Systems and methods for wireless control of a welding power supply

• US 9,724,778 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Denis, Marc Lee, Peotter, Benjamin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jennison, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/229,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20150273611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1062 with computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

Embodiments described herein include wireless control of a welding power supply via portable electronic devices. In particular, operating parameters and statuses of the welding power supply may be modified by the portable electronic device, as well as be displayed on the portable electronic device. For example, in certain embodiments, the welding power supply may be an engine-driven welding power supply, and the portable electronic device may be configured to start and/or stop an engine of the engine-driven welding power supply. A pairing procedure may be used to pair the welding power supply and the portable electronic device in a wireless communication network. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, a method of prioritization of control between a control panel of the welding power supply and the portable electronic device may be implemented.

Claims

1. A welding power supply comprising:

a housing;

power conversion circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and

local control circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to wirelessly pair with a portable electronic device over a network, to wirelessly receive a control signal from remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device, and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a first control signal to the remote control circuitry to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply, and wherein the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device is configured to place the portable electronic device in the sleep mode and to send a second control signal to the local control circuitry of the welding power supply to place the welding power supply in the sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply.

2. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the remote control circuitry comprises a radio subsystem configured to wirelessly send and receive control signals to and from the local control circuitry using a signaling protocol.

3. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a display, the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to total hours of use of the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry, and the remote control circuitry is configured to display the data on the display.

4. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a display, the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to diagnostic messages or diagnostic codes for the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry, and the remote control circuitry is configured to display the data on the display.

5. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to control an operating parameter or status of an air compressor of the welding power supply, and to control the operating parameter or status based at least in part on the received control signal.

6. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a display, and the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send instructions to the remote control circuitry to display a nested graphical hierarchical structure of operating parameters and statuses of the welding power supply via the display.

7. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the remote control circuitry is configured to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the portable electronic device, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to wake the welding power supply from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the portable electronic device.

8. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wake the welding power supply from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the welding power supply, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the welding power supply.

9. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wake the welding power supply from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the welding power supply, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the welding power supply.

10. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the remote control circuitry is configured to wake the portable electronic device from the sleep mode upon detection of activity on the portable electronic device, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the local control circuitry to wake the welding power supply from the sleep mode upon the detection of the activity on the portable electronic device.

11. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a memory medium, the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to one or more operating parameters and statuses of the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry for storage in the memory medium, and the remote control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium.

12. The welding power supply of claim 11, wherein the welding power supply comprises a memory medium, and the local control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium of the welding power supply.

13. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a memory medium, the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send data relating to a user-preferred welding process parameter for the welding power supply to the remote control circuitry for storage in the memory medium, and the remote control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium.

14. The welding power supply of claim 13, wherein the welding power supply comprises a memory medium, and the local control circuitry stores the data in the memory medium of the welding power supply.

15. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry and the remote control circuitry are configured to bi-directionally communicate information relating to a preset value for a parameter of the welding power supply, wherein the bi-directional communication includes only digital communication.

16. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change a welding process type of the welding power supply, and to change the welding process type based on the received control signal.

17. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change a current of the welding operation, and to change the current of the welding operation based at least in part on the received control signal.

18. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change a voltage of the welding operation, and to change the voltage of the welding operation based at least in part on the received control signal.

19. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to add advanced welding process functionality to the welding power supply, and to add the advanced welding process functionality based on the received control signal.

20. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change a welding arc control parameter of the welding power supply, and to change the welding arc control parameter based on the received control signal.

21. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change a polarity of a welding process of the welding power supply, and to change the polarity of the welding process based on the received control signal.

22. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive a control signal from the remote control circuitry to change an operating status of a welding output of the welding power supply, and to change the operating status of the welding output based on the received control signal.

23. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry and the remote control circuitry are configured to set prioritization of control of the welding power supply between the portable electronic device and a control panel of the welding power supply.

24. The welding power supply of claim 23, wherein the local control circuitry and the remote control circuitry are configured to prevent the non-prioritized portable electronic device or control panel from controlling the welding power supply.

25. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to indicate a location of the portable electronic device, and the remote control circuitry is configured to indicate the location of the portable electronic device by activating an indicator on the portable electronic device.

26. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular phone.

27. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a laptop computer.

28. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a tablet computer.

29. The welding power supply of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a dedicated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) remote control device.

30. A system comprising:

a dedicated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) remote control device comprising remote control circuitry configured to wirelessly pair with local control circuitry of a welding power supply over a network, to wirelessly communicate with the local control circuitry disposed in a housing of the welding power supply to control the welding power supply, wherein the remote control circuitry is configured to place the remote control device in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a first control signal to the local control circuitry of the welding power supply to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the remote control device and the welding power supply, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in the sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a second control signal to the remote control circuitry of the remote control device to place the remote control device in the sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the remote control device and the welding power supply.

31. A welding power supply comprising:

power conversion circuitry configured to convert an input power into an output power for a welding operation; and

local control circuitry configured to wirelessly pair with a portable electronic device over a network, to wirelessly receive a control signal from remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device, and to control the welding power supply based at least in part on the received control signal, wherein the local control circuitry is configured to place the welding power supply in a sleep mode, and to wirelessly send a control signal to the remote control circuitry to place the portable electronic device in a sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply, and wherein the remote control circuitry of the portable electronic device is configured to place the portable electronic device in the sleep mode and to send a second control signal to the local control circuitry of the welding power supply to place the welding power supply in the sleep mode while maintaining network pairing between the portable electronic device and the welding power supply.