WIRELESS TRACKING OF POWER TOOLS AND RELATED DEVICES

• US 20200137578A1
• Filed: 12/27/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• 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 11,159,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 fob configured to control a plurality of power tool devices, the fob comprising:

a memory;

a user input device;

an antenna configured to allow the fob to wirelessly communicate with a remote monitoring device; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the user input device, and the antenna, the electronic processor configured to

receive identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices from the remote monitoring device,

store the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices in the memory;

receive a selection of a lock feature via the user input device; and

transmit, via the antenna, a lock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the selection of the lock feature via the user input device, the lock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to prevent operation of itself.

2. The fob of claim 1, wherein the user input device includes a display including a graphical user interface, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive the selection of the lock feature via the graphical user interface.

3. The fob of claim 2, wherein the electronic processor is configured to:

display, on the display and based on the identifying information, a list of power tool devices including the plurality of power tool devices; and

receive, via the graphical user interface, one or more selections of the plurality of power tool devices prior to receiving the selection of the lock feature.

4. The fob of claim 1, wherein the user input device includes a button on a housing of the fob.

5. The fob of claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring device is at least one selected from a group consisting of a smart phone and a personal computer.

6. The fob of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power tool devices includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power tool, a power tool battery pack, and a worklight.

7. The fob of claim 1, wherein the fob includes a second user input device, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to:

receive, via the second user input device, a selection of an unlock feature; and

transmit, via the antenna, an unlock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices to unlock each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to receiving the selection of the unlock feature, the unlock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to allow operation of itself.

8. The fob of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of power tool devices is configured to periodically broadcast its identity, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive, via the antenna, the broadcasted identities of each of the plurality of power tool devices.

9. A method of securing a plurality of power tool devices via a fob including an electronic processor configured to wirelessly communicate via an antenna, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving, from a remote monitoring device and with the electronic processor via the antenna, identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices;

storing the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices in a memory of the fob;

receiving, with the electronic processor via a user input device of the fob, a selection of a lock feature; and

transmitting, via the antenna, a lock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the selection of the lock feature via the user input device, the lock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to prevent operation of itself.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input device includes a display including a graphical user interface, and wherein receiving the selection includes receiving, with the electronic processor via the graphical user interface, the selection of the lock feature.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying, on the display and based on the identifying information, a list of power tool devices including the plurality of power tool devices; and

receiving, with the electronic processor via the graphical user interface, one or more selections of the plurality of power tool devices prior to receiving the selection of the lock feature.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input device includes a button on a housing of the fob.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the remote monitoring device is at least one selected from a group consisting of a smart phone and a personal computer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of power tool devices includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power tool, a power tool battery pack, and a worklight.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, with the electronic processor via a second user input device of the fob, a selection of an unlock feature; and

transmitting, via the antenna, an unlock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices to unlock each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to receiving the selection of the unlock feature, the unlock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to allow operation of itself.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of power tool devices is configured to periodically broadcast its identity, and further comprising receiving, with the electronic processor via the antenna, the broadcasted identities of each of the plurality of power tool devices.

17. A power tool device communication system comprising:

a remote monitoring device including

a first memory configured to store identifying information for each of a plurality of power tool devices, and

a first antenna configured to allow the remote monitoring device to wirelessly communicate with a fob;

the fob configured to control the plurality of power tool devices, the fob including

a second memory,

a user input device,

a second antenna configured to allow the fob to wirelessly communicate with the remote monitoring device, and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the second memory, the user input device, and the second antenna, the electronic processor configured to

receive the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices from the remote monitoring device,

store the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices in the second memory;

receive a selection of a lock feature via the user input device; and

transmit, via the second antenna, a lock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to the selection of the lock feature via the user input device, the lock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to prevent operation of itself.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the user input device includes a display including a graphical user interface;

wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive the selection of the lock feature via the graphical user interface; and

wherein the electronic processor is configured to;

display, on the display and based on the identifying information, a list of power tool devices including the plurality of power tool devices; and

receive, via the graphical user interface, one or more selections of the plurality of power tool devices prior to receiving the selection of the lock feature.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote monitoring device is at least one selected from a group consisting of a smart phone and a personal computer.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the fob includes a second user input device, and wherein the electronic processor is configured to:

receive, via the second user input device, a selection of an unlock feature; and

transmit, via the second antenna, an unlock command to each of the plurality of power tool devices to unlock each of the plurality of power tool devices in response to receiving the selection of the unlock feature, the unlock command (i) being based on the identifying information for each of the plurality of power tool devices and (ii) instructing each of the plurality of power tool devices to allow operation of itself.