COMMUNICATION OF AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE WITH A COMPUTER SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication module and a method for communication of an electrical device with an external computer system.

[0002] The networking of physical devices and virtual objects, as well as their collaboration using information and communication technologies, also known as the "Internet of Things" (IoT), is increasingly becoming a part of everyday private and public life. This enables devices and systems to interact with each other and with human users.

[0003] Examples of applications range from home automation, where, for example, cloud-based control of heating systems, air conditioning systems, blinds, refrigerators, and so on is carried out, to security technology, for example for video-based object surveillance, predictive maintenance of vehicles, tools or other machines, to life sciences, where, for example, information about health or fitness status, sporting activities or medical devices is exchanged and processed.

[0004] Another example is the cloud-based control and monitoring of electrical devices, such as power tools, household appliances, or gardening equipment. For example, an irrigation pump can automatically and optimally irrigate an area based on a learned watering behavior, depending on temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and soil conditions.

[0005] One aspect of this is often to capture measurements and information from the real world, for example, using various types of sensors, link them together if necessary, and make them available in a network. For example, the state of real objects can be made available and further processed in the network. For example, the current use of a device, its aging, or the environmental conditions in its vicinity can be monitored, or the device can be controlled. The collaboration of multiple devices, for example, in the context of a project being implemented or even unrelated to a project, can be controlled and / or monitored via the network.

[0006] Known electrical devices that are participants in such networks have integrated hardware for communication with external computer systems in the cloud, which are specifically tailored to the respective electrical device or are programmed accordingly to communicate the respective information, data, measured values, etc., of the electrical device.

[0007] However, certain electrical devices may not communicate with the network for a significant portion of their lifetime, leaving the integrated communication hardware unused. For example, an IoT-integrated robotic lawnmower or an IoT-integrated circulation pump for an outdoor swimming pool may not be able to communicate in winter, whereas retrofittable IoT-integrated auxiliary heaters for motor vehicles could utilize communication during the winter, but possibly not during the warm summer months. It is therefore desirable to be able to temporarily utilize hardware unused by an electrical device for communication between other electrical devices.

[0008] Document DE 10 2017 122733 A1 describes a battery pack for an electrical device, which has a communication device which is designed to send and / or receive data relating to the battery pack and / or the electrical device via an LPWAN. The transmission of data between the communication device and the electrical device can be wired or wireless. The battery pack can check whether the firmware installed on it and the firmware installed on the electrical device are at the same version and automatically download new firmware for the battery pack from a cloud if the firmware of the battery pack has an older version than that of the electrical device. The battery pack can also automatically download new firmware for the electrical device from a cloud if the firmware of the electrical device has an older version than that of the battery pack.

[0009] Document WO 2021 / 156824 A1 describes a battery pack with an NFC reader that can scan and recognize an NFC tag in a device. The NFC tag can store various information about the device, including unique identification information. A battery pack's BMS can combine device operating data with data from the NFC reader to associate the operating data with the device that generated it. Corresponding data can then be transferred from the BMS to an IoT module of the battery pack for transmission to a mesh network.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to enable communication of an electrical device with an external computer system without having to resort to hardware specifically adapted to the electrical device.

[0011] This object is achieved by the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous and preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0012] The invention is based on the idea of ​​using a universal communication module for communication between the electrical device and the external computer system, which can receive identification information relating to the electrical device and, depending thereon, can retrieve configuration information on the basis of which it can configure itself in order to control the communication between the electrical device and the external computer system.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, a communication module for communication between an electrical device and an external computer system is provided. The communication module has a first communication interface configured for wireless data exchange with the external computer system, and a second communication interface configured for wireless or wired data exchange with the electrical device. The communication module also has a processing circuit connected to the first and second communication interfaces and configured to receive identification information that identifies the electrical device.The processing circuit is configured to request and receive configuration information from the external computer system via the first communication interface, depending on the identification information, or to read the configuration information from a storage device of the communication module. The processing circuit is further configured to control the communication of the electrical device with the external computer system based on the configuration information.

[0014] In other words, the processing circuit is configured to configure the communication module, in particular the processing circuit, to control the communication between the electrical device and the external computer system according to the configuration information.

[0015] In particular, the electrical device is located externally to the external computer system and externally to the communications module and can therefore also be referred to as an external electrical device. The external computer system is also located externally to the communications module. The electrical device, the external computer system, and the communications module are therefore three physically separate or separable objects. In particular, the communications module is not permanently installed in or on the electrical device.

[0016] The external computer system may be a server computer, also known as a cloud computer, or a physical and / or virtual network of server computers. Alternatively or additionally, the external computer system may include one or more mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, notebook computers, and so on.

[0017] Wireless communication between the communication module and the external computer system can be established, for example, via a radio network, such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, or a low-power wide area network (LPWAN), particularly an NB-IoT network (Narrowband Internet of Things). The radio network can be configured, in particular, according to GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G, 6G, etc., or NB-IoT. Non-cellular approaches such as LoRa, ZigBee, or SigFox are also possible.

[0018] The identification information allows the specific electrical device or the specific type of electrical device to be identified. Thus, the identification information can enable the identification of precisely a single electrical device or only the identification of similarly constructed and / or configured electrical devices. "Similar" can be understood in particular to mean that the same configuration information can be used to configure the communication of similar electrical devices with the external computer system.

[0019] The processing circuit can receive the identification information in different ways depending on the design of the communication module. For example, the communication module can have a capture device, such as a reader for reading visual information or electronically stored information, for example using RFID technology, to receive or capture the identification information and transmit it to the processing circuit. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuit can receive the identification information in electronic, in particular digital, form via the second communication interface from the electrical device if a communication connection is established between the electrical device and the communication interface of the communication module, or via a further communication interface of the communication module for data exchange with the electrical device.Alternatively, connectionless communication can also take place between the processing circuit or the additional communication interface of the communication module and the electrical device, for example, via Bluetooth or another radio or broadcast signal. Alternatively or additionally, the processing circuit can also receive the identification information via a mechanical and electrical connection between the communication module and the electrical device, for example, via a digital bit code transmitted via corresponding contacts or via the evaluation of specific voltage and / or resistance values ​​at such contacts.

[0020] In summary, the processing circuit can receive the identification information in particular via the detection device of the communication module, via the second communication interface or via the further communication interface of the communication module for data exchange with the electrical device.

[0021] The configuration information is assigned to the identification information and thus to the specific electrical device or similar electrical devices. The assignment can be predefined, in particular stored on the external computer system. The configuration information contains, in particular, information regarding which data, information, and commands the processing circuit receives via the second communication interface, how the processing circuit should or can further process these, if necessary, and / or how and in what form the information, data, and commands, or their further processed variants, are to be transmitted to the external computer system via the first communication interface.Conversely, the configuration information may also contain information regarding information, commands, instructions, and the like that the communication module can receive from the external computer system via the first communication interface, and how these can be preprocessed if necessary and converted into control commands or other data and information and transmitted to the electrical device via the second communication interface. The configuration information contains such information, in particular, in an indirect form such that the processing circuit can configure the communication module so that the processing circuit can control the communication accordingly. For this purpose, the processing circuit may, in particular, contain one or more software modules that can be configured depending on the configuration information.

[0022] According to the invention, a universally usable communication module is thus provided, in particular, which can be used to establish a communication connection with the external computer system, regardless of the specific design of the electrical device and regardless of its specific requirements regarding communication. This is achieved, in particular, in that the communication module can receive the identification information for the respective electrical device depending on the use of the communication module, for example, from the electrical device or another data source, and only then receives or implements the configuration information based on this information.

[0023] The communication module can accordingly be used for any compatible electrical devices, whereby compatibility can be understood in such a way that, on the one hand, data exchange with the communication module is possible via the second communication interface and that the corresponding configuration information is assigned to the identification information.

[0024] According to at least one embodiment of the communication module, it has an electrical energy storage device for the autonomous energy supply of the communication module.

[0025] In other words, the energy storage device is designed and capable of covering the entire energy requirement of the communication module for operating the communication module, in particular for identifying the identification information, for requesting and receiving or reading the configuration information and for controlling the communication of the electrical device with the external computer system.

[0026] This significantly increases the flexibility of using the communication module, as no precautions need to be taken on the electrical device to ensure the communication module's power supply. This can be particularly advantageous if the electrical device itself is an electrical device with relatively low power requirements, so its power supply can be designed accordingly.

[0027] In preferred embodiments, the energy storage device can contain at least one accumulator cell, for example a lithium-based accumulator cell.

[0028] In preferred embodiments, the communication module can be designed as a battery pack for an electrical device.

[0029] The battery pack can be detachably connected, in particular non-destructively detachable, to a housing of the electrical device, for example via a snap-in connection, a plug-in connection and / or a clamp connection. In particular, the mechanical connection of the battery pack to the housing of the electrical device can be designed as a positive and / or non-positive connection without a material connection being present. In other words, the mechanical connection of the battery pack to the housing of the electrical device can be released without having to break a material connection. Preferably, the mechanical connection can be released manually as intended without the use of other tools. In other words, the battery pack is designed as an interchangeable battery pack, in particular a system battery pack. The housings of the battery pack and of the electrical device can have respective interfaces for the electrical and mechanical connection.

[0030] An electrical connection of the at least one rechargeable battery cell to the electrical device, in particular a motor of the electrical device, can be established, for example, via one or more detachable electrical contacts, for example clamp contacts or plug contacts, in particular so-called tulip contacts or sword contacts. For example, mutually compatible plugs or sockets or receptacles or the like can be provided at the interfaces of the corresponding housings in order to achieve the electrical connection of the battery pack to the electrical device. The detachable electrical contacts on the communication module side can be part of the second communication interface or can be provided separately.

[0031] Advantageously, the communication module can therefore not only supply itself with energy independently, but also partially or completely the electrical device, for example if it is a power tool, a household appliance or a garden tool or the like.

[0032] According to at least one embodiment, the processing circuit is configured to receive a digital code from the electrical device via the second communication interface and to determine the identification information based on the digital code.

[0033] The digital code is in particular a bit code, i.e. a bit sequence that can be sent by the electrical device by means of digital signal transmission and received by the communication module via the second communication interface and transmitted to the processing circuit.

[0034] The digital signal or digital code can be transmitted, in particular, either wired via corresponding electrical contacts of the second communication interface or wirelessly. This simplifies the hardware required on the communication module side to receive the identification information.

[0035] According to at least one embodiment, the communication module comprises a reader for radio frequency identification (RFID), which is connected to the processing circuit and is configured to receive the identification information from an RFID transponder of the electrical device and, in particular, to transmit it to the processing circuit.

[0036] In this way, in particular, contactless transmission of identification information can be achieved, which is advantageous, for example, if the second communication interface is wireless. Furthermore, the RFID transponder, also known as an RFID tag, can be easily replaced or retrofitted.

[0037] Even if the communication module is mechanically connected to the electrical device to establish the communication connection, transmitting the identification information via RFID can be advantageous, as the RFID transponder can be flexibly positioned anywhere on the electrical device or even independently of the device, allowing the communication module to receive the identification information, for example, before being attached to the electrical device. RFID-based solutions are also advantageous with regard to the retrofitting of IoT functionality.

[0038] According to at least one embodiment, the communication module comprises an optical reader connected to the processing circuit and configured to read a visually readable code of the electrical device, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the identification information based on the read code.

[0039] The visually readable code can be, for example, a barcode, a two-dimensional QR code, or the like, or even in the form of a character string. The optical reader can be configured, for example, as a barcode scanner, a QR scanner, or a camera module.

[0040] Alternatively, the optical reader can also be provided externally to the communication module, for example, in a mobile electronic device such as a mobile phone. The optical reader can then, for example, include a camera of the mobile phone or other mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device is then also in communication with the communication module and / or with the external computer system. For example, the electronic device can transmit the read code to the communication module, which can then read, request, and receive the configuration information accordingly.

[0041] According to at least one embodiment, the communication module, for example, has the second communication interface and at least one electrical contact for electrically connecting the communication module to the electrical device, wherein the processing circuit is connected to the at least one electrical contact. The processing circuit is configured to determine a voltage value and / or a resistance value at the at least one electrical contact when the communication module is connected to the electrical device by means of the at least one electrical contact. The processing circuit is configured to determine the identification information based on the voltage value and / or the resistance value.

[0042] This makes it particularly easy to determine the identification information.

[0043] According to at least one embodiment, the second communication interface is designed as a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter interface, UART interface.

[0044] Such a design is particularly advantageous due to the low complexity of UART interfaces and the fact that only two communication lines are required for data exchange.

[0045] In alternative embodiments, the second communication interface can also be designed as an I 2< C interface (English: "Inter-Integrated Circuit").

[0046] According to at least one embodiment, the processing circuit is configured to receive a request, a command, or a data set from the electrical device via the second communication interface and to transmit the request, the command, or the data set to the external computer system via the first communication interface according to the configuration information or according to the configuration performed based on the configuration information. Alternatively, the processing circuit can process the request, the command, or the data set and transmit the processed command, data set, or request to the external computer system via the first communication interface.

[0047] According to at least one embodiment, the processing circuit is configured to receive a further request, a further command, or a further data set from the external computer system via the first communication interface. The processing circuit is configured to transmit the further request, the further command, or the further data set to the electrical device via the second communication interface in accordance with the configuration information, or to control or parameterize the electrical device in accordance with the configuration information depending on the further request, the further command, or the further data set.

[0048] According to at least one embodiment, the communication module has a housing within which the processing circuit is arranged and within which the first communication interface and / or the second communication interface are preferably also arranged.

[0049] In preferred embodiments, the housing has mechanical connecting means for the detachable mechanical connection of the communication module to the electrical device.

[0050] For example, the mechanical connecting means are designed to produce a snap-in connection and / or a plug-in connection and / or a clamping connection.

[0051] The mechanical connecting means and the second communication interface can, for example, be coordinated with one another in such a way that when the mechanical connection is established by means of the mechanical connecting means, an electrical connection between corresponding contacts of the second communication interface and corresponding contacts of the electrical device is also automatically established.

[0052] According to a further aspect of the invention, a system for communication between an electrical device and an external computer system is also provided, wherein the system comprises a communication module according to the invention. The system also comprises the electrical device and / or the external computer system.

[0053] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method for communication between an external electrical device and an external computer system is provided. Identification information identifying the electrical device is obtained from a communication module, in particular via a second communication interface of the communication module. Depending on the identification information, configuration information is wirelessly requested and received from the external computer system by means of the communication module, in particular via a first communication interface of the communication module, or the configuration information is read from a storage device of the communication module depending on the identification information.The communication of the electrical device with the external computer system is controlled based on the configuration information by means of the communication module, in particular a processing circuit of the communication module.

[0054] In other words, the communication module is configured depending on the configuration information to control the communication between the electrical device and the external computer system.

[0055] Further embodiments of the method according to the invention follow directly from the various embodiments of the communication module according to the invention or the system according to the invention, and vice versa. In particular, individual features and corresponding explanations relating to the various embodiments of the communication module according to the invention can be transferred analogously to corresponding embodiments of the method according to the invention. In particular, the communication module according to the invention or the system according to the invention is designed or programmed to carry out a method according to the invention or carries out such a method.

[0056] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures can be encompassed by the invention not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations. In particular, the invention can also encompass embodiments and combinations of features that do not have all the features of an originally formulated claim. Furthermore, the invention can encompass embodiments and combinations of features that go beyond the combinations of features set out in the backreferences to the claims or deviate from them.

[0057] The invention is explained in more detail below using specific embodiments and associated schematic drawings. In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements may be provided with the same reference numerals. The description of identical or functionally equivalent elements may not necessarily be repeated for different figures.

[0058] The figures show: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention with an exemplary embodiment of a communication module according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention with a further exemplary embodiment of a communication module according to the invention; and Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention with a further exemplary embodiment of a communication module according to the invention.

[0059] In Fig. 1a system according to the invention is shown schematically with an exemplary embodiment of a communication module 1 according to the invention, an electrical device 4 and an external computer system 10.

[0060] Without loss of generality, the communication module 1 above in Fig. 1 schematically designed as a battery pack for the electrical device 4, wherein the battery pack has a housing 2 and an interface 3 for mechanically and electrically connecting the housing 2 or the communication module 1 to a corresponding housing (not shown) of the electrical device 4. This is a preferred embodiment of the communication module 1 according to the invention, but other embodiments are also possible.

[0061] The communication module 1 has a processing circuit 6 and a first communication interface 5a for wireless communication with the external computer system 10. The communication module 1 also has a second communication interface 5b for wireless or wired communication with the electrical device 4. If the communication module 1 is configured as a battery pack, the interface 3 can represent part of the second communication interface 5b or be provided in addition to the second communication interface 5b.

[0062] Optionally, in particular if the communication module 1 is designed as a battery pack, the communication module 1 also has an electrical energy storage device 7, in particular one or more battery cells connected in series and / or parallel to one another for the autonomous energy supply of all electronic components of the communication module 1 and optionally also for the energy supply of the electrical device 4.

[0063] The processing circuit 6 can receive identification information relating to the electrical device 4 via the second communication interface 5b, for example in the form of a digital code. The processing circuit 6 can then read a storage device (not shown) of the communication module 1 to obtain configuration information pre-assigned to the identification information. Alternatively, the processing circuit 6 can request the configuration information from the external computer system 10 via the first communication interface 5a depending on the identification information and receive it in response.

[0064] The processing circuit 6, in particular a software module (not shown) of the communication module 1 or of the processing circuit 6, is configured to configure the communication module 1 according to the configuration information.

[0065] After the communication module 1 has been configured in this way, it can control the communication of the electrical device 4 with the external computer system 10 or establish and maintain a corresponding communication connection.

[0066] In the Fig. 2 A further system according to the invention is schematically shown with a further exemplary embodiment of the communication module 1. The communication module 1 is based on the Fig. 1 described communication module 1, wherein the identification information is read out here by an RFID reader 8a of the communication module 1 from an RFID transponder 8b of the electrical device 4.

[0067] In Fig. 3 is a further embodiment of the system with a further exemplary embodiment of the communication module 1, which is based on the communication module 1 of the Fig. 1 is based on.

[0068] Here, the communication module 1 comprises an optical reader 9a, for example a barcode scanner, which can read a corresponding visually readable code 9b of the electrical device 4 and can transmit the read code to the processing circuit 6 in order to provide the identification information contained in the read code.

[0069] As explained in particular with reference to the figures, the invention allows the use of a universal and flexibly deployable communication module to enable communication between an electrical device and an external computer system.

[0070] In preferred embodiments, the communication module communicates with the electrical device via a UART interface or an I 2< C interface and receives the configuration information wirelessly from a cloud. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS:

[0071] 1Communication module 2Housing 3Interface 4Electrical device 5aCommunication interface 5bCommunication interface 6Processing circuit 7Energy storage 8aRFID reader 8bRFID transponder 9aOptical reader 9bVisually readable code 10External computer system

Claims

1. A communication module (1) for communication of an electric appliance (4) with an external computer system (10), the communication module (1) comprising - a first communication interface (5a), which is configured for wireless data exchange with the external computer system (10), and a second communication interface (5b), which is configured for data exchange with the electric appliance (4); - a processing circuit (6), which is configured - to obtain identification information, which identifies the electric appliance (4); - to request and to obtain configuration information from the external computer system (10) depending on the identification information via the first communication interface (5a) or to readout the configuration information from a storage device of the communication module (1) depending on the identification information, wherein the configuration information is assigned to the identification information; - to configure the processing circuit (6) for controlling the communication between the electric appliance (4) and the external computer system (19) according to the configuration information; and - to control the communication of the electric appliance (4) with the external computer system (10) based on the configuration information.

2. The communication module (1) according to claim 1, comprising an electrical energy storage (7) for independent energy supply of the communication module (1).

3. The communication module (1) according to claim 2, wherein the energy storage (7) contains at least one battery cell.

4. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit (6) is configured to obtain a digital code from the electric appliance (4) via the second communication interface (5b) and to determine the identification information based on the digital code.

5. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a reader (8a) for radio frequency identification, RFID, which is connected to the processing circuit (6) and is configured to obtain the identification information from an RFID transponder (8b) of the electric appliance (4).

6. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an optical reader (9a), which is connected to the processing circuit (6) and configured to read a visually readable code (9b) of the electric appliance (4), wherein the processing circuit (6) is configured to determine the identification information based on the read visually readable code.

7. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one electrical contact for electrical connection of the communication module (1) to the electric appliance (4), wherein the processing circuit (6) - is connected to the at least one electrical contact and configured to determine a voltage value and / or a resistance value at the at least one electrical contact when the communication module (1) is connected to the electric appliance (4) by the at least one electrical contact; and - to determine the identification information based on the voltage value and / or the resistance value.

8. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one second communication interface (5b) is configured as a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter interface.

9. The communication module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the one second communication interface (5b) is configured as an I2C interface.

10. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit (6) is configured to obtain a request, a command or a dataset from the electric appliance (4) via the second communication interface (5b) and - to transfer the request, the command or the dataset to the external computer system (10) via the first communication interface (5a) according to the configuration effected on the basis of the configuration information; or - to process the request, the command or the dataset and to transfer the processed request, the processed command or the processed dataset to the external computer system (10) via the first communication interface (5a) according to the configuration effected on the basis of the configuration information.

11. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing circuit (6) is configured to obtain a further request, a further command or a further dataset from the external computer system (10) via the first communication interface (5a) and - to transfer the further request, the further command or the further dataset to the electric appliance (4) via the second communication interface (5b) according to the configuration information; or - to control or to parametrize the electric appliance (4) according to the configuration information depending on the further request, the further command or the further dataset.

12. The communication module (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a housing (2), within which the processing circuit (6) is arranged.

13. The communication module (1) according to claim 12, wherein the first communication interface (5a) and / or the second communication interface (5b) are arranged within the housing (2).

14. The communication module (1) according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the housing (2) comprises mechanical connection means (3) for detachable mechanical connection of the communication module (1) to the electric appliance (4).

15. A method for communication of an electric appliance (4) with an external computer system (10), wherein - identification information, which identifies the electric appliance (4), is obtained by a communication module (1); - configuration information is wirelessly requested and obtained from the external computer system (10) by the communication module (1) depending on the identification information or the configuration information is readout from a storage device of the communication module (1) depending on the identification information, wherein the configuration information is assigned to the identification information; - the communication module (1) is configured for controlling the communication between the electric appliance (4) and the external computer system (10) depending on the configuration information; and - the communication of the electric appliance (4) with the external computer system (10) is controlled by the communication module (1) based on the configuration information.