IP Library Granted Patent US 10,875,163
Granted Patent B2
US 10,875,163 · App. 16/637,488 · Granted Dec 29, 2020

Tightening parameter server with subscription updates

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,875,163
App. No.
16/637,488
Granted
Dec 29, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An update manager for a tightening parameter server may include processing circuitry. The tightening parameter server may be operably coupled to one or more tool controllers that are each operably coupled to respective power tools. The processing circuitry may be configured to receive a subscription request from a tool controller where the subscription request identifies an application to which the tool controller is to be subscribed to receive updates to the application automatically, record an identity of the tool controller in association with the application to build a database of applications and corresponding tool controllers subscribed to each of the applications, determine that a particular application has been updated, and, in response to determining that the particular application has been updated, provide an update to each tool controller subscribed to the particular application.

Claims (40)

1. A system comprising:

one or more tool controllers;

a plurality of power tools operably coupled to respective ones of the tool controllers to operate under the control of the tool controllers to execute applications stored at the tool controllers; and

a tightening parameter server operably coupled to the tool controllers,

wherein tightening parameter server comprises processing circuitry configured to:

receive a subscription request from a tool controller, the subscription request identifying an application to which the tool controller is to be subscribed to receive updates to the application automatically,

record an identity of the tool controller in association with the application to build a database of applications and corresponding tool controllers subscribed to each of the applications,

determine that a particular application has been updated by monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated (i) continuously in real time, (ii) periodically, or (iii) in response to a triggering event, the particular application being a tightening application indicating a specific torque, and

in response to determining that the particular application has been updated as indicated by the update status for the particular application in the database, provide an update to each tool controller subscribed to the particular application.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises continuously monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in real time.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises periodically monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated since a prior monitoring event.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in response to a trigger event.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in real time in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update at one or a plurality of predefined update intervals in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in response to a trigger event.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein providing the update comprises scheduling provision of the update at a future time corresponding to the trigger event.

9. A method of providing automatic updates for tool controllers that are operably coupled to a tightening parameter server, the method comprising:

receiving a subscription request from a tool controller, the subscription request identifying an application to which the tool controller is to be subscribed to receive updates to the application automatically;

recording an identity of the tool controller in association with the application to build a database of applications and corresponding tool controllers subscribed to each of the applications;

determining that a particular application has been updated by monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated (i) continuously in real time, (ii) periodically, or (iii) in response to a triggering event, the particular application being a tightening application indicating a specific torque; and

in response to determining that the particular application has been updated as indicated by the update status for the particular application in the database, providing an update to each tool controller subscribed to the particular application.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises continuously monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in real time.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises periodically monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated since a prior monitoring event.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in response to a trigger event.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in real time in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update at one or a plurality of predefined update intervals in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in response to a trigger event.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the providing the update comprises scheduling provision of the update at a future time corresponding to the trigger event.

17. An update manager for a tightening parameter server, the tightening parameter server being operably coupled to one or more tool controllers that are each operably coupled to respective power tools, the update manager comprising processing circuitry configured to:

receive a subscription request from a tool controller, the subscription request identifying an application to which the tool controller is to be subscribed to receive updates to the application automatically;

record an identity of the tool controller in association with the application to build a database of applications and corresponding tool controller subscribed to each of the applications;

determine that a particular application has been updated by monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated (i) continuously in real time, (ii) periodically, or (iii) in response to a triggering event, the particular application being a tightening application indicating a specific torque; and

in response to determining that the particular application has been updated as indicated by the update status for the particular application in the database, provide an update to each tool controller subscribed to the particular application.

18. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises continuously monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in real time.

19. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises periodically monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated since a prior monitoring event.

20. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein determining that the particular application has been updated comprises monitoring an update status of the applications in the database to determine that the particular application has been updated in response to a trigger event.

21. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in real time in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

22. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update at one or a plurality of predefined update intervals in response to determining that the particular application has been updated.

23. The update manager of claim 17 , wherein providing the update comprises providing the update in response to a trigger event.

24. The update manager of claim 23 , wherein the providing the update comprises scheduling provision of the update at a future time corresponding to the trigger event.

Assignments (13)
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NO. 11203070 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 58991 FRAME 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0327 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073077/0584 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068753/0687 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068769/0309 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0442 →
FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0556 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: ABELE, MARKUS; HARRIS, JONATHAN REAY
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051832/0869 →