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 simulated welding operation;
a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool;
a welding coupon;
a helmet having at least one speaker;
a processor based subsystem operatively coupled to said spatial tracker which receives information from said spatial tracker related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool; and
a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated welding operation;
wherein during said 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 simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation;
wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and 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 said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, and said simulated weld bead; and
wherein during said simulated welding operation said at least one speaker emits simulated welding sounds, where said processor based subsystem changes said simulated welding sounds, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool.
1 Assignment
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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.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
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a welding tool for a simulated welding operation; a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool; a welding coupon; a helmet having at least one speaker; a processor based subsystem operatively coupled to said spatial tracker which receives information from said spatial tracker related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated welding operation; wherein during said 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 simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and 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 said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, and said simulated weld bead; and wherein during said simulated welding operation said at least one speaker emits simulated welding sounds, where said processor based subsystem changes said simulated welding sounds, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:
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a welding tool for a simulated welding operation; a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool, said spatial tracker using at least one sensor; a welding coupon; a helmet having at least one speaker attached thereto, and said at least one sensor; a simulated welding console having a user input device and a processor based subsystem operatively coupled to said spatial tracker which receives information from said spatial tracker related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool, where said user input device allows a user to select a welding operation type; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated welding operation; wherein during said 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 simulated welding operation, said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation;wherein said processor based subsystem models a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and 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 said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, and said simulated weld bead; wherein said processor based subsystem causes said at least one speaker to emit a first simulated welding sound from said speaker when a first welding type is selected and a second simulated welding sound when a second welding type is selected; and wherein during said simulated welding operation said first or second simulated welding sound is changed, in real-time, based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for simulating welding activity to be performed by a processor-based apparatus, said method comprising:
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tracking a movement and orientation of a welding tool using a spatial tracker; receiving information from said spatial tracker related to said movement and orientation of said welding tool; and displaying a simulated welding operation on a first display device; modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon; displaying said simulated welding surface on said first display device; modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation; modeling a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; emitting simulated welding sounds from at least one speaker disposed in a helmet; and changing said simulated welding sounds, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, wherein said first display device displays said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, and said simulated weld bead. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification