Universal protocol for power tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430370-B2
Application number	US-201514722513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 17, 2012
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with power tools using a universal protocol. The universal protocol may be implemented using a universal core module that is installed across a variety of power tools and other devices to enable communications therewith. Communications to and from the power tools are translated to a universal protocol once received. The translated communications are handled by the universal core module of a particular tool according to a set of rules. In response, the universal core module outputs communications according to the universal protocol and the set of rules, which may be translated to another protocol for receipt by components of the tool or an external device. The communications may be used, for example, to obtain tool performance data from the tools and to provide firmware updates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of writing to a tool memory, the method comprising:
receiving, by a tool, a communication from an external device including a request;
determining that the request includes a write command;
placing the tool in a safe mode in response to determining that the request includes the write command, wherein a motor of the tool is disabled when in the safe mode;
writing to a memory of the tool in accordance with the write command; and
exiting the safe mode upon completion of the write command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein writing to the memory of the tool in accordance with the write command includes storing in the memory at least one selected from the group of tool parameters and application software.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the tool, a second communication from the external device including a second request;
determining that the second request includes a read command; and
reading from the memory of the tool in accordance with the read command without placing the tool in the safe mode.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein performance data of the tool is included in data read from the memory in accordance with the read command.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the tool, a second communication from the external device including a second request;
determining that the second request includes a read command;
placing the tool in the safe mode in response to determining that the second request includes the read command;
reading from the memory of the tool in accordance with the read command; and
exiting the safe mode upon completion of the read command.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the tool, a third communication from the external device including a light request;
determining that the light request includes an enable light command; and
enabling a work light of the tool in response to the light request.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, by the tool, the communication from the external device includes:
receiving, at a physical interface of the tool, the communication according to first protocol;
translating, by an interface module of the tool, the communication from the first protocol to a universal protocol to form a translated communication including the request; and
providing the translated communication to a universal core module.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the universal core module receives the translated communication, performs the determining that the request includes the write command, and performs the placing of the tool in the safe mode in response to determining that the request includes the write command.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the write command is authorized before writing to the memory of the tool in accordance with the write command.

10. A method of writing to a memory of a power tool having a motor driven by a controller, the method comprising:
receiving, by the power tool, a communication from an external device including a request;
determining, by the controller, that the request includes a write command;
preventing, by the controller, simultaneous writing to the memory and driving of the motor; and
writing to the memory in accordance with the write command.

11. A power tool comprising:
a motor;
a memory storing application software that, when executed, controls a function of the power tool;
a communication interface forming a communication link with an external device and operable to receive a communication from the external device including a request;
a safe mode in which the motor of the power tool is disabled; and
a controller coupled to the communication interface, the motor, and the memory, the controller operable to
determine that the request includes a write command,
place the power tool in the safe mode in response to determining that the request includes the write command,
write to the memory in accordance with the write command, and exit the safe mode upon completion of the write command.

12. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the write command includes at least one selected from the group of tool parameters and application software and writing to the memory in accordance with the write command includes storing in the memory the at least one selected from the group of tool parameters and application software.

13. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the communication interface is further operable to receive a second communication from the external device including a second request; and
wherein the controller is further operable to determine that the second request includes a read command and, in response, to read from the memory in accordance with the read command without placing the power tool in the safe mode.

14. The power tool of claim 13 , wherein performance data of the power tool is included in data read from the memory in accordance with the read command.

15. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the communication interface is further operable to receive a second communication from the external device including a second request; and
wherein the controller is further operable to
determine that the second request includes a read command;
place the power tool in the safe mode in response to determining that the second request includes the read command;
read from the memory in accordance with the read command; and
exit the safe mode upon completion of the read command.

16. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the communication interface is further operable to receive a third communication from the external device including a light request;
wherein the controller is further operable to determine that the light request includes an enable light command and, in response, to enable a work light of the power tool.

17. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the communication interface is a physical interface of the power tool that communicates according to a first protocol, and wherein the controller includes an interface module that translates the request from the first protocol to a universal protocol to form a translated communication including the request; and provides the translated communication to a universal core module of the controller.

18. The power tool of claim 17 , wherein the universal core module receives the translated communication, performs the determining that the request includes the write command, and performs the placing of the power tool in the safe mode in response to determining that the request includes the write command.

19. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether the write command is authorized before writing to the memory in accordance with the write command.

20. The power tool of claim 11 , wherein the power tool is one selected from the group of: a drill, a circular saw, a jig saw, a band saw, a reciprocating saw, a screw driver, a grinder, an impact wrench, a rotary hammer, and an impact driver.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Mergener Matthew J

Classifications

• H04L69/08

  Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion · CPC title

• G06F12/023 Primary

  Free address space management · CPC title

• B25F5/00 Primary

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

• H04L67/16

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F2212/251

  Local memory within processor subsystem · CPC title