WIRELESS TRACKING OF POWER TOOLS AND RELATED DEVICES

• US 20160088482A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zeiler, Jeffrey M., Reading, Leslie J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,237,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/05 Anti-theft or abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and system for wirelessly tracking power tools and related devices to aid with inventory management and to help minimize, prevent, and recover misplaced or stolen tools throughout the job site. The tools and/or batteries include wireless transmitting capabilities (e.g., an ISM unit) to transmit data to a fob, puck repeater, and/or gateway over an ISM network. The gateway is operable to translate and output the ISM communications over a cellular network to a remote monitoring unit, such as a personal computer or smart phone. Additionally, the gateway is further operable to translate and output cellular communications from the remote monitoring unit to ISM communications over the ISM network. A wireless tethering system and method is also disclosed whereby an ISM battery places a power tool in a lock-out or limp mode after the ISM battery remains outside of ISM communications for a prolonged period of time.

Claims

1. A method of securing a power tool device via a remote monitoring unit including a processor, a wireless communication unit, and a display, the method comprising:

displaying, by the display, a list of a plurality of power tool devices associated with the remote monitoring unit;

receiving, by the processor, a selection of one of the plurality of power tool devices;

receiving, by the processor, a selection of a lock feature; and

transmitting, by the wireless communication unit, a lock command to the selected one of the plurality of the power tool devices to lock the power tool device in response to the received selection of the lock feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices is one selected from a group consisting of a power tool and a power tool battery pack.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a geo-fence boundary for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices; and

transmitting, by the wireless communication unit, the lock command to the selected one of the plurality of the power tool devices in response to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices exceeding the geo-fence boundary.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a geo-fence boundary for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices; and

receiving, by the wireless communication unit, a message from the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices, the message indicating that the geo-fence has been exceeded by the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating, via the display, a battery charge level for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating, via the display, a temperature measurement of the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a selection of a locate feature;

transmitting, by the wireless communication unit, a locate command to the selected one of the plurality of the power tool devices in response to receiving the selection of the locate feature, the locate command operable to perform one selected from a group consisting of flashing a light, generating a sound, and vibrating an element on the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of one of the plurality of power tool devices is a first selection, and further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a second selection of a second one of the plurality of power tool devices; and

wherein

transmitting the lock command includes transmitting, in response to the received selection of the lock feature, a first lock command to the first selected one of the plurality of power tool devices and transmitting a second lock command to the second selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the lock command includes transmitting the lock command with a wireless signal having a frequency within the industrial, scientific, and medical frequency band.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising

accessing a power tool device database on a remote server, the power tool device database including the list of power tool devices associated with the remote monitoring unit.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, by the processor, a selection of an unlock feature;

transmitting, by the wireless communication unit, an unlock command to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices to unlock the power tool device in response to receiving the selection of the unlock feature.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a power tool device to the list of the plurality of power tool devices based on a distance between the power tool device and the remote monitoring unit, wherein adding the power tool device includes

broadcasting an identify request to power tool devices,

receiving a selection to add a new power tool device to the list of the plurality of power tool devices,

receiving identification information from the power tool device, and

associating the power tool device with the remote monitoring unit.

13. A remote monitoring unit for monitoring a plurality of power tool devices, the remote monitoring unit comprising:

a display configured to display a list of a plurality of power tool devices associated with the remote monitoring unit;

a processor coupled to the display, the processor configured to

receive a selection of one of the plurality of power tool devices, and

receive a selection of a lock feature; and

a wireless communication unit coupled to the processor and configured to

transmit a lock command to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices to lock the power tool device.

14. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices is one selected from a group consisting of a power tool and a power tool battery pack.

15. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive a geo-fence boundary for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices;

and wherein the wireless communication unit is further configured to transmit the lock command to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices exceeding the geo-fence boundary.

16. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive a geo-fence boundary for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices;

receive a wireless message from the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices indicating that the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices has exceeded the geo-fence boundary.

17. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the display is further configured to display a battery charge level for the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

18. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a selection of a locate feature, and wherein the wireless communication unit is further configured to transmit a locate command to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the received selection of the locate feature, the locate command operable to perform one selected from a group consisting of flashing a light, generating a sound, and vibrating an element on the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices.

19. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication unit transmits and receives messages to and from the plurality of power tool device using a frequency within the industrial, scientific, and medical frequency band.

20. The remote monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a selection of an unlock feature;

and the wireless communication unit is further configured to transmit an unlock command to the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices to unlock the selected one of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the received selection of the unlock feature.