Digital chain-of-custody

A power tool battery pack comprising:

• battery cells;
• a power tool interface operable to be coupled to a power tool to provide power from the battery cells to the power tool and operable to be coupled to a charger to provide power from the charger to the battery cells;
• a chain-of-custody memory storing
• a serial number that uniquely identifies the power tool battery pack,
• first owner information indicating a previous owner of the power tool battery pack, and
• second owner information indicating a current owner of the power tool battery pack;
• and
• a wireless transceiver operable to communicate with an external wireless device, the wireless transceiver:
• sending, to the external wireless device, the serial number, the first owner information, and the second owner information in response to at least one read request, and
• receiving, from the external wireless device, a write request including third owner information, which is stored in the chain-of-custody memory.

A method of identifying at least one of a power tool and a power tool battery pack having a chain-of-custody memory, comprising:

• reading, from the chain-of-custody memory, a serial number that uniquely identifies the at least one of a power tool and a power tool battery pack;
• reading, from the chain-of-custody memory, first owner information indicating a first owner of the at least one of a power tool and a power tool battery pack;
• storing, in the chain-of-custody memory, second owner information indicating a second owner of the at least one of a power tool and a power tool battery pack, while retaining the serial number and the first owner information;
• wirelessly transmitting, to an external wireless device, the serial number, the first owner information, and the second owner information in response to at least one read request;
• wirelessly receiving, from the external wireless device, a write request including third owner information indicating a third owner of the at least one of a power tool and a power tool battery pack;
• and
• storing, in the chain-of-custody memory, the third owner information while retaining the serial number, the first owner information, and the second owner information.