# US 7,746,242 B2 · Low battery indicator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,242 B2 - Document ID: US7746242B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/895,499 - Filed: 2004-07-21 - Published: 2006-01-26 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2004-07-21 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Paul G. Schwendinger; David P. Mulhouse; Marcus D. Stoner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746242B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/371: with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract Electronic devices that include batteries can be adapted to provide one or more indications of a low battery condition. An electronic device such as a controller can include a battery and can be adapted to determine a first low battery condition. A first indication can be provided in response to the first low battery condition. In some cases, a second battery condition can be determined and a second indication can be provided in response to the second battery condition. The indications provided to the user can be made progressively more noticeable over time, until the battery is replaced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of: determining a first low battery condition by detecting a first battery voltage; providing a first indication in response to said first low battery condition; determining a second low battery condition by detecting a second battery voltage, wherein the second low battery condition is determined to be more severe than the first low battery condition; providing a second indication in response to said second low battery condition, wherein the second indication is more noticeable to a user than the first indication, and the second indication includes an audible indication; and wherein the HVAC controller is configured to control one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point, and further wherein the first and second indications are provided while the HVAC controller continues to control the one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second battery voltage is lower than the first battery voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication also includes an audible indication. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the audible indication of the first indication is different than the audible indication of the second indication. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the audible indication of the first indication includes a lower volume than the audible indication of the second indication. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the audible indication of the first indication includes a different pitch than the audible indication of the second indication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the audible indication of the first indication includes more than one successive audible signals, wherein at least selected audible signals of the first indication have a first duration and a first interval between successive audible signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the audible indication of the second indication includes more than one successive audible signals, wherein at least selected audible signals of the second indication have a second duration and a second interval between successive audible signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second interval is less than the first interval. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second duration is greater than the first duration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the audible indication of the second indication includes more than one successive audible signals, wherein at least selected audible signals of the second indication have a second duration and a second interval between successive audible signals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication includes a visual indication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second indication includes a visual indication. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication includes a first visual indication and the second indication includes a second visual indication, wherein the first visual indication is different from the second visual indication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the second visual indication is more noticeable than the first visual indication. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the HVAC controller includes a display that normally displays one or more control parameters, and the second visual indication replaces at least some of the normally displayed control parameters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the first visual indication and/or the second visual indication includes a blinking LED. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first indication and/or the second indication include altering a control parameter of the controller. ### Claim 19 A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery and a control parameter, the method comprising steps of: determining a first low battery condition; providing a first indication after the first low battery condition is determined; determining a second low battery condition; providing a second indication after the second low battery condition is determined; determining a third low battery condition; providing a third indication after the third low battery condition is determined; wherein the second and third indications are progressively more noticeable to a user; and wherein the HVAC controller is configured to control one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point, and further wherein at least two of the first, second, and third indications are provided while the HVAC controller continues to control the one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second indications is an audible indication, and wherein at least one subsequent indication is also an audible indication. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the second audible indication is more noticeable than the first audible indication. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing a visual indication before the first audible indication is provided and after the first low battery condition is determined. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the HVAC controller includes a user interface, and wherein at least one of the first, second and third indications includes disabling at least part of the user interface after the first low battery condition is determined. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first indication is visual, the second indication is an alteration in a temperature control parameter, and the third indication is audible. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering a temperature control point. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering a cycle rate. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering an allowable temperature swing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first indication is visual, the second indication is audible, and the third indication is an alteration in a temperature control parameter. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering a temperature control point. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering a cycle rate. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the alteration in the control parameter includes altering an allowable temperature swing. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first indication is visual, the second indication is a first audible signal, and the third indication is a second audible signal, where the first and second audible signals are different. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the second audible signal is more noticeable than the first audible signal. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first indication is visual, the second indication is a first alteration in a temperature control parameter, and the third indication is a second alteration in a temperature control parameter. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the second alteration in the temperature control parameter is more noticeable than the first alteration in the temperature control parameter. ### Claim 36 A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery, the method comprising the steps of: determining a low battery condition; providing two or more different visual indications of the low battery condition to a user, wherein at least one of the visual indications does not include flashing a low battery condition message on an LCD display; and wherein the HVAC controller is configured to control one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point, and further wherein the two or more different visual indications are provided while the HVAC controller continues to control the one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein at least one visual indication includes flashing an LED. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein at least one visual indication includes blanking out an LCD display. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein the HVAC controller does not include an LCD display. ### Claim 40 A method of indicating a low battery condition in an HVAC controller having a battery, the method comprising steps of: determining a low battery condition; providing a series of audible indications until the battery is replaced, wherein the series of audible indications get more noticeable over time until the battery is replaced; and wherein the HVAC controller is configured to control one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point, and further wherein the series of audible indications are provided while the HVAC controller continues to control the one or more units of HVAC equipment according to a programmed set point. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein the series of audible indications include a series of beeps with a beep duration and an interval between beeps. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein the interval between beeps decreases over time. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein the beep duration increases over time. ### Claim 44 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 wherein the beeps have a pitch, and the pitch of the beeps changes over time. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein the at least one of the audible indications includes a voice message.