Main controller for telematics integration

• US 10,248,105 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Gitter, Joe, Pfeifer, Kyle Andrew, Froland, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US15/070,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 700207
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45135 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A main controller may be used to provide integrated, centralized, and optimized handling of telematics data in welding arrangements. The main controller may receive from other components of a welding arrangement, telematics data, and may apply at least some processing to the telematics data, to enable use of the telematics data by a remote entity. The telematics data may comprises data relating to an engine used in driving one or more components of the welding arrangement, data relating to one or more components of the welding arrangement, and/or data relating to welding operations performed via the welding arrangement. The processing of telematics data may comprise formatting data in accordance with a single standard format, digitizing analog data, and/or processing data for communication to the remote entity. The main controller may provide telematics client and/or host node functions, such as based on the controller area network (CANBus) protocol.

Claims

1. A system for use in welding-type operations, the system comprising:

a welding supply source configured for providing welding outputs to drive a welding torch, the welding outputs comprising at least one of power or weld material;

an engine for driving the system; and

a controller configured to;

interface directly with an engine control unit (ECU) of the engine;

obtain telematics data comprising engine related data, wherein at least part of the telematics data is obtained from the ECU of the engine; and

process the telematics data to enable use of the telematics data by a remote entity for at least one of remote monitoring or management of at least one component of the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to obtain at least part of the telematics data from one or more analog sensors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine related data comprises information relating to at least one of engine coolant, engine oil, or engine fuel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to process the telematics data by formatting the telematics data in accordance with a single standard format regardless of source or type of obtained data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to process the telematics data by digitizing obtained analog data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to process the telematics data by processing the telematics data for communication to the remote entity in accordance with a wired or wireless interface, protocol, or standard.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to function as at least one of a telematics client node or a telematics host node.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to communicate telematics related messages at least one of with the engine, a component of the engine, or one or more components in accordance with a communication protocol.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the communication protocol comprises controller area network (CANBus) protocol.

10. A system for handling telematics data associated with a welding-type arrangement, comprising:

an interface component operable to receive telematics data; and

a processing circuit operable to process the telematics data, to enable use of the telematics data by a remote entity,

wherein;

the telematics data comprises at least one of data relating to an engine used in driving one or more components of the welding-type arrangement;

the interface component is configurable to interface directly with an engine control unit (ECU) of the engine, and to obtain at least part of the telematics data from the ECU of the engine.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is operable to format the telematics data in accordance with a single standard format regardless of source or type of obtained data.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is operable to digitize obtained analog data.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises at least one of:

an internal communication component operable to at least one of configure, setup, or utilize at least one of wired or wireless connections, to the remote entity; and

an external communication interface component operable to connect the controller to an external communication device that provides at least one of wired or wireless connections to the remote entity.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processing circuit, the communication component, or the external communication interface component is operable to process the telematics data for communications via the wired or wireless connections to the remote entity.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a telematics client component operable to perform telematics client node functions.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a telematics host component operable to perform telematics host node functions.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a telematics communication component operable to handle telematics related messaging in accordance with a particular telematics communication protocol.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the telematics communication protocol comprises a controller area network (CANBus) protocol.

19. A method, comprising:

handling in a controller of a welding-type arrangement, telematics data associated with the welding-type arrangement, the handling comprising;

obtaining telematics data, wherein the telematics data comprises data relating to an engine used in driving one or more components of the welding-type arrangement, and wherein the obtaining comprises;

interfacing directly with an engine control unit (ECU) of the engine; and

obtaining at least part of the data relating to the engine from the ECU of the engine;

processing the telematics data comprises formatting the telematics data in accordance with a single standard format to enable use of the telematics data by a remote entity; and

communicating the telematics data to the remote entity.