Power Tool Wireless States for Battery-Off Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power tools lack efficient wireless communication capabilities that allow seamless data exchange with external devices, especially when the battery pack is disconnected, and do not have a reliable method to maintain time and enforce security features without a primary power source.
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 it is not, using a wireless communication controller with a backup power source to maintain time and enforce security features, such as a time-based lockout, even when the battery pack is detached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the power tool uses a battery pack for power supply, then the power tool can operate with high power, but the wireless communication controller cannot maintain operation when the battery pack is disconnected
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into two independent parts: the main battery pack interface for high-power operation and the backup power source for communication continuity. The backup power source is a separate capacitor that independently maintains the wireless communication controller when the battery pack is disconnected.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup power source is pre-charged through the battery pack interface during normal operation. When the battery pack is disconnected, the pre-charged capacitor immediately takes over to maintain communication, preventing any interruption in wireless communication functionality.
2Reliability
If the wireless communication controller operates continuously to maintain communication, then the communication availability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication controller dynamically switches between two operational states: a low-power advertisement state when the battery pack is disconnected (using the backup power source) and a full-function connectable state when the battery pack is connected. This dynamic adaptation optimizes energy consumption based on power availability.
3Device complexity
If the power tool lacks timekeeping capability when battery pack is disconnected, then the device complexity is reduced, but the security feature enforcement is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The timekeeping function is extracted from the main controller and assigned to the backup power source module. The capacitor maintains power to the real-time clock and security enforcement logic independently, allowing time-based security features to operate without adding complexity to the main power management system.
Data Source
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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.