Universal wireless charging of power tool battery packs

A communication method comprising:

• communicating, with a charger electronic processor of a wireless charging device via at least one of a wireless communication device of the wireless charging device and a first battery pack detection sensor of the wireless charging device, with a first battery pack located on a first charging station of the wireless charging device, the first charging station including the first battery pack detection sensor and a first type of wireless charging circuitry;
• communicating, with the charger electronic processor via at least one of the wireless communication device and a second battery pack detection sensor of the wireless charging device, with a second battery pack located on the a second charging station of the wireless charging device, the second charging station including the second battery pack detection sensor and a second type of wireless charging circuitry;
• determining, with the charger electronic processor and based on communicating with the first battery pack and the second battery pack, that the first battery pack was manufactured by a different manufacturer than the second battery pack;
• communicating, with the charger electronic processor and via the wireless communication device, first status information of the first charging station and second status information of the second charging station to an external device, wherein the first status information includes a first manufacturer of the first battery pack and wherein the second status information includes a second manufacturer of the second battery pack that is different than the first manufacturer;
• receiving, with an external device electronic processor of the external device via a transceiver of the external device, the first status information and the second status information from the wireless charging device;
• and
• controlling, with the external device electronic processor, a display of the external device to display the first status information and the second status information.

A communication system comprising:

• a wireless charging device including
• a plurality of charging stations including
• a first charging station including a first type of wireless charging circuitry and a first battery pack detection sensor, and
• a second charging station including a second battery pack detection sensor and a second type of wireless charging circuitry different than the first type of wireless charging circuitry,
• a wireless communication device,
• a charger electronic processor coupled to the plurality of charging stations and to the wireless communication device, wherein the charger electronic processor is configured to
• communicate with a first battery pack via at least one of the wireless communication device and the first battery pack detection sensor,
• communicate with a second battery pack via at least one of the wireless communication device and the second battery pack detection sensor,
• communicate first status information of the first charging station and second status information of the second charging station to an external device via the wireless communication device;
• the external device including
• a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the wireless communication device of the wireless charging device,
• a display,
• an external device electronic processor coupled to the transceiver and the display, the external device electronic processor configured to
• receive the first status information and the second status information from the wireless charging device via the transceiver, and
• control the display to display the first status information and the second status information.