REMOTE MASTER RESET OF MACHINE

• US 20140238964A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Casner, Bruce A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,933,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/132
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control

Abstract

A welding machine includes one or more processors configured to control the welding machine and remote reset circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The remote reset circuitry is configured to receive a remote signal and to reset the one or more processors based at least in part on the remote signal.

Claims

1. A welding machine comprising:

one or more processors configured to control the welding machine; and

remote reset circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and configured to receive a remote signal, wherein the remote reset circuitry is configured to reset the one or more processors based at least in part on the remote signal.

2. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of processors comprises a control processor, an operator interface processor, a communications processor, a robotic processor, a polarity reversing processor, a consumables processor, a temperature control processor, an auxiliary control processor, a network interface processor, or any combination thereof.

3. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the remote reset circuitry is configured to reset the one or more processors approximately simultaneously.

4. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the remote reset circuitry comprises network interface circuitry configured to communicatively couple to a remote network.

5. The welding machine of claim 4, wherein the remote reset circuitry is configured to communicatively couple to a network via a wireless connection.

6. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the remote reset circuitry comprises a wired connection.

7. The welding machine of claim 6, wherein the remote reset circuitry comprises a serial connection.

8. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the remote reset circuitry comprises a reset line coupled to the one or more processors.

9. A welding system comprising:

a network controller configured to communicatively couple to a first welding machine, wherein the first welding machine comprises a first plurality of processors, and the network controller is configured to reset the first plurality of processors based at least in part on a reset signal.

10. The welding system of claim 9, comprising a memory configured to store first instructions for operating the first plurality of processors and to store second instructions for operating the second plurality of processors, wherein the network controller is configured to reset the first plurality of processors with the first instructions, and the network controller is configured to reset the second plurality of processors with the second instructions.

11. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the network controller is disposed remotely from the first welding machine.

12. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the network controller is configured to communicatively couple to a second welding machine comprising a second plurality of processors, wherein the network controller is configured to reset the second plurality of processors based at least in part on the reset signal.

13. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the network controller is configured to communicatively couple to a remote network, and the first welding machine is communicatively coupled to the remote network.

14. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the network controller is configured to communicatively couple to the first welding machine via a wireless connection.

15. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the network controller comprises a remote computer.

16. A method of operating a welding system comprising:

receiving a reset input at a first welding machine, wherein the reset input is received from a remote location relative to the first welding machine; and

resetting one or more processors of the first welding machine based at least in part on the reset input.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

loading a second set of instructions from a memory to configure the one or more processors upon receipt of the reset input, wherein the one or more processors are configured with a first set of instructions prior to receipt of the reset input; and

powering the one or more processors with the second set of instructions.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are configured to reset approximately simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising:

receiving the reset input at a second welding machine; and

resetting one or more processors of the second welding machine based at least in part on the reset input.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein resetting the one or more processors of the first welding machine comprises resetting at least one power source coupled to the one or more processors.