Power tool and method for wireless communication

• US 10,136,198 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2018
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stampfl, Burtrom Lee, Mergener, Matthew J., Huber, Alex, Rossetto, Paul, Conrad, Cole A., Matson, Stephen, Fischer, Scott R., Kubale, Mark A., Coulis, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US15/874,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 455507, 455500, 455517, 455557, 4555501, 4554261, 4554262, 4555751, 455 901- 903, 455572, 455573, 4555757, 4554221, 455403, 455445, 455 73, 320 13, 320 14, 320134
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/00 Arrangements for observing, indicating or measuring on machine tools for automatic control or regulation of feed movement, cutting velocity or position of tool or work B23Q15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• 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: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power tool having multiple wireless communication states and a method of wirelessly communicating by a power tool. The power tool includes a motor, a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack, a backup power source, and a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source and the battery pack interface. The wireless communication controller operates in a connectable state when coupled to a battery pack and transmits tool operational data to the external device and receives tool configuration data from the external device. The wireless communication controller operates in an advertisement state when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source. In the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit the unique tool identifier. The external device may also display an indication of the communication state of the power tool.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack;

a wireless communication controller coupled to the battery pack interface and including a wireless transceiver and a processor, wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to

determine that the battery pack interface is disconnected from the battery pack;

enter an advertisement state for wireless communication based on determining that the battery pack interface is disconnected from the battery pack; and

transmit an advertisement message including a unique tool identifier of the power tool when in the advertisement state.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to:

determine that the battery pack interface is connected to the battery pack;

form a wireless communication link with an external device; and

communicate, over the wireless communication link, to one or more of transmit tool operational data and receive tool configuration data from the external device.

3. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a real-time clock configured to maintain a current time and receive power from a backup power source;

wherein the wireless communication controller receives a lock out time from an external device and the power tool is configured to lock upon the current time exceeding the lock out time.

4. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor;

a backup power source;

a real-time clock coupled to the backup power source and configured to maintain a current time;

a switching network coupled between the motor and the battery pack interface;

an actuator;

a controller coupled to the actuator and the switching network, the controller configured to control the switching network to apply power from the battery pack to drive the motor based on activation of the actuator, wherein the controller is unpowered when the battery pack is disconnected from the battery pack interface;

wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to receive a lock out time;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the lock out time from the wireless communication controller and the current time, and further configured to lock the power tool upon determining that the current time exceeds the lock out time.

5. The power tool of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication controller receives the lock out time while the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack interface;

wherein the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack interface after the wireless communication controller receives the lock out time and prior to the current time exceeding the lock out time;

wherein at least one of the battery pack and a second battery pack is coupled to the battery pack interface after the current time exceeds the lock out time;

wherein the controller is configured to lock the power tool upon determining that the at least one of the battery pack and the second battery pack is coupled to the battery pack interface and that the current time exceeds the lock out time.

6. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a backup battery receptacle configured to receive a backup power source;

wherein the backup battery receptacle is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface and accessible when the battery pack is disconnected from the battery pack interface.

7. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing having an upper main body, a handle, and a battery pack receiving portion including the battery pack interface and a backup battery receptacle, wherein the upper main body includes a motor and the handle is connected to the upper main body and to the battery pack receiving portion; and

a backup power source located in the backup battery receptacle.

8. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to enter a connectable state for wireless communication by:

forming a wireless communication link with an external device; and

communicating over the wireless communication link to one or more of transmit tool operational data to the external device and receive tool configuration data from the external device;

wherein a user interface of the external device displays an icon that indicates that the wireless communication controller is in the connectable state.

9. A power tool comprising:

a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack;

a backup power source; and

a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source and the battery pack interface, the wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver and a processor, the wireless communication controller configured to

operate in an advertisement state when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source, wherein, in the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit an advertisement message including a charge level of the backup power source,

wherein transmitting of the advertisement message in the advertisement state includes periodic broadcasting of the advertisement message.

10. The power tool of claim 9, wherein the advertisement message further includes a unique tool identifier of the power tool.

11. The power tool of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to:

determine that the battery pack interface is connected to the battery pack;

form a wireless communication link with an external device; and

communicate, over the wireless communication link, to one or more of transmit tool operational data and receive tool configuration data from the external device.

12. The power tool of claim 9, further comprising:

a real-time clock configured to maintain a current time and receive power from the backup power source;

wherein the wireless communication controller receives a lock out time from an external device and the power tool is configured to lock upon the current time exceeding the lock out time.

13. The power tool of claim 9, further comprising:

a motor;

a real-time clock coupled to the backup power source and configured to maintain a current time;

a switching network coupled between the motor and the battery pack interface;

an actuator;

a controller coupled to the actuator and the switching network, the controller configured to control the switching network to apply power from the battery pack to drive the motor based on activation of the actuator, wherein the controller is unpowered when the battery pack is disconnected from the battery pack interface;

wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to receive a lock out time;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the lock out time from the wireless communication controller and the current time, and further configured to lock the power tool upon determining that the current time exceeds the lock out time.

14. The power tool of claim 9, further comprising:

a backup battery receptacle configured to receive the backup power source;

wherein the backup battery receptacle is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface and accessible when the battery pack is disconnected from the battery pack interface.

15. The power tool of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing having an upper main body, a handle, and a battery pack receiving portion including the battery pack interface and a backup battery receptacle, wherein the upper main body includes a motor and the handle is connected to the upper main body and to the battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the backup power source is located in the backup battery receptacle.

16. The power tool of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to enter a connectable state for wireless communication by:

forming a wireless communication link with an external device; and

communicating over the wireless communication link to one or more of transmit tool operational data to the external device and receive tool configuration data from the external device;

wherein a user interface of the external device displays an icon that indicates that the wireless communication controller is in the connectable state.

17. A power tool comprising:

a housing having an upper main body, a handle, and a battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the upper main body includes a motor and the handle is connected to the upper main body and to the battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes

a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack, and

a backup battery receptacle, wherein the backup battery receptacle is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface and accessible when the battery pack is disconnected from the battery pack interface;

a backup power source located in the backup battery receptacle; and

a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source, the wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver, a processor, and a unique tool identifier, the wireless communication controller configured to operate in an advertisement state when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source.

18. The power tool of claim 17, wherein, in the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit an advertisement message including the unique tool identifier;

wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to receive power from the battery pack when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack interface.

19. The power tool of claim 17, wherein the wireless communication controller is located in the battery pack receiving portion.

20. A power tool comprising:

a housing having an upper main body, a handle, and a battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the upper main body includes a motor and the handle is connected to the upper main body and to the battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes

a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack, and

a backup battery receptacle;

a backup power source located in the backup battery receptacle;

a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source, the wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver, a processor, and a unique tool identifier, the wireless communication controller configured to operate in an advertisement state when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source; and

a real-time clock configured to maintain a current time and receive power from the backup power source;

wherein the wireless communication controller is located in the backup battery receptacle and receives a lock out time from an external device;

wherein the power tool is configured to lock upon the current time exceeding the lock out time.