Remote light control, configuration, and monitoring

• US 10,433,405 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2019
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Isaacs, Jason, Verbrugge, Brandon L., Mergener, Matthew J., Stampfl, Burtrom L., Matson, Stephen, Coulis, Christian, Schneider, Scott, Schermerhorn, Josh, Simeone, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US16/377,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20190239323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 176 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: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A system of light devices including a first light device and a second light device. The first light device having a first housing, a first light, a first transceiver, a first electronic processor. The second light having a second housing, a second light, a second transceiver, a second electronic processor. The first electronic processor is coupled to the first light and the first transceiver, and configured to control operation of the first light, and transmit, via the first transceiver a command to the second light device. The second electronic processor coupled to the second light and the second transceiver, and configured to receive, via the second transceiver, the command from the first light device, and change an operational parameter of the second light in response to the command from the first light device.

Claims

1. A system of light devices comprising:

a first light device including

a first housing,

a first light supported by the first housing,

a first transceiver supported by the first housing, and

a first electronic processor coupled to the first light and the first transceiver,

the first electronic processor configured to

control operation of the first light,

transmit, via the first transceiver, a command to a second light device; and

the second light device including

a second housing,

a second light supported by the second housing,

a second transceiver supported by the second housing, and

a second electronic processor coupled to the second light and the second transceiver, and configured to

receive, via the second transceiver, the command from the first light device, and

change an operational parameter of the second light in response to the command from the first light device;

wherein the first electronic processor is configured to detect an interruption in alternating current power received by the first light device, and transmit, via the first transceiver, an alert signal to an external device indicating alternating current power was lost.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising the external device, wherein the external device includes a device transceiver configured to transmit the command to the first light device, wherein the first electronic processor is further configured to receive, via the first transceiver, the command for the second light device from the external device, and wherein the first electronic processor is configured to transmit the command to the second light device in response to receiving the command from the external device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first electronic processor is further configured to change the operational parameter of the first light device in response to receiving the command from the external device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the external device further includes a screen, and a device electronic processor coupled to the device transceiver and the screen, the device electronic processor is configured to

display, on the screen, settings associated with operation of the first light device,

receive an input changing one of the settings associated with the first light device, and

wherein the command to the first light device is based on the input received at the external device.

5. An external device comprising:

a display;

a device transceiver; and

an electronic processor configured to

receive, via the device transceiver, an advertisement signal from at least one of a first light device and a first power tool device, wherein the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device is located within direct communication range of the external device,

control the display to display a list of light devices and power tools devices, wherein the list includes (i) the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device and (ii) a second light device, wherein the second light device is located outside of direct communication range of the external device,

receive, via the display, a selection of the second light device, and

communicate with the second light device indirectly via the device transceiver and the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device.

6. The external device of claim 5, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to control the display to display settings associated with operational parameters of the second light device in response to receiving the selection of the second light device.

7. The external device of claim 6, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, via the display, an input changing one of the settings associated with an operational parameter of the second light device; and

in response to receiving the input, transmit a command to the second light device indirectly via the device transceiver and the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device, wherein the command instructs the second light device to change the operational parameter of the second light device in accordance with the input.

8. The external device of claim 7, wherein the operational parameter includes one selected from a group consisting of a power consumption, a brightness level, and a schedule parameter.

9. The external device of claim 5, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive status information from the second light device indirectly via the device transceiver and the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device; and

control the display to display the status information.

10. The external device of claim 9, wherein the status information of the second light device includes at least one of a group consisting of a power status, a power consumption, a current brightness level, and a remaining runtime.

11. The external device of claim 9, wherein the status information indicates that an environmental parameter sensed by an environmental sensor of the second light device is outside of an expected range.

12. The external device of claim 5, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive location information from the second light device indirectly via the device transceiver and the at least one of the first light device and the first power tool device;

wherein the location information indicates that a third power tool device is within a proximity threshold of the second light device;

wherein the second light device is configured to

receive an identification signal from the third power tool device; and

transmit the location information in response to receiving the identification signal from the third power tool device.

13. A first light device comprising:

a housing;

a light supported by the housing;

a transceiver supported by the housing; and

an electronic processor coupled to the light and the transceiver, the electronic processor configured to

determine whether an external device is within direct communication range of the first light device, and

in response to determining that the external device is outside of direct communication range of the first light device, transmit status information of the first light device indirectly to the external device by

transmitting the status information to at least one of a second light device and a power tool device, and

transmitting an instruction to the at least one of the second light device and the power tool device, wherein the instruction indicates that the status information is to be forwarded to the external device.

14. The first light device of claim 13, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to, in response to determining that the external device is within direct communication range of the first light device, transmit the status information directly to the external device.

15. The first light device of claim 13, wherein the status information is displayed on a display of the external device.

16. The first light device of claim 13, wherein the status information includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power status, a power consumption, a current brightness level, and a remaining runtime.

17. The first light device of claim 13, further comprising an environmental sensor configured to sense an environmental parameter, wherein the environmental sensor is coupled to the electronic processor and wherein the electronic processor is configured to:

determine that a value of the environmental parameter is outside of an expected range; and

transmit the status information in response to determining that the value of the environmental parameter is outside of the expected range, wherein the status information includes an alert regarding the value of the environmental parameter.

18. The first light device of claim 13, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, via the transceiver, an identification signal from a second power tool device, and

transmit the status information in response to receiving the identification signal, wherein the status information includes location information indicating that the second power tool device is within a proximity threshold of the first light device.

19. The first light device of claim 13, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, via the transceiver, a command from the external device indirectly via the at least one of the second light device and the power tool device, wherein the command includes a value of an operational parameter configured to be adjustable via a user interface on the external device before being received by the electronic processor; and

control operation of the light based on the value of the operational parameter;

wherein the first light device is outside of direct communication range of the external device and the at least one of the second light device and the power tool device is within direct communication range of the external device and of the first light device.

20. The first light device of claim 19, wherein the operational parameter includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a power consumption, a brightness level, and a schedule parameter.