Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system

• US 9,293,057 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bennett, Matthew Alan, Wallace, Matthew Wayne, Hennessey, Jeremiah, Dudac, Yvette Christine, Lenker, Zachary Steven, Lundell, Andrew Paul, Dana, Paul, Preisz, Eric A., Zboray, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/821,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20150348440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/06 Masks, shields or hoods for welders safety devices for welding in general F16P1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/00 Arc welding or cutting electro-slag welding B23K25/00; welding transformers H01F; welding generators H02K
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/09 Arrangements or circuits for arc welding with pulsed current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• 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 9/10 Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

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.

Claims

1. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:

a stick welding tool for a simulated welding operation, said stick welding tool having a simulated stick electrode and an actuator;

a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool;

a welding coupon;

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 the solidification of said 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 actuator moves said simulated stick electrode such that a distance between said welding tool and a simulated welding tip of said simulated stick electrode is reduced during said simulated welding activity.

2. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said spatial tracker utilizes an optical sensor which is mounted on a helmet to optically track said welding tool.

3. The simulated welding system of claim 1, further comprising a helmet which comprises an audio speaker which provides simulated welding sounds in real-time with the simulated welding operation.

4. The simulated welding system of claim 1, further comprising a second display device coupled to said processor based subsystem, where said processor based subsystem generates a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool and wherein said second display device displays said welding parameters, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation.

5. The simulated welding system of claim 4, wherein at least one of said simulated welding parameters is displayed in graphical form in real time during said simulated welding operation.

6. The simulated welding system of claim 4, wherein said simulated welding parameters include weld angle, travel angle, and travel speed.

7. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said processor based subsystem generates at least one simulated welding parameter during said simulated welding operation and compares said simulated welding parameter to a stored value for said simulated welding parameter, and wherein said processor based subsystem displays said comparison on a second display device.

8. The simulated welding system of claim 7, wherein said comparison is displayed in graphical form.

9. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said first display device displays a plurality of visual cues during said simulated welding operation, where each of said plurality of visual cues is for a distinct simulated welding parameter, and where said visual cues are displayed based on a deviation of said simulated welding parameters during said simulated welding operation from a desired value for each of said simulated welding parameters, respectively.

10. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said processor based subsystem generates and displays on said first display device at least one welding effect, which can be anyone of simulated welding sparks, simulated welding spatter, simulated arc glow and simulated porosity during said simulated welding operation, and where said at least one welding effect is displayed, in real time, based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool.

11. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said simulation of said solidification from a molten state to a solid state of a surface region of said weld puddle is based on a distance between said distal end of said simulated stick electrode and said surface region.

12. The simulated welding system of claim 1, wherein said simulation of said solidification from a molten state to a solid state of said weld puddle is based on a cooling threshold value for said simulated weld puddle.

13. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:

a stick welding tool for a simulated welding operation, said stick welding tool having a simulated stick electrode and an actuator;

a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool;

a welding coupon;

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 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 the solidification of said weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state;

wherein said first display device displays said simulated welding surface, and said simulated weld bead; and

wherein during said simulated welding operation said actuator retracts said simulated stick electrode relative to said welding coupon.

14. A system for simulating welding activity, comprising:

a stick welding tool for a simulated welding operation, said stick welding tool having a simulated stick electrode and an actuator;

a spatial tracker which tracks a movement and orientation of said welding tool, said spatial tracker comprising at least one sensor to sense said movement and orientation;

a welding coupon;

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;

a helmet comprising said sensor and a first display device operatively coupled to said processor based subsystem which displays said simulated welding operation; and

a simulated welding console which comprises a second display device;

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 the solidification of said 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 actuator moves said simulated stick electrode such that a distance between said welding tool and a simulated welding tip of said simulated stick electrode is reduced during said simulated welding activity.

15. The simulated welding system of claim 14, wherein said helmet comprises an audio speaker which provides simulated welding sounds in real-time with the simulated welding operation.

16. The simulated welding system of claim 14, wherein said processor based subsystem generates a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool and wherein said second display device displays said welding parameters, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation.

17. The simulated welding system of claim 16, wherein at least one of said simulated welding parameters is displayed in graphical form in real time during said simulated welding operation.

18. The simulated welding system of claim 16, wherein said simulated welding parameters include weld angle, travel angle, and travel speed.

19. The simulated welding system of claim 14, wherein said processor based subsystem generates and displays on said first display device at least one welding effect, which can be anyone of simulated welding sparks, simulated movement of a displayed stick electrode, welding spatter, simulated arc glow and simulated porosity during said simulated welding operation, and where said at least one welding effect is displayed, in real time, based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool.

20. The simulated welding system of claim 19, wherein the welding effect is simulated movement of the displayed stick electrode, and wherein the retraction of the displayed electrode is generated on said first display in direct proportion to the movement of the simulated stick electrode by the actuator.