Granted Patent B2

US 12,643,464 · App. 18/423,558 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventor: Gareth J. Mueckl (Milwaukee, WI)

Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION

B60Q1/247H02J7/1446H02J7/42H02J7/865H05B47/115F02D29/06F02D31/001F21S9/02F21S41/19F21V21/22F21W2107/10F21Y2105/16

Abstract

Claims (64)

1 . A lighting system comprising:

a lighting device mountable to a vehicle, wherein the lighting device includes a lighting element configured to illuminate an area;

a battery pack configured to provide power to the lighting device;

a power supply interface configured to receive power from a power source of the vehicle and configured to provide power to the battery pack, the lighting device, or both the battery pack and the lighting device, wherein the power supply interface includes charging circuitry configured to charge the battery pack;

a communication interface configured to communicate with a first electronic processor of the vehicle; and

a second electronic processor configured to:

receive, via the communication interface, onboard diagnostic information from the first electronic processor of the vehicle, wherein the onboard diagnostic information includes at least one of a group of rotations per minute (“RPM”) of an engine of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a position of a gear shifter of the vehicle, a pedal position of the vehicle, or combinations thereof; and

control, based on the onboard diagnostic information, an amount of power drawn by the power supply interface from the power source of the vehicle by:

determining whether the vehicle is moving based on the onboard diagnostic information,

inhibiting power from being supplied to the lighting element in response to determining that the vehicle is moving, and

controlling the power supply interface to charge the battery pack in response to determining that the vehicle is moving such that the amount of power drawn by the power supply interface to charge the battery pack is proportional to the RPM of the engine of the vehicle until the power drawn reaches a predetermined threshold;

wherein the power source of the vehicle is an alternator of the vehicle.

2 . The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a mast coupled to the lighting element, wherein the mast is configured to be moved between a retracted position and an extended position; and

wherein the second electronic processor is configured to

determine a position of the mast, and

transmit, via the communication interface, information associated with the

position of the mast to the first electronic processor of the vehicle.

3 . The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic processor is configured to:

generate a RPM command;

transmit, via the communication interface, the RPM command to the first electronic processor of the vehicle, wherein the first electronic processor is configured to control the engine to operate according to the RPM command; and

control the amount of power drawn by the power supply interface from the power source of the vehicle in response to transmitting the RPM command.

4 . The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the onboard diagnostic information includes at least one of a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, or a pedal position of the vehicle; and

wherein the second electronic processor is configured to

determine whether the vehicle is moving based on the onboard diagnostic information, and

enable power to be supplied to the lighting element in response to determining that the vehicle is not moving.

5 . The lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes a wireless communication interface.

6 . A method of controlling a lighting system, the method comprising:

receiving, with a power supply interface of the lighting system, power from a power source of a vehicle to which a lighting device of the lighting system is mounted, the lighting device including a lighting element configured to illuminate an area, wherein the power source of the vehicle includes an alternator of the vehicle;

providing, with the power supply interface, power to the lighting device, a battery pack of the lighting system, or both the lighting device and the battery pack, the battery pack being configured to provide power to the lighting device;

receiving, with a second electronic processor of the lighting system via a communication interface of the lighting system, onboard diagnostic information from a first electronic processor of the vehicle; and

controlling, with the second electronic processor and based on the onboard diagnostic information, an amount of power drawn by the power supply interface from the power source of the vehicle;

wherein the power supply interface includes charging circuitry configured to charge the battery pack;

wherein the onboard diagnostic information includes at least one of a group of rotations per minute (“RPM”) of an engine of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a position of a gear shifter of the vehicle, a pedal position of the vehicle, or combinations thereof; and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining, with the second electronic processor and based on the onboard diagnostic information, whether the vehicle is moving

inhibiting, with the second electronic processor, power from being supplied to the lighting element in response to determining that the vehicle is moving, and

controlling, with the second electronic processor, the power supply interface to charge the battery pack in response to determining that the vehicle is moving such that the amount of power drawn by the power supply interface to charge the battery pack is proportional to the RPM of the engine of the vehicle until the power drawn reaches a predetermined threshold.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining, with the second electronic processor, a position of a mast coupled to the lighting element, the mast being configured to be moved between a retracted position and an extended position; and

transmitting, with the second electronic processor via the communication interface, information associated with the position of the mast to the first electronic processor of the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

generating, with the second electronic processor, a RPM command;

transmitting, with the second electronic processor via the communication interface, the RPM command to the first electronic processor of the vehicle, wherein the first electronic processor is configured to control the engine to operate according to the RPM command; and

controlling, with the second electronic processor, the amount of power drawn by the power supply interface from the power source of the vehicle in response to transmitting the RPM command.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the onboard diagnostic information includes at least one of a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, or a pedal position of the vehicle, and further comprising:

determining, with the second electronic processor and based on the onboard diagnostic information, whether the vehicle is moving; and

enabling, with the second electronic processor, power to be supplied to the lighting element in response to determining that the vehicle is not moving.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication interface includes a wireless communication interface.

11 . A lighting system comprising:

a lighting device mountable to a vehicle, wherein the lighting device includes a lighting element configured to illuminate an area;

a battery pack configured to provide power to the lighting device;

a power supply interface configured to receive power from a power source of the vehicle and configured to provide power to the battery pack, the lighting device, or both the battery pack and the lighting device, wherein the power supply interface includes charging circuitry configured to charge the battery pack;

a communication interface configured to communicate with a first electronic processor of the vehicle; and

a second electronic processor configured to;

receive, via the communication interface, onboard diagnostic information from the first electronic processor of the vehicle, wherein the onboard diagnostic information includes at least one of a group of rotations per minute (“RPM”) of an engine of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a position of a gear shifter of the vehicle, a pedal position of the vehicle, or combinations thereof,

determine an operational characteristic of the vehicle, and

control, based on the operational characteristic, an amount of power drawn by the power supply interface from the power source of the vehicle by:

determining whether the vehicle is moving based on the operational characteristic of the vehicle,

inhibiting power from being supplied to the lighting element in response to determining that the vehicle is moving, and

controlling the power supply interface to charge the battery pack in response to determining that the vehicle is moving such that the amount of power drawn by the power supply interface to charge the battery pack is proportional to the RPM of the engine of the vehicle until the power drawn reaches a predetermined threshold.

12 . The lighting system of claim 11 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the second electronic processor, wherein the second electronic processor is configured to determine the operational characteristic of the vehicle by determining an estimated operational characteristic of the vehicle based on data received from the sensor.

13 . The lighting system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

14 . The lighting system of claim 11 , wherein the second electronic processor is configured to:

determine the operational characteristic of the vehicle based on the onboard diagnostic information.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (12)