Abstract:
A system for facilitating power tool operation includes a camera, a computing device receiving information from the camera, a display for displaying information received from the computing device, and a reference marker having at least two markers viewable by the camera. The reference marker is disposed on a power tool or separate from the power tool. The computing device calculates a position of the reference marker from the information received from the camera. The display can display video information showing the power tool and graphical information showing a desired position for the power tool and/or a direction of movement for moving the power tool towards the desired position for the power tool.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The following application hereby incorporates by reference and derives priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 61/666,115, filed on Jun. 29, 2012, now pending. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a system for enhancing the operation of power tools. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    It is desirable to efficiently operate power tools in a jobsite, which increases productivity and lowers labor costs. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system to increase the efficiency of power tools as used in construction situations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system according to the invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the major electronic components of the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of different exemplary processes that can be performed by the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  illustrates a visual output of the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  illustrates different reference markers that can be used with the exemplary system of  FIG. 1 , where  FIGS. 5A-5C  are a right triangle marker, a circular marker and a pipe marker, respectively. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  shows a circular saw which can be part of the system, where  FIGS. 6A-6B  are a side view seen from the perspective of line A-A in  FIG. 6B  and a bottom view seen from the perspective of line B-B in  FIG. 6A , respectively. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIGS. 1-2  illustrate an exemplary system  1000  for enhancing operation of power tools according to the invention. In particular, power tools  200  may be a drill, circular saws, reciprocating saws, jigsaws, miter saws, table saws, etc. 
         [0011]    System  1000  may also include a computing device  250 , such as a personal computer, tablet, mobile telephone, smartphone, etc. It is desirable that power tools  200  be in communication with computing device  250 . Preferably such communication will occur via a wireless communication system  126 , such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared light, RF, etc. 
         [0012]    Computing device  250  may include a camera  100 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that camera  100  may also be separate from computing device  250 . For example, camera  100  may be disposed on a tripod or a user&#39;s hard hat  105 . If camera  100  is separate from computing device  250 , it is preferable that communication between camera  100  and computing device  250  occur via a wireless communication system, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared light, RF, etc. Depending on the bandwidth of the wireless communication system, it may be desirable to provide camera  100  with graphic processing circuitry so as to calculate orientation vectors, simplify visual data, etc., thus minimizing the amount of data sent through the wireless communication system. 
         [0013]    Computing device  250  may include a keyboard  120 . Such keyboard  120  can be a physical keyboard on computing device  250 , or a virtual keyboard shown on a display  300  of computing device  250 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that keyboard  120  may also be separate from computing device  250 . If keyboard  120  is separate from computing device  250 , it is preferable that communication between keyboard  120  and computing device  250  occur via a wireless communication system, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared light, RF, etc. 
         [0014]    Persons skilled in the art will recognize that computing device  250  may receive other inputs from assorted input systems  140 , such as measurements sent from a wall sensor, laser distance measurer, tape measure, etc., data received by an RFID sensor and/or QR/bar code scanners, etc. Such input systems  140  may also be separate from computing device  250 . For example, an RFID sensor  140  may be disposed on a user&#39;s hard hat  105 . If an input system  140  is separate from computing device  250 , it is preferable that communication between input system  140  and computing device  250  occur via a wireless communication system, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared light, RF, etc. 
         [0015]    Computing device  250  may have a display  300 . Preferably such display  300  is an LED or OLED display. Display  300  (with or without computing device  250 ) could also be wearable by the user. For example, display  300  may be disposed on glasses worn by a user. Persons skilled in the art are referred to U.S. Pat. No. 8,203,502, which is wholly incorporated by reference, for further information on such display glasses (also known as head-up display). 
         [0016]    Persons skilled in the art will recognize that display  300  may also be separate from computing device  250 . If display  300  is separate from computing device  250 , it is preferable that communication between display  300  and computing device  250  occur via a wireless communication system, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared light, RF, etc. 
         [0017]    Computing device  250  may have a program or app that implements the steps shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . A user may begin the program at step  400  by, for example, selecting the appropriate app/program on her computing device  250 . 
         [0018]    In response to such selection, computing device  250  preferably identifies at least one nearby power tool  200  (step  410 ). One method for identified such power tools is by pinging the different nearby power tools  200  and other products with a wireless signal, such as RFID or Bluetooth. The computing device  250  can then create an inventory of nearby power tools  200  and other products based on the responses it receives. 
         [0019]    Alternatively, computing device  250  can get video input from the camera  100 . Computing device  250  can look for QR/bar code markers  210  disposed on the power tools  200  to identify the nearby power tools  200 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that markers  210  could be QR codes, bar codes, IR markers, or other markers, such as the circular codes taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,841, wholly incorporated hereby by reference. 
         [0020]    If multiple power tools  200  or other products are identified, the user can select one of the listed power tools  200  for further use. Once the desired power tool  200  is identified and/or selected, the computing device  250  loads the dimensional data of power tool  200  into memory (step  420 ). Such dimensional data may include the location of different markers  210  or other topographical feature on the housing of the power tool  200 , such as a bump  210 ′. 
         [0021]    The computing device  250  can also load tool-specific apps (step  430 ). For example, if power tool  200  is a drill, impact driver or hammer, computing device  250  can load apps to input the desired drill orientation (e.g., being perpendicular to a wall surface) or depth, to input or indicate certain locations where holes should be drilled, to modify tool attributes depending upon the material to be drilled into, etc. If power tool  200  is a circular saw, computing device  250  can load apps to steer the circular saw along a particular path, to allow a limited cutting distance, to cut along a path disposed at a particular angle relative to a defined line, etc. The user can then select the desired app for the particular job task at hand. 
         [0022]    If necessary for the particular app selected by the user, computing device  250  can obtain reference location data (step  440 ). This can be accomplished in multiple ways. First, computing device  250  can be provided with an electronic file representative of the construction plans, which indicate the location of different tasks, such as different areas to cut or drill, different places where anchors  50  need to be installed, etc. This data can be loaded electronically via a file transfer from another device, inputted by hand via keyboard  120 , or by loading actual measurements taken by tape measures, distance measurers, angle measurers and other inputs  140 . 
         [0023]    Alternatively, a user may place reference markers  150  on different work surfaces. These reference markers  150  may be shaped for particular surfaces or job tasks. 
         [0024]    For example, if the user wants to refer to a particular edge or line, the user can place the reference marker  150  shown in  FIG. 5A . If the user wants to identify a point on a surface, e.g., a point where an anchor is to be installed, the user can place a circular reference marker  150  as shown in  FIG. 5B . Such circular reference marker  150  may have a center opening  152  to allow the user to drill near the center of circular reference marker  150 . 
         [0025]    Another example of a task-specific reference marker  150  is shown in  FIG. 5C . Such reference marker  150  has a body  153  which can be disposed on a pipe  155 . 
         [0026]    Computing device  250  can look for QR/bar code markers  151  disposed on the reference markers  150  to identify the reference marker  150 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that markers  151  could be QR codes, bar codes, IR markers, or other markers, such as the circular codes taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,841, wholly incorporated hereby by reference. 
         [0027]    Once computing device  250  recognizes the reference marker  150 , it loads up the dimensional data for the particular reference marker  150 . Because computing device  250  knows the distances between markers  151 , it can obtain images via camera  100  that show the markers  151 , and compare the relative distances in the image to the actual known distances to calculate the orientation of the reference marker  150 . Persons skilled in the art are referred to U.S. Pat. No. 8,179,604, wholly incorporated herein by reference, which illustrates the triangulation principles used in determining position and orientation of the reference markers  150  based on the captured visual data. 
         [0028]    Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it is preferable that reference markers  150  have multiple markers  151 , so that, even if some markers  151  are covered, there will be enough uncovered markers  151  for the computing device  250  to calculate the orientation of reference marker  150 . If system  1000  uses only one camera  100 , there should be enough markers  151  so that at least three markers  151  remain uncovered. If system  1000  uses more cameras  100 , the number of markers  151  required to remain uncovered decreases. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,179,604 illustrates that only one marker  151  would be necessary in a two-camera system. 
         [0029]    Once the orientation of the reference marker  150  is determined, computing device can create a coordinate system based on reference marker  150 . In other words, once computing device  250  calculates the orientation of the circular reference marker  150  shown in  FIG. 5B , it can create a coordinate system as computing device  250  knows where the center of such reference marker  150  is located. 
         [0030]    If necessary, the user can input the desired location and/or orientation of power tool  200  relative to reference marker  150  (step  450 ). This can be done by inputting values into computing device  250  via a keyboard  120  or other input systems. 
         [0031]    Because computing device  250  knows the dimensional data of power tool  200  (from step  420 ), the computing device  250  knows the location of different markers  210  or other topographical features on the housing of the power tool  200 , such as a bump  210 ′. Computing device  250  can obtain images via camera  100  that show the markers  210 / 210 ′, and compare the relative distances in the image to the actual known distances to calculate the location and/or orientation of the power tool  200  (step  460 ). Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the triangulation techniques used to calculate the orientation and/or location of reference markers  150  can be used to calculate the location and/or orientation of the power tool  200 . 
         [0032]    Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it is preferable that power tool  200  have multiple markers  210 , so that, even if some markers  210  are covered, there will be enough uncovered markers  210  for the computing device  250  to calculate the orientation of power tool  200 . If system  1000  uses only one camera  100 , there should be enough markers  210  so that at least three markers  210  remain uncovered. If system  1000  uses more cameras  100 , the number of markers  210  required to remain uncovered decreases. 
         [0033]    Depending upon the selected tool app, computing device  250  can show a composite image on display  300  as shown in  FIG. 3  (step  470 ). In such image, the user will see the actual orientation of the power tool  200  and reference marker  150 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it may be advantageous to replace the actual video data with a simplified version where a graphic representative of power tool  200  in its actual orientation (without showing the user&#39;s hands). 
         [0034]    In addition, it may be advantageous to show a pale or ghost image  200 ′ of power tool  200  at the desired location/orientation in the composite image. In this manner, for example, the user can know to move the power tool  200  to match the orientation of the ghost image  200 ′ in order to ensure perpendicularity relative to surface  60 . Once the orientation of the power tool  200  matches the orientation of the ghost image  200 ′, computing device  250  can provide an audio or visual signal to indicate that a match has been reached. 
         [0035]    Similarly, display  300  can show other indications such as arrow  200 ″ to instruct the user to move the power tool  200  in a certain direction, or other visual cues, such as stop signs, etc. to communicate instructions to the user. For example, if the power tool  200  is a circular saw that is supposed to move along a desired line, arrows  200 ″ can be used to instruct the user to steer the circular saw to the left or right in order to make a straight cut. If the user had inputted a cut with a particular length, display  300  can show a stop sign to instruct the user to end the cut. 
         [0036]    Depending upon the selected tool app, computing device  250  may modify a tool attribute (step  480 ). Persons skilled in the art are referred to U.S. Application No. 61/664,428, filed on Jun. 26, 2012, entitled “System for Enhancing Power Tools,” which is wholly incorporated by reference, for further details on how computing device  250  modifies different tool attributes. 
         [0037]    For example, referring to  FIG. 6 , if the user had inputted a particular cut with a circular saw, computing device  250  can control a rudder  220  to steer the circular saw to the left or right in order to make a straight cut. Rudder  220  can be moved by a servo  225 , which is preferably controlled in real-time by computing device  250 . 
         [0038]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the scope of the invention.