Worksite audio device with wireless interface

• US 9,781,496 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• 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., Crowe, Jason R., Burch, Wade F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRITCHARD, JASMINE L
• Application Number:
  US14/063,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20140119575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 381150
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/002 Intermediate AC, e.g. DC supply with intermediated AC distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/00 Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls

Abstract

Systems and methods including a wireless device in communication with, controlling, and providing streaming media to a worksite audio device. The worksite audio device, such as a radio, includes a rugged structure enabling its use on construction sites. The worksite audio device is powerable via a power tool battery pack or AC source, and includes a charger circuit to charge an inserted power tool battery using power from the AC source. The worksite audio device is in communication with an external wireless device, such as a smart phone. The worksite audio device outputs to the smart phone battery status information, such as temperature and state of charge, as well as other information about the audio device. The smart phone displays the status information received from the audio device. Additionally, a user may control the audio device via a graphical user interface of the smart phone.

Claims

1. A worksite audio device comprising:

a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack;

a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

an audio circuit coupled to a speaker and that provides an audio signal to the speaker, wherein the speaker outputs audio corresponding to the provided audio signals;

a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, wherein the battery monitoring module is located within a housing of the worksite audio device and outside of the power tool battery pack;

a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with an external device having a display; and

a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the wireless interface and located within the housing of the worksite audio device and outside of the power tool battery pack, wherein the controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module,

outputs, via the wireless interface, the status of the power tool battery pack to the external device for display,

determines a status of the worksite audio device, and

outputs, via the wireless interface, the status of the worksite audio device to the external device for display, wherein the status of the worksite audio device indicates at least one selected from the group consisting of a volume setting, a radio station frequency, a mute function status, and a current audio source.

2. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates a state of charge of the power tool battery pack.

3. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates a temperature of the power tool battery pack.

4. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates that the power tool battery pack is being charged.

5. The worksite audio device of claim 1,

wherein the battery monitoring module detects that the power tool battery pack has reached a full charge, and

wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates that the power tool battery pack has reached full charge in response to the detection.

6. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the controller further

receives an instruction from the external device, via the wireless interface, for the worksite audio device, and

controls the worksite audio device in accordance with the instruction.

7. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein

the controller receives an audio stream from the external device;

and

the audio circuit outputs the audio stream as audio signals to the speaker.

8. The worksite audio device of claim 1, further comprising firmware, wherein the controller

outputs an indication of a version of the firmware to the external device;

receives an update to the firmware, based on the indication of the version, from the external device; and

updates the firmware with the received update.

9. The worksite audio device of claim 1, further comprising at least two guard structures outside of the housing of the worksite audio device.

23. The worksite audio device of claim 1, wherein the battery receptacle is housed inside a battery compartment, the battery compartment covered by a door, the door secured by a latching mechanism.

24. The worksite audio device of claim 1, further comprising an audio compartment covered by a latching door.

10. A worksite audio device control system comprising:

a worksite audio device including

a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack;

a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle;

an audio circuit coupled to a speaker and that provides audio signals to the speaker, wherein the speaker outputs audio corresponding to the provided audio signals;

a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, wherein the battery monitoring module is located outside of the power tool battery pack;

a first wireless interface; and

a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the first wireless interface and located within a housing of the worksite audio device and outside of the power tool battery pack, wherein the controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module,

outputs, via the first wireless interface, the status of the power tool battery pack;

determines a status of the worksite audio device, and

outputs, via the first wireless interface, the status of the worksite audio device to a mobile phone for display; and

the mobile phone including;

a second wireless interface;

a display; and

a phone controller coupled to the second wireless interface and the display, wherein the phone controller

receives the status of the power tool battery pack and the status of the worksite audio device from the controller of the worksite audio device via the second wireless interface, and

causes the status of the power tool battery pack and the status of the worksite audio device to be shown on the display.

11. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10, wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates at least one selected from the group consisting of a state of charge of the battery, a temperature of the battery, and that the battery is being charged.

12. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10,

wherein the battery monitoring module

initially detects that the power tool battery pack is being charged, and

then detects that the power tool battery pack has reached a full charge, and

wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates that the power tool battery pack has reached full charge in response to the detection.

13. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10, wherein

the phone controller outputs an instruction, via the second wireless interface, to the controller of the worksite audio device;

and

the controller of the worksite audio device controls the worksite audio device in accordance with the instruction.

14. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10,

wherein the status of the worksite audio device indicates at least one selected from the group consisting of a volume setting, a radio station frequency, a mute function status, and a current audio source.

15. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10, wherein

the phone controller outputs an audio stream, via the second wireless interface, to the controller of the worksite audio device;

and

the audio circuit of the worksite audio device outputs the audio stream as audio signals to the speaker.

16. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10, further comprising firmware, wherein

the controller outputs an indication of a version of the firmware to the mobile phone;

the phone controller determines whether an update to the firmware is available based on the received version;

the phone controller outputs the update to the worksite audio device;

the controller of the worksite audio device updates the firmware with the received update.

17. The worksite audio device control system of claim 10, further comprising at least two guard structures outside of the housing of the worksite audio device.

18. A method of wirelessly communicating by a worksite audio device, the worksite audio device including a battery receptacle that receives a power tool battery pack, a battery charging circuit that charges the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, an audio circuit coupled to a speaker, a battery monitoring module that determines a status of the power tool battery pack in the battery receptacle, a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with an external device having a display;

and a controller coupled to the battery monitoring module and the wireless interface and located outside of the power tool battery pack, the method comprising;

establishing a wireless connection, via the wireless interface, with the external device;

generating, by the display of the external device, a graphical user interface including a screen selection tray;

receiving, by the display, a screen selection in the screen selection tray, the screen selection indicating selection of at least one selected from the group consisting of a radio screen, a mode screen, and a tools screen,

displaying the at least one selected from the group consisting of the radio screen, the mode screen, and the tools screen on the display of the external device based on the screen selection, wherein

the radio screen includes at least one of the group consisting of a radio station and a volume level of the worksite audio device,

the mode screen includes an audio source for the worksite audio device, and

the tools screen includes toggles that control notifications provided by the worksite audio device to the external device;

obtaining the status of the power tool battery pack from the battery monitoring module, the battery monitoring module being located within a housing of the worksite audio device and outside of the power tool battery pack;

outputting the status of the power tool battery pack, via the wireless interface, to the external device;

receiving, from the external device, a command via the wireless interface;

controlling the worksite audio device in accordance with the command, wherein the command causes the worksite audio device to at least one selected from the group consisting of adjust a volume setting, adjust a radio station frequency, toggle a mute function, and switch an audio source;

obtaining a status of the worksite audio device; and

outputting, via the wireless interface, the status of the worksite audio device to the external device, wherein the status of the worksite audio device indicates at least one selected from the group consisting of a volume setting, a radio station frequency, a mute function status, and a current audio source.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying, on the external device, the status of the power tool battery pack.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the external device, an audio stream; and

outputting the audio stream via the audio circuit and speaker.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the external device, a firmware update; and

updating firmware of the worksite audio device with the firmware update.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the status of the power tool battery pack indicates at least one selected from the group consisting of a state of charge of the power tool battery pack, a temperature of the power tool battery pack, and that the power tool battery pack is being charged.