System and method for establishing a wireless connection between power tool and mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10149142-B2
Application number	US-201715615214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2017
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A method and system for connecting a power tool with a mobile device. The mobile device receives a user request to connect to a power tool and transmits a short-range advertisement. The power tool receives the short-range advertisement and transmits a signal. The mobile device receives the signal from the power tool and determines a signal strength. The mobile device compares the signal strength to a predetermined signal strength value. When the signal strength value exceeds the predetermined signal strength value, the mobile device connects with the power tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;
transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;
receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;
determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;
determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold; and
in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold:
establishing, using the electronic processor, a connection with the power tool device,
adding, using the electronic processor, the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and
identifying the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in addition to establishing the connection, receiving usage data recorded on the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, on the user interface of the mobile device, a list of nearby power tool devices.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a user input to change the signal strength threshold; and
changing the signal strength threshold based on the user input.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the signal strength includes determining an average signal strength over a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold further comprises:
determining that the signal strength is increasing above a predetermined rate.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a list of associated power tool devices;
receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;
transmitting a second short-range advertisement;
receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;
determining signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;
determining a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;
determining a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;
determining a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and
providing an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing a second indication of the fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in addition to establishing the connection, in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold, one selected from a group consisting of:
sending a configuration profile to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured using the configuration profile, and
sending a security setting to the power tool device, wherein the power tool device is configured to apply the security setting.

10. A mobile device for connecting with a power tool device, the mobile device comprising:
a transceiver;
a memory; and
an electronic processor coupled to the transceiver and memory and configured to:
receive, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device,
transmit, with the transceiver, a short-range advertisement,
receive, via the transceiver, a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement,
determine a signal strength of the signal,
determine that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold, and
in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold:
establish a connection with the power tool device,
add the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and
identify the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
in addition to establishing the connection, receive usage data recorded on the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold.

12. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
receive a list of associated power tool devices;
receive a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;
transmit, via the transceiver, a second short-range advertisement;
receive, via the transceiver, a plurality of signals from a first subset of the list of associated power tool devices in response to the second short-range advertisement;
determine signal strength for each power tool device from the first subset of the list of associated power tool devices;
determine a second subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength above a predetermined threshold;
determine a third subset of the list of associated power tool devices with signal strength below the predetermined threshold;
determine a fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices outside a wireless range; and
provide an indication of the second subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
provide a second indication of the fourth subset of the list of associated power tool devices.

14. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
in addition to establishing the connection with the power tool device, send a configuration profile to the power tool device in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold, wherein the power tool device is configured using the configuration profile.

15. A method for connecting a power tool device with a mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving, at a user interface of the mobile device, a request to connect to the power tool device;
transmitting, with a transceiver of the mobile device, a short-range advertisement;
receiving a signal from the power tool device in response to the short-range advertisement;
determining, using an electronic processor of the mobile device, a signal strength of the signal;
determining, using the electronic processor, that the signal strength is above a signal strength threshold; and
in response to determining that the signal strength is above the signal strength threshold
adding, using the electronic processor, the power tool device to a power tool device inventory of a user, and
identifying the user as an owner of the power tool device to alter a permission associated with the user with respect to the power tool device.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a list of associated power tool devices;
receiving a user request to check for nearby power tool devices;
transmitting a second short-range advertisement;
receiving a plurality of signals from a first subset of

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Coulis Christian Paul
• Rothman Jason Glenn
• Stefanik Steven M

Classifications

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• B25F5/00

  Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• H04W8/005 Primary

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04L41/0806

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title