Identifying power tool devices based on sound generated by electronic components of the power tool devices
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsJonathan E. Abbott, Randolph H. McHugh, Mark A. Gellings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power tool device (102) is controlled to emit sounds that can identify the power tool device and/or be used to encode data for acoustic data transmission. Modulating the switching frequency of electronic components (370) (e.g., transistors, semiconductor switched devices) of the power tool device (102) can create an acoustic signature detectable by a microphone-equipped device (104), such as a cell phone, tablet, security camera, or the like. In this way, power tool identification and/or acoustic data transmission can be realized with existing power tool device circuitry and hardware components.
Claims24
A method for identifying a power tool device, the method comprising:
- modulating a first switching frequency generated by an electronic component of the power tool device, thereby generating an acoustic signature;
- receiving, by an external device, acoustic signal data by detecting the acoustic signature generated by modulating the first switching frequency generated by the electronic component of the power tool device;
- and
- processing the received acoustic signal data by a processor of the external device to determine the acoustic signature, thereby identifying the power tool device by its acoustic signature,
- wherein the power tool emits a second switching frequency during operation.
A method for transmitting data using a power tool device, the method comprising:
- transmitting data stored in a memory of the power tool device as acoustic signal data by modulating a first switching frequency generated by an electronic component of the power tool device, thereby generating an acoustic signature;
- receiving, by an external device, the acoustic signal data by detecting the acoustic signature generated by modulating the first switching frequency generated by the electronic component of the power tool device;
- and
- storing the received acoustic signal data in a memory of the external device,
- wherein the power tool emits a second switching frequency during operation.
A power tool device comprising:
- a housing;
- an electronic component housed within the housing;
- an electronic processor coupled to the electronic component, the electronic processor being configured to control the electronic component to modulate a first switching frequency of the electronic component, such that in response to modulating the electronic component a sound having an acoustic signature based on the modulation of the first switching frequency is emitted,
- wherein the power tool device emits a second switching frequency during operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.