Power Tool Pack Adapter Having Audio and Video Components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024347286-A1
Application number	US-202218691770-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2022
Priority date	Dec 3, 2021
Publication date	Oct 17, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Adapters for a power tool are backwards compatible with a variety of different power tools, battery packs, and other power tool devices. The power tool pack adapter fits between a power tool and a battery pack (or other such power tool devices) and provides extra functionality (e.g., voice control, cameras, machine learning, etc.) to a power tool or other power tool device. The added functionality can be implemented by a dedicated electronic controller and/or processor in the power tool pack adapter.

First claim

1 . An adapter for a power tool, comprising:
a housing; a first interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a first power tool device; a second interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a second power tool device, the second interface being in electrical communication with the first interface; at least one microphone coupled to the housing; and an electronic controller supported by the housing and coupled to the first interface, the second interface, and the at least one microphone, the electronic controller configured to:
receive audio data recorded by the at least one microphone;
process the audio data to determine a voice command in the audio data;
convert the voice command to a control action; and
control operation of at least one of the electronic controller, the first power tool device, or the second power tool device based on the control action.

2 . The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to process the audio data using a natural language processing algorithm to determine a voice command in the audio data.

3 . The adapter of claim 2 , further comprising a machine learning controller in communication with the electronic controller, wherein the machine learning controller receives the audio data from the electronic controller, processes the audio data via the natural language processing algorithm, and generates an output as the determined voice command.

4 . The adapted of claim 1 , wherein the microphone passively records audio data until a wake word is identified in the audio data by the electronic controller, after which the microphone actively records audio data for processing by the electronic controller.

5 . The adapter of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication device coupled to the housing and in communication with the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller transmits the control action via the wireless communication device to a wirelessly connected power tool device in order to control operation of the wirelessly connected power tool device based on the control action.

6 . An adapter for a power tool, comprising
a housing; a first interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a first power tool device; a second interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a second power tool device, the second interface being in electrical communication with the first interface; at least one camera coupled to the housing; and an electronic controller supported by the housing and coupled to the first interface, the second interface, and the at least one camera, the electronic controller configured to:
receive image data recorded by the at least one camera; and
store the image data on a memory of the electronic controller.

7 . The adapter of claim 6 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to transmit the image data to at least one of an external device or a server.

8 . The adapter of claim 7 , further comprising a wireless communication device coupled to the electronic controller and configured to receive the image data from the electronic controller and to transmit the image data to the at least one of the external device of the server.

9 . The adapter of claim 6 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to:
process the image data to determine a control action; and control operation of at least one of the electronic controller, the first power tool device, or the second power tool device based on the control action.

10 . The adapter of claim 9 , wherein the image data comprise an image of at least one of a QR code or a barcode and wherein the electronic controller processes the image data to determine the control action by decoding the at least one of the QR code or the barcode depicted in the image.

11 . The adapter of claim 6 , further comprising a wireless communication device coupled to the housing and in communication with the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller is configured to transmit the image data to at least one of a server or an external device via the wireless communication device.

12 . An adapter for a power tool, comprising
a housing; a first interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a first power tool device; a second interface supported by the housing and configured to couple to a second power tool device, the second interface being in electrical communication with the first interface; and wherein the first interface is laterally offset relative to the second interface.

13 . The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first power tool device is a power tool and the second power tool device is a battery pack.

14 . The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first power tool device is a battery pack and the second power tool device is a power tool battery charger.

15 . The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first power tool device is a battery pack and the second power tool device is a power supply.

16 . The adapter of claim 6 , wherein the first power tool device is a battery pack and the second power tool device is a power tool, a power tool battery charger, or a power supply.

17 . The adapter of claim 12 , wherein the first power tool device is a battery pack and the second power tool device is a power tool, a power tool battery charger, or a power supply.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Abbott Jonathan E
• Martinez Christian U
• Endean Daniel E
• Roberts Colin J

Classifications

• H02J2105/61

  Load identification · CPC title

• H02J2105/54

  according to a non-electrical condition, e.g. temperature · CPC title

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/855

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

• H02J7/47

  Arrangements for checking compatibility or authentication between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source · CPC title