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

• US 10,382,942 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• 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:
  US16/164,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20190053032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 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 to check for proximate tools with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a user request to check for proximate power tool devices;

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

receiving, via the transceiver, signals from a plurality of power tool devices in response to the short-range advertisement to identify the plurality of power tool devices as in-range power tool devices;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, signal strength for each power tool device of the plurality of power tool devices based on the signals received via the transceiver;

determining, using the electronic processor, a first subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining, using the electronic processor, a second subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

comparing, using the electronic processor, a list of associated power tool devices with the in-range power tool devices to identify a list of missing power tool devices, the list of associated power tool devices associated with a user of the mobile device;

providing, via the user interface,

a first indication that the first subset of the plurality of power tool devices are proximate to the mobile device,

a second indication that the second subset of the plurality of power tool devices are within wireless range but not proximate to the mobile device, and

a third indication of the list of missing power tool devices

determining a type of transceiver used in at least one power tool of the plurality of power tool devices based on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of power tool devices; and

adjusting the predetermined threshold to a threshold corresponding to the type of transceiver.

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input to change the predetermined threshold; and

changing the predetermined threshold based on the user input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuously monitoring a second signal strength of a second signal received from a power tool device;

determining that the second signal strength is increasing above a predetermined rate; and

adding the power tool device to the list of associated power tool devices in response to determining that the second signal strength is increasing above the predetermined rate.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a tapping of a power tool device with the mobile device;

adding the power tool device to the list of associated power tool devices in response to detecting the tapping of the power tool device with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting tapping of the power tool device further comprises:

determining that a second signal strength of a second signal received from the power tool device is increasing above a predetermined increase rate;

determining that the second signal strength exceeds a predetermined signal strength threshold after increasing above the predetermined rate; and

determining that the second signal strength is decreasing above a predetermined decrease rate.

7. A method to check for proximate tools with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a user request to check for proximate power tool devices;

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

receiving, via the transceiver, signals from a plurality of power tool devices in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, signal strength for each power tool device of the plurality of power tool devices based on the signals received via the transceiver;

determining, using the electronic processor, a first subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining, using the electronic processor, a second subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

providing, via the user interface, a first indication that the first subset of the plurality of power tool devices are proximate to the mobile device;

determining a type of transceiver used in at least one power tool of the plurality of power tool devices based on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of power tool devices; and

adjusting the predetermined threshold to a threshold corresponding to the type of transceiver.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing, via the user interface, a second indication that the second subset of the plurality of power tool devices are within wireless range but not proximate to the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the signal strength includes determining an average signal strength over a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user input to change the predetermined threshold; and

changing the predetermined threshold based on the user input.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying, using the electronic processor, the plurality of power tool devices as in-range power tool devices based on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of power tool devices;

comparing, using the electronic processor, a list of associated power tool devices with the in-range power tool devices to identify a list of missing power tool devices, the list of associated power tool devices associated with a user of the mobile device; and

providing, via the user interface, a second indication of the list of missing power tool devices.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a tapping of a power tool device with the mobile device;

adding the power tool device to the list of associated power tool devices in response to detecting the tapping of the power tool device with the mobile device.

13. A 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, a user request to check for proximate power tool devices,

transmit, via the transceiver, a short range advertisement,

receive, via the transceiver, a plurality of signals from a plurality of power tool devices in response to the short-range advertisement,

determine, signal strength for each power tool device of the plurality of power tool devices based on the signals received via the transceiver,

determine a first subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold,

determine a second subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold,

provide, via the user interface, a first indication that the first subset of the plurality of power tool devices are proximate to the mobile device,

determine a type of transceiver used in at least one power tool of the plurality of power tool devices based on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of power tool devices, and

adjust the predetermined threshold to a threshold corresponding to the type of transceiver.

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

provide, via the user interface, a second indication that the second subset of the plurality of power tool devices are within wireless range but not proximate to the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein determining the signal strength includes determining an average signal strength over a predetermined period of time.

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

receive a user input to change the predetermined threshold; and

change the predetermined threshold based on the user input.

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

identify the plurality of power tool devices as in-range power tool devices based on the plurality of signals received from the plurality of power tool devices;

compare a list of associated power tool devices with the in-range power tool devices to identify a list of missing power tool devices, the list of associated power tool devices associated with a user of the mobile device; and

provide, via the user interface, a second indication of the list of missing power tool devices.

18. A method to check for proximate tools with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a user request to check for proximate power tool devices;

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

receiving, via the transceiver, signals from a plurality of power tool devices in response to the short-range advertisement;

determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, signal strength for each power tool device of the plurality of power tool devices based on the signals received via the transceiver;

determining, using the electronic processor, a first subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;

determining, using the electronic processor, a second subset of the plurality of power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;

providing, via the user interface, a first indication that the first subset of the plurality of power tool devices are proximate to the mobile device;

detecting a tapping of a power tool device with the mobile device; and

adding the power tool device to the list of associated power tool devices in response to detecting the tapping of the power tool device with the mobile device.