Reduction of power consumption in remote control electronics

1. A remote control device, comprising:

a housing;

a power source;

a transmitter that outputs control signals for remotely controlling an electronic device, the transmitter being operable to selectively output the control signals at a first communication frequency and at a second communication frequency;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor being configured to sense whether a user is holding the housing and output a sense signal indicating whether the user is holding the housing; and

a processor coupled to the power source, the transmitter and the sensor, the processor being configured to initiate a low power mode when the sense signal indicates the user is not holding the housing, and to cause the transmitter to output the control signals at the second communication frequency in the low power mode, wherein the second communication frequency is a lower frequency than the first communication frequency.

2. The remote control device of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic component within the housing and configured to control an operation of the remote control device, the electronic component being operatively coupled to the power source, wherein the processor is further configured to decouple power from the power source to the electronic component in the low power mode.

3. The remote control device of claim 2 , wherein the electronic component includes at least one of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a touchpad.

4. The remote control device of claim 2 , further comprising a switch, the electronic component being operatively coupled to the power source through the switch.

5. The remote control device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a capacitive sensor.

6. The remote control device of claim 5 , wherein the capacitive sensor is positioned along a periphery of the housing.

7. The remote control device of claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor configured to detect a movement of the remote control device, the motion sensor being coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to initiate the low power mode in response to the motion sensor detecting that the remote control device has not been moved for a predetermined period of time, even if the sensor senses that the user is holding the remote control device.

8. The remote control device of claim 1 , further comprising a screen, wherein the user's movement of the remote control device corresponds to moving one or more user selection devices on the screen.

9. A method, comprising:

sensing, by a sensor in a remote control device, whether a user is holding the remote control device;

generating, by the sensor, a sense signal indicating whether the user is holding the remote control device;

initiating a low power mode, by a processor of the remote control device, based on the sense signal; and

adjusting, by the processor, a communication frequency of a transmitter/receiver module in the remote control device in the low power mode.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting, by a motion sensor, a movement of the remote control device; and

initiating the low power mode in response to the motion sensor detecting that the remote control device has not been moved for a predetermined period of time.

11. A method comprising:

sensing, by a sensor in a remote control device, whether a user is holding the remote control device, wherein sensing whether the user is holding the remote control device includes

detecting a capacitance by the sensor; and

comparing the capacitance to a threshold capacitances;

generating, by the sensor, a sense signal indicating whether the user is holding the remote control device;

initiating a low power mode, by a processor of the remote control device, based on the sense signal;

adjusting, by the processor, a communication frequency of a transmitter/receiver module in the remote control device in the low power mode; and

decoupling power from the power source to an electronic component in the remote control device in the low power mode.

12. A method of comprising:

sensing, by a sensor in a remote control device, whether a user is holding the remote control device; wherein the sensing whether a user is holding the remote control device includes

detecting a capacitance by the sensor; and

comparing the capacitance to a threshold capacitance;

generating, by the sensor, a sense signal indicating whether the user is holding the remote control device, wherein generating the sense signal includes generating a sense signal indicating that the user is holding the remote control device if the detected capacitance exceeds the predetermined threshold capacitance;

initiating a low power mode, by a processor of the remote control device, based on the sense signal;

adjusting, by the processor, a communication frequency of a transmitter/receiver module in the remote control device in the low power mode; and

decoupling power from the power source to an electronic component in the remote control device in the low power mode.

13. A system, comprising:

a set top box; and

a remote control device configured to remotely control the set top box, the remote control device including:

a power source;

a processor coupled to the power source; and

a sensor configured to sense whether a user is holding the remote control device and to output to the processor a signal indicating whether the user is holding the remote control device,

wherein the processor is configured to initiate a low power mode when the signal indicates the user is not holding the remote control device, and to adjust a frequency of communication between the remote control device and the set top box in the low power mode.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the remote control device further includes a motion sensor configured to detect a movement of the remote control device, the motion sensor being coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to initiate the low power mode in response to the motion sensor detecting that the remote control device has not been moved for a predetermined period of time, even if the sensor senses that the user is holding the remote control device.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor of the remote control device includes a capacitive sensor.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the remote control device further includes an electronic component within the housing and configured to control an operation of the remote control device, the electronic component being operatively coupled to the power source, wherein the processor is further configured to decouple power from the power source to the electronic component based on the low power mode signal.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electronic component includes at least one of: an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a touchpad.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the remote control device further includes a switch, the electronic component being operatively coupled to the power source through the switch.