System and method of controlling welding system camera exposure and marker illumination

• US 10,204,406 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Becker, William Joshua, Weber, Jeffrey Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalapodas, Dramos
• Application Number:
  US14/928,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20160125594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/00 Processes relevant to this subclass, specially adapted for particular articles or purposes, but not covered by only one of the preceding main groups making tubes or profiled bars involving operations other than soldering or welding B21C37/04, B21C37/08
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

A system includes one or more sets of reflective visual markers, a light source configured to emit light, and a controller communicatively coupled to the light source. Each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system. Each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras. The controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more sets of reflective visual markers, wherein each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system;

a light source configured to emit light, wherein each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the light source, wherein the controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation,

wherein the illumination settings of the light source comprise one or both of a pulse rate of the light source and a pulse duty cycle of the light source, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the pulse duty cycle of the light source to be less than 100% while performing the live-arc welding operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the illumination settings of the light source to reduce unintentional darkening of a weld helmet of the welding system as caused by the light source.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination settings of the light source comprise a wavelength or an intensity of the emitted light.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more cameras, wherein the one or more cameras are configured to detect one or more sets of reflective visual markers and one or more sets of active visual markers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more cameras are configured to detect the one or more sets of reflective visual markers during a reflective marker sample interval, and the one or more cameras are configured to detect the one or more sets of active visual markers during an active marker sample interval, wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more cameras to a first exposure setting during the reflective marker sample interval, and the controller is configured to control the one or more cameras to a second exposure setting less than the first exposure setting during the active marker sample interval.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the reflective marker sample interval is less than the active marker sample interval.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to adjust exposure settings of the one or more cameras at least in part on the status of the welding system being utilized to perform the live-arc welding operation.

8. A system comprising:

one or more cameras configured to detect a first set of reflective visual markers coupled to a first component of a welding system during a reflective marker sample interval, and the one or more cameras are configured to detect a second set of active visual markers coupled to a second component of the welding system during an active marker sample interval;

a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more cameras, wherein the controller is configured to control the one or more cameras to a first exposure setting during the reflective marker sample interval, and the controller is configured to control the one or more cameras to a second exposure setting less than the first exposure setting during the active marker sample interval; and

a light source configured to emit light, wherein each reflective visual marker of the first set of reflective visual markers is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards the one or more cameras,

wherein illumination settings of the light source comprise one or more of a wavelength of the emitted light, an intensity of the emitted light, a pulse rate of the light source, and a pulse duty cycle of the light source, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the pulse duty cycle of the light source to be less than 100% while performing a live-arc welding operation.

9. The system of claim 8, comprising:

the first set of reflective visual markers coupled to the first component of the welding system; and

the second set of active visual markers coupled to the second component of the welding system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first component comprises a workpiece of the welding system, a clamp assembly configured to couple to the workpiece, a stand of the welding system, or any combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second component comprises a welding torch of the welding system.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the reflective marker sample interval is less than the active marker sample interval.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the light source, and the controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform the live-arc welding operation.

14. A method comprising:

emitting light from a light source to illuminate a first set of reflective visual markers coupled to a first component of a welding system;

detecting, via one or more cameras, light reflected from the first set of reflective visual markers during a reflective marker sample interval;

detecting, via the one or more cameras, light emitted from a second set of active visual markers during an active marker sample interval, wherein the second set of active visual markers is coupled to a second component of the welding system; and

controlling at least one of illumination settings of the light source and an exposure setting of the one or more cameras based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation,

wherein illumination settings of the light source comprise a pulse duty cycle of the light source, and

wherein controlling the illumination settings comprises controlling a pulse duty cycle of the light source to be less than 100% while performing the live-arc welding operation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the exposure setting of the one or more cameras comprises controlling reducing the exposure setting of the one or more cameras during the reflective marker sample interval.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising determining a position and an orientation of the second component relative to the first component of the welding system based at least in part on the detected light reflected from the first set of reflective visual markers and the emitted light from the second set of active visual markers.