Power tool with irreversably lockable compartment

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing including

a compartment, wherein the compartment is configured to receive a wireless communication device that includes a wireless communication controller with a transceiver, wherein the wireless communication device stores an identification code unique to the wireless communication device, and

a battery pack interface configured to receive a power tool battery pack;

a motor within the housing and having a rotor and a stator, wherein the motor configured to drive an output drive device; and

a controller within the housing and having an electronic processor, a memory, and a data connection, the data connection configured to couple the electronic processor to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment, wherein the controller is configured to:

control operation of the motor,

communicate with an external device via the data connection and the transceiver,

communicate with the wireless communication device to implement an electronic lock mechanism to detect when the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool, and

inhibit, in response to detecting that the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool, the operation of the motor of the power tool.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive and store the identification code from the wireless communication device via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

receive a trigger signal that indicates a desired operation of the motor of the power tool;

request a requested identification code from the wireless communication device in response to receiving the trigger signal;

determine whether the controller receives the requested identification code from the wireless communication controller and whether the requested identification code received by the controller matches the identification code previously stored by the controller;

in response to at least one of the group of not receiving the requested identification code and the requested identification code received by the controller not matching the identification code previously stored by the controller, inhibit the operation of the motor; and

in response to receiving the requested identification code that matches the identification code previously stored by the controller, control the operation of the motor based on the trigger signal.

3. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to:

receive and store a second identification code from the controller via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

request a requested identification code from the controller;

determine whether the wireless communication controller receives the requested identification code from the controller and whether the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller matches the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller;

in response to at least one of the group of not receiving the requested identification code and the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller not matching the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller, inhibit further communication between the wireless communication controller and the controller; and

in response to receiving the requested identification code that matches the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller, continue to enable communication between the wireless communication controller and the controller.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the compartment includes a mechanical irreversible lock, and the wireless communication device is configured to engage with the mechanical irreversible lock.

5. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alert signal in response to determining at least one of the group of that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool and that the wireless communication device is no longer functioning properly, wherein the alert signal is transmitted to the external device and is configured to indicate to a user that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the external device via the data connection and the transceiver to at least one of the group of:

transmit power tool data to the external device; and

receive power tool configuration data from the external device via the wireless communication controller.

7. A method of deterring removal of a wireless communication device inserted into a compartment of a housing of a power tool, the method comprising:

receiving, by the compartment of the housing, the wireless communication device, the power tool including a motor within the housing and having a rotor and a stator, wherein the motor is configured to drive an output drive device, wherein the power tool includes a battery pack interface configured to receive a power tool battery pack, and wherein the wireless communication device stores an identification code unique to the wireless communication device;

controlling, with a controller located within the housing, operation of the motor, the controller including a data connection configured to couple to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment;

enabling the controller to communicate with an external device via the data connection and a wireless communication controller included in the wireless communication device;

implementing, via communication between the controller and the wireless communication controller, an electronic lock mechanism to detect when the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool; and

in response to detecting that the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool, inhibit the operation of the motor of the power tool.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein implementing the electronic lock mechanism includes:

receiving and storing, with the controller, the identification code from the wireless communication device via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

receiving, with the controller, a trigger signal that indicates a desired operation of the motor of the power tool;

requesting, with the controller, a requested identification code from the wireless communication device in response to receiving the trigger signal;

determining, with the controller, at least one of the group of that the controller has not received the requested identification code and that the requested identification code received by the controller does not match the identification code previously stored by the controller; and

inhibiting the operation of the motor with the controller in response to determining the at least one of the group of that the controller has not received the requested identification code and that the requested identification code received by the controller does not match the identification code previously stored by the controller.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein implementing the electronic lock mechanism includes:

receiving and storing, with the wireless communication controller, a second identification code from the controller via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

requesting, with the wireless communication controller, a requested identification code from the controller;

determining, with the wireless communication controller, at least one from the group of that the wireless communication controller has not received the requested identification code and that the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller does not match the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller; and

inhibiting, with the wireless communication controller, further communication between the wireless communication controller and the controller in response to determining the at least one of the group of that the wireless communication controller has not received the requested identification code and that the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller does not match the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the compartment includes a mechanical irreversible lock, and the wireless communication device is configured to engage with the mechanical irreversible lock.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising generating, with the controller, an alert signal in response to determining at least one of the group of that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool and that the wireless communication device is no longer functioning properly, wherein the alert signal is transmitted to the external device and is configured to indicate to a user that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising at least one of the group of:

transmitting, from the controller via the data connection and the wireless communication controller, power tool data to the external device; and

receiving, with the controller via the data connection and the wireless communication controller, power tool configuration data from the external device.

13. A power tool device comprising:

a housing including

a compartment, wherein the compartment is configured to receive a wireless communication device that includes a wireless communication controller with a transceiver, wherein the wireless communication device stores an identification code unique to the wireless communication device, and

a battery pack interface configured to receive a power tool battery pack;

a powered element configured to be selectively coupled to power provided by the power tool battery pack;

a controller within the housing and having an electronic processor, a memory, and a data connection, the data connection configured to couple the electronic processor to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment, wherein the controller is configured to:

control operation of the powered element,

communicate with an external device via the data connection and the transceiver,

communicate with the wireless communication device to implement an electronic lock mechanism to detect when the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool, and

inhibit, in response to detecting that the wireless communication device has been removed from the power tool, the operation of the powered element.

14. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the powered element is at least one selected from the group of a lighting element and a motor.

15. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:

receive and store the identification code from the wireless communication device via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

receive a signal that indicates a desired operation of the powered element of the power tool device;

request a requested identification code from the wireless communication device in response to receiving the signal;

determine whether the controller receives the requested identification code from the wireless communication controller and whether the requested identification code received by the controller matches the identification code previously stored by the controller;

in response to at least one of the group of not receiving the requested identification code and the requested identification code received by the controller not matching the identification code previously stored by the controller, inhibit the operation of the powered element; and

in response to receiving the requested identification code that matches the identification code previously stored by the controller, control the operation of the powered element based on the signal.

16. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to:

receive and store second identification code from the controller via the data connection and in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;

request a requested identification code from the controller;

determine whether the wireless communication controller receives the requested identification code from the controller and whether the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller matches the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller;

in response to at least one of the group of not receiving the requested identification code and the requested identification code received by the wireless communication controller not matching the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller, inhibit further communication between the wireless communication controller and the controller; and

in response to receiving the requested identification code that matches the second identification code previously stored by the wireless communication controller, continue to enable communication between the wireless communication controller and the controller.

17. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the compartment includes a mechanical irreversible lock, and the wireless communication device is configured to engage with the mechanical irreversible lock.

18. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alert signal in response to determining at least one of the group of that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool device and that the wireless communication device is no longer functioning properly;

wherein the controller is configured to transmit the alert signal to the external device via the data connection and the transceiver; and

wherein the alert signal is configured to indicate to the user that the wireless communication device is no longer coupled to the power tool.

19. The power tool device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the external device via the data connection and the transceiver to at least one of the group of:

transmit power tool device data to the external device; and

receive power tool device configuration data from the external device via the wireless communication controller.