GB2584650A

GB2584650A - Electronic devices

Info

Publication number: GB2584650A
Application number: GB1908103.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: LEWANDOWSKI Piotr; Turowski Pawel
Original assignee: Things On Edge Ltd
Current assignee: Things On Edge Ltd
Priority date: 2019-06-06
Filing date: 2019-06-06
Publication date: 2020-12-16
Also published as: GB201908103D0

Abstract

An electronic device 100 for providing a notification, for example a smart doorbell, alarm, smoke detector, or motion sensor, has a processing circuit 104, a power supply circuit 120, and an activation circuit 108. In response to an activation event, such as the doorbell being pushed, the activation circuit 108 triggers the supply of power from the power supply circuit 120 to the processing circuit 104. In response to receiving power following an activation event, the processing circuit 104 provides a control signal 121 to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit 120 to the processing circuit 104, and whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit 120, provides a notification, such as a notification to a mobile phone belonging to a remote user, in response to the activation event. Once it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit 120 to the processing circuit 104 in response to the activation event, the processing circuit 104 provides a control signal 121 to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit 120 to the processing circuit 104. The device consumes no power at times when the notification is not being provided.

Description

Electronic Devices The present invention relates to electronic devices and, in particular, to electronic devices that, for example, provide an indication of the occurrence of an event to a remote user.

It is becoming increasingly common for users to wish to be informed of events when they are remote from the event itself. For example, a "smart" doorbell may be able to send a notification to a remote user when it is pressed, e.g. over the Internet. Devices such as a smart doorbell are typically desired to be used in a "stand alone" fashion and so need an independent power source, such as a battery. However, an issue with such devices is their battery lifetime.

The Applicants believe therefore that there remains scope for improving electronic devices that are e.g. able to provide an indication of the occurrence of an event to a remote user.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, the device comprising: a processing circuit operable to provide a notification in response to an activation event; a power supply circuit operable to provide power to the processing circuit; and an activation circuit configured to, in response to an activation event, trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; wherein the processing circuit is configured to: in response to receiving power following an activation event, provide a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit: provide a notification in response to the activation event; determine when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event; and when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in -2 -response to the activation event, provide a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and wherein the power supply circuit is configured to, in response to the control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, stop supplying power to the processing circuit until next triggered to supply power to the processing circuit by the activation circuit in response to an activation event.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising: in response to an activation event, triggering a power supply circuit to supply power to a processing circuit; the processing circuit: providing a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to receiving power following an activation event; and whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit: providing a notification in response to the activation event; determining when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event; and when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event, providing a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and, after the processing circuit has provided a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, stopping the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit until next triggering the power supply circuit to supply power to the processing circuit in response to an activation event.

The present invention relates to an electronic device that is operable to provide a notification in response to an activation event (such as the press of a doorbell, for example). In the device of the present invention, the activation event triggers the supply of power to a processing circuit for the purpose of providing the -3 -notification, and the processing circuit causes the power supply to be maintained until (and only until) the processing circuit is no longer required to be powered in response to the activation event (for instance the processing circuit may cause the power supply to be maintained until (and only until) the notification has been provided). The effect of this then is that the processing circuit (and preferably the device as a whole) is only "on" (and thus drawing power from the power supply) during the response to the activation event.

The Applicants have recognised in this regard that the power efficiency (and thus, for example, the battery lifetime) of devices of the type of the present invention can be improved if power is only supplied to the processing circuit when an activation event occurs and it is necessary to provide a notification in response to that activation event occurring. The present invention facilitates this by having a processing circuit that, in response to receiving power following an activation event, sends a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in order for the processing circuit to then provide a notification in response to the activation event. The processing circuit determines when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event and, when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event, sends a control signal to stop the power supply circuit supplying power to the processing circuit.

Thus, in the present invention, no power is supplied to the processing circuit in-between when power is required in response to one activation event and when power is required in response to a next activation event. This can reduce the power usage of the device compared to, for example, arrangements in which the device is continuously maintained in a powered state, and/or periodically powered on irrespective of the occurrence of any activation events.

The processing circuit of the electronic device of the present invention can be any suitable and desired processing circuit that is operable to provide a notification in response to an activation event. In a preferred embodiment the processing circuit comprises a processor, preferably in the form of a microprocessor, and preferably a microcontroller. The processing circuit may include more than one processor and/or other components or units, for example in dependence upon the form of notification that it provides. It may, and preferably does, include some form of (non-volatile) storage, such as a non-volatile memory -4 - (which may be used, e.g., to store data and code necessary for the operation of the device). Thus, the processing circuit may, for example, comprise an appropriate system on-chip that includes a microprocessor, such as a microcontroller, configured to control the operation of the system on-chip to provide the required notification in response to an activation event.

The power supply circuit can be any suitable and desired power supply circuit that is operable to provide power to the processing circuit. It should be, and preferably is, operable to provide power to the processing circuit independently of any mains or wired electricity supply (i.e. such that the electronic device can act in an independent and "standalone" fashion, without the need for any connection to any external electricity supply, such as the "mains".

The power supply circuit should, and accordingly does, preferably include an appropriate "independent" power source, which in the preferred embodiment is in the form of a suitable energy storage device (that can provide an electric current), such as, and preferably, a battery or batteries (but it may also or instead comprise any other suitable energy storage device, such as a capacitor). Most preferably the power supply circuit includes one or more 1.5V batteries, and in a particularly preferred embodiment comprises as its power source (and as the power source for the electronic device) a single 1.5V battery. (Indeed, as will be discussed further below, a particular advantage of the present invention is that it can facilitate electronic devices of the type of the present invention that use only a single 1.5V battery as their power source.) The electronic device may also comprise one or more energy harvesting devices for providing energy to be stored in an (preferably rechargeable) energy storage device of the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit may, for instance, comprise a battery or batteries that is/are rechargeable, and the electronic device may, for example, include one or more energy harvesting devices for the purpose of recharging the battery or batteries, if desired. The one or more energy harvesting devices may also or instead supply energy to be stored in one or more capacitors, such as a supercapacitor, for example.

The one or more energy harvesting devices can be any suitable and desired device or devices capable of providing energy to the power supply circuit that, as discussed above, is preferably stored in an "independent" power source and supplied to the processing circuit when required. The one or more energy harvesting devices preferably are capable of extracting energy from the ambient -5 -environment but they may otherwise or additionally be operable to extract energy from an "actively" supplied power source, such as an external source that provides power to the one or more energy harvesting devices "wirelessly". A suitable external source that can "actively" supply power to the energy harvesting devices may comprise, for instance, an electromagnetic transmitter or a laser.

The one or more energy harvesting devices may extract energy from the ambient environment or an "actively" supplied power source using any suitable and desired method of transducing energy. In embodiments, the one or more energy harvesting devices may comprise, or be in the form of, any one or more of: a photovoltaic transducer (such as a solar cell); a mechanical transducer (such as a piezoelectric transducer or a triboelectric transducer); a thermal transducer (such as a thermoelectric transducer or a pyroelectric transducer); or an electrical transducer (such as an electrostatic transducer or an electromagnetic transducer).

The power supply circuit preferably also comprises a power regulation circuit that is configured to regulate the voltage and/or current supplied from the power source (e.g. a battery) to the processing circuit. Most preferably, the power regulation circuit acts to provide a stable and particular voltage (or range of voltages) to the processing circuit, irrespective of the voltage and current that is provided directly from the power source (e.g. battery).

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the power supply circuit comprises a power source, preferably in the form of a battery, that is (electrically) connected to a power regulation circuit, which power regulation circuit is configured to provide power to the processing circuit at a particular, preferably selected, preferably predefined voltage (or within a particular, preferably selected, predefined range of voltages).

This can be particularly useful where the processing circuit requires a stable/fixed voltage level such as could be in the case of a microprocessor or a microcontroller (which may, e.g., require a 3.3V power supply), as this can then allow the power to be supplied to the processing circuit at the particular voltage or within the particular range of voltages that the processing circuit requires, irrespective of the voltage and/or current that the power source is able to provide. Such use of a power regulation circuit can accordingly therefore allow for the power supply circuit to comprise a battery (or batteries) that has (have) a nominal voltage different from the voltage that the processing circuit requires, and so can, -6 -for example, allow the size of and/or number of batteries that are used as a power source to be reduced.

In a preferred embodiment, the voltage regulation circuit is configured to provide a voltage of 3.3V to the processing circuit. Other voltage levels would, of course, be possible.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the power regulation circuit comprises a step-up voltage regulator circuit that steps up the voltage from its input to its output (whilst stepping down the current from its input to its output). In this case therefore, the power source of the power supply circuit can, for example, have a nominal voltage that is lower than the voltage that the processing circuit requires, with the step-up voltage regulator circuit then stepping up the power source voltage to the (higher) voltage that is required by the processing circuit.

This will then have the effect that the power source does not need to provide a nominal voltage that meets or exceeds the voltage required by the processing circuit, such that, for example, a lower voltage and/or fewer batteries can be used as the power source (in particular this facilitates using a 1.5V battery, for example, even if the processing circuit requires a higher, such as a 3.3V, supply).

Correspondingly, the use of a step-up voltage regulator circuit that steps up the voltage from the power source for supply to the processing circuit can increase the useful lifetime of the power source, as power can be continued to be supplied at the required voltage level to the processing circuit even if, and as, for example, the nominal voltage of the power source (battery) decreases over its lifetime (which will typically be the case with a battery).

In a preferred embodiment, the voltage regulation circuit is a step-up voltage regulator circuit that provides a (stable) 3.3V supply from an input of 1V or more (so has a 1V minimum input to operate properly). (In this case, the power source correspondingly preferably has an output of at least 1V.) In an embodiment, the power regulation circuit also or instead comprises a step-down regulator circuit that steps down the voltage from its input to its output (whilst stepping up the current from its input to its output). In this case therefore, the power source of the power supply circuit can, for example, have a nominal voltage that is higher than the voltage that the processing circuit requires, with the step-down voltage regulator circuit then stepping down the power source voltage to the (lower) voltage that is required by the processing circuit. -7 -

This will then have the effect that the power source does not need to provide a nominal voltage at a voltage required by the processing circuit, such that, for example, a higher voltage and/or more batteries can be used as the power source and power can be provided over a longer period that that if instead power was supplied from the power source directly to the processing circuit at a higher nominal voltage than a voltage required by the processing circuit On particular this facilitates using three 1.5V batteries having a combined nominal voltage of 4.5 V, for example, even if the processing circuit requires a lower voltage, such as a 3.3V, supply).

The activation circuit should be and is preferably, operable to detect the desired activation event or events, and in response thereto to trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

The activation circuit and the activation event or events that it responds to may, and preferably do, depend upon the intended use of the electronic device.

For example, in the case of a "smart' doorbell, the activation event will be the pressing of the doorbell, and the activation circuit should accordingly be configured to determine when the doorbell has been pressed and in response thereto trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

In other cases, the activation event could, e.g., be the detection of smoke (in a smoke detector), in which case the activation circuit will be an appropriate smoke detection circuit, the detection of movement/vibration/flow (e.g. from a movement/vibration/flow sensor), in which case the activation circuit will be an appropriate movement/vibration/flow detection circuit, the detection of noise (e.g. in the case of a noise detector), in which case the activation circuit will include an appropriate noise detection circuit, the detection of temperature (e.g. in a temperature detector), in which case the activation circuit will be an appropriate temperature detection circuit, the detection of light (e.g. in a light detector), in which case the activation circuit will be an appropriate light detection circuit (and so on).

The activation circuit may be operable to detect the desired activation event or events based on the processing of data (e.g. by a separate data processing circuit) to determine whether an activation event has occurred. For instance, audio and/or visual data may be processed to determine whether an activation event has occurred (e.g. based on object detection in video data) and the activation circuit may be operable to trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the -8 -processing circuit when it is determined from the data than an activation event has occurred.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is operable to record audio and/or visual data from the environment that the electronic device is located in, and to process that audio and/or visual data to determine whether an activation event has occurred (e.g. based on an objection detection in visual data of the environment), and to trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit when it is determined from the recorded data that an activation event has occurred.

Thus in one preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a doorbell circuit, and the activation event is the pressing of the doorbell. In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a smoke detector, and the activation event is the detection of smoke. In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a motion (e.g. PIR sensor) sensor, and the activation event is the sensing of motion.

In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a vibration sensor, and the activation event is the sensing of vibrations. In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a noise detector, and the activation event is the detection of noise. In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is a light detector, and the activation event is the sensing of light. In another preferred embodiment, the activation circuit includes a camera, and the activation event comprises the detection of a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, object (such as an intruder) in images taken by the camera.

In a preferred embodiment, the activation circuit can also be, and is also, triggered to trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to a (or the) power source for the electronic device falling below a particular power level threshold. For example, and preferably, where the electronic device includes a battery as a power supply, the activation circuit could be, and is preferably, configured to be triggered to trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the, e.g. and preferably, voltage, level from the battery falling below a particular, preferably selected, preferably predefined, threshold value (which threshold value should be, and is preferably, still sufficient to power the processing circuit to perform the required actions in response to the activation event). In these cases therefore, the activation event is the power source for the electronic device falling below a particular power level threshold. -9 -

The activation circuit could be operable to detect (and trigger the supply of power to the processing circuit in response to) a single type of activation event only (and in one preferred embodiment, that is the case).

Alternatively, the activation circuit may be able to detect and respond to plural different types of events, and in that case, in a preferred embodiment, the activation circuit is also able to indicate to the processing circuit the particular type of event that has occurred (so that the processing circuit can provide a corresponding notification of that particular type of event, if desired). Most preferably, the activation circuit indicates (and/or the processing circuit determines) the particular type of event that has occurred after power is supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit but the activation circuit triggers the supply of power to the processing circuit in response to an activation event in the same manner for every type of activation event.

In this case, the activation circuit could, for example, be operable to detect one particular type of activation event (such as the press of a doorbell, movement, smoke, etc.), and also when the power source (e.g. battery) for the electronic device falls below a particular, threshold level. Additionally or alternatively, the activation circuit could be operable to detect plural different types of activation events, and together optionally with a low power event, if desired.

In an embodiment, the activation circuit comprises a multiplexing circuit that is operable to multiplex signals indicative of different activation events, that are input to different input connections of the multiplexing circuit, to a single output connection of the multiplexing circuit for triggering the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to any of the signals indicative of the different activation events. In this embodiment, after the power supply circuit is triggered to supply power to the processing circuit and before the processing circuit provides a notification in response to the activation event, the processing circuit may determine the activation event that has occurred in any suitable manner, for instance, the multiplexing circuit may be operable to store an indication that a particular input connection (or input connections) has received a signal indicative of an activation event. The multiplexing circuit may be configured to store these indication(s) for some predetermined time and/or the processing circuit may be operable to reset these indication(s) to not be indicative of an input connection having receiving a signal indicative of an activation event (e.g. after the -10 -processing circuit has provided a notification in response to the activation event that the input connection received a signal indicative of).

In one preferred embodiment, the activation circuit does not require any power supply of its own in order to be able to detect an activation event (and to, in response thereto trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit). In other words, the activation circuit is preferably, operable as a "passive" detector of the activation event or events in question, i.e. such that it does not require any (electrical) power supply in order to detect the relevant event or events.

In other embodiments, the activation circuit may require a power supply of its own in order to be able to detect an activation event (and to, in response thereto, trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit). This could, for example, be the case where the electronic device is a smoke detector and so the smoke detection circuit will be powered. In this case, the power supply to the processing circuit could be separate to the power supply for the activation circuit, such that in operation of the present invention, while the activation circuit will be powered by its own power supply, the power supply for the processing circuit will only be activated and operate to supply power to the processing circuit in response to and while required for an activation event.

Alternatively, the processing circuit of the present invention could be powered by the same power source as the activation circuit (e.g. be powered by the battery that is also powering the smoke detection circuit in a smoke detector). In this case, the operation in the manner of the present invention will still be advantageous, as it will mean that the processing circuit of the present invention only consumes power from the power source for the activation circuit as and when an activation event occurs.

The activation circuit may trigger the power supply circuit to supply power to the processing circuit in response to an activation event in any suitable and desired manner. For example, the activation circuit could close a circuit that directly (electrically) connects the power source of the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

In a preferred embodiment, the activation circuit generates a signal that triggers the (electrical) connection of the power source of the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event. This is preferably done by the activation circuit operating to close a circuit so as to generate a signal to trigger the (electrical) connection of the power source of the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

In a preferred embodiment, the power supply circuit includes a power source and a power regulation circuit, and the activation circuit is configured to provide a signal, preferably by closing a circuit between the power source and the voltage regulation circuit of the power supply circuit, in response to an activation event, in response to which signal the power regulation circuit will then (and only then) provide power from the power source to the processing circuit.

Most preferably the activation circuit provides, preferably by closing a circuit, an "enable" input signal to the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, in response to which input, the voltage regulation circuit will then provide power from the power source to the processing circuit.

Such an "enable" input signal could be provided as desired. For example, and preferably, it may comprise a suitably high or a suitably low voltage/logic level.

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the power regulation circuit has a voltage input (that is, preferably permanently, connected to the power source) and a voltage output (that is, preferably, permanently, connected to the processing circuit), and a separate, control, "enable", input, with the power regulation circuit operating to provide its voltage output, preferably by connecting its voltage input to its voltage output (so as to provide an output voltage at its output), (only) when the separate, "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit receives an appropriate input signal (preferably in the form of a particular voltage level (e.g., and preferably, above (or below) a given threshold)).

In this case, the "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit could be activated simply by receiving an appropriate input signal (with the power regulation circuit then being "enabled" thereafter, irrespective of whether the signal remains on the "enable" control input (in which case there may be, and is preferably, a separate "off" ("disable") control input that can be activated to "disable" the power regulation circuit), but in a particularly preferred embodiment, the power regulation circuit has a single "enable" control input and operates to provide an output voltage to the processing circuit only when (and whilst) the separate, "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit is receiving an appropriate input signal (e.g., and preferably, a voltage level greater than (or less than) a particular, preferably selected, preferably predefined voltage level on the "enable" control input).

-12 -In these embodiments, the power source is preferably (electrically) connected to the "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit (so as to provide the required voltage level to "enable" (activate) the power regulation circuit) via the activation circuit, with the activation circuit being configured to close the connection between the power source and the "enable" control input of the voltage regulation circuit in response to an activation event.

The activation circuit can close the relevant circuit, e.g. the circuit between the power source and the power regulation circuit "enable" control input, in any suitable and desired manner, but it preferably does so by closing a switch to close the circuit.

In these arrangements, the relevant circuit can be closed (e.g. the relevant switch closed) in any suitable and desired manner, e.g., and preferably, depending upon the nature of the activation circuit. For example, where the activation circuit and the activation event comprises mechanically closing a switch (such as could be the case in the case of a doorbell), then the closing of the switch that is the activation event could, and preferably does, itself correspondingly operate to close a switch in the activation circuit that thereby completes the relevant circuit to trigger the provision of power to the processing circuit (e.g. to provide an "on" signal to the "enable" input of the power regulation circuit).

In other cases, where the activation circuit detects an event that is other than the mechanical closing of a switch, then the activation circuit is preferably operable in response to the activation event to close an appropriate switch in the circuit so as to trigger the provision of power to the processing circuit. For example, in the case of a smoke detector or a movement sensor (e.g. a PIR sensor) the change in logic level when smoke or movement is detected from the sensor could trigger the activation circuit to close an appropriate switch in the circuit so as to trigger the provision of power to the processing circuit.

The activation circuit is configured to trigger the supply of power to the processing circuit once it detects the activation event (and thus, e.g., and preferably, to close a switch to complete the relevant circuit such that power will then be supplied to the processing circuit in response to the activation event). The supply of power to the processing circuit that is triggered by the activation circuit in response to an activation event should, and preferably does, provide sufficient power, and for sufficient duration, at least so that the processing circuit can turn on -13 - ("boot up") and provide the control signal to maintain the power supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

This can be achieved in any suitable and desired manner. For example, the activation circuit and the power supply could be configured such that the power supply circuit will supply power to the processing circuit for a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, time period following the triggering of the supply of power to the processing circuit in response to an activation event. This may be achieved in any suitable and desired manner.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least in the case where the activation event is the pressing of a button or switch, such as a doorbell, the activation circuit and the power supply circuit are configured so as to operate to supply power to the processing circuit for the duration of the activation event (i.e. for the duration that the button or switch is pressed, for example).

This may facilitate simplification of the electronic device and its operation, as the activation event itself (and its duration) will inherently act to control the supply of power to the processing circuit that is triggered in response to an activation event. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, where the activation circuit operates to provide an "enable" signal to a control input of the voltage regulation circuit in response to an activation event, and the activation circuit is a button or switch (such as a doorbell), the activation circuit is configured to provide the "enable" signal to the control input of the voltage regulation circuit only when (and thus for as long as) the button or switch is being pressed (by a user).

In response to receiving power following an activation event, the processing circuit provides a control signal to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit. Thus, once the processing circuit has powered on following an activation event, it will operate to provide a control signal to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit. This control signal can take any suitable and desired form. For example, the processing circuit could provide a control signal to an appropriate input of the power supply circuit to cause the power supply circuit to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit in response to receiving power following an activation event.

In the preferred embodiment discussed above, where the power supply circuit includes a power regulation circuit that has an "enable" control input, then in a particularly preferred embodiment, the control signal that the processing circuit -14 -provides to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit comprises the sending of an appropriate "enable" signal (such as maintaining a suitable voltage level) to the "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit. In this case therefore, an activation event will trigger the provision of an "enable" signal to the power regulation circuit "enable" control input, with the processing circuit, once it comes "on", following the activation event, then maintaining the "enable" signal to the "enable" control input of the power regulation circuit, to thereby maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit (via the power regulation circuit).

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible, for example in dependence upon the way the power supply circuit is configured to provide power to the processing circuit.

It should be noted in this regard that because of this operation of the processing circuit to, once it is powered on in response to an activation event, provide a control signal to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit, the action of the activation event itself does not need to cause the power to be supplied by the processing circuit for a sufficient duration to allow the notification in response to the activation event itself to be provided by the processing circuit (or to allow for any other operation that the processing circuit performs whilst receiving power in response to an activation event after it has provided the notification in response to the activation event). This can then, for example, allow the activation circuit to be configured so as to only act to cause the supply of power to the processing circuit whilst the activation event itself is occurring, as it will be the processing circuit itself that provides the control signal to then maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit for a sufficient period of time to allow the notification itself to be provided. This can then, as discussed above, for example facilitate the use of a less complex activation circuit, such as a button or switch which triggers the supply of power to the processing circuit only whilst it is closed.

As well as providing a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, the processing circuit is also configured to provide a notification in response to the activation event whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit.

The notification that is provided in response to the activation event can be any suitable and desired notification that can, for example, and preferably, indicate -15 -to a user that the activation event has occurred. For example, the notification could comprise an appropriate audio and/or visual indication from the electronic device itself.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the notification comprises sending a message (a notification) to a remote device (e.g., and preferably, to a remote user), for example, and preferably to a device or system, such as a Cloud service and/or server, that is connected to the electronic device via a communications network, such as, and preferably, via the internet. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the processing circuit is configured to provide a notification, e.g., and preferably, in the form of a message, to a remote user, via the internet, in response to an activation event. This notification (message) could be sent to a single (remote) device/user, or to plural (remote) devices/users, as desired.

In the case of a "continuing" event, such as could be the case with a smoke detector, for example, the, e.g. processing circuit, could be configured to only send an initial notification when the event starts, and to thereafter not send further notifications for that "same" event, or it could continue to send plural notifications as the event continues. This may, e.g., be pre-configured, or able to be set by a user in use, as desired. For example, the processing circuit could recognise that subsequent events come from the same source, and determine not to send further notifications.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing circuit is capable of connecting via a wireless (e.g. radio) connection to another device and/or a communications network, and in response to an activation event, attempts to make a wireless connection, and then sends the notification of the activation event via that wireless connection.

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing circuit provides a notification response to the activation event by making a wireless transmission in response to the activation event.

In a particularly preferred such embodiment, the processing circuit provides the notification by means of a message that is sent via a wireless connection to a remote device. The wireless connection may use any suitable wireless technology and protocol. For instance, the wireless connection may use a mobile (cellular) telephony communications network, such as GSM, 4G, 5G, etc., or other wireless communications systems/protocols, such as Zigbee or Z-Wave. In a preferred embodiment, the notification is sent using a WiFi connection. Thus, in a particularly -16 -preferred embodiment, the processing circuit includes appropriate wireless communications capabilities, such as, and preferably, WiFi connection capabilities (e.g. a WiFi circuit and a suitable antenna), and in response to an activation event, operates to connect to a, e.g. local, e.g. and preferably, WiFi, wireless communications network, and to then provide a notification of the activation event to (and via) that, e.g. WiFi, network.

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible.

The notification that is provided in response to the activation event could simply comprise a notification that the activation event has occurred, but in preferred embodiments includes information about the activation event itself. Such activation event information can be any suitable and desired information that may be of interest in relation to the activation event, such as the time and/or place that the activation event occurred, the duration of the activation event, the particular type of activation event (e.g. in the case where the activation circuit can detect and respond to plural different types of activation event), information about what caused the activation event to occur (for example an indication of the person that has pressed a doorbell), etc..

The processing circuit may be operable to derive and provide such activation event information in any suitable and desired manner. For example, it may include an appropriate clock circuit to determine the time of the activation event, and/or may, for example, be able to activate a camera and/or audio recorder, to capture information (and/or receive, e.g. by sending a request for, information from another device or component such as a camera or audio recorder), such as a photo, relating to the activation event, for then providing with the notification to the, e.g., remote user.

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible.

Where the notification is sent to a remote device, such as a Cloud service and/or server, it would also be possible for the processing circuit of the electronic device simply to send the relevant activation event notification to the remote device, with the remote device then determining information such as the time and/or place, etc., relating to the activation event and then including that in a notification that is provided to a user.

As well as providing a notification response to the activation event whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit, the processing circuit is also operable to determine when power is no longer required to be supplied from the -17 -power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to an activation event, and when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to an activation event, to then provide a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.

The control signal that is provided to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit by the power supply circuit can take any suitable and desired form. This may, for example, and preferably does, depend upon how the power supply circuit is triggered and controlled to supply power to the processing circuit.

For example, where the power supply circuit, such as a power regulation circuit of the power supply circuit, includes an appropriate "disable" or "off" control input to stop the supply of power to the processing circuit, then the processing circuit could provide an appropriate control signal to that "disable" control input of the power supply circuit.

In the preferred embodiment where the power supply circuit includes a power regulation circuit that comprises an "enable" control signal input, as discussed above, which when activated (e.g. provided with a "high" voltage level) will cause the power supply circuit to provide power to the processing circuit, the processing circuit preferably provides a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit by setting the "enable" control signal to the "enable" control signal input of the power regulation circuit to a level (such as a suitably low, e.g. zero, voltage level) that does not "enable" the power regulation circuit (i.e. so as to, in effect, "turn off" the "enable" control signal to the power regulation circuit), so that the power regulation circuit ceases supplying power to the processing circuit. In this case therefore, the control signal that stops the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit comprises changing the voltage (logic) level on the "enable" control signal input of the power regulation circuit (e.g. from a high to a low (e.g. zero) level or vice-versa).

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing circuit provides a control signal to an "enable" control signal input of the power regulation circuit to maintain the supply of power to the power supply circuit, and then stops the provision of that signal to the "enable" control signal input of the power regulation circuit so as to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the -18 -processing circuit, once the processing circuit determines that power is no longer required for providing a notification in response to the activation event.

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible.

The processing circuit may determine when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event in any suitable or desired manner.

For instance, the processing circuit may, for example, determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event when it is determined that the activation event has ended.

In a preferred embodiment, the processing circuit is configured to perform one or more actions in response to an activation event, and determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once it is determined that the action or actions have been completed. In a preferred such arrangement, the processing circuit also determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, time period has expired, even if the action or actions have not been completed.

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing circuit determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit at the earlier of the completion of a set of one or more actions that are to be performed in response to an activation event and the expiry of a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, time period (e.g. following the activation event or following one of the actions to be performed in response to an activation event, such as the sending of the notification in response to the activation event).

In one preferred embodiment, the action that is to be performed in response to the activation event simply (and solely) comprises sending the notification in response to the activation event.

However, in other embodiments, the actions to be performed in response to an activation event may comprise not only sending the notification in response to the activation event, but also performing one or more further actions, such as, and preferably, receiving a response to the notification and, e.g., and preferably, performing some further operation in response to that response to the notification (such as, for example, and preferably, disabling an alarm or other indicator that has -19 -been triggered by the activation event). This arrangement may be appropriate where, for example, the electronic device signals (e.g. sounds) an alarm in response to the activation event, with the processing circuit being operable to disable (turn off) the alarm if it receives a response (to do that) to the notification that it provides in response to the activation event.

In this case, the processing circuit is preferably configured to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit until it has received the response to the notification (and performed any action in response to that response). Thus in this case, the processing circuit will determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once it receives the response in response to the notification (and performs any necessary further actions following that response). (In such cases where the processing circuit awaits a response to the notification that it sends in response to the activation event, then, as discussed above, preferably the processing circuit will in any event stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit if it does not receive a response within a particular, preferably selected, time period.) Thus, in one preferred embodiment, it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event when the processing circuit has provided a notification in response to the activation event and preferably this is determined in response to the notification being provided.

In an embodiment, it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event once the notification has been provided for a particular preferably selected, preferably predetermined time period and/or a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, number of notifications have been provided. This may be particularly appropriate where the notification is in the form of a visual or audio indication that is provided by the electronic device itself.

Where the notification that is provided in response to an activation event comprises a wireless transmission (e.g. of a notification message), then in a particularly preferred embodiment, the processing circuit determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event once (and as soon as) the wireless transmission has been sent.

-20 -In this case, the processing circuit could simply send the wireless transmission and then assume that that has been completed, or it could, if desired, await some form of confirmation that the wireless transmission has been successfully sent (e.g. an indication that the wireless transmission has been received by an intended recipient, e.g. device, for the wireless transmission), and only determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event once it is determined that the wireless transmission of the notification has been successful.

In this latter case the processing circuit could continue to attempt wireless transmission of the notification until such time as that transmission is determined to be successful and/or, e.g., and preferably, until a desired, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, number of transmission attempts have been made and/or until the wireless transmission has been attempted to be transmitted without being successful for a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined time period.

In these arrangements, where the wireless transmission of a notification event is used by the processing circuit to determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event, the processing circuit preferably determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event once a wireless transmission has been made to an appropriate first "node" of a communications network and/or path via which the notification will be provided to the desired final, end device and/or user (rather than, e.g., waiting until the desired final, end destination has received the notification).

This can, for example, reduce the power (and/or processing time) required to be used by the electronic device in order to provide a notification to, for example, a remote user, as the processing circuit may, for example, determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event (and the power supply circuit may stop supplying power to the processing circuit) once it is determined that the notification has been transmitted to an onward transmitter rather than only once the notification has reached its final destination.

Correspondingly, in another preferred embodiment, it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit when the processing circuit has received a response to the -21 -notification that it provided in response to the activation event, or when it has received a response to the notification and performed some further action or actions in response to that response. In this case, particularly in the case where the notification that is provided in response to an activation event comprises a wireless transmission, the response that the processing circuit waits for preferably also comprises a wireless transmission (and thus the processing circuit will be operable to receive a wireless transmission), e.g., and preferably, sent from a remote device, such as by a user, that has been sent the notification.

In this case, the response that the processing circuit waits for could simply be an acknowledgement that the notification has been received On which case the processing circuit may, and preferably does, determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once the acknowledgement response is received).

Alternatively, the response that is received could trigger some further action by the processing circuit, in which case it will only be determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once the response has been received and any action triggered by that response has been performed. In this case, the action that is performed following the response to the notification may comprise any suitable and desired action (locally to the electronic device). Correspondingly, the response to the notification preferably comprises a command or commands that indicates an or the action(s) to be performed.

In one preferred such embodiment, the action that is performed in response to the response to the notification preferably comprises modifying and/or disabling, a local signal (e.g. alarm) that is being provided by the electronic device. This may be particularly applicable where, for example, the electronic device as well as transmitting a notification message in response to an activation event, also activates some form of local indication, such as an alarm, of the activation event, as this would then, for example, allow a user who receives the transmitted notification to disable the local signal (e.g. alarm) once they receive the notification. This may be useful where, for example, the electronic device is a smoke detector that triggers a local alarm as well as sending the notification in response to an activation event. In this case, the processing circuit may, and preferably does, determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once it has disabled the local signal (e.g. alarm).

-22 -In another embodiment, the action that is performed in response to the response to the notification comprises the unlocking and/or opening of a door.

In these arrangements where the processing circuit awaits a response to its notification, then, as discussed above, in a preferred embodiment, the processing circuit in any event determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit (and stops the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit) after a particular, preferably selected, preferably predetermined, period of time has passed (e.g., and preferably, following the notification being sent), irrespective of whether a response is received.

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible.

It will be appreciated from the above that, in response to an activation event, the processing circuit will be provided with power from the power supply circuit and so "turn on", and then first send a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, and thereafter provide a notification in response to the activation event.

In order to reduce the power that is consumed by the processing circuit whilst performing these operations (and thereby to extend the lifetime of the power source of the power supply circuit), the Applicants have recognised that it would be desirable for the sending of the control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit by the processing circuit, and the then provision of the notification in response to the activation event by the processing circuit, to be able to be performed as quickly as possible (so as to reduce, and preferably minimise, the time that the processing circuit is "powered on" for the purpose of providing the notification in response to the activation event).

The processing circuit, e.g. microcontroller, when it first receives power will need to perform a sequence of start-up operations ("boot-up"). This may, and preferably does, comprise, for example, loading and executing appropriate firmware to control and trigger the operation of the processing circuit, e.g. microcontroller (which firmware may be, e.g., and preferably, stored in appropriate non-volatile storage of the processing circuit).

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the firmware that the processing circuit loads and executes when first powered on is a reduced, and preferably minimised, set of firmware (relative to the standard or "normal" firmware for the microprocessor/controller in question, for example), that is configured to cause the processing circuit, e.g., microcontroller, to perform (only) those operations that are -23 -necessary to provide a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit and then to provide a notification in response to the activation event. In other words, the firmware that is provided for and executed by the processing circuit preferably comprises an optimised set of firmware that is configured to cause the processing circuit to perform the required processing operations for the purpose of the present invention, but no more. This can be achieved, for example, and preferably, by reducing the amount and/or complexity of the firmware code. For example, any unnecessary (not-used) libraries are preferably omitted from the firmware code.

The Applicants have further recognised that it would be desirable to reduce the time that it takes for the processing circuit after receiving power to send the control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply to the processing circuit (as that will then reduce, for example, the time that power is required to be supplied for in response to an activation event by the activation circuit, thereby, as discussed above, facilitating, for example, simplified operation of the activation circuit).

Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the firmware that is loaded and executed by the processing circuit when first powered on is preferably operable to cause the processing circuit to send the control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit as soon as possible in that execution (of the firmware code).

As well as reducing the size and/or complexity of any firmware that needs to be executed by the processing circuit when first powered on, other steps or measures are also or instead (and preferably also) taken so as to try to reduce the time that it will take for the processing circuit to provide a notification in response to the activation event.

For example, in a preferred embodiment, the processing circuit stores in non-volatile storage information, such as settings, associated with (and to be used for) providing a notification in response to an activation event. Such information, e.g. settings, is preferably stored in a relatively faster access storage of the processing circuit, such as in an appropriate cache or caches of the processing circuit. The processing circuit preferably then uses that stored information (e.g. settings) when providing (and to provide) a notification in response to an activation event.

-24 -Such information (e.g. settings) associated with and used for providing a notification in response to an activation event can comprise any suitable and desired information that may be used for providing the notification.

For instance, the processing circuit may store predefined and/or previously used (for example, the most recently used), e.g. (connection) settings, such as an address/addresses (for example, internet protocol address/addresses, domain name address/addresses, domain name server/severs, router address/addresses), and/or WiFi channel details (e.g. the last used WiFi channel), etc., that can be used to provide a notification in response to an activation event. This then can reduce the amount of processing time and/or power required to, for example, determine an address to be used to provide a notification in response to an activation event (for example, an address that the notification is to be sent to and/or via and/or an address that is to be used as the address for the electronic device).

This can also remove (or delay) the need to validate or determine an address (e.g. by performing a domain name server query, following a dynamic host configuration protocol and/or scanning for WiFi channels). For example, when validation (e.g. a domain name server query) of an address is required to provide the notification, having an indication of the address for providing the notification already stored may allow other operations (e.g. to establish a connection with a remote device) that may be required to provide the notification to be performed without waiting for the address to be validated (e.g. without first waiting for a domain name server query response). Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the domain name server address is stored and used to establish a network connection first, with any necessary, e.g. DNS, validation process being performed thereafter.

In a preferred embodiment, where a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) sequence is used to establish a connection in order to be able to provide the notification in response to an activation event, a modified DHCP sequence is used by the processing circuit when attempting to establish a connection to the communications network (e.g. to a router). Most preferably, the processing circuit is configured to store an IP address for the electronic device, preferably together with all network addresses to be used for the DHCP request, and to first perform a DHCP request with the stored data (instead of performing a DHCP discovery sequence). If that DHCP request using the stored data is successful, then the communications connection (e.g. to the router) will be established and the notification can be sent. If the initial DHCP request using the stored data fails, then -25 -the processing circuit preferably re-tries using a full DHCP sequence. This can then allow the processing circuit to establish a connection to the, e.g., router, more quickly, in the case that the initial DHCP request succeeds.

In the case where establishing the connection includes some form of authentication/security protocol, then any required security/authentication protocol is preferably configured so as to require a reduced, and preferably a minimal, amount of time and/or processing power.

For example, when security credentials need to be provided in order to provide a notification in response to an activation event, these security credentials (such as any necessary (security) certificate) are preferably also stored (and may, for example, and preferably, be set to be valid indefinitely or for an extended period, such as a period exceeding the typical lifetime of the electronic device), in order to avoid the need to otherwise obtain (or determine) security credentials when providing the notification. This then can, for example, avoid the need to establish security credentials with a remote device (e.g. avoid the need to use, for example, a simple network time protocol (sntp) query) before establishing a connection in order to provide a notification in response to an activation event.

It will be appreciated from the above that in the operation of the present invention, the processing circuit will only receive power from the power supply circuit (and thus will only receive power at all) when an activation event occurs and then until such time as the processing circuit sends the control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit. In other words, the processing circuit will not receive (not consume) any power and will be powered off except when an activation event occurs.

Correspondingly, the electronic device of the present invention should be, and is preferably, configured and operated such that no power will be drawn by the power supply circuit at all, except when an activation event triggers the supply of power to the processing circuit. Thus, after the processing circuit has provided a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, no power will be required to be provided to the processing circuit until the supply of power to the processing circuit is next triggered by the activation circuit in response to an activation event.

Thus, at least in the case where the activation circuit does not require any power to detect an activation event, the electronic device as a whole should be, and is preferably, in an off (an unpowered) state unless and until an activation event -26 -occurs, in response to which power will be provided to the processing circuit (the device will be powered on and will draw power from the power source) until the processing circuit no longer requires power in response to the activation event, after which the electronic device will be powered off and will no longer draw any power from the power source until the supply of power to the processing circuit is next triggered by an activation event.

In this case, no component of the device will be configured to (i.e. intended to) (actively) draw any power from the power source of the power supply circuit in between when power is supplied in response to one activation event and when power is supplied in response to the next activation event, and thus the only loss of power from the power source of the power supply circuit inbetween activation events will be if there is any unavoidable (and inadvertent), e.g. current leakage, from the power source (e.g. battery) of the power supply circuit, even when it is not intended to be supplying power.

Correspondingly, in such cases where the supply of power to the processing circuit is controlled by means of providing an appropriate signal on an "enable" control input of a power regulation circuit of the power supply circuit, the processing circuit and the electronic device as a whole will be powered off (and consuming no power (deliberately) from the power source (e.g. battery) of the power supply circuit) except when the "enable" control input to the power regulation circuit is receiving the appropriate "enable" signal.

This then means that in the normal, dormant, "off' state of the electronic device (when there isn't an activation event), no power will (deliberately) be drawn from the power source (e.g. battery) of the device, and power will only be drawn from the power source (e.g. battery) of the device in response to, and as required for, an activation event.

Correspondingly, in the case where the activation circuit does require power to detect an activation event (such as may be the case for a smoke detector, for example), then while the relevant activation circuit components will at least be "permanently" powered from an appropriate power source (e.g. a power source for the electronic device as a whole or a power source solely for the activation circuit, for example), the remainder of the electronic device (the remaining components such as the processing circuit, etc.) should still be and will preferably be, in an off (and unpowered) state unless and until an activation event occurs (as discussed above), such that in this case, in the normal, dormant, "off" state of the electronic -27 -device (when there isn't an activation event) the only power drawn from the power source or sources of the device will be the power required for the activation circuit operation (and any unavoidable and inadvertent leakage from the power source (as discussed above)).

In this way, the electronic device of the present invention can operate with a low capacity power source, such as a 1.5V battery, and can maintain a longer power source (battery) lifetime.

The various functions of the present invention can be carried out in any desired and suitable manner. For example, the functions of the present invention can be implemented in hardware or software, as desired. Thus, for example, unless otherwise indicated, the various functional elements, stages, and "means" of the invention may comprise a suitable processor or processors, controller or controllers, functional units, circuitry, circuits, processing logic, microprocessor arrangements, etc., that are operable to perform the various functions, etc., such as appropriately dedicated hardware elements (circuits/circuitry) and/or programmable hardware elements (circuits/circuitry) that can be programmed to operate in the desired manner.

It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that all of the described aspects and embodiments of the present invention can, and preferably do, include, as appropriate, any one or more or all of the preferred and optional features described herein.

The methods in accordance with the present invention may be implemented at least partially using software e.g. computer programs. It will thus be seen that when viewed from further aspects the present invention provides computer software specifically adapted to carry out the methods herein described when installed on data processing means, a computer program element comprising computer software code portions for performing the methods herein described when the program element is run on data processing means, and a computer program comprising code means adapted to perform all the steps of a method or of the methods herein described when the program is run on a data processing system.

The data processor may be a microprocessor system, a programmable FPGA (field programmable gate array), etc..

The invention also extends to a computer software carrier comprising such software which when used to operate a processor or microprocessor system comprising processing means causes in conjunction with said processing means -28 -said processor, or system to carry out the steps of the methods of the present invention. Such a computer software carrier could be a physical storage medium such as a ROM chip, CD ROM, RAM, flash memory, or disk, or could be a signal such as an electronic signal over wires, an optical signal or a radio signal such as to a satellite or the like.

It will further be appreciated that not all steps of the methods of the invention need be carried out by computer software and thus from a further broad aspect the present invention provides computer software and such software installed on a computer software carrier for carrying out at least one of the steps of the methods set out herein.

The present invention may accordingly suitably be embodied as a computer program product for use with a computer system. Such an implementation may comprise a series of computer readable instructions either fixed on a tangible, non-transitory medium, such as a computer readable medium, for example, diskette, CD-ROM, ROM, RAM, flash memory, or hard disk. It could also comprise a series of computer readable instructions transmittable to a computer system, via a modem or other interface device, over either a tangible medium, including but not limited to optical or analogue communications lines, or intangibly using wireless techniques, including but not limited to microwave, infrared or other transmission techniques. The series of computer readable instructions embodies all or part of the functionality previously described herein.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such computer readable instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems. Further, such instructions may be stored using any memory technology, present or future, including but not limited to, semiconductor, magnetic, or optical, or transmitted using any communications technology, present or future, including but not limited to optical, infrared, or microwave. It is contemplated that such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation, for example, shrink-wrapped software, pre-loaded with a computer system, for example, on a system ROM or fixed disk, or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over a network, for example, the Internet or World Wide Web.

-29 -A number of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exemplary system in which electronic devices of the present invention can be used; Figure 2 shows an embodiment of an electronic device that is in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 shows an overview of the sequence of events that occur during operation of the electronic device of Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a method of operating an electronic device that is in accordance with the present invention.

Like reference numerals are used for like components where appropriate in the drawings.

The present embodiments relate to electronic devices that may be used to provide notifications in response to particular "activation" events.

Figure 1 shows an example of a system 300 for providing a notification to a remote user in response to a doorbell 301 being pressed. The system 300 comprises a doorbell 301 for seeking access through a door 302, an electronic device 303 operable to provide a notification in response to the doorbell 301 being pressed, a communications network 304 for sending a notification, and a remote device 305 that a remote user can receive the notification from.

In this system, in response to the doorbell 301 being pressed, the electronic device 303 will provide a notification that the doorbell has been pressed to the remote device 305 (such as, and preferably, a user's mobile phone) via the communications network 304. The communications network 304 may comprise, for example, a router that communicates with the electronic device 303 over a first network connection (such as via a WiFi connection), and sends the notification to the remote device 305 over a second network connection (such as via the internet).

In this system, the electronic device 303 is in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of an electronic device that can provide a notification in response to an activation trigger, in this case in the form of a push button 101, being triggered that may be used as the electronic doorbell 303 in Figure 1.

-30 -In this embodiment, the electronic device comprises an activation circuit in the form of an activation switch 108 that is closed when the doorbell push button 101 is pressed, a power supply circuit 120 that comprises a power source in the form of a battery 102 and a power regulation circuit in the form of a step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, a processing circuit in the form of a CPU or microcontroller 104, and an antenna 105 for making a wireless transmission to a communications network 304.

In this device, the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 is operable to step up the voltage from the battery 102 (which may provide, e.g., a 1.5V supply) supplied to a voltage input terminal 110 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 to provide a stepped up voltage (e.g. 3.3V) from its voltage output terminal 111. This allows the required voltage level (such as 3.3V) to be provided to the microcontroller 104, even if the voltage supply directly from the battery 102 is below the voltage required by the microcontroller 104.

The step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 has a control input 109 which when an appropriate "enable" voltage level (e.g. a suitably high voltage signal or a suitably low voltage signal) is applied to it, activates (causes) the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 to provide an output voltage from its output terminal 110 to the microcontroller 104. On the other hand, when there is not an appropriate "enable" voltage level supplied to the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 outputs no voltage from its output terminal 110 (and consumes no power from the battery 102).

As shown in Figure 2, the battery 102, as well as being connected to the input terminal of the boost up circuit 103, is also connected to the control input terminal 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 via the push button 101 activation circuit 108. The effect of this then is that when the doorbell 101 is pushed, the battery 102 will be connected to the control input terminal 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, thereby enabling (activating) the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 and triggering the supply of power from the battery 102 to the microcontroller 104.

As shown in Figure 2, the microcontroller 104 will not receive (nor consume) any power from the battery 102 except when the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 is enabled by an appropriate input to its control input 109. Thus the microcontroller 104 will be powered off (and in an "off" state) until the button 101 is pressed (to thereby enable (activate) the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103).

-31 -Once the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 has been enabled (activated) by the pressing of the button 101, it will begin to provide power to the microcontroller 104. In response to this, the microcontroller 104 will turn on, and execute a "boot up" routine. This will comprise loading and then executing appropriate firmware for controlling the operation of the microcontroller 104 from appropriate non-volatile storage, such as flash memory, of (associated with) the microcontroller 104. The firmware that is loaded and executed when the microcontroller 104 is powered on will cause the microcontroller 104 to operate in the desired manner to provide the notification of the activation event (namely the pressing of the button 101) to the remote user (as discussed above in relation to Figure 1).

To do this, the microcontroller is configured by the firmware to, once it powers on, first send an appropriate "enable" control signal 121 (provide an appropriate voltage level) to the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, so as to cause the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 to maintain the supply of power to the microcontroller 104.

As will be appreciated from Figure 2, in the arrangement shown in Figure 2, once the press button 101 is released, the signal to the "enable" control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 provided via the pressing of the button 101 will cease. It is therefore necessary for the microcontroller 104 to provide a corresponding "enable" control signal 121 to the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 once it powers on, so as to maintain the supply of power to the microcontroller 104 once the button 101 is released. The firmware of the microcontroller 104 is therefore configured to trigger the provision of this control signal by the microcontroller 104 once it powers on.

The microcontroller 104 is also configured by the firmware to send an appropriate notification to the remote user (as discussed above in relation to Figure 1) by means of a wireless transmission via the antenna 105. To do this, the microcontroller 104 once it is powered on connects to a local WiFi network and transmits the appropriate notification, such as an indication that the doorbell has been pressed, to the local WiFi network, for onward transmission to the remote user via, for example, the internet. This WiFi transmission can be made in any suitable and desired manner, for example and preferably in accordance with existing WiFi arrangements.

-32 -The microcontroller 104 is further configured to operate such that, once it has sent the wireless transmission notifying the activation event, it provides a control signal to the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 to trigger the step-up voltage regulator to stop providing power to the microcontroller 104. In the present embodiment, this is done by the microcontroller 104 changing the voltage level on its control signal 121 provided to the "enable" control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, so as to change that signal from the level required to "activate" the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, so that the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 will stop providing an appropriate voltage level to the microcontroller 104. This will then cause the microcontroller 104 to power off, and stop the device 100 from drawing any more power from the battery 102.

In this way, the microcontroller 104 is only powered on (and power is only consumed from the battery 102), in response to an activation event and whilst a notification of the activation event is being sent. This can then increase the useful lifetime of the battery 102, as power is only consumed from the battery 102 when required in response to an activation event.

Figure 3 is a corresponding timing diagram, that shows the sequence of events when the activation button (trigger) 101 is pressed.

In Figure 3, trace 210 shows the state of the activation circuit 108 push button 101, trace 220 shows the state of the microcontroller 104, trace 230 shows the level of the control signal 121 provided from the microcontroller 104 to the enable control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, and trace 240 shows the voltage level provided to the microcontroller 104 by the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 (and thus when power is being drawn from the battery 102).

As shown in Figure 3, prior to the button 101 being pressed, the electronic device is an off state and no power is being provided to the microcontroller 104. Then, when the button 101 is pressed (at time 211), that triggers the supply of power to the microcontroller 104 (starting at time 241). In response to this, the microcontroller 104 powers on and boots up (at time 221), and as an initial operation provides the power enable signal 121 (at time 231) to the enable control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, so as to maintain the supply of power to the microcontroller 104 following the activation event.

The button 101 may then be released (e.g. at time 212), but because the microcontroller 104 is now providing the appropriate enable input to the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103, the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 continues to -33 -supply power to the microcontroller 104 (as shown in Figure 3), notwithstanding the button 101 has now been released.

Sometime later, after a notification has been sent, the microcontroller 104 will determine that it may power off (at time 222) and correspondingly drop the voltage level on the control signal 121 to the enable input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 (at time 232), in response to which the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 will cease providing power to the microcontroller 104 (at time 242), at which point the microcontroller 104 will be returned to its "dormant", powered off state (at time 223).

In this example, the microcontroller 104 may determine that it may power off immediately after the notification has been sent, or it may, as discussed above, first wait for a (potential) response from a remote device (user), if desired.

Figure 4 is a corresponding flowchart showing the operation of the electronic device of Figure 2 in an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 4, and as discussed above, when an activation event occurs (step 410), in response to the activation event, the activation circuit 108 will trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit 120 to the microcontroller 104 by, in this case, providing an appropriate enable signal to the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 (step 402).

The microcontroller 104 will then boot up and as an initial step provide the appropriate control signal 121 to the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 so as to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit 120 to the microcontroller 104 (step 403).

The microcontroller 104 will then send the appropriate notification in response to the activation event and, after it has done so, determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit 120 to the microcontroller 104 in response to the activation event (steps 404 and 405). In this embodiment, the microcontroller 104 may determine that it no longer requires power immediately after the notification has been sent, or it may, as discussed above, first wait for a (potential) response from a remote device (user), if desired.

When the microcontroller 104 has determined that it no longer requires power to be supplied to it from the power supply circuit 120, at this point the microcontroller 104 will then change the level of the control signal 121 to the enable control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 so as to stop the supply of power to the microcontroller 104 (step 406). In response to this, the step- -34 -up voltage regulator circuit 103 will no longer provide power to the microcontroller 104 (step 407), and so the device will be powered off (until the next activation event).

This operation will be repeated at the next activation event, and so on.

It will be appreciated from the above, that in the operation of the present embodiment, the electronic device 100 will only be powered on (and drawing power from the battery 102) when triggered by an activation event and only for as long as is necessary to provide the relevant notification in response to the activation event. At all other times the electronic device 100 is powered off and will not be consuming any power from the battery 102. This facilitates extending the (useful) lifetime of the battery 102 in the electronic device, in contrast to, for example, arrangements in which the microcontroller 104 will remain in a low power "sleeping" mode in between activation events.

In particular, no power will be drawn from the battery 102 unless there is an appropriate "enable" signal on the control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 (which enable signal will only be provided either by the pressing of the button 101 or the subsequent provision of the appropriate signal 121 by the microcontroller 104 once it has powered on).

In order to facilitate this operation, the microcontroller 104 is configured such that when it boots up and executes its firmware, the firmware code is such that the microcontroller will set the control signal 121 to the "enable" control input 109 of the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 sufficiently quickly for that signal to be maintained before the button 101 is released. Thus the microcontroller 104 should be configured so as to be able to provide this signal within a few hundred milliseconds of being powered on.

In order to facilitate such rapid booting up of the microcontroller 104, the firmware for the microcontroller 104 is configured so as to reduce the boot up and execution time for the firmware, for example, by reducing the firmware code base, preferably to a minimum for the required microcontroller operation (as compared to otherwise standard firmware for the microcontroller in question). This can be achieved, for example, by removing any unneeded firmware libraries, for example. Correspondingly, the operation of the microcontroller 104 is preferably also configured so as to (try to) reduce the time that may be required for sending the notification in response to the activation event (so that the period when the microcontroller 104 is powered on can be reduced). Thus, for example, the -35 -microcontroller may, and preferably does, cache On non-volatile, e.g. flash, storage) appropriate connection settings, such as DNS server information, and then uses that cached information when attempting to make the network connection (and if necessary performs any validation operation later). This may allow the network connection to be established without waiting on any DNS query response.

Correspondingly, any security certificates, for example, have a relatively long expiry date (such as tens of years), as then there is no need, for example, for any SNTP query.

In the case where a DHCP procedure is used for establishing the network (e.g. WiFi) connection, then in a preferred embodiment the IP address and network addresses are cached in suitable non-volatile storage (e.g. flash memory) of the microcontroller, and the DHCP request is first performed with the cached data (instead of performing a DHCP discovery process). If the connection using the cached data is successful, then the notification can proceed. If the connection using the cached data is not successful, then the microcontroller falls back to and uses a full DHCP sequence.

Other necessary connection settings, such as the last used WiFi channel, are preferably also stored and used, so as to reduce the time that may be needed to establish the network connection.

Although the present embodiments have been described above with particular reference to an electronic doorbell, it will be appreciated that the electronic device of the present embodiments can be used for other forms of activation event, such as for a smoke detector, or motion sensor. In this case, the activation event (e.g. the detection of smoke) would correspondingly be used to trigger the step-up voltage regulator circuit 103 to supply power to the microcontroller 104, with the microcontroller 104 then operating in the above-discussed manner to send the appropriate notification of the activation event thereafter.

Another example of the use of the present embodiments would be the use of a vibration detector to detect the opening of a door. In this case, a vibration detector may determine that the door is being opened based on the detection of vibrations associated with the opening of the door, and the activation circuit may trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit when the vibration detector detects a signal indicative of vibrations associated with the opening of the door.

-36 -It would also be possible for the activation circuit to monitor the power supply (e.g. voltage) level of the power source of the electronic device and to trigger the sending of a notification when that, e.g. voltage, level falls below a particular threshold level (to notify, e.g. a remote user, of a low power state of the electronic device). In this case, the activation event would be the falling of the, e.g. voltage level, of the, e.g. battery, of the electronic device below a threshold amount. The above embodiments have been described in the context of the processing circuit simply providing a notification in response to the relevant activation event. It would also be possible for the processing circuit to await some form of response to its notification before powering off, if desired. For example, in the case of a smoke detector that sounds a local alarm (as well as sending a notification to a remote user), the processing circuit could be operable to await a response from the user (or any user who receives the notification, if it is sent to plural users), for example to disable (turn off) the local alarm, in response to the notification of the activation event, if desired. In the case of a doorbell, for example, the processing circuit could be configured to wait for a response from a user to open the door in response to the doorbell being pressed.

In these cases, the processing circuit may therefore be configured to maintain its supply of power for a particular, preferably predetermined, period of time after the sending of the notification, to await a response from a remote user, with the processing circuit then stopping the supply of power and turning off the electronic device at the earlier of the expiry of the time period or the receipt of a response from the remote user (and the performance of any appropriate action in response to that response from the user).

Other arrangements would, of course, be possible.

It will be appreciated from the above that the present invention, in its preferred embodiments at least, can provide an electronic device that is able to send a notification in response to an activation event that can have an enhanced battery lifetime. This is achieved, in the preferred embodiments of the present invention at least, by configuring the device such that it draws no power from its battery except when activated by an activation event and only for so long as is necessary to send the desired notification and otherwise respond to the activation event.

Claims

-37 -CLAIMS1. An electronic device, the device comprising: a processing circuit operable to provide a notification in response to an activation event; a power supply circuit operable to provide power to the processing circuit; and an activation circuit configured to, in response to an activation event, trigger the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; wherein the processing circuit is configured to: in response to receiving power following an activation event, provide a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit: provide a notification in response to the activation event; determine when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event; and when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event, provide a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and wherein the power supply circuit is configured to, in response to the control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, stop supplying power to the processing circuit until next triggered to supply power to the processing circuit by the activation circuit in response to an activation event.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit comprises a power source and a power regulation circuit that is configured to change the voltage supplied from the power source to a voltage for provision to the processing circuit.
3. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply circuit includes a power source and a power regulation circuit, and the activation -38 -circuit is configured to provide an input signal to the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, in response to which input signal, the voltage regulation circuit will then provide power from the power source to the processing circuit.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the activation circuit is configured to provide an enable signal to a control input of the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, and the activation circuit is configured to provide the enable signal to the control input of the power regulation circuit for the duration of the activation event.
5. The device of claim 3 or 4, wherein the activation circuit is configured to provide an enable signal to a control input of the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, and the processing circuit is configured to provide an enable signal to the control input of the power regulation circuit to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.
6. The device of claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide an enable signal to a control input of the power regulation circuit to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit, and to stop the provision of that signal to the control input of the power regulation circuit so as to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, once the processing circuit determines that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event.
7. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide a notification in response to the activation event by making a wireless transmission in response to the activation event.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to an activation event when it is determined that power is no longer required for providing a notification in response to an activation event.
-39 - 9. The device of claim 7 or 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine that power is no longer required for providing a notification in response to an activation event once a wireless transmission has been made to a communications network via which the notification will be provided to an end destination.
10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine that power is no longer required in response to an activation event once a wireless transmission is received after making the wireless transmission in response to the activation event and/or once the processing circuit has performed an action in response to a wireless transmission that is received after making the wireless transmission in response to the activation event.
11. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: store in non-volatile storage of the electronic device, information to be used for providing a notification in response to an activation event; and to: use that stored information when providing a notification in response to an activation event.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the stored information comprises one or more of: predefined and/or previously used connection settings; a domain name server address to be used to establish a network connection; and an IP address and all network addresses to be used for a DHCP request.
13. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic device is one of: a doorbell; an alarm; a smoke detector; a vibration sensor; a light sensor; -40 -a door lock; and a motion sensor.
14. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising: in response to an activation event, triggering a power supply circuit to supply power to a processing circuit; the processing circuit: providing a control signal to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to receiving power following an activation event; and whilst receiving power from the power supply circuit: providing a notification in response to the activation event; determining when power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event; and when it is determined that power is no longer required to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit in response to the activation event, providing a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit; and, after the processing circuit has provided a control signal to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit, stopping the supply of power to the processing circuit from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit until next triggering the power supply circuit to supply power to the processing circuit in response to an activation event.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the power supply circuit includes a power source and a power regulation circuit, and the method comprises: providing an input signal to the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, in response to which input signal, the voltage regulation circuit will then provide power from the power source to the processing circuit.
16. The method of claim 15, comprising providing an enable signal to a control input of the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, and for the duration of the activation event.
-41 - 17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein an enable signal is provided to a control input of the power regulation circuit in response to an activation event, and the processing circuit provides an enable signal to the control input of the power regulation circuit to maintain the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit.
18. The method of claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein the processing circuit provides an enable signal to a control input of the power regulation circuit to maintain the supply of power to the processing circuit, and stops the provision of that signal to the control input of the power regulation circuit so as to stop the supply of power from the power supply circuit to the processing circuit once it is determined that power is no longer required in response to the activation event.
19. The method of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the processing circuit provides a notification in response to the activation event by making a wireless transmission in response to the activation event.
20. The method of claim 19, comprising the processing circuit determining that power is no longer required in response to an activation event, once a wireless transmission has been made to a communications network via which the notification will be provided to an end destination.
21. The method of claim 19, comprising the processing circuit determining that power is no longer required in response to an activation event once a wireless transmission is received after making the wireless transmission in response to the activation event and/or once the processing circuit has performed an action in response to a wireless transmission that is received after making the wireless transmission in response to the activation event.
22. The method of any one of claims 14 to 21, comprising: storing in non-volatile storage of the electronic device, information to be used for providing a notification in response to an activation event; and the processing circuit: -42 -using that stored information when providing a notification in response to an activation event.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the stored information comprises one or more of: predefined and/or previously used connection settings; a domain name server address to be used to establish a network connection; and an IF address and all network addresses to be used for a DHCP request.
24. The method of any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein the electronic device is one of: a doorbell; an alarm; a smoke detector; a vibration sensor; a light sensor; a door lock; and a motion sensor.
25. A computer program comprising computer software code which when executing on a processor performs the method of any one of claims 14 to 24.