Power tool and method for wireless communication

• US 10,516,920 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2019
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• 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:
  US16/357,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20190215584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• 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 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,

a backup battery receptacle, and

a bottom surface of the housing, wherein the bottom surface includes the battery pack interface and an opening that defines the backup battery receptacle and wherein the bottom surface includes at least two planar surfaces that face the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface;

a backup power source located in the backup battery receptacle;

a cover configured to cover the backup power source and configured to at least partially cover the backup battery receptacle, wherein visibility of the cover is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface; and

a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source, 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 the wireless communication controller is located in the backup battery receptacle.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the battery pack interface is located on a first planar surface of the bottom surface and the opening is located on a second planar surface of the bottom surface.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the cover is a sliding door;

wherein the backup power source includes a coin cell battery and a printed circuit board;

wherein, in the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit an advertisement message including a 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.

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

enter the advertisement state in response to the battery pack interface being disconnected from the battery pack, and

transmit an advertisement message when in the advertisement state.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to enter a low-power 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 the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state.

6. 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,

a backup battery receptacle, and

a bottom surface of the housing, wherein the bottom surface includes the battery pack interface and an opening that defines the backup battery receptacle;

a backup power source located in the backup battery receptacle;

a cover configured to cover the backup power source, wherein visibility of the cover is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface; and

a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source, 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.

7. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the cover at least partially covers the backup battery receptacle.

8. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the bottom surface includes at least two planar surfaces that face the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface.

9. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the battery pack interface is located on a first planar surface of the bottom surface and the opening is located on a second planar surface of the bottom surface.

10. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the cover is a sliding door.

11. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the backup power source includes a coin cell battery and a printed circuit board.

12. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication controller is located in the backup battery receptacle.

13. The power tool of claim 6, wherein, in the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit an advertisement message including a 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.

14. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication controller is configured to:

enter the advertisement state in response to the battery pack interface being disconnected from the battery pack, and

transmit an advertisement message when in the advertisement state.

15. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication controller is further configured to enter a low-power 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 the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state.

16. A method of wirelessly communicating by a power tool, the method comprising:

entering, with a wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver and a processor, an advertisement state for wireless communication; and

transmitting, with the wireless communication controller, an advertisement message when in the advertisement state;

wherein the power tool includes a battery pack interface configured to selectively receive a battery pack;

wherein the battery pack interface is located on a battery pack receiving portion of a housing of the power tool, the housing further including an upper main body and a handle connected to the upper main body and the battery pack receiving portion, wherein the upper main body includes a motor;

wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes a backup battery receptacle, and a backup power source is located in the backup battery receptacle;

wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes a bottom surface of the housing, wherein the bottom surface includes

the battery pack interface, and

an opening that defines the backup battery receptacle; and

wherein a cover is configured to cover the backup power source, wherein visibility of the cover is blocked when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cover at least partially covers the backup battery receptacle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the bottom surface includes at least two planar surfaces that face the battery pack when the battery pack is connected to the battery pack interface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the battery pack interface is located on a first planar surface of the bottom surface and the opening is located on a second planar surface of the bottom surface.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

entering, with the wireless communication controller, a low-power connectable state for wireless communication by

forming, with the wireless communication controller, a wireless communication link with an external device, and

communicating, with the wireless communication controller, 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 the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state.