Welding system with multiple user interface modules

• US 10,118,241 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Mehn, Peter Donald, Nelson, Andrew David, DeCoster, Randy Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jennison, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/828,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20140069899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204

Abstract

A welding system user interface module includes a front panel comprising a first input device and a first display screen. The welding system user interface module also includes circuitry comprising a memory storing machine-readable instructions, a processor for executing the machine-readable instructions, and communication circuitry configured to receive UI data from the first input device or a second input device of a remote welding system user interface module, and to broadcast synchronized data to the first display screen and a second display screen of the remote welding system user interface module.

Claims

1. A welding system user interface module, comprising:

a front panel comprising a first input device for receiving inputs from an operator adjusting one or more welding system parameters and a first display screen; and

circuitry comprising a non-transitory machine readable memory storing machine-readable instructions, a processor for executing the machine-readable instructions, and communication circuitry configured to receive a first set of one or more welding system parameter settings from the first input device and a second set of the one or more welding system parameter settings from a second input device of a remote welding system user interface module, to synchronize the one or more welding system parameter settings received from the first input device and the second input device of the remote welding system user interface module, and to broadcast the synchronized one or more welding system parameter settings to the first display screen and a second display screen of the remote welding system user interface module, wherein the machine-readable instructions comprise instructions for synchronizing the first and second sets of the one or more welding system parameter settings received from the first and second input devices, wherein the one or more welding system parameters are adjustable via either of the first or the second input devices, and wherein the one or more welding system parameters comprise voltage, current, wire feed speed, welding wire diameter, or a combination thereof.

2. The welding system user interface module of claim 1, wherein the synchronized one or more welding system parameter settings comprises a broadcast token, and the first and second sets of the one or more welding system parameter settings comprise a response token, wherein synchronizing the one or more welding system parameter settings is based at least in part on the broadcast token and the response token.

3. The welding system user interface module of claim 2, wherein the response token comprises prioritization information.

4. The welding system user interface module of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to communicate with control circuitry internal to a welding system component on which the welding system user interface module is located.

5. The welding system user interface module of claim 1, wherein the welding system user interface module is removable and replaceable from a welding system component on which the welding system user interface module is located.

6. The welding system user interface module of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises wireless communication circuitry configured to communicate with the remote welding system user interface module wirelessly.

7. The welding system user interface module of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry broadcasts the synchronized one or more welding system parameter settings at least approximately every 100 millisecond.

8. A welding system, comprising:

a first user interface module located on a first welding system component and configured to receive inputs from an operator adjusting one or more welding system parameter settings; and

a second user interface module located on a second welding system component and configured to receive inputs from the operator adjusting the one or more welding system parameter settings;

wherein the first user interface module is configured to synchronize the one or more welding system parameter settings by identifying and reconciling conflicts in the one or more welding system parameter settings resulting from inputs from the operator to the first user interface module or the second user interface module, and to broadcast the one or more synchronized welding system parameter settings, wherein the one or more welding system parameter settings are adjustable via either of the first user interface module or the second user interface module, and wherein the one or more synchronized welding system parameter settings are displayed by the first and second user interface modules.

9. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit, and the second welding system component comprises a welding wire feeder.

10. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit or a welding wire feeder, and the second welding system component comprises a welding torch.

11. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit or a welding wire feeder, and the second welding system component comprises a welding helmet.

12. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit or a welding wire feeder, and the second welding system component comprises a welding remote device.

13. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit or a welding wire feeder, and the second welding system component comprises a welding cooling system.

14. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the first welding system component comprises a welding power supply unit or a welding wire feeder, and the second welding system component comprises a personal computer (PC), tablet computer, or smart phone.

15. The welding system of claim 8, wherein reconciliation of the conflicts is based on prioritization of operator inputs.

16. The welding system of claim 15, wherein the prioritization is based on a welding system component type, a location, a time, or a user interface module.

17. The welding system of claim 16, wherein prioritization information is included in broadcast and response tokens embedded in the one or more welding system parameter settings.

18. The welding system of claim 8, wherein the one or more welding system parameter settings comprise voltage, current, wire feed speed, welding wire diameter, or a combination thereof.