Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system
First Claim
1. A system for simulating GTAW welding activity, comprising:
- a GTAW welding tool fora simulated GTAW welding operation;
a simulated GTAW welding electrode;
a tracking unit having at least one sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW 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 tracking unit and receives information from said tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool; and
a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated GTAW welding operation;
wherein during said simulated GTAW welding operation, said processor based subsystem generates 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 generates a simulated weld puddle having molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated welding operation;
wherein said processor based subsystem generates 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
wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation.
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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.
364 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for simulating GTAW welding activity, comprising:
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a GTAW welding tool fora simulated GTAW welding operation; a simulated GTAW welding electrode; a tracking unit having at least one sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW 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 tracking unit and receives information from said tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated GTAW welding operation; wherein during said simulated GTAW welding operation, said processor based subsystem generates 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 generates a simulated weld puddle having molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem generates 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 wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for simulating GTAW welding activity, comprising:
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a GTAW welding tool fora simulated GTAW welding operation; a simulated GTAW welding electrode; a spatial tracking unit having at least one optical sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation; a welding coupon; a helmet comprising said at least one optical sensor and an audio speaker which provides simulated welding sounds during said simulated GTAW welding operation; 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 GTAW welding tool; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated GTAW welding operation; wherein during said simulated GTAW welding operation, said processor based subsystem generates 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 generates a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said GTAW 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; and wherein said first display device displays each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for simulating GTAW welding activity, comprising:
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a GTAW welding tool fora simulated GTAW welding operation; a simulated GTAW welding electrode; a tracking unit having at least one sensor, which detects movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW 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 tracking unit and receives information from said tracking unit related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool; and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated GTAW welding operation; wherein during said simulated GTAW welding operation, said processor based subsystem generates 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 generates a simulated weld puddle having molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics based on said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated welding operation; wherein said processor based subsystem generates 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 GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation; wherein said first display device displays at least one visual cue during said simulated GTAW welding operation, where said at least one visual cue is for a simulated welding parameter, and where said at least one visual cue is displayed based on a deviation of said simulated welding parameter from a desired value for said simulated welding parameter, where said simulated welding parameter is either weld angle, travel speed or travel angle, and wherein said simulation of said solidification from said molten state to said solid state of said weld puddle is based on a cooling threshold value for said simulated weld puddle.
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21. A method for simulating GTAW welding activity, said method comprising:
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tracking a GTAW welding tool to determine movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during a simulated GTAW welding operation; receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool; displaying said simulated GTAW welding operation on a first display device; generating a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon; displaying said simulated welding surface on said first display device; generating a simulated weld puddle having molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics based on said information related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated welding operation; generating 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 GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation, wherein said tracking includes optically tracking said GTAW welding tool using an optical sensor mounted on a helmet. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for simulating GTAW welding activity, said method comprising:
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tracking a GTAW welding tool to determine movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during a simulated GTAW welding operation; receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool; displaying said simulated GTAW welding operation on a first display device; generating a simulated welding surface for a welding coupon for defining a weldable surface; displaying said simulated welding surface on said first display device; generating a simulated weld puddle for representing a weld puddle that would be formed in a real-world, the simulated weld puddle having molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics based on said information related to said movement and orientation of said GTAW welding tool during said simulated welding operation; generating a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of a solidification of said simulated weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state for defining a weld on said weldable surface; and displaying, on said first display device, each of said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld bead, and said GTAW welding tool during said simulated GTAW welding operation, and simulating welding sounds in real-time with the simulated GTAW welding operation using an audio speaker disposed in a helmet, wherein said first display device is positioned in said helmet.
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Specification