Power tool operation recording and playback

• US 10,556,330 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2019
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Conrad, Cole A., Simeone, Thomas G., Mergener, Matthew J., Wycklendt, Matthew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US16/414,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20190271973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• 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: B25B 21/02 with means for imparting impact to screwdriver blade or nut socket
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1475 for impact wrenches or screwdrivers
• 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: G05B 19/423 Teaching successive positions by walk-through, i.e. the tool head or end effector being grasped and guided directly, with or without servo-assistance, to follow a path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/425 Teaching successive positions by numerical control, i.e. commands being entered to control the positioning servo of the tool head or end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36494 Record position and inclination of tool, wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/02 Registering or indicating working or idle time only
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/16 Circuit arrangements for detecting position
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50

Abstract

Systems and methods of operating power tools. The method includes receiving a command to start a recording mode at a first electronic processor of a first power tool, and receiving at the first electronic processor, a measured parameter from a sensor of the first power tool while a first motor of the first power tool is operating. The method also includes generating a recorded motor parameter by recording the measured parameter, on a first memory of the first power tool, when the first power tool operates in the recording mode, and transmitting, with a first transceiver of the first power tool, the recorded motor parameter. The method further includes receiving the recorded motor parameter at an external device, transmitting the recorded motor parameter to a second power tool via the external device, and receiving the recorded motor parameter via a second transceiver of the second power tool.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a power tool by an external device, the method comprising:

establishing, via a communication interface of the external device, a first wireless communication link with a first power tool, the external device including a memory and an electronic processor coupled to the memory and the communication interface;

receiving, by the electronic processor of the external device via the first wireless communication link, a recorded motor parameter from the first power tool, wherein the recorded motor parameter is recorded by the first power tool during an operation of the first power tool and is based on an output from a sensor of the first power tool;

establishing, via the communication interface of the external device, a second wireless communication link with a second power tool; and

transmitting, by the external device via the second wireless communication link, the recorded motor parameter to the second power tool, wherein the second power tool is configurable to replicate the operation of the first power tool by playing-back the recorded motor parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the first wireless communication link includes:

scanning, by the electronic processor, a radio wave communication spectrum utilized for communication with power tools;

identifying, by the electronic processor of the external device, the first power tool within communication range of the external device;

displaying, by the electronic processor of the external device, the first power tool in a power tool list in a graphical user interface; and

receiving, by the electronic processor of the external device, a selection of the first power tool in the power tool list via the graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, by the electronic processor, a start-recording actuator in a graphical user interface of the external device;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, an input command to actuate start-recording in the first power tool; and

in response to the input command, transmitting a start-recording signal to the first power tool for recording the recorded motor parameter during the operation of the first power tool.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, by the electronic processor, a graphic selector for selecting an operational characteristic parameter in the graphical user interface;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a selection of the operational characteristic parameter; and

in response to the selection for the operational characteristic parameter, transmitting the operational characteristic parameter to the first power tool, wherein the operational characteristic parameter configures an operational characteristic in the first power tool when recording the recorded motor parameter during the operation of the first power tool.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic processor, an input command via the graphical user interface; and

in response to the input command, storing the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool as a mode profile in the memory of the external device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic processor, an input command via the graphical user interface; and

in response to receiving the input command, associating a name with the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool for display in the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic processor, an input command from the graphical user interface; and

in response to receiving the input command, associating the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool with a first mode in the memory of the external device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

transmitting, via the communication interface of the external device, a mode profile assignment for the recorded motor parameter with the first mode, wherein the first power tool or another power tool receives the mode profile assignment for the recorded motor parameter with the first mode and replicates the operation of the first power tool when operating in the first mode.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

displaying, by the electronic processor of the external device, a list of graphical mode selectors including a graphical mode selector for the first mode associated with the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool;

receiving, from the graphical user interface, a further input command selecting the first mode associated with the recorded motor parameter; and

in response to the further input command, transmitting the first mode selection to the first power tool or another power tool, wherein the first mode selection configures the first power tool or the other power tool to playback the recorded motor parameter to replicate the operation of the first power tool.

10. A device for controlling a power tool, the device comprising:

a communication interface;

an electronic processor coupled to the communication interface;

a memory coupled to the electronic processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the electronic processor, configure the electronic processor to

establish, via the communication interface, a first wireless communication link with a first power tool based on a selection of the first power tool in a power tool list from a graphical user interface;

receive, via the first wireless communication link, a recorded motor parameter from the first power tool, wherein the recorded motor parameter is recorded by the first power tool during an operation of the first power tool and is based on an output from a sensor of the first power tool;

establish, via the communication interface, a second wireless communication link with a second power tool; and

transmit, via the second wireless communication link, the recorded motor parameter to the second power tool, wherein the second power tool is configurable to replicate the operation of the first power tool by playing-back the recorded motor parameter.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein, to establish the first wireless communication link, the electronic processor is further configured to:

scan a radio wave communication spectrum utilized for communication with power tools;

identify the first power tool;

display the first power tool in a power tool list in the graphical user interface; and

receive a selection of the first power tool in the power tool list from the graphical user interface.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

display a start-recording actuator in the graphical user interface;

receive, via the graphical user interface, an input command to actuate start-recording in the first power tool; and

in response to the input command, transmit a start-recording signal to the first power tool for recording the recorded motor parameter during the operation of the first power tool.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

display a graphic selector for selecting an operational characteristic parameter in the graphical user interface;

receive, from the graphical user interface, a selection for the operational characteristic parameter; and

in response to the selection, transmit the operational characteristic parameter to the first power tool, wherein the operational characteristic parameter configures an operational characteristic in the first power tool when recording the recorded motor parameter during the operation of the first power tool.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, from the graphical user interface, an input command; and

in response to receiving the input command, store the recorded motor parameter as a mode profile in the memory of the device.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, from the graphical user interface, an input command; and

in response to receiving the input command, associate a name with the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool for display in the graphical user interface.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:

receive, from the graphical user interface, an input command; and

in response to receiving the input command, associating the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool with a first mode in the memory of the device.

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

transmit, via the communication interface, a mode profile assignment for the recorded motor parameter with the first mode, wherein the first power tool or another power tool receives the mode profile assignment for the recorded motor parameter with the first mode and replicates the operation of the first power tool when operating in the first mode.

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

display a list of graphical mode selectors including a graphical mode selector for the first mode associated with the recorded motor parameter from the first power tool;

receive, from the graphical user interface, a further input command selecting the first mode associated with the recorded motor parameter; and

in response to the further input command, transmit the first mode selection to the first power tool or another power tool, wherein the first mode selection configures the first power tool or the other power tool to playback the recorded motor parameter to replicate the operation of the first power tool.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for interfacing with a power tool by an external device, wherein the program, when executed by an electronic processor of the electronic device, configures the electronic processor to:

establish, via a communication interface of the external device, a first wireless communication link with a first power tool, the external device including a memory and an electronic processor coupled to the memory and the communication interface;

receive, via the first wireless communication link, a recorded motor parameter from the first power tool, wherein the recorded motor parameter is recorded by the first power tool during an operation of the first power tool and is based on an output from a sensor of the first power tool;

establish, via the communication interface, a second wireless communication link with a second power tool; and

transmit, via the second wireless communication link, the recorded motor parameter to the second power tool, wherein the second power tool is configurable to replicate the operation of the first power tool by playing-back the recorded motor parameter.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein, to establish the first wireless communication link, the program further configures the electronic processor to:

scan a radio wave communication spectrum utilized for communication with power tools;

identify the first power tool;

display the first power tool in a power tool list in a graphical user interface of the external device; and

receive a selection of the first power tool in the power tool list from the graphical user interface.