Computer implemented method, and apparatus for controlling a hand-held tool

An apparatus for controlling and diagnosing torque and speed applied to fasteners by a hand-held tool comprising:

• a housing having a hand-grip portion;
• contained within said housing, an electric motor having a shaft, said motor being operable in current mode to control a force to be applied to a fastener interface mechanism connected to the shaft by varying current through the windings;
• a processor contained within said housing having a clock for providing timing pulses, wherein said processor controls an interrupt driven state machine for monitoring operating parameters of the hand-held tool, keeping a performance history of the tool's operation comprising performance records, communicating with a remote computer and controlling the torque and speed applied to fasteners;
• a nonvolatile, writable memory for storing performance history;
• two random access memory locations for storing data points;
• a separate memory location for storing said data points into performance records from which the performance history will be selected;
• a first communications port located the housing capable of being accessed from exterior portion of the housing by the remote computer for linking said processor with the remote computer;
• a torque transducer responsive to the force being applied to the fastener interface mechanism by the shaft of the electric motor having an output capable of being transferred as a digital value to the processor;
• temperature transducers located within said housing having outputs capable of being transferred as digital values to the processor;
• said remote computer comprising a second communications port for uploading and downloading data to the hand-held tool and a graphical user interface for allowing an operator to manipulate the data and remotely control the tool;
• a circuit breaker connected to said motor for controlling current to the motor;
• display indicators located on the exterior of the housing for communicating information to the operator in response to messages generated by the processor;
• a trigger located on the exterior of the housing for switching the tool between a running state and an idling state and for sending a signal to the processor for the purpose of alerting the processor as to whether the tool is in a running or idling state;
• and
• selection controls located on the exterior of the housing for an operator to select torque and speed parameters.