IP Library Granted Patent US 12,440,956
Granted Patent B2
US 12,440,956 · App. 18/842,236 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Power tool wake up

Inventors: Daniel W. Medeiros (Brookfield, WI); Vivek Anand (Brookfield, WI)
Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
B25F5/02H02P1/46
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,440,956
App. No.
18/842,236
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power tool including a housing, and a motor drive circuit coupled to a motor. The power tool further includes a motor controller coupled to the motor drive circuit. The motor control circuit is configured to detect an input received from a sensor and determine whether the detected input exceeds a predetermined value. The motor control circuit is also configured to determine whether the power tool is in a sleep condition and initiate the wake-up operation in response determining that the detected input exceeds the predetermined value and determining that the power tool is in the sleep condition.

Claims (53)

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

a sensor;

a motor drive circuit connected to a motor; and

a motor controller connected to the motor drive circuit, the motor controller configured to:

detect an input received from the sensor,

determine whether the detected input exceeds a predetermined value,

determine whether the power tool is in a sleep condition, and

initiate a wake-up operation in response to determining that the detected input exceeds the predetermined value and determining that the power tool is in the sleep condition.

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

start a timer upon initiating the wake-up operation;

determine whether an interrupt signal is received at the motor controller;

determine that the timer has expired; and

resume the sleep condition in response to the timer having expired and no interrupt signal being received.

3. The power tool of claim 2 , wherein the interrupt signal is an actuation of a trigger of the power tool.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of: an accelerometer, a piezoelectric sensor, and a capacitive sensor.

5. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wake-up operation is configured to prepare the motor to operate substantially immediately upon receiving a user input from a trigger of the power tool.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a user gripping the power tool.

7. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect a presence of a user's hand on the power tool.

8. A method of initiating a wake-up operation in a power tool, the method comprising:

detecting an input received from a sensor of the power tool, the input indicating the wake-up operation is required;

determining whether the power tool is in a sleep condition; and

initiating the wake-up operation in response to:

determining that the input received from the sensor exceeds a predetermined value, and

determining that the power tool is in the sleep condition.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

starting a timer upon initiating the wake-up operation;

determining whether an interrupt signal is received;

determining that the timer has expired; and

resuming the sleep condition in response to the timer having expired and no interrupt signal being received.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the interrupt signal is generated by a user input received at a user interface of the power tool.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the wake-up operation initializes a motor of the power tool to operate substantially immediately upon receiving a user input from a trigger of the power tool.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of: a capacitive sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, and an accelerometer.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect a user gripping the power tool.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect a presence of a user's hand on the power tool.

15. A power tool comprising:

a user interface;

a sensor;

a motor drive circuit connected to a motor and configured to drive the motor in response to a drive signal received from the user interface; and

a motor controller connected to the motor drive circuit, the motor controller configured to:

receive an input from the sensor,

determine whether the input received from the sensor exceeds a predetermined value,

determine whether the power tool is in a sleep condition,

initiate a wake-up operation in response to determining that the input received from the sensor exceeds the predetermined value and that the power tool is in the sleep condition,

start a timer upon initiating the wake-up operation,

determine whether an interrupt signal is received,

determine that the timer has expired, and

resume the sleep condition in response to the timer expiring and no interrupt signal being received.

16. The power tool of claim 15 , operate substantially immediately upon receiving a user input from a trigger of the power tool.

17. The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the interrupt is a user input received from the user interface of the power tool.

18. The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.

19. The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor.

20. The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a mechanical accelerometer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2025
From: MEDEIROS, DANIEL W.; ANAND, VIVEK
To: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072093/0064 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63314732 · Feb 28, 2022
Related Publication 20250178177A1 · Jun 5, 2025
References Cited (8)
US 20190121415A1 · Tong et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210121967A1 · Vetter · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210252652A1 · Mueckl et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230284374A1 · Lienau · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 101224571A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
EP 2656485B1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021183422A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2023/014085 dated Jun. 22, 2023 (11 pages). [cited by applicant]