An apparatus for configuring a dwell time of the apparatus, comprising: a detector for detecting a presence of a person in an area; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions and the dwell time; a transceiver for sending and receiving wireless signals; and a processor coupled to the detector, the memory and the transceiver, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the transceiver, a command from a remote device to change the dwell time, the command comprising a new dwell time; in response to receiving the command from the remote device to change the dwell time, store, by the processor, the new dwell time in the memory; determine, by the processor via the detector, the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, an elapsed time since the transceiver transmitted a previous signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time; when the processor determines that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time, transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, a new signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; estimate, by the processor, a remaining battery life of a battery used to power the apparatus, wherein the remaining battery life is estimated by the processor based on the dwell time, a remaining battery life using the dwell time and the new dwell time; and transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, the remaining battery life to the remote device; wherein estimating and transmitting the remaining battery life is performed by the processor in response to receiving the new dwell time. a detector for detecting a presence of a person in an area; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions and the dwell time; a transceiver for sending and receiving wireless signals; and a processor coupled to the detector, the memory and the transceiver, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the transceiver, a command from a remote device to change the dwell time, the command comprising a new dwell time; in response to receiving the command from the remote device to change the dwell time, store, by the processor, the new dwell time in the memory; determine, by the processor via the detector, the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, an elapsed time since the transceiver transmitted a previous signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time; when the processor determines that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time, transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, a new signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; estimate, by the processor, a remaining battery life of a battery used to power the apparatus, wherein the remaining battery life is estimated by the processor based on the dwell time, a remaining battery life using the dwell time and the new dwell time; and transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, the remaining battery life to the remote device; wherein estimating and transmitting the remaining battery life is performed by the processor in response to receiving the new dwell time. receive, by the processor via the transceiver, a command from a remote device to change the dwell time, the command comprising a new dwell time; in response to receiving the command from the remote device to change the dwell time, store, by the processor, the new dwell time in the memory; determine, by the processor via the detector, the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, an elapsed time since the transceiver transmitted a previous signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; determine, by the processor, that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time; when the processor determines that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time, transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, a new signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area; estimate, by the processor, a remaining battery life of a battery used to power the apparatus, wherein the remaining battery life is estimated by the processor based on the dwell time, a remaining battery life using the dwell time and the new dwell time; and transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, the remaining battery life to the remote device; wherein estimating and transmitting the remaining battery life is performed by the processor in response to receiving the new dwell time.