Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system
First Claim
1. A method for simulating welding activity, said method comprising:
- tracking a movement and orientation of a welding tool using an optical sensor during a simulated welding operation;
generating a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool;
modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon;
displaying said simulated welding surface on a first display device mounted in a helmet and second display device mounted in a simulated welding console;
creating, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding arc between an emitting end of said welding tool and said simulated welding surface;
simulating a creation of a weld puddle have real-time molten metal fluidity, real-time heat dissipation and real-time heat absorption characteristics during said simulated welding operation;
modeling said simulated weld puddle such that regions of a surface of said simulated weld puddle have both a displacement value and a heat value;
dynamically changing during said simulated welding operation each of said displacement values and heat values to display on each of said first and second display devices a simulated deposition of material into said simulated weld puddle, said dynamic changes to each of said displacement and heat values are based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool and on said plurality of simulated welding parameters, where said first and second display devices display a color for each of said regions which is based on said heat values; and
displaying a simulated completed weld bead on said first and second display devices which is based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, based on said simulated welding parameters and based on a cooling threshold value for a transition of said regions from a molten state to a solid state,wherein said displacement values are such that a solidified surface of said simulated completed weld bead is displayed above said welding surface of said welding coupon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder'"'"'s progress and to provide training.
353 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for simulating welding activity, said method comprising:
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tracking a movement and orientation of a welding tool using an optical sensor during a simulated welding operation; generating a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool; modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon; displaying said simulated welding surface on a first display device mounted in a helmet and second display device mounted in a simulated welding console; creating, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding arc between an emitting end of said welding tool and said simulated welding surface; simulating a creation of a weld puddle have real-time molten metal fluidity, real-time heat dissipation and real-time heat absorption characteristics during said simulated welding operation; modeling said simulated weld puddle such that regions of a surface of said simulated weld puddle have both a displacement value and a heat value; dynamically changing during said simulated welding operation each of said displacement values and heat values to display on each of said first and second display devices a simulated deposition of material into said simulated weld puddle, said dynamic changes to each of said displacement and heat values are based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool and on said plurality of simulated welding parameters, where said first and second display devices display a color for each of said regions which is based on said heat values; and displaying a simulated completed weld bead on said first and second display devices which is based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, based on said simulated welding parameters and based on a cooling threshold value for a transition of said regions from a molten state to a solid state, wherein said displacement values are such that a solidified surface of said simulated completed weld bead is displayed above said welding surface of said welding coupon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification