Tool tracking system

• US 10,694,316 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stampfl, Burtrom L., Stueber, Kevin W., Hoossainy, Tauhira, Cunningham, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US16/439,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20190297464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A wireless transmission system logs and communicates a location of an object. The wireless transmission system includes a wireless antenna configured to transmit a first beacon signal and a second advertising beacon signal. The system also includes a processor and a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor. The instructions cause the wireless antenna to repeatedly transmit the first beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval. After completing the first number of transmission repetitions, the wireless antenna withholds transmission during a transition interval. After the transition interval, the wireless antenna repeatedly transmits the second advertising beacon signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval. The wireless antenna, memory, and processor may be integrated in to a mountable housing and attached to an object or integrated with the tool.

Claims

1. A signaling method for communicating and logging a location of an object, the method comprising:

transmitting repeatedly, by a beacon transmitter, a first beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval;

responsive to receiving the first beacon signal, activating a dormant transmitter location logging application on an electronic processor of a personal wireless device;

withholding transmission, by the beacon transmitter, during a transition interval that occurs after completing the first number of transmission repetitions;

transmitting repeatedly, by the beacon transmitter, a second advertising beacon signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval, wherein the second advertising beacon signal includes an identifier that provides identification of the beacon transmitter and user information;

receiving wirelessly, by the personal wireless device, the second advertising beacon signal from the beacon transmitter;

determining, by the personal wireless device, a location of the personal wireless device; and

transmitting, by the personal wireless device to an external database, an identity of the beacon transmitter and the location of the personal wireless device as a proxy for a location of the beacon transmitter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first repeat interval is of a length different from a length of the second repeat interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first repeat interval is of a fixed length different from a fixed length of the second repeat interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first beacon signal is a signal alerting the dormant transmitter location logging application on the personal wireless device to the presence of the beacon transmitter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information includes at least one selected from the group of user contact information and a user identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first beacon signal is a signal using a first open protocol for alerting the dormant transmitter location logging application to the presence of the beacon transmitter;

and

the second advertising beacon signal is a signal using a second proprietary protocol for providing identification of the beacon transmitter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first repeat interval is of a length that is less than 1/50th of a length of the second repeat interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after completing the second number of transmission repetitions, the beacon transmitter returns to the repeatedly transmitting the first beacon signal through the first number of transmission repetitions spaced at the first repeat interval.

9. A signaling system for communicating and logging a location of an object, the system comprising:

a beacon transmitter having a wireless antenna and a memory,

the wireless antenna configured to transmit a first beacon signal and a second advertising beacon signal; and

the memory storing instructions executable on an electronic processor, wherein the instructions when executed by the electronic processor cause the wireless antenna to;

repeatedly transmit the first beacon signal through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval;

after completing the first number of transmission repetitions, withhold transmission during a transition interval; and

repeatedly transmit the second advertising beacon signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval, wherein the second advertising beacon signal includes an identifier that provides identification of the beacon transmitter and user information; and

a personal wireless device having a second electronic processor and a second memory, the personal wireless device configured to;

receive, wirelessly the first beacon signal from the beacon transmitter;

responsive to receiving the first beacon signal, activate a dormant transmitter location logging application on the electronic processor of the personal wireless device;

receive, wirelessly, the second advertising beacon signal from the beacon transmitter;

determine a location of the personal wireless device; and

transmit, to an external database, an identity of the beacon transmitter and the location of the personal wireless device as a proxy for a location of the beacon transmitter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first repeat interval is of a length different from a length of the second repeat interval.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first beacon signal is a signal including data configured to alert the dormant location logging application to the presence of the beacon transmitter, and

the second advertising beacon signal is a signal including data configured to identify the beacon transmitter transmitting the second advertising beacon signal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first beacon signal is a signal using a first open protocol for alerting the dormant location logging application to the presence of the beacon transmitter including the wireless antenna transmitting the second advertising beacon signal, and

the second advertising beacon signal is a signal using a second proprietary protocol for providing identification of the beacon transmitter transmitting the second advertising beacon signal.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising the beacon transmitter having a housing with a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole, the housing supporting the wireless antenna, the memory, and the electronic processor, and the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole configured to secure the beacon transmitter to the object.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a power tool having a housing that houses the beacon transmitter including the wireless antenna, the memory, the electronic processor, and a tool motor.

15. A location recording method, the method comprising:

receiving wirelessly, by a personal wireless device having an electronic processor, a first beacon signal from a beacon transmitter;

responsive to receiving the first beacon signal, activating a dormant transmitter location logging application on the electronic processor of the personal wireless device;

listening, by the transmitter location logging application, for a second advertising beacon signal;

receiving wirelessly, by the personal wireless device, the second advertising beacon signal from the beacon transmitter;

determining, by the personal wireless device, a location of the personal wireless device; and

transmitting, by the personal wireless device to an external database, an identity of the beacon transmitter and the location of the personal wireless device as a proxy for a location of the beacon transmitter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the second advertising beacon signal is a signal providing identification of the beacon transmitter.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first beacon signal is a signal configured according to a first open protocol for alerting a receiving application to the presence of the beacon transmitter transmitting the second advertising beacon signal, and

the second advertising beacon signal is a signal configured according to a second proprietary protocol for providing identification of the beacon transmitter.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the personal wireless device that receives the first beacon signal includes an operating system, and the activating of the dormant transmitter location logging application further comprises the operating system activating the dormant transmitter location logging application.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the second advertising beacon signal includes a transmitter identifier and at least one selected from the group including:

a user identifier, user contact information, a timestamp, and a state of charge of a battery of the beacon transmitter.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

waiting, by the personal wireless device, through a first number of transmission repetitions spaced at a first repeat interval;

after the first number of transmission repetitions, waiting, by the personal wireless device, during a transition interval; and

receiving, by the personal wireless device, the second advertising beacon signal through a second number of transmission repetitions at a second repeat interval.