Power Tool Wireless States for Battery-Off Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power tools lack efficient wireless communication capabilities that allow for seamless data exchange with external devices, especially when the battery pack is detached, and there is a need for a secure time-based lockout feature to manage tool usage.
Innovation Solution
A power tool with multiple wireless communication states, including a connectable state for data exchange when the battery pack is attached and an advertisement state when detached, using a wireless communication controller with a backup power source to maintain identity and time tracking, and a real-time clock to implement a time-based lockout feature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the power tool uses a backup power source to maintain wireless communication when the battery pack is detached, then the tool's identifiability and basic communication capability are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional power management components
Solution Approach 1:
The power management system is segmented into two distinct power sources: a main battery pack interface for full power supply and a backup power source for minimal essential functions. This segmentation allows the tool to maintain basic wireless communication and identification capabilities through the backup power source without requiring the entire system to be powered, thus improving reliability while managing complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup power source is pre-configured and positioned to automatically activate when the main battery pack is detached. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the tool can immediately transition to a powered state for identification and communication purposes without requiring complex real-time decision-making circuits, thereby maintaining reliability while simplifying the power management logic.
2Loss of information
If the wireless communication controller operates in advertisement state with backup power, then the tool can be located and identified, but the communication functionality is limited compared to full battery power
Solution Approach 1:
The backup power source provides just enough power for essential identification functions (advertisement state) rather than full operational capability. This partial action approach ensures the tool can be located and identified with minimal power consumption, accepting limited communication functionality in exchange for extended operational autonomy and simplified power management.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication controller dynamically transitions between two operational states: advertisement state when powered by the backup power source (providing basic identification) and connectable state when powered by the full battery pack (providing complete communication functionality). This dynamic state management allows the system to adapt its communication capability to the available power level, optimizing the balance between identification reliability and communication versatility.
3Reliability
If the power tool implements time-based lockout feature with real-time clock, then tool usage security is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional timing and control components
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time clock and time-based lockout control functions are merged into the existing wireless communication controller rather than being implemented as separate dedicated components. This integration leverages the controller's existing processing capabilities and memory resources to execute time-based security logic, thereby improving usage security while minimizing the increase in device complexity through resource sharing and functional consolidation.
Data Source
AI summary
A power tool having multiple wireless communication states and a method of wirelessly communicating by a power tool. The power tool includes a motor, a battery pack interface that selectively receives a battery pack, a backup power source, and a wireless communication controller coupled to the backup power source and the battery pack interface. The wireless communication controller operates in a connectable state when coupled to a battery pack and transmits tool operational data to the external device and receives tool configuration data from the external device. The wireless communication controller operates in an advertisement state when the wireless communication controller is coupled to and powered by the backup power source. In the advertisement state, the wireless communication controller is configured to transmit the unique tool identifier. The external device may also display an indication of the communication state of the power tool.