Power tool profile sharing and permissions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12322280-B2
Application number	US-202217820726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

Method and system for programming a power tool from an external device. The method includes establishing a first communication link with a server. The server includes a profile bank that includes mode profiles generated by a plurality of users. The method further includes receiving, over the first communication link, a list of mode profiles representing a subset of the mode profiles of the profile bank. The method further includes receiving, in response to user input from a first user on the external device, a selection of a mode profile. The method further includes transmitting, over the first communication link, the selection of the mode profile. The method further includes receiving, over the first communication link, the mode profile, the mode profile having been generated by a second user. The method further includes transmitting wirelessly, to the power tool, the mode profile to configure the power tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external device configured to program a power tool, the external device comprising:
an external wireless communication controller;
a display; and
an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the external wireless communication controller and to the display, wherein the electronic processor is configured to:
control the display to display a nearby devices screen that indicates a plurality of power tools configured to communicate with the external device,
receive a first user input selecting the power tool from among the plurality of power tools listed on the nearby devices screen,
control, in response to receiving the first user input selecting the power tool, the display of the external device to display a tool interface for the power tool,
receive a second user input selecting a profile setup icon on the tool interface for the power tool,
control, in response to receiving the second user input selecting the profile setup icon, the display of the external device to display a profile list screen of mode profiles that are compatible with the power tool,
receive a third user input to request additional mode profiles,
control, in response to receiving the third user input, the display to display a mode profile search screen,
receive a keyword entered by a user via a fourth user input,
establish, with the external wireless communication controller, a first communication link with a server, the server including a profile bank that includes mode profiles, each of the mode profiles included in the profile bank including power tool configuration data,
transmit, with the external wireless communication controller, the keyword to the server, wherein the keyword is used by the server to search names of the mode profiles included in the profile bank,
receive, with the external wireless communication controller, a list of a first plurality of mode profiles whose name includes the keyword,
control the display to display the names of the first plurality of mode profiles on the profile list screen,
receive, via a fifth user input, a selection of one of the mode profiles of the first plurality of mode profiles,
in response to receiving the fifth user input, request power tool configuration data included in the selected one of the mode profiles from the server,
receive, with the external wireless communication controller and from the server, the power tool configuration data included in the selected one of the mode profiles, and
transmit, with the external wireless communication controller, the power tool configuration data included in the selected one of the mode profiles to the power tool to configure performance of operation of a motor of the power tool;
wherein the first plurality of mode profiles each include a first share level that allows the first plurality of mode profiles to be discoverable by the external device of the user; and
wherein the profile bank includes a second plurality of mode profiles that each include a second share level different than the first share level, wherein the second share level prevents the second plurality of mode profiles from being discoverable by the external device of the user regardless of whether names of the second plurality of mode profiles include the keyword.

2. The external device of claim 1 , wherein each mode profile of the first plurality of mode profiles was created by an entity besides the user; and
wherein the entity includes at least one of the group consisting of another user, a manufacturer of the power tool, a member of a group to which the user belongs, and combinations thereof.

3. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive a sixth user input that indicates a source of the mode profiles of the profile bank that are to be searched using the keyword; and
wherein the source of the mode profiles includes at least one of the group consisting of user-generated mode profiles, manufacturer generated mode profiles, approved third-party generated mode profiles, and combinations thereof.

4. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive a sixth user input that indicates one of a plurality of categorizations of the first plurality of mode profiles, wherein a subset of the first plurality of mode profiles is displayed on the display based on the sixth user input that indicates the one of the plurality of categorizations; and
wherein the plurality of categorizations include at least two selected from the group consisting of user profiles of the user, group profiles of a group of users to which the user belongs, all profiles associated with the user and the group of users to which the user belongs, default profiles, and combinations thereof.

5. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to transmit a group identifier to the server, wherein the group identifier specifies mode profiles associated with a group of entities; and
wherein the list of the first plurality of mode profiles received corresponds to the mode profiles associated with the group of entities.

6. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the display to display at least one of a rating indicator, a popularity indicator, and a combination thereof corresponding to each of the names of the first plurality of mode profiles displayed on the display.

7. The external device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to:
control the display to display the power tool configuration data included in the selected one of the mode profiles;
receive a sixth user input that adjusts a value of a parameter included in the power tool configuration data included in the selected one of the mode profiles to create a modified mode profile; and
transmit, with the external wireless communication controller, power tool configuration data included in the modified mode profile to the power tool to configure the performance of operation of the motor of the power tool.

8. A method of programming a power tool from an external device, the method comprising:
controlling, with an electronic processor of the external device, a display of the external device to display a nearby devices screen that indicates a plurality of power tools configured to communicate with the external device;
receiving, with the electronic processor, a first user input selecting the power tool from among the plurality of power tools listed on the nearby devices screen;
controlling, with the electronic processor and in response to receiving the first user input selecting the power tool, the display of the external device to display a tool interface for the power tool;
receiving, with the electronic processor, a second user input selecting a profile setup icon on the tool interface for the power tool;
controlling, with the electronic processor and in response to receiving the second user input selecting the profile setup icon, the display of the external device to display a profile list screen of mode profiles that are compatible with the power tool;
receiving, with the electronic processor, a third user input to request additional mode profiles;
controlling, with the electronic processor and in response to receiving the third user input, the display of the external device to display a mode profile search screen;
receiving, with the electronic processor, a keyword entered by a user via a fourth user input;
establishing, with an external wireless communication controller of the external device, a first communication link with a server, the server including a profile bank that includes mode profiles, each of the mode profiles included in the profile bank including

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Matson Stephen
• Coulis Christian

Classifications

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title