Smart welding helmets

Abstract

Described herein are examples of smart welding helmets having a plurality of functions that go beyond conventional welding helmets. For example, a smart welding helmet may be configured to detect if/when the helmet surpasses one or more temperature thresholds, which may alert an operator if they have been welding too close and/or for too long. Other example smart helmet functions may include the ability to display (and/or otherwise output) feedback/guidance and/or welding information, as well as communicate with appropriate personnel. In some examples, the smart welding helmet may be configured to selectively enable/disable certain functions of the smart welding helmet to accommodate the needs of a particular operator and/or groups of operators.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A welding helmet, comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:
 identify one or more accessible helmet functions of a plurality of potential helmet functions, and 
 enable the one or more accessible helmet functions and disable a remainder of the plurality of potential helmet functions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The welding helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an identity of an operator wearing the welding helmet, and identify the one or more accessible helmet functions based on the identity of the operator. 
     
     
         3 . The welding helmet of  claim 2 , further comprising a sensor configured to automatically detect a characteristic of the operator, the control circuitry being configured to determine the identity of the operator based on the characteristic detected by the sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The welding helmet of  claim 2 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive credentials of the operator, the control circuitry configured to determine the identity of the operator based on the credentials received by the user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The welding helmet of  claim 1 , the welding helmet further comprising a user interface configured to output a notification to an operator wearing the welding helmet, the notification identifying the one or more accessible helmet functions. 
     
     
         6 . The welding helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of potential helmet functions comprise two or more of a helmet status detection function, an automatic light configuration function, an automatic lens configuration function, a torch travel speed detection function, a temperature detection function, a personal protective equipment (PPE) detection function, an arc on time tracking function, an operator identification function, a lens maintenance detection function, a welding parameter viewing function, a work instruction viewing function, a communication function, or a guidance or feedback function. 
     
     
         7 . The welding helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising a helmet shell configured to be worn on a head of an operator. 
     
     
         8 . The welding helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify the one or more helmet functions based on a file or data structure stored in memory circuitry of the welding helmet. 
     
     
         9 . The welding helmet of  claim 8 , further comprising communication circuitry configured to communicate with an external device, the control circuitry configured to update the file or data structure based on one or more signals received from the external device via the communication circuitry. 
     
     
         10 . The welding helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the update changes which of the plurality of potential helmet functions comprise the one or more accessible helmet functions. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 identifying, via control circuitry of a welding helmet, one or more accessible helmet functions of a plurality of potential helmet functions of the welding helmet;   enabling, via the control circuitry, the one or more accessible helmet functions of the welding helmet; and   disabling, via the control circuitry, a remainder of the plurality of potential helmet functions of the welding helmet.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising determining an identity of an operator wearing the welding helmet, and identifying the one or more accessible helmet functions based on the identity of the operator. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 detecting a characteristic of the operator using a sensor of the welding helmet; and   determining, via the control circuitry, the identity of the operator based on the characteristic of the operator detected by the sensor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving credentials of the operator via a user interface of the welding helmet; and   determining, via the control circuitry, the identity of the operator based on the credentials received by the user interface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising outputting, via a user interface of the welding helmet, a notification to an operator wearing the welding helmet, the notification identifying the one or more accessible helmet functions. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of potential helmet functions comprise two or more of a helmet status detection function, an automatic light configuration function, an automatic lens configuration function, a torch travel speed detection function, a temperature detection function, a personal protective equipment (PPE) detection function, an arc on time tracking function, an operator identification function, a lens maintenance detection function, a welding parameter viewing function, a work instruction viewing function, a communication function, or a guidance or feedback function. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more accessible helmet functions are identified based on one or more signals received from an external device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the one or more accessible helmet functions are identified based on a file or data structure stored in memory circuitry of the welding helmet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising updating the file or data structure based on one or more signals received from an external device via communication circuitry of the welding helmet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the update changes which of the plurality of potential helmet functions comprise the one or more accessible helmet functions.