Systems and methods for remote power tool device control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397406-B2
Application number	US-202318392617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for remote power tool control are provided. In one example, a battery pack is coupled to a power tool device. The battery pack includes a pack transceiver and a pack electronic processor. The pack electronic processor is coupled to the pack transceiver and is configured to determine that the power tool device is remotely controllable. The pack electronic processor is further configured to receive, wirelessly via a pack transceiver of the battery pack, a remote control command from a mobile device, and to provide the remote control command to the power tool device. The system further includes a tool electronic processor of the power tool device in communication with the pack electronic processor. The tool electronic processor is configured to control the power tool device to perform an action specified by the remote control command in response to receiving the remote control command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for remote controlling a power tool device, the system comprising:
a tool electronic processor included in the power tool device, the power tool device including a battery pack interface; and
a battery pack configured to be coupled to the power tool device at the battery pack interface, the battery pack including:
a sensor configured to detect a type of the power tool device,
a pack transceiver, and
a pack electronic processor coupled to the pack transceiver and the sensor and in communication with the tool electronic processor, the pack electronic processor configured to:
determine that the power tool device is remotely controllable based on an output from the sensor,
receive, wirelessly via the pack transceiver, a remote control command from a mobile device, and
provide the remote control command to the power tool device,

wherein the tool electronic processor is configured to control the power tool device to perform an action specified by the remote control command in response to receiving the remote control command from the pack electronic processor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output from the sensor indicates a presence of a magnet that is proximate to the battery pack interface.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output from the sensor indicates that a pole orientation representing that the power tool device is remotely controllable is present.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pack electronic processor is configured to determine that the power tool device is not remotely controllable based on a second output from the sensor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second output from the sensor indicates that a magnet of the power tool device is in a first pole orientation.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second power tool device including a second tool electronic processor; and
a second battery pack configured to be coupled to the second power tool device, the second battery pack including:
a second pack transceiver, and
a second pack electronic processor coupled to the second pack transceiver, the second pack electronic processor configured to:
determine that the coupled second power tool device is remotely controllable,
receive, wirelessly via the second pack transceiver, a second remote control command from the mobile device, and
provide the second remote control command to the second power tool device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second pack electronic processor is configured to determine that the second power tool device is remotely controllable based on a second output from a second sensor within the second battery pack.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second pack electronic processor is further configured to:
provide a command to the second power tool device in response to the pack electronic processor providing the remote control command to the power tool device.

10. A method for remote controlling a power tool device by a mobile device, the method comprising:
determining, by a pack electronic processor of a battery pack, that the power tool device is remotely controllable tool type based on an output from a sensor of the battery pack,
receiving, wirelessly via a pack transceiver of the battery pack, a remote control command from the mobile device, and
providing, via a communication link between the pack electronic processor and a tool electronic processor of the power tool device, the remote control command to the power tool device in response to determining that the power tool device is remotely controllable tool type,
wherein the tool electronic processor is configured to control the power tool device to perform an action specified by the remote control command in response to receiving the remote control command from the pack electronic processor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the output from the sensor indicates that a magnetic field is present proximate to a battery pack interface of the power tool device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor senses a presence of a magnet provided proximate a battery pack interface of the power tool device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
controlling, by the tool electronic processor, the power tool device in a low power mode prior to receiving the remote control command from the pack electronic processor.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
switching, by the tool electronic processor, the power tool device to be controlled in a high power mode to perform the action in response to receiving the remote control command.

15. A battery pack for remote controlling a power tool device comprising:
an interface for coupling the battery pack to the power tool device;
a sensor configured to detect a type of the power tool device;
a pack transceiver; and
a pack electronic processor coupled to the pack transceiver and the sensor and in communication with a tool electronic processor included in the power tool device, the pack electronic processor configured to:
determine that the power tool device is remotely controllable based on an output from the sensor,
receive, wirelessly via the pack transceiver, a remote control command from a mobile device, and
provide the remote control command to the power tool device,

wherein the tool electronic processor is configured to control the power tool device in a high power mode in response to receiving the remote control command.

16. The battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the tool electronic processor controls the power tool device in a low power mode prior to receiving the remote control command.

17. The battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the output from the sensor indicates that a magnetic field is present.

18. The battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the output from the sensor indicates that a pole orientation of a magnet proximate to a battery pack interface of the power tool device is present.

19. The battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the pack electronic processor is configured to determine that the power tool device is not remotely controllable based on a second output from the sensor.

20. The battery pack of claim 19 , wherein the second output from the sensor indicates that a magnet of the power tool device is in a first pole orientation.

Assignees

• Techtronic Cordless Gp

Inventors

• Huggins Mark
• Rowe Tyler J
• Bryan Frederick W
• Stokes Mark K

Classifications

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/40

  characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data · CPC title

• H01M10/425

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• H01M2010/4278

  Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller · CPC title

• H01M2010/4271

  Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing · CPC title