US 10,379,167 B2 · Rechargeable tool and battery status monitoring in an automated tool control system

Abstract

An automated tool control system provides both inventory control of items stored in the system and monitoring of the charging status of rechargeable inventory items such as tools and batteries stored in the system. For these purposes, the tool control system includes storage locations for storing tools and other inventory items, and the storage locations include at least one storage location located in a charger operative to charge a rechargeable tool, battery, or battery pack disposed therein. In operation, the tool control system may monitor the charging status of any tool, battery, or battery pack disposed in the storage location of the charger through monitoring of battery status indicators of the tool, battery, battery pack, or charger; through monitoring of current or voltage drawn by the tool, battery, battery pack, or charger; or through wired or wireless communication with a communication enabled tool, battery, battery pack, or charger.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An automated tool control system comprising:

a plurality of storage locations including one storage location configured to store a rechargeable inventory item and another storage location configured to store a tool;
a charger associated with the one storage location of the plurality of storage locations and configured to charge the rechargeable inventory item when the rechargeable inventory item is present in the one storage location;
and
a processor and sensing device configured to determine the presence or absence of inventory items, including the rechargeable inventory item and the tool, in the plurality of storage locations,
wherein the processor is configured to determine presence of the rechargeable inventory item including a removable rechargeable battery with a plurality of time stamps and the one storage location associated with the charger, to monitor a charging status of at least one rechargeable inventory item, to determine presence of the at least one rechargeable inventory item in the other storage location, and to selectively issue an alert to a user with the at least one rechargeable inventory item in the other storage location.

2 more elements

A method for monitoring a rechargeable inventory item in an automated tool control system, comprising:

determining, using a processor and sensing device of the automated tool control system, presence or absence of the rechargeable inventory item including a removable rechargeable battery with a plurality of time stamps and of a tool in a plurality of storage locations of the automated tool control system including one storage location configured to store the rechargeable inventory item and another storage location configured to store the tool;
upon determining presence of the tool in the plurality of storage locations, identify, using the processor and sensing device, the storage location of the plurality of storage location in which the tool is present;
upon determining presence of the rechargeable inventory item in the plurality of storage locations, determining presence of the rechargeable inventory item in one storage location associated with a charger configured to charge the rechargeable inventory item when the at least one inventory item is present in the one storage location;
upon determining presence of the rechargeable inventory item in the one storage location associated with the charger, monitoring a charging status of the rechargeable inventory item;
and
selectively issue an alert to a user with the at least one rechargeable inventory item in the other storage location.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rechargeable tool and battery status monitoring in an automated tool control system

Life of this patent

Rechargeable tool and battery status monitoring in an automated tool control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21