Wireless and powerline communications in a welding-type system

Abstract

A welding-type system includes a wireless network interface configured to connect a wire feeder or power supply to a wireless network. The wireless network interface is also configured to receive a wireless command in a first format. The wireless command is configured to control the power supply. Moreover, the wireless network interface is configured to convert the wireless command from the first format to a second format. The welding-type system also includes a wired transceiver configured to transmit the converted wireless command across a power delivery cable to the power supply. Furthermore, the welding-type system includes power terminals configured to receive power from the power supply at a level based at least in part on the transmitted wireless command.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wire feeder comprising:
 a first wireless network interface configured to:
 determine one of a transfer speed or a signal strength of a connection between the first wireless network interface and a second wireless network interface of a power supply; 
 receive a wireless power supply command via a wireless network, wherein the wireless power supply command is configured to control a power supply; and 
 transmit the wireless power supply command to the second wireless network interface of the power supply if one of the signal strength or transfer speed satisfies a threshold; 
   a wired transceiver configured to transmit the wireless power supply command across a power delivery cable to the power supply if one of the signal strength or the transfer speed does not satisfy the threshold; and   power terminals configured to receive power from the power supply at a level based at least in part on the transmitted wireless power supply command   
     
     
         2 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to:
 receive the wireless power supply command in a first format; and   convert the wireless power supply command from the first format to a second format if one of the signal strength or transfer speed satisfies a threshold; and   wherein the wired transceiver is configured to transmit the converted wireless power supply command in the second format.   
     
     
         3 . The wire feeder of  claim 2 , wherein the wired transceiver is configured to transmit the converted wireless power supply command using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation, quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation, or M-Ary phase shift keying modulation. 
     
     
         4 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network comprises an 802.11 wireless network, an 802.15.4 wireless network, or an 802.1 wireless network. 
     
     
         5 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the wire feeder comprises a wire feed motor, and the first wireless network interface is configured to:
 receive a wire feed speed command; and   transmit the wire feed speed command to the wire feed motor, wherein the wire feed motor is configured to alter a wire feed speed based on the wire feed speed command.   
     
     
         6 . The wire feeder of  claim 5 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to determine whether a received signal is a power supply command command or a wire feed speed command based on one or more bits in the received signal. 
     
     
         7 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to receive a command from a cellular phone, a tablet, or a computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to receive a command from a wireless interface of a welding-torch. 
     
     
         9 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the power delivery cable includes a resonant circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The wire feeder of  claim 9 , wherein the resonant circuit provides a peak impedance at a transmission frequency of the wired transceiver. 
     
     
         11 . The wire feeder of  claim 9 , wherein the resonant circuit provides a peak impedance at a variable frequency. 
     
     
         12 . The wire feeder of  claim 1 , wherein the wired transceiver is configured to:
 transmit the power supply command at a first frequency;   receive a response from the second wireless interface of the power supply after transmitting the power supply command at the first frequency; and   transmit the power supply command at a second frequency if the wired transceiver does not receive the response.   
     
     
         13 . The wire feeder of  claim 12 , wherein the power delivery cable includes a resonant circuit which provides a peak impedance at a frequency based on the average frequency of the first frequency and the second frequency. 
     
     
         14 . A power supply comprising:
 a first wireless network interface configured to receive power supply commands from a second wireless network interface of a wire feeder if one of a signal strength or a transfer speed of a connection between the first wireless network interface and the second wireless network interface satisfies a threshold;   a wired transceiver configured to receive power supply commands from the wire feeder through a power cable through which the power supply supplies power to the wire feeder if one of the signal strength of the transfer speed of the connection between the first wireless network interface and the second wireless network interface does not satisfy the threshold; and   a power controller configured to change a level of power supplied to the wire feeder based at least in part on the received power supply commands.   
     
     
         15 . The power supply of  claim 14 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to transmit wire feed commands to the second wireless network interface if one of the signal strength or the transfer speed of the connection between the first wireless network interface and the second wireless network interface satisfies the threshold, and wherein the wired transceiver is configured to transmit wire feed commands to the wire feeder through the power cable if one of the signal strength or the transfer speed of the connection between the first wireless network interface and the second wireless network interface does not satisfy the threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The power supply of  claim 15 , wherein the wired transceiver is configured to:
 transmit the wire feed command at a first frequency;   receive a response from the second wireless interface of the wire feeder after transmitting the wire feed command at the first frequency; and   transmit the wire feed command at a second frequency if the wired transceiver does not receive the response.   
     
     
         17 . The power supply of  claim 15 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to couple the power supply to one or more remote devices. 
     
     
         18 . The power supply of  claim 17 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to receive wire feed commands from one or more remote devices. 
     
     
         19 . The power supply of  claim 14 , wherein the first wireless network interface is configured to receive a command from a cellular phone, a tablet, or a computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The power supply of  claim 14 , wherein the power delivery cable includes a resonant circuit configured to provide a peak impedance at a transmission frequency of the wired transceiver.