METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR BINDING A WIRELESS CONTROL DEVICE TO A WELDING POWER SOURCE

• US 20110180517A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Schneider, Joseph C.
• Application Number:
  US12/953,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20110180517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/108
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A welding system including a welding power source, a receiver, and a wireless control device are provided. The receiver is adapted to communicate information to and from the welding power source. The wireless control device and/or the receiver is adapted to learn a first address specific to the receiver and the wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the welding power source to the wireless control device during a learning mode. Such a binding may occur when the wireless control device is located a distance from the welding power source that is below a preset threshold. The wireless control device controls operation of the welding power source when the wireless control device is bound to the welding power source.

Claims

1. A welding system, comprising:

a welding power source configured to generate a welding power output for use in a welding operation;

a wireless control device configured to substantially exclusively control operation of the welding power source when the wireless control device is bound to the welding power source; and

a receiver coupled to the welding power source and configured to dynamically determine, with the wireless control device, a first address specific to the receiver and the wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the welding power supply to the wireless control device during a learning mode.

2. The welding system of claim 1, comprising a second wireless control device, wherein the receiver is further configured to learn a second address specific to the receiver and the second wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the welding power supply to the second wireless control device during the second learning mode and to clear the second address upon initiation of a third learning mode.

3. The welding system of claim 1, comprising a second welding power source having a second receiver integrated therewith, wherein the wireless control device is further configured to learn a second address specific to the second receiver and the wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the wireless control device to the second welding power source during the learning mode and to clear the second address upon initiation of a third learning mode.

4. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to lock out binding of the welding power source to the wireless control during the learning mode when the wireless control is located a distance away from the welding power source that exceeds a predefined distance.

5. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to couple with the welding power source via a 14 pin connector disposed on an exterior of the welding power source.

6. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is located within the welding power source.

7. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the wireless control device is a foot activated control.

8. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the learning mode is enabled by placing the receiver and the wireless control device in their respective learning modes, and wherein the receiver is configured to enable binding of the welding power source to the wireless control during the learning mode when the wireless control is located a distance away from the welding power source that exceeds a predefined distance.

9. A method, comprising:

determining a unique address specific to a wireless control and a receiver associated with a welding power source pair;

storing the unique address in a memory of the wireless control and in a memory of the receiver of the welding power source during a learning mode, wherein when the unique address is stored in the memory of the wireless control and the memory of the receiver of the welding power source, the wireless control is configured to exclusively control operation of the welding power source; and

clearing the unique address from the memory of the wireless control and the memory of the receiver of the welding power source when a second learning mode is enabled.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing a second unique address in the memory of the wireless control and in a memory of a second welding power source during the second learning mode, wherein when the second unique address is stored in the memory of the wireless control and the memory of the second welding power source, the wireless control is configured to exclusively control operation of the second welding power source.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing a second unique address in the memory of the welding power source and in a memory of a second wireless control during the second learning mode, wherein when the second unique address is stored in the memory of the second wireless control and the memory of the welding power source, the second wireless control is configured to exclusively control operation of the welding power source.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein when the unique address is stored in the memory of the wireless control and in the memory of the welding power source, the wireless control and the welding power source are reversibly bound during an operational mode following the learning mode.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless control is one of a foot activated control and a hand activated control.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the unique address is stored in a memory of the wireless control and in a memory of the welding power source during a learning mode only when the wireless control is located a distance from the welding power source that is less than or equal to a preset distance.

15. A welding system, comprising:

a welding power source configured to generate a welding power output for use in a welding operation;

a receiver associated with the welding power source and configured to communicate information to and from the welding power source; and

a wireless control device configured to learn a first address specific to the receiver and the wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the welding power source to the wireless control device during a learning mode when the wireless control device is located a distance from the welding power source that is below a preset threshold, wherein the wireless control device controls operation of the welding power source when the wireless control device is bound to the welding power source.

16. The welding system of claim 15, wherein the wireless control device is configured to clear the first address upon initiation of a second learning mode

17. The welding system of claim 16, wherein the wireless control device is further configured to learn a second address specific to a second receiver and the wireless control device pair to exclusively bind the second welding power source to the wireless control device during the second learning mode when the wireless control device is located a distance from a second welding power source that is below a preset threshold.

18. The welding system of claim 17, wherein the wireless control device exclusively controls operation of the second welding power source when the wireless control device is bound to the second welding power source.

19. The welding system of claim 15, wherein the wireless control device is a foot activated control device.

20. The welding system of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to removably couple to the welding power source via a 14 pin connection disposed on an exterior of the welding power source.

21. The welding system of claim 15, wherein the receiver is integrated with the internal circuitry of the welding power source and is located within the welding power source.