System and method to facilitate wireless wide area communication in a welding environment

• US 20050197115A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hsu, Christopher, Clark, Keith, Blankenship, George Daryl
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for wireless communication with a welding system is provided. The system includes a welding system having a WAP client component and a wireless communication component facilitating post second generation mobile communications between the welding system and a WAP gateway component. The welding system can further include a global positioning component and/or a browsing component. The invention further comprises methodologies for facilitating wireless communication with a welding system.

Claims

1. A welding system, comprising:

a welding component facilitating welding;

a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) client component facilitating transfer of information associated with welding between the welding component and at least one other device; and

,

a wireless communication component facilitating wireless communication between the WAP client component and at the least one other device.

2. The welding system of claim 1, the wireless communication component adapted to communicate with the at least one other device utilizing CDMA 2000 systems capacity.

3. The welding system of claim 1, the WAP client component utilizing a Wireless Application Protocol.

4. The welding system of claim 1, the transfer of information being via at least one of a Wireless Mark-up Language (WML) document and a Wireless Mark-up Language script (WML script) document.

5. The welding system of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning component facilitating locating a geographical location of the welding system.

6. The welding system of claim 1, further comprising a browsing component.

7. A system, comprising:

a welding system having a welding component facilitating welding, a WAP client component and a wireless communication component; and

a WAP gateway component, the WAP client component facilitating wireless transfer of information associated with welding between the welding system and the WAP gateway component.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a remote system having a communication component and at least one welding resource component, the WAP gateway component facilitating communication between the welding system and the remote system.

9. The system of claim 8, the remote system further comprising at least one of a web server, a JAVA servlet, a JAVA server page, a JAVA bean and a database.

10. The system of claim 8, the welding system and the remote system communicating at least one of a firmware file, a data acquisition file, a welding program, a welding procedure, an audio application, a voice over Internet Protocol, an email, a chat application, an instant message application, remote data monitoring information, remote control, remote task invocation and remote point-of-sale information.

11. The system of claim 8, the at least one welding resource component further comprising at least one of welding procedure(s), a component associated with managing a welding consumable, a component associated with ordering a welding consumable, a component associated with monitoring welding consumable, a component associated with welding application development, a component associated with creating a welding procedure, a component associated with managing a welding procedure, a component associated with weld evaluation, a component associated with weld qualification and a component associated with locating a welding procedure.

12. The system of claim 8, the WAP gateway component further adapted to communicate with the remote system via at least one of a wide area network, a local area network, the Internet and a personal area network.

13. The system of claim 7, the welding system further comprising a browsing component.

14. The system of claim 7, the welding system further comprising a global positioning component.

15. The system of claim 14, the global positioning component facilitating identification of a physical location of a weld.

16. The system of claim 7, the welding system further comprising at least one of test equipment, monitoring equipment, a consumable usage monitor, a weld controller, an arc/weld monitor and a welding data store.

17. The system of claim 7, the welding system further comprising welding equipment comprising at least one of a power source, a gas controller, a wire feeder, a contact tip, a dresser, a gas mixer, a gas sneezer, a gas controller, a clamp actuator, a robot arm/beam/torch manipulator, a laser seam tracker, a wire drive and gun, a water cooler, a welder, a part handler, a torch travel and a user control.

18. The system of claim 7, the wireless communication component adapted to communicate with the WAP gateway component utilizing CDMA 2000 systems capacity.

19. The system of claim 7, at least one of the WAP client component and the WAP gateway component utilizing a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

20. The system of claim 7, at least one of the wireless communication component and the WAP gateway component utilizing at least one of a post second generation service and a third generation service.

21. The system of claim 7, the transferred information being at least one of weld procedures, parameters, diagnostic information, error logs, machine metrics, system metrics, specifications, manuals, machine enhancements, files for specific user application and sensor feedback.

22. The welding system of claim 7, the transfer of information being via at least one of a WML document and a WML script document.

23. The welding system of claim 7, the wireless communication component further comprising reprogrammable software based at least in part upon one of user preference and available communication modalities.

24. The welding system of claim 7, the welding system further comprising a security component facilitating secure communication utilizing at least one of a password login, a digital signature, data encryption, an authentication service and an authorization service.

25. A method for providing wireless communication in a welding system comprising:

generating an RF field around a welding system;

generating an RF field around a WAP gateway component;

establishing communication between the welding system and the WAP gateway component;

receiving information from the WAP gateway component; and

,

transmitting information to the WAP gateway component.

26. A method for providing wireless communications in a welding system comprising:

searching for one or more available frequencies;

selecting an appropriate transmission frequency; and

,

transmitting information wirelessly on the selected frequency.

27. The method of claim 26, the further comprising at least one of the following acts:

programming communication software based at least in part upon at least one of user preference and available communication modalities;

determining a priority level of communication;

negotiating for usage of one or more available frequencies;

selecting an appropriate transmission frequency based at least in part upon at least one of a relative cost and the priority level of communication;

determining whether a quality of the selected frequency has degraded; and

,

determining whether an owner or manager of a frequency has requested cessation of transmission.

28. A welding system, comprising:

wireless communication means for a welding system to communicate welding information;

wireless communication means for a WAP gateway component to communicate welding information with the welding system.