Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system
First Claim
1. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
- a welding tool for a selected simulated welding operation;
a spatial tracking unit having at least one sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation;
a welding coupon;
a central processing unit coupled to said spatial tracking unit, where said central processing unit receives information from said spatial tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation;
an input device coupled to said central processing unit, where said input device allows selection of said selected simulated welding operation to be one of a simulated stick welding operation, a simulated GMAW welding operation, or a simulated GTAW welding operation,a first display device operatively coupled to said central processing unit which displays said selected simulated welding operation;
wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said central processing unit models a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon and displays said simulated welding surface on said first display device;
wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said central processing unit models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said simulated welding operation;
wherein said central processing unit models a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state;
wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; and
wherein said welding tool is a GMAW welding tool for said simulated GMAW welding operation, a GTAW welding tool for said simulated GTAW welding operation, and a stick welding tool for said simulated stick welding operation, where said stick welding tool comprises a mock stick electrode, a stick electrode holder and an actuator to move said mock stick electrode during said simulated stick welding operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
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.
382 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
-
a welding tool for a selected simulated welding operation; a spatial tracking unit having at least one sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; a welding coupon; a central processing unit coupled to said spatial tracking unit, where said central processing unit receives information from said spatial tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; an input device coupled to said central processing unit, where said input device allows selection of said selected simulated welding operation to be one of a simulated stick welding operation, a simulated GMAW welding operation, or a simulated GTAW welding operation, a first display device operatively coupled to said central processing unit which displays said selected simulated welding operation; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said central processing unit models a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon and displays said simulated welding surface on said first display device; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said central processing unit models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said simulated welding operation; wherein said central processing unit models a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; and wherein said welding tool is a GMAW welding tool for said simulated GMAW welding operation, a GTAW welding tool for said simulated GTAW welding operation, and a stick welding tool for said simulated stick welding operation, where said stick welding tool comprises a mock stick electrode, a stick electrode holder and an actuator to move said mock stick electrode during said simulated stick welding operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
-
a welding tool for a selected simulated welding operation; a spatial tracking unit having at least one optical sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; a helmet comprising said at least one optical sensor and an audio speaker which provides simulated welding sounds during said simulated welding operation; a welding coupon; a processor based sub-system having a central processing unit, where said processor based sub-system is operatively coupled to said spatial tracking unit and receives information from said spatial tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; a user input device coupled to said processor based sub-system, where said user input device allows selection of said selected simulated welding operation to be one of a simulated stick welding operation, a simulated GMAW welding operation, or a simulated GTAW welding operation, where each of which is available for selection; a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said selected simulated welding operation; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon and displays said simulated welding surface on said first display device; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said welding tool during said simulated welding operation; and wherein said welding tool is a GMAW welding tool for said simulated GMAW welding operation, a GTAW welding tool for said simulated GTAW welding operation, and a stick welding tool for said simulated stick welding operation, where said stick welding tool comprises a mock stick electrode, a stick electrode holder and an actuator to move said mock stick electrode during said simulated stick welding operation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
-
a first welding tool for a simulated GMAW welding operation; a second welding tool for a simulated stick welding operation, having a simulated stick electrode and stick electrode holder; a third welding tool for a simulated GTAW welding operation;
where one of said first, second and third welding tool is selected by a user as a selected welding tool for a selected simulated welding operation;a spatial tracking unit having at least one optical sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said selected welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; a helmet comprising said at least one optical sensor and an audio speaker which provides simulated welding sounds during said selected simulated welding operation; a welding coupon; a processor based sub-system having a central processing unit, where said processor based sub-system is operatively coupled to said spatial tracking unit and receives information from said spatial tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said selected welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; a user input device coupled to said processor based sub-system, where said user input device allows selection of said selected simulated welding operation from one of said simulated stick welding operation, said simulated GMAW welding operation, and said simulated GTAW welding operation; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said selected simulated welding operation; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon and displays said simulated welding surface on said first display device; wherein during said selected simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said selected welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said selected welding tool during said simulated welding operation.
-
-
21. A method for simulating welding activity, comprising:
-
detecting movement and orientation of a welding tool during a selected simulated welding operation using at least one sensor; receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation; allowing a selection of said selected simulated welding operation to be one of a simulated stick welding operation, a simulated GMAW welding operation, or a simulated GTAW welding operation; displaying, on a first display device, said selected simulated welding operation; modeling a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon and displaying said simulated welding surface on said first display device; modeling a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool during said simulated welding operation; modeling a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; and displaying, on said first display device, each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said welding tool during said selected simulated welding operation, wherein said welding tool is a GMAW welding tool for said simulated GMAW welding operation, a GTAW welding tool for said simulated GTAW welding operation, and a stick welding tool for said simulated stick welding operation, where said stick welding tool comprises a mock stick electrode, a stick electrode holder and an actuator to move said mock stick electrode during said simulated stick welding operation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification