Remote control with low battery indication

A method for indicating when a power source of a remote control apparatus is in a low voltage state comprising:

• providing a backlight source on the remote control apparatus;
• using a processor of the remote control apparatus to detect a voltage of the power source;
• upon a user input mechanism of the remote control apparatus being activated, the processor causing the backlight source to illuminate for a first predetermined time if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold;
• and
• upon the user input mechanism being activated, the processor causing the backlight source to illuminate for a second predetermined time if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold.

A method for indicating when a power source of a remote control apparatus is in a low voltage state comprising:

• providing a plurality of backlight elements on the remote control apparatus;
• using a processor of the remote control apparatus to detect a voltage of the power source;
• upon a user input mechanism of the remote control apparatus being activated, the processor causing the backlight elements to illuminate for a first time period if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold;
• and
• upon the user input mechanism being activated, the processor causing the backlight elements to illuminate for a second time period if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold.

A remote control apparatus for controlling an electronic device, the remote control apparatus comprising:

• a power supply having a voltage;
• illumination means for providing an illumination;
• control means for detecting the voltage and controlling the illumination means responsive to the detection;
• and
• wherein the control means causes the illumination means to illuminate for a first predetermined time if the detected voltage is at or above a predefined threshold and causes the illumination means to illuminate for a second predetermined time if the detected voltage is below the predefined threshold.