Multi-Voltage Source Trigger Switch

Abstract

A power management system including a battery pack powered tool, one or more battery packs coupled to the battery pack powered tool, a first voltage regulator providing a first output voltage, a second voltage regulator providing a second output voltage, and a trigger configured to receive the first output voltage and the second output voltage, the system also including one or more control lines configured to enable or disable one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 248,702, filed September 27, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to battery-operated devices, and more particularly to battery pack-powered tools or accessories. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003]

[0006] Embodiments described herein provide a power management system including a battery pack-powered tool, one or more battery packs coupled to the battery pack-powered tool, a first voltage regulator providing a first output voltage, a second voltage regulator providing a second output voltage, and a trigger configured to receive the first output voltage and the second output voltage. The system also includes one or more control lines configured to enable or disable one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0004] In some aspects, the one or more battery packs include a first battery pack and a second battery pack.

[0005] In some aspects, the system also includes a processing unit configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0006] In some aspects, the system also includes a switch configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0007] In some aspects, a switch is configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0008] In some aspects, disabling one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

[0009] In some embodiments, disabling each of the first and second voltage regulators reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

[0010]

[0006] Embodiments described herein provide a battery pack-powered tool for managing power consumption. The battery pack-powered tool includes one or more battery pack interfaces configured to receive one or more battery packs, a first voltage regulator providing a first output voltage, a second voltage regulator providing a second output voltage, and a controller configured to receive the first output voltage and the second output voltage, the controller including a trigger, a processor, and a memory. The controller is configured to control the amount of power consumed by the battery pack-powered tool by enabling or disabling one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using one or more control lines.

[0011] In some aspects, the one or more battery packs include a first battery pack and a second battery pack.

[0012] In some aspects, the controller includes a processing unit configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0013] In some aspects, the battery pack-powered tool further includes a switch configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0014] In some aspects, a switch is configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0015] In some embodiments, disabling each of the first and second voltage regulators reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

[0016] In some embodiments, disabling one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

[0017]

[0006] Embodiments described herein provide a method for managing power consumption in a battery-powered tool. The method includes receiving power from one or more battery packs coupled to the battery-powered tool and providing power to at least one of a first voltage regulator and a second voltage regulator of the battery-powered tool. The first voltage regulator is configured to provide a first output voltage, and the second voltage regulator is configured to provide a second output voltage. The method also includes providing the first output voltage and the second output voltage to a trigger of the battery-powered tool and controlling operation of the battery-powered tool with a controller to enable or disable at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using one or more control lines.

[0018] In some aspects, the method further includes controlling, with the controller, at least one of the one or more control lines to disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

[0019] In some aspects, the method further includes determining, with the controller, that a trigger of the battery pack powered tool has been released, and determining, with the controller, whether the battery pack powered tool is not in use based on the release of the trigger and a time of idleness associated with the time threshold.

[0020] In some aspects, the method further includes transmitting a signal over the one or more control lines to disable at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using the one or more control lines in response to a time period of idleness of the battery pack-powered tool exceeding a time threshold.

[0021] In some embodiments, when at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator is disabled, the quiescent current of the battery pack powered tool is reduced to less than about 7 microamps.

[0022] In some embodiments, each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator is disabled, reducing the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

[0023] Before describing any embodiments in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in their application to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments may be practiced or carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for purposes of description and is not to be regarded as limiting. The use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "supported," and "coupled," and variations thereof, are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting, supporting, and coupling.

[0024] Additionally, it should be understood that the embodiments may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules, which, for purposes of explanation, may be shown and described as if most of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, those skilled in the art will recognize, based on reading this detailed description, that in at least one embodiment, electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one or more processing units, such as a microprocessor and / or an application-specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"). Thus, it should be noted that a number of hardware- and software-based devices and a number of different structural components may be utilized to implement the embodiments. For example, the terms "server," "computing device," "controller," "processor," etc., as described herein may include one or more processing units, one or more computer-readable media modules, one or more input / output interfaces, and various connections (e.g., a system bus) connecting the components.

[0025] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that relative terms, such as "about," "approximately," "substantially," etc., used in connection with a quantity or state are inclusive of the stated value and have the meaning stated in context (e.g., they include at least the error associated with measurement accuracy, the tolerance associated with the particular value (e.g., manufacturing tolerances, assembly tolerances, use tolerances, etc.)). Such terms should also be considered to indicate a range defined by the absolute values ​​of the two endpoints. For example, the phrase "about 2 to about 4" also discloses the range "2 to 4." Relative terms can refer to a percentage increase or decrease (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10% or more) of the stated value.

[0026] While certain figures illustrate hardware and software within particular devices, it should be understood that these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. Functions described herein as being performed by one component may be performed in a distributed manner by multiple components. Similarly, functions performed by multiple components may be performed jointly by one component. In some embodiments, illustrated components may be combined or divided into separate software, firmware, and / or hardware. For example, logic and processing may be distributed across multiple electronic processors rather than being located within and executed by a single electronic processor. Regardless of how they are combined or divided, hardware and software components may reside on the same computing device or be distributed among different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communications links. Similarly, components described as performing a particular function may also perform additional functions not described herein. For example, a device or structure "configured" in a particular way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways not explicitly recited.

[0027] Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a power tool, such as a handheld blower, with optional attachments according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 2] 2 illustrates a battery pack for the device of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 3] 2 illustrates a control system for the power tool of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 4] 2 illustrates a voltage control diagram for the power tool of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 5] 2 shows a circuit diagram for a trigger switch of the power tool of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 6] 2 illustrates a process for managing power consumption of the power tool of FIG. 1 according to embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present disclosure relates to a multi-voltage source trigger switch for managing power usage from a battery pack coupled to a battery pack-powered device, such as a power tool or accessory. The battery pack-powered device may be designed to accommodate one or more battery packs (e.g., two battery packs), each managed with a voltage source trigger switch, for example, to extend its life while coupled to the device. To ensure extended battery life for connected battery packs and to avoid premature battery pack failure due to deep-discharge events, particularly for lithium-ion battery packs, it may be beneficial for the battery pack-powered device to maintain their current consumption at a minimum. In some devices, it may be preferable for the battery pack to maintain standby current consumption below 7 microamperes ("μA"). Standby current consumption may be managed by shutting off, disconnecting, or disabling subcircuits or entire subcircuits of the battery pack-powered device, allowing quiescent current to drop below 7 μA. Sub-circuits with pull-up resistor values ​​less than 1 megaohm can be used to reduce the overall quiescent current consumption of the circuit when the product is not in use by shutting off, disconnecting, or disabling the sub-circuit.

[0030] In some embodiments, the present disclosure may be implemented in a battery-powered power tool or accessory. FIG. 1 provides an exemplary battery-powered tool 100, which is a hand-held blower 100, for implementing features of the present disclosure. While the present disclosure is described with respect to a battery-powered hand-held blower 100, the present disclosure may be implemented using any combination of battery-powered tools 100 or accessories without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure may be implemented in any combination of cutting tools, drilling tools, lawn care tools, lighting accessories, audio / visual accessories, generators, etc.

[0031] FIG. 1 generally illustrates a handheld blower 100 having three attachments, including an extension 102 and a nozzle 104. Each of the extension 102 and the nozzle 104 is configured to removably connect to an exhaust port 108 of the handheld blower 100. The nozzle 104 is also configured to removably connect to the extension 102. The handheld blower 100 further includes an air inlet 110 opposite and upstream from the exhaust port. In the illustrated embodiment, a grille is disposed over the air inlet 110 to prevent larger debris from entering the air inlet 110. The grille may be a series of slits, a screen, a structure that creates a bypass flow path, or the like. The handheld blower 100 includes an air duct that fluidly connects the air inlet 110 to the exhaust port and extends along the longitudinal axis. The air duct is at least partially enclosed by a housing 114 of the battery pack-powered tool 100. In some embodiments, the housing 114 may include two clamshell halves joined by a fastener that enclose an air duct. The handheld blower 100 further includes a handle 116. In some embodiments, the handle 116 extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0032] In some embodiments, the housing 114 and / or the handle 116 may include a battery pack interface or a battery pack receiving cavity 118 defined therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack receiving cavity 118 also extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The battery pack receiving cavity 118 may be configured to receive at least a portion of one or more battery packs. At least a portion of the battery pack may be received in the battery pack receiving cavity 118 in the operating position, and at least another portion of the battery pack may be disposed outside the battery pack receiving cavity 118 (generally toward the rear of the handle 116 in the illustrated embodiment). The portion of the battery pack outside the battery pack receiving cavity 118 is disposed radially outward from the longitudinal axis at a position above the air intake 110. With the battery pack within the battery pack receiving cavity 118, electrical communication may be established between the battery pack and the battery pack-powered tool 100. The electrical communication link may be used to provide power from the battery pack to the battery pack powered tool 100 as well as allow the battery pack powered tool 100 to manage battery usage.

[0033] In some embodiments, the battery pack may be any combination of 12 volt, 18 volt, 36 volt, 40V, 80V, etc. battery packs. In some embodiments, the battery pack receiving cavity 118 may be designed to receive, for example, two 18 volt battery packs to provide a combined 36 volts to the battery pack powered tool 100. The battery packs may be provided to provide power to the battery pack powered tool 100 and its various components. In some embodiments, the battery pack may provide a power supply for the motor (to power the blower fan), a microcontroller (e.g., controller 400 of FIG. 3 ), a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver 450 (e.g., a FET switching bridge) for the motor, memory 460 (e.g., a solid state drive [SSD]), indicators 430, various sensors 425, or any other combination of electrical components used by the battery pack powered tool 100. In some embodiments, as described in more detail below, one of the 18-volt battery packs may be designed to power a first subgroup of components, and a combination of two 18-volt battery packs may be designed to power a second subgroup of components in the battery pack-powered tool 100.

[0034] The illustrated battery pack-powered tool 100 (e.g., handheld blower 100) may include many other features, including, for example, one or more triggers 150 or other controls located on or around the handle 116, a plurality of support legs 152 to allow a user to place the handheld blower 100 on a support surface, a plurality of vibration-damping sections (e.g., made from a polymer material) connecting the air duct to the housing 114, and a plurality of nozzle and extension attachments of various shapes, sizes, and lengths.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 2 , a battery pack 200 is shown including a housing 205 and a battery pack interface 210 for connecting the battery pack 200 to a device (e.g., the battery pack-powered tool 100). Discharge of the battery pack 200 may be controlled by any combination of a battery pack controller, a power tool, a battery pack charger, etc., as provided by the present disclosure. The battery pack 200 may be an 18-volt or 36-volt battery pack, although other voltages from 12 volts to 120 volts are contemplated. The battery pack interface 210 includes a combination of mechanical components (e.g., rails, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical components (e.g., one or more terminals) configured and operable to interface (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connect) with the battery pack-powered tool 100 having the battery pack 200. For example, power provided by the battery pack 200 to the battery pack-powered tool 100 is provided to a power input module 440 via the battery pack interface 210. Power input module 440 (see FIG. 3) includes a combination of active and passive components for conditioning or controlling the power received from battery pack 200 before power is provided to controller 400. Battery pack interface 210 also provides power to PWM driver 450 to selectively provide power to motor 405. Battery pack interface 210 also includes communication line 495 for providing a communication line or link between controller 400 and battery pack 200, for example.

[0036] 3 illustrates an exemplary control system 300 for a battery pack powered device (e.g., battery pack powered tool 100). Control system 300 includes a controller 400 electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of battery pack powered tool 100. For example, the illustrated controller 400 is electrically connected (e.g., directly, indirectly through sub-circuits, etc.) to a motor 405, a battery pack interface 210, a trigger switch or switch 415 (connected to trigger 150), one or more sensors 425 or sensing circuits (e.g., one or more current sensors, one or more speed sensors, one or more Hall effect sensors, one or more temperature sensors, etc.), one or more indicators 430, a user input module 435, a power input module 440, and a PWM driver 450 (or field effect transistors [FETs] in a bridge configuration module including multiple switching FETs). The controller 400 includes a combination of hardware and software operable to, among other things, control the operation of the battery pack-powered tool 100, monitor the operation of the battery pack-powered tool 100, activate one or more indicators 430 (e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs)), monitor user behavior and actions, application behavior, and the like.

[0037] In some embodiments, controller 400 includes multiple electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to controller 400 and / or components and modules within battery pack-powered tool 100. For example, controller 400 includes, among other things, a processing unit 455 (e.g., a microprocessor, microcontroller, electronic processor, electronic controller, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 460, an input unit 465, and an output unit 470. Processing unit 455 includes, among other things, a control unit 475, an arithmetic logic unit (“ALU”) 480, and multiple registers 485 (shown as registers in FIG. 3 ) and is implemented using known computer architectures (e.g., modified Harvard architecture, von Neumann architecture, etc.). Processing unit 455, memory 460, input unit 465, and output unit 470, as well as the various modules or circuits connected to controller 400, are connected by one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., a shared bus 490). Control and / or data buses are shown generally in Figure 3 for purposes of illustration. The use of one or more control and / or data buses for interconnection and communication between the various modules, circuits, and components will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure set forth herein.

[0038] 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, a hard disk, an SSD, an SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. Processing unit 455 is coupled to memory 460 and executes software instructions, which may be stored in the RAM of memory 460 (e.g., during execution), in the ROM of memory 460 (e.g., typically permanently), or in another memory or another non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a disk. Software included in embodiments of battery pack-powered tool 100 may be stored in memory 460 of controller 400. Software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. Controller 400 is configured to retrieve and execute instructions from memory 460, including, among other things, instructions related to the control processes and methods described herein. In other configurations, the controller 400 includes additional, fewer, or different components.

[0039] The indicator 430 includes one or more visual, audio, or tactile feedback for providing feedback to the user as to the status of the battery pack powered tool 100 and / or the battery pack 200. For example, the indicator 430 may include one or more light emitting diodes ("LEDs"). The indicator 430 may be configured to display the condition of or information associated with the battery pack powered tool 100. For example, the indicator 430 is configured to indicate a measured electrical characteristic of the battery pack powered tool 100, the status of the battery pack 200, etc. The 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 for the battery pack powered tool 100, 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 battery pack-powered tool 100, such as one or more knobs, one or more dials, one or more switches, one or more buttons, one or more touch or pressure sensitive sensors, etc.

[0040] In some embodiments, the controller 400 may include one or more power management systems for controlling power drawn from one or more subsystems of the battery pack-powered tool 100, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4 . Referring to FIG. 4 , an example voltage control diagram 500 for implementing a power management system of the present disclosure is shown. In some embodiments, the power management system may include a processing unit 455 and a trigger 150 / switch 415 that may control the enabling / activating and disabling / deactivating of different sub-circuits within the battery pack-powered tool 100. The sub-circuits may include any combination of subsystems within the battery pack-powered tool 100. For example, the sub-circuits may include peripherals, motors, sensors, communication lines, or combinations thereof. The processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 / switch 415 may be coupled to a voltage regulator 512 (e.g., a low dropout (“LDO”) voltage regulator) to receive power from one or more of the battery packs 200. The voltage regulator 512 is used to provide a stable power supply voltage independent of the state of battery charge. For example, as the battery drops from 14.1V to a nearly fully discharged level, the voltage regulator 510 may maintain a constant 3.3V at the load. In some embodiments, the processing unit 455 and trigger 150 and / or switch 415 may not require power from each of the connected battery packs 200. For example, the processing unit 455 and trigger 150 / switch 415 may require power from only one of the battery packs 200 coupled to the battery pack-powered tool 100.

[0041] In some embodiments, a combination of the processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 and / or switch 415 may control the activation / deactivation of sub-circuits of the battery pack-powered tool 100. For example, sub-circuits may be disabled by sending a deactivation or disable signal to the voltage regulator 510 or other switch / regulator that provides power to those sub-circuits. In some embodiments, the processing unit 455 may be coupled to control lines for another voltage regulator 510, and the trigger 150 and / or switch 415 may be coupled to one or more other sub-circuits. The trigger 150 / switch 415 may also be coupled to components for the processing unit 455 and the battery pack-powered tool 100. Control lines between the processing unit 455 and the trigger and / or switch 415 may be provided to control when the various control lines to the trigger 150 / switch 415 are activated / deactivated. The enable lines may be used to disable any of the sub-circuits individually or all of the circuits as a group. In some embodiments, trigger 150 / switch 415 includes multiple (e.g., two or more) input power lines. One input power line comes from voltage regulator 510. A second input power line comes from voltage regulator 512.

[0042] A power saving mode is implemented that reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack powered tool 100 below a threshold (e.g., below 7 μA) by disabling or deactivating one or more of the sub-circuits or the entire battery pack powered tool 100. Specifically, by allowing one of the sub-circuits or entire groups of sub-circuits to be shut off / disconnected / disabled, sub-circuits with pull-up resistor values ​​below 1 megaohm can be used, which reduces the overall quiescent current consumption of the circuit when the product is not in use.

[0043] In some embodiments, power from one or more of the multiple battery packs 200 may be provided to power multiple sub-circuits. The power management system may be designed such that a combination of battery packs 200 may be used to power the processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 and / or switch 415, as well as various other sub-circuits of the battery pack-powered tool 100. For example, a combination of two 18V battery packs 200 may be used in combination and / or individually to power the processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 and / or switch 415 and / or different sub-circuits.

[0044] In some embodiments, the processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 and / or the switch 415 may be coupled to control lines for controlling the enabling / disabling of the switches and / or voltage regulators that provide power to different sub-circuits. The switches and / or voltage regulators may each include an enable pin for turning on or off the control of the switches and / or regulators. The enable pin may be coupled to a control line connected to a combination of the processing unit 455, the trigger 150, and / or the switch 415. The processing unit 455, the trigger 150, and / or the switch 415 may provide an enabling (e.g., wake) and / or disabling (e.g., sleep) signal depending on how the power management system is configured.

[0045] In some embodiments, the processing unit 455 may be coupled to a control line for the voltage regulator 510, and the trigger 150 and / or the switch 415 may be coupled to a control line for a high-side switch (e.g., in the main power line of the battery pack-powered tool 100). Depending on the operation of the battery pack-powered tool 100, different control lines may be activated / deactivated to control the load from each sub-circuit. The control lines may be, but are not limited to, analog, digital, and / or any other communication type, and may enable or disable circuits that provide and / or control supply voltages to multiple cascaded sub-circuits simultaneously or individually to individual sub-circuits. For example, first and second sub-circuits may be arranged in a cascaded manner, where deactivation of a switch (switched mode power supply) results in deactivation of both the first and second sub-circuits. Using control lines, improvements to the life and operation of the battery pack 200 connected to the battery pack-powered tool 100 may be achieved. This is because deactivating the circuitry when not in use reduces the current draw of the battery pack 200. Additionally, the life and operation of the battery pack 200 may be improved through a combination of power sequencing (e.g., selectively turning on and off sub-circuits that power the trigger 150 / switch 415) and reduced quiescent current to extend battery shelf life.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, a sequenced voltage source trigger switch may be implemented to minimize current consumption of the trigger. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary trigger switch circuit 600, for example, for switch 415. Trigger switch circuit 600 may include a first trigger pin 605 connected to a first supply voltage source (e.g., VDD_3V3_MCU from voltage regulator 510). Trigger switch circuit 600 may include a second trigger pin 610 for outputting an enable signal (e.g., indicating that trigger 150 is activated). Trigger switch circuit 600 may include a third trigger pin 615 and a fourth trigger pin 620 for controlling the direction of motor rotation (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise). Trigger switch circuit 600 may include a fifth trigger pin 625 for providing a signal related to the amount of actuation of trigger 150 (i.e., the amount of trigger pull). The trigger switch circuit 600 may include a sixth trigger pin 630 connected to a second supply voltage source (e.g., VDD_3V3 from the voltage regulator 512). Finally, the trigger switch circuit 600 may include a ground pin 635.

[0047] Each of the first and second supply voltages may be configured to be turned on or off at any time and / or may be permanently active. The first and second supply voltages may also be controlled individually and / or may be controlled based on the active / inactive state of the other supply voltage. For example, if VDD_3V3 at pin 605 is turned off or disconnected / disabled, the supply voltage for VDD_3V3_MCU at pin 630 may be turned on or connected / enabled. This may involve switching voltage supplies between two sources, or VDD_3V3 at pin 630 may permanently provide its supply voltage, with VDD_3V3_MCU at pin 605 selectively provided based on other factors or conditions of battery pack-powered tool 100 (e.g., whether trigger 150 is pulled, elapsed idle time reaching a threshold, etc.). Thus, for trigger switch circuit 600 that includes two voltage input pins, power to one or both of the voltage input pins may be selectively disabled to reduce quiescent current of battery pack powered tool 100. In some embodiments, the first and second supply voltages (e.g., VDD_3V3 at pin 630 and VDD_3V3_MCU at pin 605) may be supplied from the same battery pack supply or separate battery pack supplies. For example, the first supply voltage (e.g., VDD_3V3 at pin 630) may be supplied from one battery pack and the second supply voltage (e.g., VDD_3V3_MCU at pin 605) may be supplied from a second battery pack.

[0048] The voltage supply at pins 605 and 630 need not be provided specifically from voltage regulators 510, 512. Instead, the voltage may be provided by, for example, processing unit 455, controller 400, a logic circuit, or another circuit that outputs a voltage. The supply or sourcing signal may be continuous or discontinuous in the signal time domain. For example, the supply signal may be a DC signal, an AD signal, or another modulated or coded format. This is in contrast to the previous circuit, which utilized a permanently connected supply voltage, which results in a higher quiescent current when the product is not in use.

[0049] During operation, the battery pack-powered tool 100 may house one or more battery packs 200, for example, in the battery pack-receiving cavity 118. The one or more battery packs 200 may provide power to the battery pack-powered tool 100 and its various components. The battery packs 200 may communicate with one or more switches and / or voltage regulators that provide power to each of the subcircuits of the battery pack-powered tool 100. For example, the battery pack 200 may provide power to the voltage regulators 510, 512 to power the processing unit 455 and the trigger 150 / switch 415. Power may be provided on demand based on activation of the battery pack-powered tool 100, for example, actuation of the trigger 150.

[0050] To prevent an inserted battery pack 200 from being depleted or damaged while connected to the battery pack-powered tool 100, the power management system described herein may be implemented to minimize current consumption of the battery pack-powered tool 100. The power management system of the present disclosure may reduce current consumption by implementing the circuit designs described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. When the battery pack-powered tool 100 is not in use (e.g., the trigger 150 is released, an elapsed idle time has been reached, etc.), the processing unit 455 and trigger 150 / switch 415 combination may send a disable signal over one or more control lines to disable each sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool 100. Similarly, when the battery pack-powered tool 100 is enabled, the processing unit 455 and trigger 150 / switch 415 combination may send an enable signal over one or more control lines to enable each sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool 100.

[0051] 4, processing unit 455 may be coupled to control lines for voltage regulators 510, 512 and other sub-circuits. Trigger 150 / switch 415 may be coupled to control lines for some sub-circuits and trigger lines to processing unit 455. Activation of trigger 150 / switch 415 may send a signal to processing unit 455. In response to receiving a trigger signal, processing unit 455 may send enable signals to voltage regulators 510, 512 and / or other sub-circuits to activate those circuits.

[0052] 6 illustrates a method 700 performed by the controller 400 of the battery pack powered tool 100. The controller 400 receives a voltage signal from the battery pack 200 and determines that the battery pack 200 is coupled to the battery pack powered tool 100 (step 705). The controller 400 provides power to various modules or components of the battery pack powered tool 100 (step 710). The controller 400 determines whether the battery pack powered tool 100 is in use (step 715). For example, if the controller 400 receives a signal from the trigger 150, the controller 400 determines that the trigger 150 is pulled and the battery pack powered tool 100 is in use. If the battery pack powered tool 100 is in use at step 720, one or more subcircuits of the battery pack powered tool may be enabled (e.g., voltage regulators 510, 512) (step 725). For example, when the controller 400 stops receiving a signal from the trigger 150, the controller 400 determines that the trigger 150 has been released and that the battery pack powered tool 100 is not in use. When the battery pack powered tool 100 is not in use, one or more subcircuits of the battery pack powered tool may be disabled (step 730). In some embodiments, the controller 400 determines that the battery pack powered tool 100 is not in use after a defined period of time (e.g., a time threshold) has elapsed without receiving a signal from the trigger 150.

[0053] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the disclosure described.

Claims

1. 1. A power management system comprising: a battery pack-powered tool; one or more battery packs coupled to the battery pack-powered tool; a first voltage regulator that provides a first output voltage from the one or more battery packs to a first sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool; a second voltage regulator that provides a second output voltage from the one or more battery packs to a second sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool; one or more control lines configured to provide the first output voltage and the second output voltage to the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit; a trigger including a first input power line and a second input power line configured to receive the first output voltage and the second output voltage, the trigger coupled to the one or more control lines; a controller coupled to the one or more control lines; the controller is configured to enable or disable one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator via the one or more control lines in response to receiving a trigger signal from the trigger; Power management system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more battery packs include a first battery pack and a second battery pack.

3. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a processing unit configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable the one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

4. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable the one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the switch is configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

6. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein disabling the one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces a quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than approximately 7 microamps.

7. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein disabling each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

8. 1. A battery pack-powered tool for managing power consumption, comprising: one or more battery pack interfaces configured to receive one or more battery packs; a first voltage regulator that provides a first output voltage from the one or more battery packs to a first sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool; a second voltage regulator that provides a second output voltage from the one or more battery packs to a second sub-circuit of the battery pack-powered tool; a trigger including a first input power line and a second input power line configured to receive the first output voltage and the second output voltage, the trigger coupled to one or more control lines; a controller including a processor and a memory; the controller is configured to control the amount of power consumed by the battery pack-powered tool by enabling or disabling one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using the one or more control lines. Battery pack powered tool.

9. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 8 , wherein the one or more battery packs include a first battery pack and a second battery pack.

10. 9. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a processing unit configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable the one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

11. 9. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 8, further comprising a switch configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable the one or more of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

12. 12. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 11, wherein the switch is configured to control at least one of the one or more control lines to enable or disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

13. 9. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 8, wherein disabling each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces a quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamperes.

14. 9. The battery pack-powered tool of claim 8, wherein disabling one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces a quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamperes.

15. 1. A method for managing power consumption in a battery pack-powered tool, comprising: receiving power from one or more battery packs coupled to the battery pack-powered tool; providing the power to at least one of a first voltage regulator and a second voltage regulator of the battery-powered tool, the first voltage regulator configured to provide a first output voltage to a first sub-circuit of the battery-powered tool via one or more control lines, and the second voltage regulator configured to provide a second output voltage to a second sub-circuit of the battery-powered tool via the one or more control lines; providing the first output voltage and the second output voltage to a first input power line and a second input power line of a trigger of the battery pack-powered tool via the one or more control lines; and controlling, with a controller, operation of the battery pack-powered tool in response to receiving a trigger signal from the trigger to enable or disable the at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using the one or more control lines. method.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising controlling, with the controller, at least one of the one or more control lines to disable each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

17. determining, with the controller, that the trigger of the battery pack powered tool has been released; and determining, with the controller, whether the battery pack-powered tool is not in use based on a release of the trigger and a time interval associated with a time threshold.

16. The method of claim 15.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: transmitting a signal over the one or more control lines to disable the at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator using the one or more control lines in response to the time of the idle state of the battery pack-powered tool exceeding the time threshold.

19. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein disabling the at least one of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator reduces a quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

20. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator is disabled to reduce the quiescent current of the battery pack-powered tool to less than about 7 microamps.

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