IDENTIFICATION, CONFIGURATION AND CONTROL OF AN ELECTRIC APPLIANCE

Abstract

According to a method for controlling a first electric appliance (4) by means of a battery pack (1), which is selectively connectable to the first electric appliance (4) and at least one second electric appliance, a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance (4) and the at least one second electric appliance is stored on a storage element of the battery pack (1). Identification information, which identifies the first electric appliance (4), is obtained by the battery pack (1) and configuration information is requested and obtained from an external computer system (10) by means of the battery pack (1) depending on the identification information. The software is configured according to the configuration information and the first electric appliance (4) is controlled by means of the battery pack (1) by execution of the configured software.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a first electric appliance by means of a battery pack, which is selectively connectable to the first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, wherein a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance is stored on a storage element of the battery pack; identification information, which identifies the first electric appliance, is obtained by the battery pack; configuration information is requested and obtained from an external computer system by means of the battery pack depending on the identification information; the software is configured according to the configuration information; and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack by executing the configured software.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first electric appliance is positioned in a capturing range of a reader; and the identification information is captured by means of the reader.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identification information is obtained from an RFID transponder of the first electric appliance by means of the reader by radio-frequency identification, RFID.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a visually readable code of the first electric appliance is read by means of the reader and the identification information is determined based on the read visually readable code.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a digital code is obtained by means of the battery pack via a connection of the battery pack to the first electric appliance and the identification information is determined based on the digital code.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a voltage value and/or a resistance value on at least one electrical contact of the battery pack are determined, while the battery pack is electrically connected to the first electric appliance; and the identification information is determined based on the voltage value and/or the resistance value.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of datasets is stored on the external computer system, wherein a first dataset of the plurality of datasets contains the configuration information and at least one second dataset of the plurality of datasets contains respective further configuration information for the at least one second electric appliance; in response to the request of the configuration information, the first dataset is selected from the plurality of datasets depending on the identification information and transferred to the battery pack by means of the external computer system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined first control operation for controlling the first electric appliance is requested, the request of the first control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software for performing the first control operation; and/or a predefined second control operation for controlling the battery pack is requested, the request of the second control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the second control operation is performed by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a user input is recognized and the request of the first control operation and/or of the second control operation is captured depending on the user input.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the user input and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein an operating current for operating an electrical or electronic load of the first electric appliance and/or an operating voltage for operating the load and/or a power output of an energy source to the load are monitored by means of the battery pack; a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on a result of the monitoring; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein by means of the battery pack, status information is obtained by means of wireless communication and a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the status information; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined third control operation for controlling a third electric appliance is requested and the request of the third control operation is captured by means of the battery pack; depending on the configuration information or by execution of the configured software, a message is transferred from the battery pack to the third electric appliance; and the third control operation is performed by means of the third electric appliance depending on the transferred message.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the third control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance.

15. A battery pack, which is selectively connectable to a first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, wherein the battery pack comprises a storage element, which stores a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance; the battery pack comprises a processing circuit, which is configured to obtain identification information, which identifies the electric appliance; the battery pack comprises a communication interface, which is configured for wireless data exchange with an external computer system, wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly request and obtain configuration information from the external computer system via the communication interface depending on the identification information; the processing circuit is configured to configure the software according to the configuration information and to control the first electric appliance by execution of the configured software.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0091] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail based on concrete embodiments and associated schematic drawings. In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements can be provided with the same reference characters. The description of identical or functionally identical elements is optionally not necessarily repeated with respect to various figures.

[0092] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a battery pack according to the invention.

[0093] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of a battery pack according to the invention.

[0094] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of a battery pack according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0095] In FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a battery pack 1 according to the invention is schematically illustrated, which can be electrically and mechanically connected to an electric appliance 4, for example an electric tool, for energy supply of the electric appliance 4, for example of an electric motor of the electric appliance 4. Further, an external computer system 10 is illustrated.

[0096] The battery pack 1 is a generic battery pack, also referred to as system or exchangeable battery pack, which can be connected to further electric appliances (not illustrated) for the energy supply thereof instead of the electric appliance 4. Therein, the further electric appliances are not necessarily of the same type as the electric appliance 4.

[0097] The battery pack 1 comprises a storage element (not illustrated), which stores a generic software for selective control of the electric appliance 4 and the further electric appliances, wherein a control of the electric appliance 4 or the further electric appliances in particular requires a specific configuration of the initially generic software.

[0098] The battery pack 1 in particular comprises a housing 2 and an interface 3 for mechanical and electrical connection of the housing 2 or of the battery pack 1 to a corresponding housing (not illustrated) of the electric appliance 4.

[0099] The battery pack 1 comprises a processing circuit 6 as well as a first communication interface 5a for wireless communication with the external computer system 10. In addition, the battery pack 1 comprises a second communication interface 5b for wireless or wired communication with the electric appliance 4. The interface 3 can represent a part of the second communication interface 5b or be provided in addition to the second communication interface 5b.

[0100] In addition, the battery pack 1 comprises an electrical energy storage 7, in particular one or more battery cells interconnected in series and/or parallel with each other, for energy supply of the electric appliance 4 and in particular also for energy supply of all of the electronic components of the battery pack 1 itself.

[0101] The processing circuit 6 can obtain identification information relating to the electric appliance 4, for instance in the form of a digital code, for example via the second communication interface 5b. The processing circuit 6 can then request configuration information from the external computer system 10 via the first communication interface 5a depending on the identification information and obtain it from the external computer system 10 in response thereto.

[0102] The processing circuit 6, in particular a software module (not illustrated) of the processing circuit 6, is configured to configure the initially generic software according to the configuration information. Then, the processing circuit 6 can execute the configured software, thus in particular at least a part of the configured software, and thereby control the first electric appliance 4.

[0103] In some embodiments, a user input can be captured, for example via a user interface of the external computer system 10, and the configuration information for the software relating to the control of the electric appliance 4 by the battery pack 1 can be determined depending on the user input, for example by means of the external computer system 10.

[0104] The user, for instance a developer, can correspondingly specifically set the configuration information for the electric appliance 4 without a complete programming of the software being required.

[0105] The control of the electric appliance 4 by execution of the software can in particular include one or more predefined control operations specified, configured or parameterized based on the configuration information. These control operations can represent relatively simple routines or operating modes of the electric appliance 4 and/or of the battery pack 1, which can for example be referred to as GCOs (generic control operation). Possible examples for GCOs are for instance a supply of the electric appliance 4 and by the battery pack 1 with a constant current or a constant electrical power, for example via PWM control, the operation of the electric motor of the electric appliance 4 with a constant speed or a constant torque and so on. A GCO can also realize a predefined correlation of two or more operating parameters with each other, for instance a predefined relation between motor speed and motor torque, between motor speed and output power and so on.

[0106] A GCO can also define a predetermined dynamic profile of one or more operating parameters, for example motor speed, motor torque, output power and so on, for instance within the scope of a start operation in activating the electric motor of the electric appliance 4 or the like. Such start operations can for example be defined by so-called soft start profiles such that a certain operating parameter is for example not immediately adjusted to a target value when the electric appliance 4 is activated, but a continuous course of the operating parameter, for instance of the motor speed, of the motor torque, the output power and so on, is for example achieved.

[0107] Moreover, the control operations can also implement more complex operating modes or operating profiles, for instance by combination of two or more GCOs. Thus, concrete tasks or activities, which a user wishes to perform with the electric appliance 4, can for example be performed in controlled and optimized manner, respectively. If the electric appliance 4 is for example configured as a screwdriver and if a certain type of screw is to be screwed in therewith, thus, a corresponding control operation can for example combine a soft start profile followed by an operation with constant speed over a certain period of time and/or number of revolutions. Thereafter, the speed can for example be reduced and a predetermined torque can be set. However, this is only a non-restricting example.

[0108] In order to be able to control such and further control operations, the software requires detailed information, parameter values, parameter limits and so on for the individual control operations, adapted to the concrete electric appliance 4. This information can be individually and flexibly provided in the form of the configuration information.

[0109] In some embodiments, the battery pack 1, in particular the processing circuit 6, can communicate with a further electric appliance 11 or a further battery pack (not illustrated) of the further electric appliance 11, for example via the first communication interface 5a or a further communication interface (not illustrated). This communication can be effected directly or indirectly via the external computer system 10.

[0110] In this manner, a coupled operation of the electric appliance 4 with the further electric appliance 11 can for example be implemented. The coupling can be effected in very different manners. For example, the electric appliance 11, for instance an extraction system or a lamp, can be activated exactly when the electric appliance 4, for instance a saw, is activated. Alternatively, the electric appliance 11, for example a lawn mower, can be deactivated when the electric appliance 4, for instance an irrigation system, is activated. Various further possibilities are conceivable according to configuration of the electric appliance 4 and the further electric appliance 11.

[0111] For communication of the electric appliance 4 with the further electric appliance 11, a corresponding configuration of the battery pack 1 or of the software can also be required. This too can be realized based on the configuration information. Then, the control operations can correspondingly also relate to or specify the communication of the electric appliance 4 with the further electric appliance 11.

[0112] In FIG. 2, a further exemplary embodiment of the battery pack 1 is schematically illustrated. The battery pack 1 is based on the battery pack 1 described with reference to FIG. 1, wherein the identification information is here read out of an RFID transponder 8b of the electric appliance 4 by an RFID reader 8a of the battery pack 1.

[0113] In FIG. 3, a further exemplary embodiment of the battery pack 1 is schematically illustrated, which is based on the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0114] Here, the battery pack 1 comprises an optical reader 9a, for example a barcode scanner, which can read a corresponding visually readable code 9b of the electric appliance 4 and transfer the read code to the processing circuit 6 to provide the identification information, which is contained in the read code.

[0115] As was in particular explained based on the figures, the invention allows a universal and flexible employment of a battery pack, which is basically suitable for different electric appliances, and a specific control of an individual electric appliance by the battery pack corresponding to the concrete possibilities, requirements and characteristics of the individual electric appliance at the same time.

[0116] In preferred embodiments, the battery pack communicates with the electric appliance via a UART interface or an FC interface and wirelessly obtains the configuration information from a cloud.

[0117] For example, a generic firmware for controlling various electric appliances can initially be stored on the battery pack. For example, a set of parameters can be captured based on a user query via a cloud application and corresponding configuration information can be transferred to the battery pack. It can then correspondingly configure or parameterize the firmware such that the battery pack can initiate and control defined GCOs or more complex control operations.

[0118] Then, the firmware can accept measurement values or other signals or information from sensors of the battery pack or of the individual electric appliance, for instance current sensors, voltage sensors, temperature sensors and so on, optionally process them and/or use or provide them for performing control operations. Further, the firmware can optionally control actuators of the battery pack, for instance power transistors for PWM control of the output current and the like. The firmware can possibly also accept required command sets and suitably pass or implement them.

[0119] The individual GCOs or more complex control operations can be requested manually by a user input and/or controlled by cloud and/or in automatic manner for example depending on project and be performed.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0120] 1 Battery pack [0121] 2 housing [0122] 3 interface [0123] 4 electric appliance [0124] 5a communication interface [0125] 5b communication interface [0126] 6 processing circuit [0127] 7 energy storage [0128] 8a RFID reader [0129] 8b RFID transponder [0130] 9a optical reader [0131] 9b visually readable code [0132] 10 external computer system [0133] 11 electric appliance