Communication apparatus with charging reminder, and method

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a battery interface for receiving electrical energy from a main battery to energize the communication apparatus;

a battery monitor adapted to determine a status of the main battery;

a detector adapted to detect main charging events, based on the determined status of the main battery, wherein a main charging event comprises a charging or a replacement of the main battery;

a receiver adapted to receive an auxiliary status signal from a peripheral device external to the communication apparatus, wherein the auxiliary status signal indicates an auxiliary energy level of an auxiliary battery of the peripheral device;

an estimator adapted to detect low-battery conditions, based on the indicated auxiliary energy level; and

a controller adapted to provide a notification signal for a user interface to notify a user of the detected low-battery conditions;

wherein:

the estimator further is adapted to determine notification triggers, in response to the detected main charging events and in dependence on the detected low-battery conditions; and

the controller further is adapted to provide the notification signal in response to the determined notification triggers,

characterized in that:

the estimator further is adapted to maintain battery data indicating the latest auxiliary energy level received from the peripheral device and/or the latest determined presence or absence of a low-battery condition for the peripheral device, and to determine the presence or absence of a low-battery condition, based on the battery data when the peripheral device is not connected to the communication apparatus; and

the controller further is adapted to provide the notification signal when the peripheral device is not connected to the communication apparatus.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a non-volatile memory and wherein the estimator further is adapted to:

write battery data indicating detected low-battery conditions to the non-volatile memory; and

determine the notification triggers, based on the battery data in the non-volatile memory.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the estimator further is adapted to:

detect auxiliary charging events, based on the indicated auxiliary energy level, wherein an auxiliary charging event comprises a charging or a replacement of an auxiliary battery of the peripheral device; and

detect low-battery conditions, based on the detected auxiliary charging events.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the estimator further is adapted to:

determine a main statistic measure to indicate an averaged frequency of main charging events, based on the determined status of the main battery;

determine an auxiliary statistic measure to indicate an averaged frequency of auxiliary charging events, based on a series of detected auxiliary charging events;

determine a charging-event ratio indicating a ratio of the determined averaged frequency of main charging events over the determined averaged frequency of auxiliary charging events;

determine a main charging count indicating the number of main charging events detected since the latest detected auxiliary charging event; and

detect low-battery conditions, based on comparison of the charging-event ratio and the main charging count.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the estimator further is adapted to:

predict a time of the first or second future occurrence of a main charging event;

determine a main charging time, based on the predicted time of the first or second future occurrence of a main charging event;

predict a time of the first future occurrence of a discharge of the peripheral device;

determine an auxiliary charging time, based on the predicted time of the first future occurrence of a discharge of the peripheral device; and

detect low-battery conditions, based on comparison of the main charging time and the auxiliary charging time.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a receptacle for accommodating a main battery such that the main battery may be replaced by a user of the communication apparatus.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a charging circuit adapted to convey electrical energy received from an energy source external to the communication apparatus to the battery interface for charging the main battery.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:

the battery monitor further is adapted to detect and indicate when the energy source is connected to the charging circuit and/or when energy is conveyed from the energy source to the battery interface; and

the detector further is adapted to detect main charging events in dependence on indications of the energy source being connected to the charging circuit and/or energy being conveyed from the energy source to the battery interface.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:

the battery monitor further is adapted to determine a main energy level of a main battery connected to the battery interface; and

the detector further is adapted to detect main charging events in dependence on increases of the determined main energy level.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the receiver further is adapted to receive a first audio signal from the peripheral device.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit a second audio signal to the peripheral device.

12. A communication apparatus according to claim 11 , further configured as a mobile phone, a tablet computer or a laptop computer.

13. A method for controlling a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

at a battery interface receiving electrical energy from a main battery to energize the communication apparatus;

by a battery monitor determining a status of the main battery;

by a detector detecting main charging events, based on the determined status of the main battery, wherein a main charging event comprises a charging or a replacement of the main battery;

by a receiver receiving an auxiliary status signal from a peripheral device external to the communication apparatus, wherein the auxiliary status signal indicates an auxiliary energy level of an auxiliary battery of the peripheral device;

by an estimator detecting low-battery conditions, based on the indicated auxiliary energy level;

by a controller providing a notification signal for a user interface to notify a user of the detected low-battery conditions;

by the estimator determining notification triggers, in response to the detected main charging events and in dependence on the detected low-battery conditions; and

by the controller providing the notification signal in response to the determined notification triggers,

characterized in that the method further comprises:

by the estimator maintaining battery data indicating the latest auxiliary energy level received from the peripheral device and/or the latest determined presence or absence of a low-battery condition for the peripheral device, and determining the presence or absence of a low-battery condition, based on the battery data when the peripheral device is not connected to the communication apparatus; and

by the controller providing the notification signal when the peripheral device is not connected to the communication apparatus.