WORKSITE AUDIO DEVICE WITH WIRELESS INTERFACE

• US 20140119575A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Conrad, Cole A., Burch, Wade F., Crowe, Jason R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/150
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/002 Intermediate AC, e.g. DC supply with intermediated AC distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/00 Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls

Abstract

Systems and methods including a wireless device in communication with, controlling, and providing streaming media to a worksite audio device. The worksite audio device, such as a radio, includes a rugged structure enabling its use on construction sites. The worksite audio device is powerable via a power tool battery pack or AC source, and includes a charger circuit to charge an inserted power tool battery using power from the AC source. The worksite audio device is in communication with an external wireless device, such as a smart phone. The worksite audio device outputs to the smart phone battery status information, such as temperature and state of charge, as well as other information about the audio device. The smart phone displays the status information received from the audio device. Additionally, a user may control the audio device via a graphical user interface of the smart phone.

Claims

1. A worksite audio device comprising:

a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack;

a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

an audio circuit coupled to a speaker and that provides an audio signal to a speaker, wherein the speaker outputs audio corresponding to the provided audio signals;

a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with an external device having a display; and

a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the wireless interface, wherein the controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module, and

outputs, via the wireless interface, the status of the power tool battery pack to the external device for display.

2. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery indicates a state of charge of the battery.

3. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery indicates a temperature of the battery.

4. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery indicates that the battery is being charged.

5. The worksite audio device of claim 1,

wherein the battery monitoring module detects that the power tool battery pack has reached a full charge, and

wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates that the power tool battery pack has reached full charge in response to the detection.

6. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the controller further

receives an instruction from the external device, via the wireless interface, for the audio device, and

controls the audio device in accordance with the instruction.

7. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the controller further

determines a status of the audio device, and

outputs, via the wireless interface, the status of the audio device to the external device for display, wherein the status of the audio circuit indicates at least one of a volume setting, a radio station frequency, a mute function status, and a current audio source.

8. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein

the controller receives an audio stream from the external device;

and

the audio circuit outputs the audio stream as audio signals to the speaker.

9. The worksite audio device of claim 1, further comprising firmware, wherein the controller

outputs an indication of a version of the firmware to the external device;

receives an update to the firmware, based on the indication of the version, from the external device; and

updates the firmware with the received update.

10. The worksite audio device of claim 1, further comprising at least two guard structures outside of a housing of the audio device.

11. A worksite audio device control system comprising:

a worksite audio device including

a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack;

a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

an audio circuit coupled to a speaker and that provides audio signals to a speaker, wherein the speaker outputs audio corresponding to the provided audio signals;

a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

a first wireless interface; and

a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the first wireless interface, wherein the controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module, and

outputs, via the first wireless interface, the status of the power tool battery pack; and

a mobile phone including;

a second wireless interface;

a display; and

a phone controller coupled to the second wireless interface and the display, wherein the phone controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack from the controller of the worksite audio device via the second wireless interface, and

causes the status of the power tool battery pack to be shown on the display.

12. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, wherein the status of the power tool battery indicates at least one of a state of charge of the battery, a temperature of the battery, and that the battery is being charged.

13. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11,

wherein the battery monitoring module

initially detects that the power tool battery pack is being charged, and

then detects that the power tool battery pack has reached a full charge, and

wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates that the power tool battery pack has reached full charge in response to the detection.

14. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, wherein

the phone controller outputs an instruction, via the second wireless interface, to the controller of the audio device;

and

the controller of the audio device controls the audio device in accordance with the instruction.

15. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, wherein the controller further

determines a status of the audio device, and

outputs, via the first wireless interface, the status of the audio device to the external device for display.

16. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, wherein

the phone controller outputs an audio stream, via the second wireless interface, to the controller of the audio device;

and

the audio circuit of the audio device outputs the audio stream as audio signals to the speaker.

17. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, further comprising firmware, wherein

the controller outputs an indication of a version of the firmware to the external device;

the phone controller determines whether an update to the firmware is available based on the received version;

the phone controller outputs the update to the audio device;

the controller of the audio device updates the firmware with the received update.

18. The worksite audio device control system of claim 11, further comprising at least two guard structures outside of a housing of the audio device.

19. A method of wirelessly communicating by an audio device, the audio device including a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack, a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, an audio circuit coupled to a speaker, a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with an external device having a display;

and a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the wireless interface, the method comprising;

establishing a wireless connection, via the wireless interface, with the external device;

obtaining the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module;

outputting the status of the power tool battery pack, via the wireless interface, to the external device;

receiving, from the external device, a command via the wireless interface; and

controlling the audio device in accordance with the command.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising displaying, on the external device, the status of the power tool battery pack.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, from the external device, an audio stream; and

outputting the audio stream via the audio circuit and speaker.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, from the external device, a firmware update; and

updating firmware of the audio device with the firmware update.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the status of the power tool battery indicates at least one of a state of charge of the battery, a temperature of the battery, and that the battery is being charged.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the command causes the audio device to at least one of:

adjust a volume setting, adjust a radio station frequency, toggle a mute function, and switch an audio source.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising

obtaining a status of the audio device, and

outputting, via the first wireless interface, the status of the audio device to the external device, wherein the status of the audio circuit indicates at least one of a volume setting, a radio station frequency, a mute function status, and a current audio source.