WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK IMPROVED ROBUSTNESS FOR CONTROL OF INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20140051359A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Dina, Daniel, Downie, Kathy Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,712,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system includes a master node device. The master node device includes communication circuitry configured to facilitate communication with a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to facilitate wireless communication with one or more welding-related devices via a short-range wireless communication network. The master node device also includes control circuitry configured to continuously improve reliability of wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices via the short-range wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a master node device comprising;

communication circuitry configured to facilitate communication with a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to facilitate wireless communication with one or more welding-related devices via a short-range wireless communication network; and

control circuitry configured to continuously improve reliability of wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices via the short-range wireless communication network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by allowing association of the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network only if the welding-related devices include authorization credentials that indicate the welding-related devices may be used with the master node device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the authorization credentials include at least a media access control (MAC) address and a function code of the welding-related devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by encrypting and decrypting the data transmitted via the wireless communications.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by limiting the number of welding-related devices associated with the short-range wireless communication network based on functionality type of the welding-related devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by continuously monitoring battery levels and statuses of the one or more welding-related devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by switching to a new communication channel for the wireless communications when noise on a current communication channel exceeds a threshold.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry continuously improves the reliability of the wireless communications between the communication circuitry and the one or more welding-related devices by actively adjusting signal strength of the communication circuitry based at least in part on signal strength feedback data from the one or more welding-related devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding wire feeder.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding torch.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding helmet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding pendant.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding foot pedal.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a welding-related device of the one or more welding-related devices comprises the master node device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry includes radio frequency (RF) transmitters and sensors.

16. A method, comprising:

wirelessly communicating between one or more welding-related devices and a master node device via a short-range wireless communication network;

communicating between the master node device and a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link; and

continuously improving reliability of the short-range wireless communication network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises allowing association of the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network only if the welding-related devices include authorization credentials that indicate the welding-related devices may be used with the master node device, wherein the authorization credentials include at least a media access control (MAC) address and a function code of the welding-related devices.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises encrypting and decrypting the data transmitted via the short-range wireless communication network.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises limiting the number of welding-related devices associated with the short-range wireless communication network based on functionality type of the welding-related devices.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises continuously monitoring battery levels and statuses of the one or more welding-related devices.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises switching to a new communication channel when noise on a current communication channel exceeds a threshold.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein continuously improving the reliability of the short-range wireless communication network comprises actively adjusting signal strength of the master node device based at least in part on signal strength feedback data from the one or more welding-related devices.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range wireless communication network comprises a wireless communication network having a transmission range of approximately 20-25 feet from the master node device, and wherein the long-range communication link comprises a wireless communication link having a transmission range of approximately 300 feet or more from the master node device to the welding power supply unit.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding wire feeder, a welding torch, a welding helmet, a welding pendant, or a welding foot pedal.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein a welding-related device of the one or more welding-related devices comprises the master node device.

26. A wireless communication network, comprising:

one or more welding-related devices, wherein the one or more welding-related devices comprise a welding wire feeder, a welding torch, a welding helmet, a welding pendant, or a welding foot pedal;

a welding power supply unit configured to convert power from a power grid to power for a welding operation performed using the one or more welding-related devices; and

a master node device configured to facilitate wireless communication between the one or more welding-related devices and the master node device via a short-range wireless communication network, to facilitate communication between the master node device and the welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to continuously improve reliability of wireless communications between the master node device and the one or more welding-related devices via the short-range wireless communication network.