein the entertainment device utilizes the low battery message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition; and an input module that receives user input, wherein processing of the user input involves the input module performing a specified function; the low battery detection module determining a second low battery threshold voltage, the second low battery threshold voltage indicating when the input module is to refrain from performing the specified function, and further determining whether the voltage of the battery is below the second low battery threshold voltage; and the input module refraining from performing the specified function during processing of the user input responsive to the low battery detection module determining that the voltage of the battery is below the second low battery threshold voltage; wherein the specified function comprises writing to a non-volatile memory of the remote control.