Battery pack detection and battery discharge mode selection

Abstract

The power tool includes a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack. The battery pack interface includes one or more power terminals and one or more communication terminals. The power tool further includes a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive, via the one or more communication terminals, a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack. The controller is further configured to determine a battery pack type based on the signals. The controller is further configured to control discharge of the battery pack based on the battery pack type.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 940,583, filed November 26, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The embodiments described herein relate to electrical devices that are powered by one or more batteries and / or battery packs. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] The battery pack may include temperature sensors, such as thermistors, to determine the temperature of the device as it is being charged or discharged. These temperature sensors can be used for protection measures, such as stopping charging or discharging when the temperature exceeds a threshold.

[0004] A power tool described herein includes a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack. The battery pack interface includes one or more power terminals and one or more communication terminals. The power tool further includes a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack via the one or more communication terminals. The controller is further configured to determine a battery pack type based on the signals. The controller is further configured to control discharging of the battery pack based on the battery pack type.

[0005] In some embodiments, the discharging of the battery pack comprises a constant power. In some embodiments, the discharging of the battery pack comprises a step function of decreasing power. In some embodiments, the discharging of the battery pack comprises a series of decreasing ramp functions. In some embodiments, the battery pack discharges at a first power for a first period of time, ramps from the first power to a second power over a second period of time, and discharges at a third power for a third period of time. In some embodiments, the plurality of signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are provided by a thermistor in the battery pack. In some embodiments, the plurality of signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are equal in value.

[0006] In some embodiments, determining the battery pack type further includes receiving a first signal of the plurality of signals indicative of a temperature of the battery pack, receiving a second signal of the plurality of signals indicative of a temperature of the battery pack, and determining a slope of the plurality of signals by subtracting the second signal from the first signal. In some embodiments, determining the battery pack type based on the plurality of signals further includes comparing the slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope.

[0007] A battery pack as described herein includes a housing, at least one battery cell contained within the housing, and a battery pack interface configured to connect to an electronic device. The battery pack interface includes one or more power terminals and one or more communication terminals. The battery pack further includes a discharge circuit configured to discharge current from the battery cell to the one or more terminals of the battery interface. The battery pack also includes a thermistor configured to provide a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack to the one or more communication terminals of the battery pack interface. The plurality of signals are provided to the electronic device to determine a type of the battery pack and control discharge of the battery pack based on the type of the battery pack.

[0008] In some embodiments, discharging the battery pack comprises a constant power. In some embodiments, discharging the battery pack comprises a ramp function of decreasing power. In some embodiments, the signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are provided by a thermistor in the battery pack.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plurality of signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are equal in value. In some embodiments, determining the battery pack type further comprises comparing a slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope.

[0010] A method described herein provides for determining a battery pack type. The method includes receiving a battery pack by a battery pack interface of a power tool. The method further includes receiving a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack by one or more communication terminals of the battery pack interface. The method further includes determining a battery pack type based on the plurality of signals. The method further includes controlling a discharge cycle of the battery pack based on the battery pack type. In some embodiments, the plurality of signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are provided by a thermistor in the battery pack. In some embodiments, the plurality of signals indicative of the temperature of the battery pack are equal in value. In some embodiments, the method further includes comparing a slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope. In some embodiments, the battery pack discharges at a first power for a first period of time, ramps down from the first power to a second power over a second period of time, and discharges at the third power for a third period of time.

[0011] Before any embodiment of the invention is described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, can be practiced, or carried out in various ways. As used herein, the use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof means to include the items listed before it and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. As used herein, the use of "comprising" and variations thereof means to include only the items listed before it and equivalents thereof.

[0012] Also, functionality described herein as being performed by one component may be performed by multiple components in a distributed manner. Similarly, functionality performed by multiple components may be integrated and performed by a single component. Similarly, components described as performing a particular function may also perform additional functions not described herein. For example, a device or structure that is "configured" in a particular way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways not listed.

[0013] Additionally, some embodiments described herein may include one or more electronic processors configured to perform the described functions by executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Similarly, embodiments described herein may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more electronic processors to perform the described functions. As used in this application, "non-transitory computer-readable medium" includes all computer-readable media, but does not consist of a transitory propagating signal. Thus, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may include, for example, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (read-only memory), a RAM (random access memory), a register memory, a processor cache, or any combination thereof.

[0014] Many of the described modules and logical structures may be implemented in software executed by a microprocessor or similar device, or in hardware using various components such as application specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"). Terms such as "controller" and "module" may include or refer to both hardware and / or software. Capitalized terms conform to common practice and help associate the description with coding examples, equations, and / or figures. However, no particular meaning should be implied or inferred merely because of the use of capital letters. Thus, the claims should not be limited to any particular embodiment or term, or to any particular hardware or software implementation, or combination of software or hardware.

[0015] Other aspects of the embodiments will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a battery pack according to some embodiments. [Diagram 2] 2 illustrates a control system for the battery pack of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates a device according to some embodiments. [Figure 4] 4 illustrates a control system for the device of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a method for determining a battery pack type, according to some embodiments. [Figure 6A-B] 2 illustrates signals indicative of temperatures of the battery pack of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments. [Figure 7A-B] 2 illustrates a discharge cycle of the battery pack of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments. [Figure 7C-E]2 illustrates a discharge cycle of the battery pack of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] 1 illustrates a battery pack 100 according to some embodiments. The battery pack 100 includes a housing 105 and an interface portion 110 (e.g., a battery interface, a battery pack interface) for connecting the battery pack 100 to a device (e.g., an electrical device such as, but not limited to, a power tool).

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a control system of the battery pack 100 according to some embodiments. The control system includes a controller 200. The controller 200 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of the battery pack 100. For example, the illustrated controller 200 is connected to one or more battery cells 205 and an interface 210 (e.g., the interface portion 110 of the battery pack 100 shown in FIG. 1). The controller 200 is also connected to one or more voltage sensors or voltage sensing circuits 215, one or more current sensors or current sensing circuits 220, and one or more temperature sensors or temperature sensing circuits 225. The temperature sensing circuit 225 may include, for example, a thermistor. The temperature sensing circuit 225 sends a signal to the controller 200 indicative of the temperature of the battery pack. A resettable electronic fuse 230 is connected between the one or more battery cells 205 and the interface 210. Controller 200 includes a combination of hardware and software capable of, among other things, controlling the operation of battery pack 100, controlling the operation of resettable electronic fuse 230, monitoring the status of battery pack 100, enabling or disabling charging of battery pack 100, enabling or disabling discharging of battery pack 100, and the like.

[0019] The controller 200 includes a number of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the components and modules within the controller 200 and / or the battery pack 100. For example, the controller 200 includes, among other things, a processing unit 235 (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 240, an input unit 245, and an output unit 250. The processing unit 235 includes, among other things, a control unit 255, an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") 260, and a number of registers 265 (shown as a group of registers in FIG. 2), and is implemented using a known computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumann architecture, etc.). The processing unit 235, the memory 240, the input unit 245, and the output unit 250, as well as the various modules or circuits connected to the controller 200, are connected by one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., a common bus 270). The control buses and / or data buses are generally shown in FIG. 2 for illustrative purposes. The use of one or more control buses and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between the various modules, circuits, and components will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the invention described herein.

[0020] The memory 240 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as ROM, RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, hard disk, SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. The processing unit 235 is coupled to the memory 240 and executes software instructions that may be stored in the RAM of the memory 240 (e.g., during execution), in the ROM of the memory 240 (e.g., typically permanently), or in another non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as another memory or a disk. Software included in the implementation of the battery pack 100 may be stored in the memory 240 of the controller 200. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller 200 is configured to read and execute instructions from the memory 240, which are related to, among other things, the control processes and methods described herein. In other configurations, the controller 200 includes additional, fewer, or different components.

[0021] The interface 210 includes a combination of mechanical (e.g., rails, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical (e.g., one or more terminals) components that are configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) the battery pack 100 with another device (e.g., a power tool, a battery pack charger, etc.). For example, the interface 210 is configured to receive power by the resettable electronic fuse 230 via power lines 275 between the one or more battery cells 205 and the interface 210. The interface 210 is also configured to be communicatively connected to the controller 200 via communication lines 280. In some embodiments, the controller 200 is also electrically and / or communicatively connected to the resettable electronic fuse 230 via signal lines 285.

[0022] 3 illustrates a device 300 according to some embodiments. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the device is a power tool (e.g., drill / driver). In other embodiments, the device 300 is a different type of power tool (e.g., impact wrench, ratchet, saw, hammer drill, impact driver, rotary hammer, grinder, blower, trimmer, etc.) or another type of device (e.g., light, non-powered sensing tool, etc.). The device 300 includes a housing 305 and an interface portion 310 (e.g., battery interface, battery pack interface) for connecting the device 300 to, for example, the battery pack 100 or another device.

[0023] 4 illustrates a control system of device 300. The control system includes a controller 400. The controller 400 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of device 300. For example, the illustrated controller 400 is electrically connected to a motor 405, a battery pack interface 410, a trigger switch 415 (connected to a trigger 420), one or more sensors or sensing circuits 425, one or more indicators 430, a user input module 435, a power input module 440, a resettable electronic fuse 445, and a FET switching module 450 (e.g., including multiple switching FETs). The controller 400 includes a combination of hardware and software operable to, among other things, control the operation of device 300, monitor the operation of device 300, activate one or more indicators 430 (e.g., LEDs), and the like. The resettable electronic fuse 445 is connected between the battery pack interface 410 and the FET switching module 450.

[0024] The controller 400 includes a number of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the controller 400 and / or components and modules within the device 300. For example, the controller 400 includes, among other things, a processing unit 455 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an electronic controller, an electronic processor, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 460, an input unit 465, and an output unit 470. The processing unit 455 includes, among other things, a control unit 475, an ALU 480, and a number of registers 485 (shown as a group of registers in FIG. 4 ) and is implemented using a known computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumann architecture, etc.). The processing unit 455, the memory 460, the input unit 465, and the output unit 470, as well as the various modules or circuits connected to the controller 400, are connected by one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., a common bus 490). The control buses and / or data buses are generally shown in FIG. 4 for illustrative purposes. The use of one or more control buses and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between the various modules, circuits, and components will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the invention described herein.

[0025] The memory 460 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as ROM, RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, hard disk, SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. The processing unit 455 is connected to the memory 460 and executes software instructions that may be stored in the RAM of the memory 460 (e.g., during execution), in the ROM of the memory 460 (e.g., typically permanently), or in another non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as another memory or a disk. Software included in the implementation of the device 300 may be stored in the memory 460 of the controller 400. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller 400 is configured to read and execute instructions from the memory 460, which are related to, among other things, the control processes and methods described herein. In other configurations, the controller 400 includes additional, fewer, or different components.

[0026] The battery pack interface 410 includes a combination of mechanical (e.g., rails, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical (e.g., one or more terminals) components configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) the device 300 with a battery pack (e.g., the battery pack 100). For example, power provided to the device 300 by the battery pack 100 is provided to a power input module 440 via the battery pack interface 410. The power input module 440 includes a combination of active and passive components to condition and control the power received from the battery pack 100 before power is provided to the controller 400. The battery pack interface 410 also provides power to a FET switching module 450 via a resettable electronic fuse 445, which is switched by the switching FET to selectively provide power to the motor 405. The battery pack interface 410 also includes a communication line 495 for providing a communication line or link between the controller 400 and the battery pack 100, for example. The information transmitted on communication line 495 may include, for example, a signal indicative of temperature information of battery pack 100 .

[0027] The indicators 430 include, for example, one or more light emitting diodes ("LEDs"). The indicators 430 can be configured to display a status of or information related to the device 300. For example, the indicators 430 are configured to indicate a measured electrical characteristic of the device 300, a status of the device, a status of the resettable electronic fuse 445, etc. A user input module 435 is operably coupled to the controller 400 to select, for example, a forward or reverse operating mode, a torque and / or speed setting of the device 300, etc. (e.g., using torque and / or speed switches). In some embodiments, the user input module 435 includes a combination of digital and analog input or output devices necessary to achieve a desired level of operation of the device 300, such as one or more knobs, one or more dials, one or more switches, one or more buttons, etc.

[0028] 5 illustrates a method 500 performed by device 300 to determine a battery pack type of battery pack 100. The method begins at block 502 with receiving battery pack 100 via battery pack interface 410 of device 300. For example, interface portion 310 of device 300 of FIG. 3 connects to interface portion 110 of battery pack 100.

[0029] At block 504, the device 300 receives, via one or more communication terminals, a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack 100. In one embodiment, the temperature sensing circuit 225 of the battery pack 100 signals information indicative of the temperature of the battery pack 100 to the controller 200. The controller 200 transmits this information to the controller 400 of the device 300 via the interface 210. In an alternative embodiment, the temperature sensing circuit 225 is directly connected to the interface 210 and transmits the signal directly to the controller 400 of the device 300. The signal indicative of the temperature of the battery pack 100 is continuously transmitted to the device 300, providing a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack 100. In another embodiment, the signal indicative of the temperature of the battery pack 100 is transmitted to the device 300 at discrete time values. For example, the discrete time values ​​are once every three seconds.

[0030] 6A-B provide example signals indicative of temperatures of the battery pack 100 received by the controller 400 of the device 300. For example, FIG. 6A shows a thermistor outputting a voltage that is linearly related to the temperature of the battery pack 100. For example, at 0° C., the thermistor outputs a voltage of approximately 2.30 V. As the battery pack 100 heats up, the voltage output by the thermistor decreases. For example, when the battery pack is heated to 40° C., the voltage output by the thermistor drops to approximately 0.9 V.

[0031] FIG. 6B illustrates a thermistor outputting alternative signals indicative of temperatures of the battery pack 100 received by the controller 400 of the device 300. In FIG. 6B, the thermistor outputs a constant voltage, such as 2.1V, when the temperature is between 0° C. and 60° C. At −10° C. to 0° C. and 60° C. to 75° C., the thermistor outputs a higher voltage, such as 2.6V. When the temperature of the battery pack 100 exceeds a high temperature threshold, such as 75° C., the output voltage drops significantly. For example, the voltage output by the thermistor drops to 0.3V. Although two examples are shown, the signals indicative of temperatures of the battery pack 100 received by the controller 400 are not limited by these examples.

[0032] Referring back to block 506 of method 500, device 300 determines the battery pack type based on the multiple signals. For example, controller 400 can determine a slope of multiple signals indicative of multiple temperatures of the battery pack. For example, controller 400 receives a first temperature signal from a thermistor (e.g., receives a voltage of 2.1V). Controller 400 continues to receive temperature signals with decreasing voltage (e.g., 2.0V, 1.8V, and 1.7V). When a time threshold is reached, controller 400 determines a slope of -0.1V / min, indicating that battery pack 100 is heating up. This slope can be found by averaging the change in voltage, averaging multiple slopes over a certain period of time, or a similar approach. The slope can also indicate a change in temperature from one signal to the next. In another embodiment, controller 400 determines the slope continuously. For example, controller 400 receives a first temperature signal from a thermistor (e.g., receives a voltage of 2.1V). Next, the controller 400 receives a second temperature signal from the thermistor (e.g., receives a voltage of 2.05V). The controller 400 determines a slope of -0.05 by subtracting the second temperature signal from the first temperature signal. Next, the controller receives a third temperature signal from the thermistor and receives a voltage of 1.95V. The controller 400 determines a slope of -0.01 by subtracting the third temperature signal from the second temperature signal.

[0033] In one embodiment, the battery pack type is determined by comparing the slope of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope. For example, upon determining the slope of the plurality of signals, the controller 400 compares the slope of the plurality of signals to a threshold slope stored in the memory 460. If the slope of the plurality of signals is above the threshold slope, the controller 400 determines the battery pack type to be a first battery pack type. If the slope of the plurality of signals is below the threshold slope, the controller 400 determines the battery pack type to be a second battery pack type. In another embodiment, if the slope of the plurality of signals is non-zero, e.g., as in the example provided above with respect to FIG. 6A, the controller 400 determines the battery pack type to be a first battery pack type. In yet another embodiment, if the slope of the plurality of signals is zero, e.g., as in the example provided above with respect to FIG. 6B, the controller 400 determines the battery pack type to be a second battery pack type.

[0034] In one embodiment, the controller 400 compares the slopes of the multiple signals to multiple slopes stored in the memory 460. For example, the memory 460 has a table of slopes. The slopes of the multiple signals are compared to each of the slopes in the table of slopes. The comparison of the slopes of the multiple signals to the slope in the table of slopes with the smallest error is selected. The battery pack type associated with the slope in the table of slopes with the smallest error is determined.

[0035] Returning to FIG. 5, in block 508, the device 300 controls the discharge cycle of the battery pack based on the battery pack type. For example, the battery pack type has an associated discharge cycle. FIGS. 7A-7E provide examples of discharge cycles of the battery pack 100. In one embodiment, a first battery pack type is determined. The discharge cycle shown in FIG. 7A can be associated with the first battery pack type. The battery pack 100 can output power at a power value a1 until a battery capacity value x1 is reached. Once the battery capacity x1 is reached, the output power is linearly decreased from the power value a1 to a power value a2 until a battery capacity value x2 is reached. Then, the output power is maintained at the power value a2 until a battery capacity value x3 is reached. Then, the output power is linearly decreased from the power value a2 to a power value a3 until a battery capacity value x4 is reached.

[0036] The battery capacity values ​​are moving in the positive direction on the axis while the battery capacity values ​​are decreasing. The battery capacity values ​​above can be voltage values, indicating that the discharge is based on the battery cell voltage. For example, x1 can be 12V and x2 can be 10V. The battery capacity values ​​can also be time, indicating a time-based discharge. For example, x1 can be 10 seconds and x2 can be 50 seconds. For example, the output power is gradually decreased from a power value a1 to a power value a2 over a period of 40 seconds. The battery capacity values ​​can also be a combination of time and voltage values. For example, x1 can be 10 seconds, x2 can be 50 seconds and x3 can be 8V. Additionally, the output power is shown to decrease linearly but is not limited to a linear decrease. For example, the output power may decrease non-linearly, exponentially, or in a similar manner.

[0037] 7B provides another embodiment of a discharge cycle for a battery pack. In this example, power is output at a power value b1 until the battery capacity reaches a battery capacity value y1. After the battery capacity y1 is reached, the power output decreases linearly until a battery capacity value y2 is reached.

[0038] 7C provides another embodiment of a discharge cycle of a battery pack. In this example, power is output at a power value c1 until a battery capacity value z1 is reached. Once battery capacity value z1 is reached, the output power is decreased from power value c1 to power value c2 until a battery capacity value z2 is reached. Once battery capacity value z2 is reached, the output power continues to decrease, but at a slope that is much smaller than the slope between battery capacity value z1 and battery capacity value z2. The output power is decreased until a power value c3 is reached. The output power is maintained at power value c3 until battery capacity value z3 is reached.

[0039] 7D provides another embodiment of a discharge cycle of a battery pack. In this example, the discharge begins at a power value d1, but the output power soon begins to decrease. The value of the output power decreases until a battery capacity value u1 is reached. Once the battery capacity value u1 is reached, the output power continues to decrease in value at a slope that is significantly greater than the slope between the start of discharge and the battery capacity value u1. The output power continues to decrease until a power value d2 is reached. The output power is maintained at the output value d2 until the battery capacity value u2 is reached.

[0040] 7E provides another embodiment of a discharge cycle of a battery pack. In this example, discharging begins at a power value e1. Discharge continues at power value e1 until a battery capacity value w1 is reached. Once battery capacity value w1 is reached, the output power is reduced to power value d1 at battery capacity value w2. The output power is maintained at power value e2 until a battery capacity value w3 is reached.

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above examples. The discharge cycle of the battery pack may also include a decreasing power step function, a series of decreasing ramp functions, an exponential discharge, a constant discharge, and the like.

[0042] Thus, the embodiments described herein provide a device configured to determine a battery pack type based on a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. a battery pack interface configured to receive a battery pack, the battery pack interface including a power terminal and a communication terminal; a controller including an electronic processor and a memory, the controller comprising: receiving, via the communication terminal, a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack over time at a sampling rate; determining a battery pack type based on the plurality of signals indicative of the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack over time; controlling discharge of the battery pack based on the battery pack type; It is configured as follows: Power tools.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharge of the battery pack comprises a constant power.

3. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharging of the battery pack comprises a step function of decreasing power.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharging of the battery pack comprises a series of decreasing ramp functions.

5. 2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is configured to discharge at a first power for a first period of time, the discharging is configured to ramp down from the first power to a second power for a second period of time, and the battery pack is configured to discharge at a third power for a third period of time.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the signals indicative of the temperatures of the battery pack are provided by a thermistor in the battery pack.

7. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the signals indicative of the temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

8. The controller: receiving a first signal of the plurality of signals indicative of a first temperature of the battery pack; receiving a second signal of the plurality of signals indicative of a second temperature of the battery pack; determining a slope of the plurality of signals by subtracting the second temperature from the first temperature to determine the battery pack type; The method is further configured as follows:

2. The power tool of claim 1.

9. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the slopes of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope to determine the battery pack type.

10. 1. A battery pack comprising: Housing and at least one battery cell contained within the housing; a battery pack interface configured to connect to an electronic device, the battery pack interface including a power terminal and a communication terminal; a discharge circuit configured to discharge current from the battery cell to the power terminal of the battery pack interface; a thermistor configured to provide a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack over time to the communication terminal of the battery pack interface; the plurality of signals are received by the electronic device at a sampling rate to determine a type of the battery pack for controlling the discharged current of the battery pack based on the type of the battery pack; Battery pack.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the discharged current of the battery pack comprises a constant power.

12. 11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the discharged current of the battery pack comprises a decreasing power ramp function.

13. 11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the discharged current of the battery pack comprises a decreasing power step function.

14. 11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the battery pack is configured to discharge at a first power for a first period of time, the discharging configured to ramp down from the first power to a second power for a second period of time, and the battery pack is configured to discharge at a third power for a third period of time.

15. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the signals indicative of the temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

16. 1. A method for determining a battery pack type, comprising: receiving a battery pack by a battery pack interface of the power tool; receiving, by a communication terminal of the battery pack interface, a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of temperatures of the battery pack over time at a sampling rate; determining the battery pack type based on the signals indicative of the temperatures of the battery pack over time; and controlling a discharge cycle of the battery pack based on the battery pack type. method.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of signals indicative of the plurality of temperatures of the battery pack are provided by a thermistor in the battery pack.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the signals indicative of the temperatures of the battery pack are equal in value.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising comparing slopes of the plurality of signals to a predetermined slope.

20. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising discharging at a first power for a first time period, ramping down discharging from the first power to a second power for a second time period, and discharging at a third power for a third time period.

Images