Power tool and method for wireless communication

• US 10,735,833 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2019
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• 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:
  US16/713,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20200120404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 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 power tool housing including a battery pack receiving portion configured to selectively receive a battery pack including a battery pack housing;

a backup power source located in the power tool housing; and

a wireless communication controller located in the power tool housing and configured to be electrically coupleable to the backup power source, the wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver and a processor, wherein when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source, the wireless communication controller is configured to

operate in an advertisement state for wireless communication, and

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.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein, in the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit an advertisement message including a unique tool identifier of the power tool.

3. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a motor located within the power tool housing and configured to selectively receive power from the battery pack when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion.

4. The power tool of claim 3, wherein the power tool housing includes an upper main body and a handle connected to the upper main body and to the battery pack receiving portion, wherein the motor is located in the upper main body.

5. The power tool of claim 3, further comprising:

a switching network coupled between the motor and the battery pack;

an actuator; and

a power tool controller coupled to the actuator and to the switching network, the power tool controller configured to control the switching network to apply power from the battery pack to drive the motor in response to activation of the actuator.

6. The power tool of claim 5, wherein the power tool controller is unpowered when the wireless communication controller is in the advertisement state and the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion.

7. The power tool of claim 5, wherein when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state, the power tool controller is powered by the backup power source and the motor is in a non-drivable state.

8. The power tool of claim 5, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion,

the wireless communication controller and the power tool controller are powered by the battery pack, and

the wireless communication controller is configured to operate in a full-power connectable state to communicate 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 motor is in a drivable state when the wireless communication controller is in the full-power connectable state.

9. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the backup power source includes a coin cell battery electrically coupled to a printed circuit board.

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

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

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

operating, with the wireless communication controller, in 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 power tool includes a power tool housing including a battery pack receiving portion configured to selectively receive a battery pack including a battery pack housing; and

wherein the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by a backup power source located in the power tool housing when the wireless communication controller operates in the low-power connectable state.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the power tool includes a motor located within the power tool housing and configured to selectively receive power from the battery pack when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling, with a power tool controller coupled to an actuator and to a switching network coupled between the motor and the battery pack, the switching network to apply power from the battery pack to drive the motor in response to actuation of the actuator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the power tool controller is unpowered when the wireless communication controller is in the advertisement state and the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state, the power tool controller is powered by the backup power source and the motor is in a non-drivable state.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion,

the wireless communication controller and the power tool controller are powered by the battery pack, and

the wireless communication controller is configured to operate in a full-power connectable state to communicate 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 motor is in a drivable state when the wireless communication controller is in the full-power connectable state.

16. A power tool device comprising:

a power tool device housing including a battery pack receiving portion configured to selectively receive a battery pack including a battery pack housing;

a powered element located in the power tool device housing and configured to be selectively coupled to power provided by the battery pack;

an actuator;

a power tool device controller coupled to the actuator and configured to control application of power from the battery pack to the powered element to drive the powered element in response to activation of the actuator;

a backup power source located in the power tool device housing; and

a wireless communication controller located in the power tool device housing and configured to be electrically coupleable to the backup power source, the wireless communication controller including a wireless transceiver and a processor, wherein when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source, the wireless communication controller is configured to

operate in an advertisement state for wireless communication,

transmit an advertisement message including a unique tool identifier of the power tool device when in the advertisement state, and

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.

17. The power tool device of claim 16, wherein the powered element includes a motor.

18. The power tool device of claim 16, wherein the power tool device controller is unpowered when the wireless communication controller is in the advertisement state and the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion.

19. The power tool device of claim 16, wherein when the wireless communication controller is in the low-power connectable state, the power tool device controller is powered by the backup power source and the powered element is in a non-drivable state.

20. The power tool device of claim 16, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion,

the wireless communication controller and the power tool device controller are powered by the battery pack, and

the wireless communication controller is configured to operate in a full-power connectable state to communicate 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 powered element is in a drivable state when the wireless communication controller is in the full-power connectable state.