Systems and methods for a personally allocated interface for use in a welding system

• US 11,103,948 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 08/31/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Holverson, Todd Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iskra, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US14/462,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20160045971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 2191035, 219129, 219132, 219136, 219137, 2191377, 428615, 340 11- 161
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1087 Arc welding using remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly

Abstract

A welding system having a welding power supply, a wire feeder coupled to the welding power supply, and a welding torch coupled to the wire feeder and configured to output wire from the wire feeder is provided. In particular, the welding system includes a wireless module (e.g., gateway) disposed within a component of the welding system, or as an independent component within the welding system. For example, the wireless module may be disposed within the welding power supply, the wire feeder, or the welding torch. The wireless module is configured to wirelessly transmit to and receive welding information, such as operator identification information, from a wireless personal device. The wireless personal device is uniquely associated with a welding operator operating the welding system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting that a plurality of wireless personal devices are within a communication range of a wireless module disposed within a welding component of a welding system, the plurality of wireless personal devices being associated with one or more welding operators;

identifying a particular welding operator that is associated with a greater number of the plurality of wireless personal devices than any other welding operator of the one or more welding operators;

determining a set of operational parameters within which the particular welding operator may operate the welding system;

enabling operation of the welding system for the particular welding operator within the determined set of operational parameters;

collecting welding information from feedback sensors during operation of the welding system; and

storing the welding information in a memory storage, wherein the welding information is associated with the particular welding operator operating the welding system when stored.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing wireless communications between a wireless personal device that is associated with the particular welding operator and the wireless module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of wireless personal devices includes the wireless personal device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving operator identification information relating to the particular welding operator from the wireless personal device, the operational parameters determined based at least in part on the operator identification information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising verifying the operator identification information to authenticate the particular welding operator, wherein authenticating the particular welding operator comprises comparing the operator identification information to information associated with a plurality of welding operators stored in local memory storage or remote cloud-based memory storage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more welding operators includes the particular welding operator, and the plurality of wireless personal devices comprise one or more welding gloves, clothing items, glasses, watches, or welding tools.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the set of operational parameters is further based on one or more of a location of the welding system or an experience level associated with the particular welding operator.

7. A welding system, comprising:

a welding power supply comprising a wireless module configured to;

identify a welding helmet based on a degree of synchronization between an auto-darkening feature of the welding helmet and an arc welding process of the welding power supply,

establish communication with the welding helmet,

wirelessly receive operator identification information from the welding helmet, the operator identification information relating to a particular welding operator operating the welding power supply; and

a monitoring system configured to collect welding feedback data during operation of the welding power supply, store the welding feedback data in memory storage, and associate the particular welding operator with the welding feedback data in the memory storage.

8. The welding system of claim 7, wherein the degree of synchronization comprises 90% synchronization.

9. The welding system of claim 7, further comprising:

control circuitry configured to retrieve a user profile corresponding to the particular welding operator from the memory storage based on the operator identification information, wherein the welding feedback data is associated with the user profile in the memory storage when the welding feedback data is stored in the memory storage.

10. The welding system of claim 9, wherein the user profile comprises a set of operational permissions that limits functionality of the welding system.

11. The welding system of claim 7, wherein the welding feedback data comprises data relating to a welding process, a welding current, a welding voltage, a workpiece identification, a time of a welding operation, or a location of the welding operation.

12. The welding system of claim 7, wherein the wireless module is configured to identify the welding helmet from a plurality of welding helmets.

13. A method, comprising:

establishing wireless communications between;

a wireless module that is disposed within a welding component, and a first wireless personal device that is associated with first operator identification information;

establishing wireless communication between the wireless module and a second personal device that is associated with second operator identification information;

receiving the first operator identification information and the second operator identification information at the wireless module;

identifying a particular welding operator associated with both the first operator identification information and the second operator identification information;

receiving operator inputs relating to operational parameters of the welding system from the first or second wireless personal device;

controlling a welding operation of the welding system based at least in part on the particular welding operator and the received operator inputs;

collecting welding feedback data pertaining to the welding operation;

associating the welding feedback data with a tag representative of the particular welding operator; and

storing the welding data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless module comprises a gateway and the first wireless personal device or second wireless personal device comprises a welding helmet having a wireless communication device.

16. The welding helmet of claim 13, wherein the wireless communications are via an IEEE 802.15.4 standard, ZigBee, WirelessHART, MiWi, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11 standard, ultra-wideband (UWB) standard, or a near-field communication (NFC) standard protocol.