System and method for establishing a wireless connection between power tool and mobile device

• US 10,149,142 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Coulis, Christian Paul, Rothman, Jason Glenn, Stefanik, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dsouza, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US15/615,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20170353847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method and system for connecting a power tool with a mobile device. The mobile device receives a user request to connect to a power tool and transmits a short-range advertisement. The power tool receives the short-range advertisement and transmits a signal. The mobile device receives the signal from the power tool and determines a signal strength. The mobile device compares the signal strength to a predetermined signal strength value. When the signal strength value exceeds the predetermined signal strength value, the mobile device connects with the power tool.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;

transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;

receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;

determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold; and

in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold;

establishing, using the electronic processor, a connection with the power tool device,

adding, using the electronic processor, the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and

identifying the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in addition to establishing the connection, receiving usage data recorded on the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the user interface of the mobile device, a list of nearby power tool devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input to change the signal strength threshold; and

changing the signal strength threshold based on the user input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the signal strength includes determining an average signal strength over a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold further comprises:

determining that the signal strength is increasing above a predetermined rate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a list of associated power tool devices;

receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;

transmitting a second short-range advertisement;

receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;

determining signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;

determining a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

determining a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and

providing an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a second indication of the fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising in addition to establishing the connection, in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold, one selected from a group consisting of:

sending a configuration profile to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured using the configuration profile, and

sending a security setting to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured to apply the security setting.

10. A mobile device for connecting with a power tool device, the mobile device comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory; and

an electronic processor coupled to the transceiver and memory and configured to;

receive, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device,

transmit, with the transceiver, a short-range advertisement,

receive, via the transceiver, a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement,

determine a signal strength of the signal,

determine that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold, and

in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold;

establish a connection with the power tool device,

add the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and

identify the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

in addition to establishing the connection, receive usage data recorded on the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive a list of associated power tool devices;

receive a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;

transmit, via the transceiver, a second short-range advertisement;

receive, via the transceiver, a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;

determine signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;

determine a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determine a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

determine a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and

provide an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

provide a second indication of the fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

in addition to establishing the connection with the power tool device, send a configuration profile to the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold, wherein the power tool device is configured using the configuration profile.

15. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;

transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;

receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;

determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold; and

in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold

adding, using the electronic processor, the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and

identifying the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a list of associated power tool devices;

receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;

transmitting a second short-range advertisement;

receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;

determining signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;

determining a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

determining a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and

providing an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold, at least one selected from a group consisting of:

receiving usage data recorded on the power tool device,

identifying the user as an owner of the power tool device,

sending a configuration profile to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured using the configuration profile, and

sending a security setting to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured to apply the security setting.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying, on the user interface of the mobile device, a list of nearby power tool devices.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the signal strength includes determining an average signal strength over a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold further comprises:

determining that the signal strength is increasing above a predetermined rate.

21. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;

transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;

receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;

determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold;

establishing, using the electronic processor, a connection with the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold;

receiving a list of associated power tool devices;

receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;

transmitting a second short-range advertisement;

receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;

determining signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;

determining a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

determining a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and

providing an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

22. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;

transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;

receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;

determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold;

adding, using the electronic processor, the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold;

receiving a list of associated power tool devices;

receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;

transmitting a second short-range advertisement;

receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;

determining signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;

determining a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

determining a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and

providing an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.