US 11,986,942 B2
Power tool with combined chip for wireless communications and power tool control
Anthony Davis, Brookfield, WI (US); Alexander Huber, Menomonee Falls, WI (US); and Timothy R. Obermann, Waukesha, WI (US)
Assigned to Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed by MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/164,907.
Application 18/164,907 is a continuation of application No. 16/879,245, filed on May 20, 2020, granted, now 11,571,803.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/854,656, filed on May 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0256582 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B25F 5/02 (2006.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01); H04M 1/72412 (2021.01); H04M 1/72415 (2021.01); B25B 21/02 (2006.01); B25D 16/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25F 5/02 (2013.01) [G01D 5/145 (2013.01); H04M 1/72412 (2021.01); H04M 1/72415 (2021.01); B25B 21/02 (2013.01); B25D 16/00 (2013.01); B25D 2250/221 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power tool device comprising:
an actuator configured to be actuated by a user;
a powered element;
a power switching element configured to control whether power is provided to the powered element;
a gate driver coupled to the power switching element and configured to control the power switching element;
a printed circuit board (PCB);
a driver chip including the gate driver and a power manager for the gate driver, wherein the power manager is configured to:
monitor a characteristic of the powered element, the power switching element, or both the powered element and the power switching element, and
control the gate driver based on the characteristic that is monitored;
a combined chip located on the PCB and coupled to the actuator and the gate driver, wherein the combined chip includes a memory, an integrated antenna, and an electronic processor, the electronic processor configured to:
determine that the actuator has been actuated,
provide, in response to determining that the actuator has been actuated, a signal to the gate driver, wherein the gate driver is configured to control the power switching element based on the signal,
wirelessly transmit power tool device information to an external device via the integrated antenna, and
wirelessly receive configuration information from the external device via the integrated antenna, wherein the electronic processor is configured to use the configuration information to control the signal that is provided to the gate driver.