US 11,689,081 B2
Gas engine replacement electronics modularity for feature expansion
Patrick Dennis Gallagher, Oak Creek, WI (US); Timothy James Bartlett, Waukesha, WI (US); Timothy Ryan Obermann, Waukesha, WI (US); Alex Huber, Menomonee Falls, WI (US); and William Chapman, III, Delevan, WI (US)
Assigned to Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed by MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed on Dec. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/126,336.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/951,775, filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0194330 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. H02K 11/00 (2016.01); H01M 10/42 (2006.01); H02K 11/33 (2016.01)
CPC H02K 11/0094 (2013.01) [H01M 10/425 (2013.01); H02K 11/33 (2016.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for expanding features of a gas engine replacement device that drives power equipment, the method comprising:
controlling, by an electronic processor of the gas engine replacement device, a power switching network to selectively provide power from a battery pack to rotate a motor of the gas engine replacement device;
receiving, by a module interface of the gas engine replacement device, an external electronics module;
detecting, by the electronic processor of the gas engine replacement device, a type of the external electronics module from a plurality of types of the external electronics module;
configuring, by the electronic processor, the gas engine replacement device based on the type of the external electronics module,
communicating, by the electronic processor, with the external electronics module via the module interface, and
configuring, by the electronic processor, the gas engine replacement device for a specified method of communication via the module interface of the gas engine replacement device, wherein the specific method of communication is selected based on the type of the external electronic module.