Method for communicating data between a control system of a power tool and a computing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9665080-B2
Application number	US-201214366038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2012
Priority date	Mar 21, 2012
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

Arrangement and methods for communicating data between a control system ( 100 ) of a power tool ( 10 ) and a computing device ( 20 ). The arrangement ( 1 ) comprises a control system ( 100 ) with a plurality of electronic control units, ECUs ( 110, 120 ), a computing device ( 20 ), and a connecting unit ( 30 ) comprising a data connection ( 32 ). The plurality of ECUs ( 110, 120 ) are connected to a common bus of the control system ( 100 ). Each of the plurality of ECUs ( 110, 120 ) has a passive service mode ( 201 ) and an active service mode ( 202 ). The computing device is operable of transmitting a wake-up communication signal to the plurality of ECUs ( 110, 120 ), which wake-up communication signal comprises an ID of a selected ECU ( 110, 120 ) out of the plurality of ECUs ( 110, 120 ). The selected ECU ( 110, 120 ) is operable to switch from the passive service mode ( 201 ) to the active service mode ( 202 ) as a response to detecting its ID in the wake-up communication signal, so as to allow communication of data between the selected ECU ( 110, 120 ) and the computing device ( 20 ) via the data connection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An arrangement for communicating data between a control system of a power tool and a computing device, the arrangement comprising:
a control system of the power tool, the control system comprising at least one electronic control unit, ECU,
a computing device provided externally of the power tool,
a connecting unit interconnecting the computing device and the control system, the connecting unit comprising a data connection,
wherein the at least one ECU has a passive service mode and an active service mode,
wherein an allowed power consumption is significantly lower in the passive service mode than in the active service mode,
wherein the computing device is operable to transmit a wake-up communication signal to the at least one ECU when the at least one ECU is in the passive service mode, the wake-up communication signal comprising an ID of a selected ECU out of the at least one ECU,
wherein the selected ECU is operable to switch from the passive service mode to the active service mode as a response to detecting its ID in the wake-up communication signal, so as to allow communication of data between the selected ECU and the computing device via the data connection,
wherein the at least one ECU enters a transitional start-up mode in response to detection of a voltage supply and wherein the computing device is operable to trigger each of the at least one ECU to switch from the transitional start-up mode to the passive service mode by transmitting a passive service mode initiating signal via the data connection.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the power tool lacks an internal power supply when the power tool is in a non-operating mode.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting unit comprises a voltage supply connection, and wherein the computing device is operable to supply power to the at least one ECU via the voltage supply connection when the power tool is in a non-operating mode.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one ECU has an operating mode, and wherein each of the at least one ECU is configured to switch from the transitional start-up mode to the operating mode in the absence of the passive service mode initiating signal.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the data connection is a single wire connection.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the power tool is provided with an internal combustion engine.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein one of the at least one ECU is an electronic carburetor control system.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein one of the at least one ECU is a combustion engine ignition control unit.

9. A method for communicating data between a control system of a power tool and a computing device provided externally of the power tool, wherein the power tool is provided with an internal combustion engine and wherein the power tool lacks internal power supply when the combustion engine is in a non-operating mode, wherein the control system comprises at least one electronic control unit, ECU, wherein the at least one ECU has a passive service mode and an active service mode, wherein an allowed power consumption is significantly lower in the passive service mode than in the active service mode, the method comprising:
transmitting a wake-up communication signal from the computing device to the at least one ECU when each of the at least one ECUs is in the passive service mode, wherein the wake-up communication signal comprises an ID of a selected ECU out of the at least one ECU, in the selected ECU, switching to the active service mode in response to detection of the ID in the wake-up communication signal, and communicating data between the selected ECU and the computing device,
wherein each of the at least one ECU has a transitional start-up mode the method further comprising:
interconnecting the computing device and the control system via a connecting unit comprising a voltage supply connection and a data connection;
supplying power to the at least one ECU from the computing device,
for the at least one ECU, entering the transitional start-up mode in response to detection of a voltage supply,
transmitting a passive service mode initiating signal from the computing device to the at least one ECU,
in the at least one ECU, entering the passive service mode, in response to receiving the passive service mode initiating signal.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the power tool has a stop button switch for stopping the internal combustion engine and a cable arrangement for connecting the stop button switch and the at least one ECU, wherein the cable arrangement includes a stop button connector and a power tool connector, and wherein the method comprising the initial steps of
disconnecting the power tool connector from the stop button connector, and
connecting the power tool connector to a service tool connector of a service tool assembly.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein each of the at least one ECU has an operating mode, the method furthermore comprising:
in the at least one ECU switching from the transitional start-up mode to the operating mode in the absence of passive service mode initiating signal.

Assignees

• Larsson Mikael
• Lundblad Björn
• Assargård Johan
• Eklund Henrik
• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Larsson Mikael
• Lundblad Björn
• Assargård Johan
• Eklund Henrik

Classifications

• H04L12/40013

  Details regarding a bus controller · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• H04L12/40039

  Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus · CPC title

• H04L2012/4026

  Bus for use in automation systems · CPC title

• Y02B60/34

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic