KR20230161764A - Method and apparatus for processing welding images - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor that detects a welding area; a first camera unit and a second camera unit disposed adjacent to the sensor; and a processor, wherein the processor controls one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit to operate based on a result detected by the sensor to obtain a welding image with an adjusted angle of view. Start the device.

Description

Welding image processing method and device {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING WELDING IMAGES}

The present invention relates to a method and device for processing a welding image, and more specifically, to a method for receiving and processing a welding image from a camera that photographs a welded area, and a device for implementing the method.

Wear protective gear to protect workers from light and high heat generated during welding processes such as arc welding. While wearing protective gear, the worker can only check that welding is progressing through the protective gear, so it is inconvenient to remove the protective gear and check with the naked eye in order to check various information for welding, such as conditions set in the welding device. There is.

If the worker's skill level is not high, especially when wearing an automatic welding surface or a manual welding surface, the worker can only see the area adjacent to the welding light, and it is difficult to recognize the specific welding situation, such as the environment around the welding. Accordingly, there is a need to provide workers with high-definition images that allow them to visually check the environment surrounding the welding, and to provide workers with specific information about the welding area.

In particular, when performing a welding process that generates smoke, there is a problem that it is difficult to identify the welding area even if the welding light or the lighting of the welding device is used.

The above problems can cause the same problems to medical staff not only during welding work, but also during skin procedures and/or treatment using high-brightness/high-brightness light such as laser light, as well as in other work using high-brightness/high-brightness light. It's the same problem.

Meanwhile, the most commonly used welding processes include MIG welding and TIG welding. When a worker performs a MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding process, welding fume is generated. Welding fume is fine particles formed by condensation or oxidation of metal vapor, and is composed of the base material being welded, stainless steel, chromium, nickel, manganese, nitrogen oxides, and ozone. When welding fume is generated, it becomes difficult for workers to secure visibility, so it is essential to carry out work with equipment to secure visibility.

On the other hand, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, unlike MIG welding, generates little welding fume, and workers can perform welding work by relying on equipment that outputs welding images based on visible light.

Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2244209 (announced on April 26, 2021)

The present invention is in response to the above-described need, and its purpose is to provide a welding image processing device that can improve the worker's welding accuracy by showing the worker not only the welding spot but also the surrounding environment around the welding in a welding environment where smoke is generated. do.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of obtaining a clear welding image of a welding area using a camera.

The present invention can provide accurate information to users when working with high-brightness/high-intensity light.

However, these tasks are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

A device according to an embodiment of the present invention for solving the above technical problem includes a sensor that detects a welding area; a first camera unit and a second camera unit disposed adjacent to the sensor; and a processor, wherein the processor controls one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit to operate based on a result detected by the sensor to obtain a welding image with an adjusted view angle.

The device may further include a display unit that outputs the welding image.

In the device, the sensor is a photo sensor, and the processor can determine whether welding is in progress at the welding site based on the sensor value of the photo sensor.

In the device, the lenses of the first camera unit and the second camera unit are opened toward the welding area, and the processor switches one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit from sleep mode to wake-up mode. can be converted to .

In the device, the lenses of the first camera unit and the second camera unit are open toward the welding area, and the processor controls switching of the first camera unit and the second camera unit to control the first camera unit. Welding images can be obtained from the camera unit or the second camera unit.

In the device, the welding image captured and acquired by the first camera unit is an image with an angle of view set to one of 20 degrees to 40 degrees, and the welding image captured and acquired by the second camera unit may be an image with an angle of view set to one of 80 degrees to 120 degrees.

A method according to another embodiment of the present invention for solving the above technical problem includes receiving a sensor value from a sensor that detects a welding area; Controlling one of a first camera unit and a second camera unit disposed adjacent to the sensor to operate based on the received sensor value; and acquiring a welding image with an adjusted view angle from one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit.

The present invention can provide a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing the above method.

Other aspects, features and advantages in addition to those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

According to the present invention, even in an environment where various welding processes are performed, a welding image can be provided to the worker by photographing the welding area without replacing the equipment.

Additionally, according to the present invention, operator convenience can be maximized in an environment where the welding process and operator movement occur alternately.

Additionally, according to the present invention, through selective activation processing for the two cameras, the worker's welding efficiency can be maximized and the worker's safety can be ensured.

1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram for explaining the components of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining modules included in the first processor described in FIG. 2.
Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a control process applied to a plurality of cameras in the present invention.
Figure 5 is a diagram for comparing and explaining the first image and the second image.
FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a control process of a welding image processing device according to an embodiment different from the embodiment described in FIG. 4.
Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a welding image processing method according to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the appearance of a welding image processing device according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a method different from the embodiment described in FIG. 7.

Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. The effects and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below along with the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, identical or corresponding components will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant description thereof will be omitted. .

In the following embodiments, terms such as first and second are used not in a limiting sense but for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component.

In the following examples, singular terms include plural terms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the following embodiments, terms such as include or have mean the presence of features or components described in the specification, and do not exclude in advance the possibility of adding one or more other features or components.

In cases where an embodiment can be implemented differently, a specific process sequence may be performed differently from the described sequence. For example, two processes described in succession may be performed substantially at the same time, or may be performed in an order opposite to that in which they are described.

1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the welding system of the present invention may include a welding image processing device 100 and a welding torch 200. The welding image processing device 100 and the welding torch 200 are connected to each other through a communication network and can transmit and receive data. The welding image processing device 100 and the welding torch 200 may be operated in a one-to-one matching relationship, but are not limited to this, and a one-to-n relationship is possible. That is, it can be implemented by connecting n welding torches 200 to one welding image processing device 100, and can be implemented by connecting one welding torch 200 to n welding image processing devices 100. It can be. In addition, the welding image processing device 100 and the welding torch 200 can communicate with a separate server (not shown) to exchange data.

The welding image processing device 100 can provide information about the welding situation to the worker. Specifically, the welding image processing device 100 acquires a welding image obtained using at least one camera module included in the camera unit of the welding image processing device 100, and generates a composite image based on the obtained welding image to provide to the operator. It can be displayed. At this time, the welding image processing device 100 can generate a composite image using high dynamic range (HDR) technology, and display and provide a high-quality composite image and/or composite image to the operator. At this time, the worker can visually check the shape of the weld bead and information about the surrounding environment other than the area adjacent to the welding light through the high-definition composite image.

The welding image processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may acquire images through a camera unit and display each image through at least one display unit in order to synthesize and provide high-definition welding images. At this time, the welding image processing device 100 can synthesize images by repeatedly shooting with different shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain values of each camera. The welding image processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve image quality through contrast processing on the obtained composite image.

Additionally, the welding image processing device 100 of the present invention can provide a function to display welding information in a preferred color (eg, green, blue) using RGB. Additionally, the welding image processing device 100 of the present invention may provide a magnifying glass power correction function (eg, screen enlargement and reduction). Additionally, the welding image processing device 100 of the present invention can provide temperature composite images using a separate thermal imaging camera. At this time, the welding image processing device 100 may display the welding temperature in color. The welding image processing device 100 of the present invention can support the function of providing sound (eg, guidance alarm) or guidance voice for all of the above-described functions.

The welding torch 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention monitors the welding situation including welding temperature, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and distance between the base material and the welding torch for real-time welding work through at least one sensor. It can be detected. The welding torch 200 can monitor the state of the torch and change the torch work setting value depending on the welding situation.

The welding image processing device 100 of the present invention is capable of receiving information about work settings and work status from the welding torch 200 through a communication network connected to the welding torch 200, and provides information to the operator based on the received welding information. Task information can be provided through visual feedback.

For example, when the welding image processing device 100 receives sensing information about a welding temperature value, it can output a notification corresponding to the temperature value in various ways, such as light, vibration, or a message. At this time, the notification may be visual feedback provided on the display unit or display of the welding image processing device 100, or may be auditory feedback through a sound (eg, a guidance alarm) or a guidance voice.

Meanwhile, sensing information about the temperature value may include information about whether the temperature value exceeds a preset temperature range. Additionally, the sensing information about the temperature value may include a numerical value, grade, level, etc. corresponding to the temperature value of the welding surface.

If the welding image processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention determines that the temperature values of the torch and the welding surface are outside the preset temperature range, it may guide the worker to stop work. In the case of welding outside the preset temperature range, there is a risk of quality deterioration, so the operator can be guided to adjust the temperature value of the torch.

When the current or voltage state of the welding torch 200 is detected to be abnormal, the welding image processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may provide visual feedback for a warning.

At this time, the visual feedback may be providing an icon indicating danger to a portion of the display area of the welding image processing device 100 displaying the work site. As another example, the welding image processing device 100 may provide guidance to stop work through visual feedback by repeatedly increasing and decreasing the saturation of a specific color (for example, red) on the entire display screen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the welding image processing device 100 includes at least one sensor (for example, a second sensor) included in the welding torch 200, as well as a sensor (for example, a second sensor) included in the welding image processing device 100. For example, welding information can be sensed through the first sensor. At this time, the welding information may detect the welding situation, including light intensity related to real-time welding work, welding temperature, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and distance between the base material and the welding torch, etc. through at least one sensor.

Likewise, the welding image processing device 100 may provide guidance corresponding to the welding information based on the welding information detected through a sensor (eg, a first sensor) included in the welding image processing device 100.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the welding image processing device 100 may change the operation of the welding torch by sensing a preset user's movement or a preset user's voice, etc., after guidance for work stoppage is provided. .

In another embodiment, when communication with the welding torch 200 is not smooth, the welding image processing device 100 may acquire temperature values of the torch and the welding surface through image sensing provided on its own. As an example, the welding image processing device 100 may acquire temperature values of the torch and the welding surface based on image data acquired through a thermal imaging camera.

The above example only describes the case where the information received from the welding torch 200 is welding temperature information, and the welding image processing device 100 can provide various guidance for various welding information.

Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram for explaining the components of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the welding system 10 may include a welding image processing device 100 and a welding torch 200. The welding image processing device 100 may include a camera unit 110, a lighting unit 112, a communication unit 120, a display unit 130, a first processor 150, and a sensor unit 140, and a welding torch ( 200 may include a communication unit 210, a sensor unit 220, and a second processor 230.

The camera unit 110 may include at least one camera module. For example, the camera module may include a camera for taking images of a welding work site. The camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a camera located adjacent to the display unit 130 of the welding image processing device 100. For example, the first camera and the second camera of the camera unit 110 may each be symmetrically mounted on one area of the front part of the welding image processing device 100.

The camera unit 110 may receive a control command from the first processor 150 and change settings such as shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain in response to the control command to photograph the welding work site. The camera unit 110 may include a first camera and a second camera, each capable of capturing a welding work site using different shooting settings.

The camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included in an area of the front part of the display unit 130, and may have a structure in which a light-shielding cartridge is located in front of the lens that receives light from the subject.

The automatic light blocking cartridge can block the welding light generated when the operator performs welding. That is, the automatic light blocking cartridge (not shown) can increase the light blocking degree of the cartridge by turning it black based on welding light information detected through the sensor unit 140, for example, a photo sensor. At this time, the automatic light-shielding cartridge may include, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel) whose blackening degree can be adjusted depending on the alignment direction of the liquid crystal. However, it is not limited to this and can be implemented with various panels such as VA (Vertical Align) type LCD, TN (Twist Nematic) type LCD, and IPS (In Plane Switching) type LCD.

The blackening degree of the automatic light-shielding cartridge can be automatically adjusted according to the brightness of the welding light. As described above, the sensor unit 140 can be used when it is automatically adjusted according to the brightness of the welding light. The sensor unit 140 acquires welding light information by detecting the intensity of the welding light, and transmits the information about the intensity of the welding light included in the welding light information as a predetermined electrical signal to the first processor 150, which will be described later. , the first processor 150 may control the degree of blackening based on the intensity of the welding light.

That is, the automatic light-shielding cartridge (not shown) can change the light-shielding degree of the panel in real time to correspond to the intensity of light generated at the welding surface at the welding work site, and the camera unit 110 is connected to the automatic light-shielding cartridge installed on the front. It is possible to capture welding images with a certain amount of welding light shielded.

The camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a thermal imaging camera. The welding image processing device 100 may obtain a temperature image by combining a thermal image obtained through a thermal image camera with an image of the welding site.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lighting unit 112 electrically connected to the first processor 150 may be further included. The lighting unit 112 is located outside the welding image processing device 100 and is configured to irradiate light toward at least the welding work area. The lighting unit 112 may include a plurality of LED modules, and the output level of light emitted through the lighting unit 112 may be adjusted by control of the first processor 150. According to one embodiment, the lighting unit 112 may operate in conjunction with the operation of the camera unit 110 under the control of the first processor 150. More specific examples will be described later.

The communication unit 120 is configured to receive welding information from the welding torch 200 and transmit commands for controlling the welding torch 200. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 120 may transmit the composite image to an external device other than the welding torch 200. At this time, the external device may include various devices including a communication module, such as a worker/third party's smartphone or computer.

The communication unit 120 may be configured to communicate with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication unit 120 may include at least one of a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth chip, a wireless communication chip, and an NFC chip. In particular, when using a Wi-Fi chip or a Bluetooth chip, various connection information such as SSID and session key are first transmitted and received, and various information can be transmitted and received after establishing a communication connection using this. A wireless communication chip refers to a chip that performs communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), and LTE (Long Term Evolution). An NFC chip refers to a chip that operates in the NFC (Near Field Communication) method using the 13.56MHz band among various RF-ID frequency bands such as 135kHz, 13.56MHz, 433MHz, 860~960MHz, 2.45GHz, etc.

The display unit 130 is configured to provide a high-definition composite image to the operator. Specifically, the display unit 130 may be implemented in the form of goggle glasses including a display that displays a composite image obtained by combining images acquired through the camera unit 110 to the operator.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rear part of the display unit 130, that is, the part facing the worker, may include a display for displaying a high-definition image to the worker, and an eyepiece and an eyepiece for viewing the display.

The display included in the display unit 130 can display a high-definition composite image so that the worker can visually check the surrounding environment (for example, the shape of a previously worked weld bead, etc.) other than the area adjacent to the welding light. Additionally, the display unit 130 may provide visual feedback (eg, welding progress direction) to the operator regarding the welding progress status.

The display included in the display unit 130 is a variety of displays such as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED), Light-Emitting Diode (LED), Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LcoS), or Digital Light Processing (DLP). It can be implemented with technology. At this time, the display according to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented as a panel made of an opaque material, and the worker may not be directly exposed to harmful light. However, it is not necessarily limited to this, and the display may be provided as a transparent display.

The sensor unit 140 may include a plurality of sensor modules configured to detect various information about the welding site and obtain welding information. At this time, the welding information may include welding temperature for real-time welding work, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch. Furthermore, the sensor unit 140 may include an optical sensor module configured to detect the level of light within at least the welding work area.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit 140 may include an illuminance sensor, and in this case, the sensor unit 140 may obtain information about the intensity of welding light at the welding site. In addition to the illuminance sensor, the sensor unit 140 may further include various types of sensors such as a proximity sensor, a noise sensor, a video sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and an RF sensor. , various changes related to the welding work environment can be detected.

The first processor 150 may synthesize welding image frames received through the camera unit 110 to generate a high-definition composite image. The first processor 150 allows the camera unit 110 to set different shooting conditions for each frame and obtain a composite image by synthesizing frames acquired in time order in parallel. Specifically, the first processor 150 may control the camera unit 110 to take pictures by changing the shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain of the camera unit 110.

At this time, the first processor 150 may set different imaging conditions depending on conditions such as the sensed welding light at the welding site, ambient light, and the degree of movement of the welding torch 200. Specifically, the first processor 150 may set shooting conditions so that the ISO sensitivity and gain decrease as the welding light and/or ambient light at the welding site increases. Additionally, when the movement and/or work speed of the welding torch 200 is detected to be fast, shooting conditions can be set to increase the shutter speed.

The first processor 150 may synthesize images of a preset number of frames in parallel. According to an embodiment of the present invention, each image within a preset frame may be captured under different shooting conditions.

When there are two or more camera units 110, the first processor 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention can control photography by setting different shooting setting conditions for each camera unit. Even in this case, the first processor 150 can synthesize images of a preset number of frames in parallel.

In addition, the first processor 150 according to some embodiments of the present invention receives a sensor value from a welding device, sets the shooting mode of the camera module to the first mode or the second mode based on the sensor value, and sets the camera module to the first mode or the second mode. An image frame for the welding area is obtained from a camera module, and when the capturing mode of the camera module is set to the first mode, an infrared image frame for the welding area can be obtained.

The first processor 150 may control the overall operation of the welding image processing device 100 using various programs stored in memory (not shown). For example, the first processor 150 may include a CPU, RAM, ROM, and a system bus. Here, the ROM is a configuration in which a set of instructions for booting the system is stored, and the CPU copies the operating system stored in the memory of the welding image processing device 100 to RAM according to the instructions stored in the ROM and runs the O/S to run the system. Boot it. Once booting is complete, the CPU can copy various applications stored in memory to RAM and execute them to perform various operations. Although the first processor 150 is described above as including only one CPU, it may be implemented with multiple CPUs (or DSP, SoC, etc.).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first processor 150 may be implemented as a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, and/or a time controller (TCON) that processes digital signals. However, it is not limited to this, and includes central processing unit (CPU), MCU (Micro Controller Unit), MPU (micro processing unit), controller, and application processor (AP). , or may include one or more of a communication processor (CP) and an ARM processor, or may be defined by the corresponding term. In addition, the first processor 150 is a System on Chip (SoC) with a built-in processing algorithm. ), may be implemented in LSI (large scale integration), or may be implemented in the form of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

The welding torch 200 may include a communication unit 210, a sensor unit 220, and a second processor 230.

The communication unit 210 transmits and receives data with the welding image processing device 100. The communication unit 210 is capable of short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wifi, Wifi-Direct) or long-distance wireless communication (3G, High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), or Long Term Evolution (LTE)). Can contain modules.

The sensor unit 220 or the second sensor is included in the welding torch and is configured to sense welding conditions such as welding temperature, welding speed, welding slope, welding direction, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch.

The sensor unit 220 detects at least one of various changes, such as a change in the posture of the user holding the welding torch 200, a change in the illuminance of the welding surface, and a change in acceleration of the welding torch 200, and generates an electrical signal corresponding thereto. Can be transmitted to the second processor 230. That is, the sensor unit 220 may detect a change in state based on the welding torch 200, generate a detection signal accordingly, and transmit it to the second processor 230.

In the present disclosure, the sensor unit 220 may be composed of various sensors, and when the welding torch 200 is driven (or based on user settings), power is supplied to at least one preset sensor according to the control of the welding torch 200. Changes in state can be detected.

In this case, the sensor unit 220 may be configured to include at least one device among all types of sensing devices that can detect changes in the state of the welding torch 200. For example, the sensor unit 220 includes an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, an illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, and a noise sensor. ), a video sensor, a gravity sensor, etc. may be configured to include at least one sensor among various sensing devices. The level of light in the welding work area detected through the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200 may be transmitted to the first processor 150 through the communication unit 210, and the first processor 150 may transmit the welding image processing device 100 to the first processor 150. ), the lighting unit 112 and/or the camera unit 110 can be controlled based on the degree of light transmitted through the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200, rather than through the sensor unit 140.

Meanwhile, the acceleration sensor is a component for detecting the movement of the welding torch 200. Specifically, the acceleration sensor can measure dynamic forces such as acceleration, vibration, and impact of the welding torch 200, and thus can measure the movement of the welding torch 200.

A gravity sensor is a component that detects the direction of gravity. That is, the detection result of the gravity sensor can be used together with the acceleration sensor to determine the movement of the welding torch 200. Additionally, the direction in which the welding torch 200 is held can be determined through the gravity sensor.

In addition to the above-described types of sensors, the welding torch 200 may further include various types of sensors such as gyroscope sensors, geomagnetic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and RF sensors, and can detect various changes related to the welding work environment. .

The names of each module included in the welding image processing device 100 and the welding torch 200 of FIG. 2 are arbitrarily named to intuitively explain the representative functions performed by each module, and are used to describe the welding image processing device 100. And when the welding torch 200 is actually implemented, each module may be given a name different from the name shown in FIG. 2.

Additionally, the number of modules included in the welding image processing device 100 and the welding torch 200 of FIG. 2 may vary depending on the embodiment. More specifically, the welding image processing device 100 of FIG. 2 includes a total of six sub-modules, but depending on the embodiment, the six sub-modules are either at least two or more modules integrated into one module, or at least one sub-module. The above modules may be implemented by being separated into two or more modules.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining modules included in the first processor described in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the first processor 150 includes a sensor value receiver 151, a camera operation control unit 152, and a welding image acquisition unit 153. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be made with reference to FIG. 2, and descriptions that overlap with content already described in FIG. 2 will be omitted.

The first processor 150 of the welding image processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor value receiver 151, a camera operation control unit 152, and a welding image acquisition unit 153. According to some embodiments, the above-described sub-modules of the first processor 150 may be selectively combined with modules other than the corresponding first processor 150 and thus may be excluded from the first processor 150.

The sensor value receiver 151, camera operation control unit 152, and welding image acquisition unit 153 included in the first processor 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention are microprocessors or general-purpose computer systems. It can be driven in a form included in a hardware device such as . The name of each module included in the first processor 150 is arbitrarily named in order to intuitively explain the function performed by each module. When the first processor 150 is actually implemented, each module has a name as shown in FIG. 3. A name different from the one listed may be given.

Additionally, the number of modules included in the first processor 150 of FIG. 3 may vary depending on the embodiment. More specifically, the first processor 150 of FIG. 3 includes a total of three modules, but depending on the embodiment, at least two or more modules are integrated into one module, or at least one module is divided into two or more modules. It can also be implemented in a separate form.

The sensor value receiver 151 is a module compatible with the sensor unit 140. When the sensor unit 140 senses a specific, predefined external stimulus, processes it into a signal, and outputs it, it has the function of receiving the output sensor signal. It can be done. The sensor included in the sensor unit 140 may be one of an image sensor, a photo sensor, and a welding fume sensor, but is not limited thereto. In particular, the welding fume sensor is a sensor that detects fume generated when the MIG welding process progresses. Specifically, it detects at least one of the amount of welding fume and the components of welding fume to provide a sensor value (sensor signal). It may be a sensor that calculates.

The camera driving control unit 152 can control the driving of the camera included in the camera unit 110. More specifically, there may be at least two camera units 110 of the welding image processing device 100 according to the present invention, and each camera unit 110 photographs the same welding area and has different characteristics. Welding images can be created. For example, the camera driving control unit 152 can continuously generate welding images with different characteristics by selectively activating only one of two different cameras. The operation characteristics of the camera driving control unit 152 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

The welding image acquisition unit 153 may acquire the image captured by the camera unit 110. The image acquired by the welding image acquisition unit 153 is processed into a final image through a series of filter processes, and the final image is output to the display unit 130 that the operator observes with the naked eye, allowing the operator to easily perform welding work. make it possible

The above-described sensor value receiver 151, camera operation control unit 152, and welding image acquisition unit 153 are connected and communicate by wire or wirelessly, and can operate in conjunction with a series of processes. For example, the sensor value receiving unit 151 receives the sensor signal output from the sensor of the sensor unit 140 and transmits it to the camera driving control unit 152, and the camera driving control unit 152 reads the sensor signal, Only one of the cameras included in each of the plurality of camera units 110 is controlled to photograph the welding area, and the welding image acquisition unit 153 operates in a manner to acquire a welding image generated by communicating with the camera unit 110. You can. The above description describes a method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and depending on the embodiment, the sensor value receiver 151, the camera drive control unit 152, and the welding image acquisition unit 153 are used in a manner different from the above description. ) may work.

Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a control process applied to a plurality of cameras in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overview diagram for easily explaining the operation of the welding image processing device according to the present invention. In FIG. 4, the configuration required for the operation of the welding image processing device is highlighted.

First, the panel 405 is physically attached to a sensor 410 that detects the welding area, and passes the light 490 incident from the welding area to the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470. It performs the function of conveying.

The sensor 410 is attached to the front of the panel 405 and performs the function of sensing the weld area and transmitting the sensing result to the AP 430. The welding area is generally located in the opposite direction to which the light 490 is incident. However, since the type and number of sensors 410 are not limited to a specific type and number, the direction of the welding area is also not limited to a specific direction. As an example, the sensor 410 may be one of an image sensor, a photo sensor, and a welding fume sensor, as described above.

The AP 430 is an application processor that controls the operation of the welding image processing device. The above-described first processor 150 may be an example of the AP 430. The AP 430 receives the sensing result (sensor value) from the sensor 410 and controls the operations of the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470.

Referring to FIG. 4, the AP 430 can perform control to turn off the power of the first camera unit 450 and turn on the power of the second camera unit 470, and the second camera unit ( It can be seen that the camera included in 470) generates an image of the welding area based on the light 490 passing through the panel 405 and transmits it to the AP 430. Depending on the embodiment, the AP 430 turns off the power of the second camera unit 470 and turns on the power of the first camera unit 450 to acquire the image generated by the first camera unit 450. Control can be performed.

As an optional embodiment, the AP 430 maintains the power to the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470 to ON, while the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470 You can also change only the active state of . For example, the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470 operate in sleep mode, and only the first camera unit 450 wakes according to a control signal received from the AP 430. By switching to wake-up mode, the welding area can be photographed and the generated image can be transmitted to the AP (430). According to this optional embodiment, when the power of the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470 is not completely turned off, only a specific camera unit is quickly woken up by receiving a control signal from the AP 430. By making it possible to generate images, delays in the control process can be minimized.

The first camera unit 450 includes a camera that processes information included in the incident light 490 into visualization information, and can generate an image of the welding area. Hereinafter, the image generated by the first camera included in the first camera unit 450 will be referred to as the first image. The first camera included in the first camera unit 450 may be a device that receives light in the infrared region (wavelength of 780 nm to 880 nm) and generates an image according to the received light. Specifically, the angle of view of the lens of the first camera included in the first camera unit 450 may be a value selected from 20 degrees to 40 degrees, and as a preferred example, the lens of the first camera is a telephoto lens with an angle of view of 30 degrees. You can. The first image is transmitted to the AP 430 and then processed through various filters, and the user can finally check the filtered first image through the display unit 130 to perform welding work safely and accurately.

In particular, in the MIG welding process, welding fume is generated and the operator's field of vision is not secured, so infrared-based images that allow the worker to observe the welding area even when visibility is not secured due to the welding fume must be provided to the worker. That is, in the present invention, during the MIG welding process, the second camera unit 470 is deactivated and only the first camera unit 450 is activated, so that the first camera can be controlled to generate an infrared-based image. .

The second camera unit 470 includes a second camera that processes information included in the incident light 490 into visualization information, and can generate an image including the welding area. Hereinafter, the image generated by the second camera included in the second camera unit 470 will be referred to as the second image. The second camera included in the second camera unit 470 may be a device that receives light in the visible light region (wavelength of 630 nm to 780 nm) and generates an image according to the received light. Specifically, the angle of view of the lens of the second camera included in the second camera unit 470 may be a value selected from 80 degrees to 120 degrees, and as a preferred example, the lens of the second camera is a wide-angle lens with an angle of view of 100 degrees. You can. By checking the second image through the display unit 130, the user can secure a wide view of the surrounding space and exercise cognitive agility when the welding work is not in progress.

Figure 5 is a diagram for comparing and explaining the first image and the second image.

FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 .

Figure 5 (A) schematically shows the operation when the AP 430 turns off the power of the first camera unit 450 and turns on the power of the second camera unit 470 to acquire a second image. indicates.

Figure 5(B) exemplarily shows the second image obtained through the operation of Figure 5(A). The image in Figure 5 (B) is a visible light-based image and is an image captured with a lens with a wide angle of view (a value selected from 80 to 120 degrees), focusing on the welding area and showing many surrounding objects. Contains. As an example, the image in (B) of FIG. 5 may be an FHD 60fps (frame per second) image.

The second image shown in (B) of FIG. 5 is useful when no welding work is being performed by the user. As shown in FIG. 1, the user performs welding work while wearing a helmet-shaped welding image processing device. Once the welding work is completed at a designated location, the user must move to perform another welding work. The welding image processing device according to the present invention prevents accidents in which the user collides with other objects or falls by providing a wide field of view image composed of natural colors to the user through the display unit 130 when welding is not in progress. You can.

Figure 5 (C) schematically shows the operation when the AP 430 turns on the power of the first camera unit 450 and turns off the power of the second camera unit 470 to acquire the first image. indicates.

Figure 5(D) exemplarily shows the first image obtained through the operation of Figure 5(C). The image in FIG. 5 (D) is an infrared-based image, and is an image taken with a lens having a relatively narrow angle of view (a value selected from 20 to 40 degrees) compared to (B) in FIG. 5, and is an image captured by welding. Only the parts are highlighted. As an example, the image in (D) of FIG. 5 may be an FHD 30fps image.

The first image shown in (D) of FIG. 5 is useful when a welding operation is performed by the user. The welding image processing device according to the present invention improves the user's concentration on welding work by providing a filtered image with a narrow field of view to the user through the display unit 130 when welding is in progress.

In the present invention, video is a concept that includes both still images and moving images, and moving images are also a concept of continuously playing still images at a constant frame rate, so the first camera unit 450 and the second camera unit 470 The welding image generated by may include both a one-frame still image and a video composed of multiple frames.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a control process of a welding image processing device according to an embodiment different from the embodiment described in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6, the first panel 605, sensor 610, AP 630, first camera unit 650, second camera unit 670, and light 690 are the panel 405 described in FIG. 4. , a configuration corresponding to the sensor 410, the AP 430, the first camera unit 450, the second camera unit 470, and the light 490, and redundant descriptions will be omitted below.

The switching control unit 635 switches the state in which the lenses of the first camera unit 650 and the second camera unit 670 are exposed to the incident light 690 according to the control signal from the AP 630. You can.

The AP 630 indirectly controls the first camera unit 650 and the second camera unit 670 through the switching control unit 635, so that the light 690 incident only on the first camera of the first camera unit 650 This can be received. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the first image is generated from the first camera unit 650 and transmitted to the AP 630, and the second camera unit 670 is generated by the second panel 675. Since the light 690 is not transmitted, the second image cannot be generated.

In FIG. 6, both the first camera unit 650 and the second camera unit 670 maintain an activated state, and the lenses are open toward the welding area, but the first panel 605 and the second panel 675 As the relative position of is physically adjusted by the switching control unit 635, only the first image or the second image may be generated and transmitted to the AP (630). According to the method described in FIGS. 4 to 6, the first image and the second image are not simultaneously generated and acquired at the same point in time, so the calculation for determining the type of image output to the display unit 130 can be omitted.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a welding image processing method according to the present invention.

Since the method according to FIG. 7 can be implemented by the welding image processing device 100 described in FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and the description overlaps with the content already described. will be omitted. Additionally, unless specifically limited, the processor is considered to refer to the first processor 150 of FIG. 2.

The sensor value receiving unit 151 of the processor receives the sensor value from the sensor of the sensor unit 140 (S710).

The camera operation control unit 152 of the processor determines whether a welding operation is in progress based on the received sensor value (S720).

When a welding operation is in progress (S730), the camera drive control unit 152 of the processor controls the operation of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, so that the welding image acquisition unit 153 determines the angle of view through the first camera unit. Enables acquisition of narrow welding images (S740).

If the welding operation is not in progress, the camera drive control unit 152 of the processor controls the operation of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, so that the welding image acquisition unit 153 captures a surrounding image with a wide angle of view through the second camera unit. Allows you to obtain (S750).

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the appearance of a welding image processing device according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the welding image processing device 100 includes a main body 160, a display unit 130 installed on the front of the main body 160, and a camera unit 110 mounted on the outside of the main body. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 8, the welding image processing device 100 may further include a lighting unit 112, a communication unit 120, a sensor unit 140, and a processor 150, as described above with reference to FIG. 2. It is the same as what was said.

The camera unit 110 may be implemented with one or more cameras. As an example, when the camera unit 110 is implemented as a single camera, the single camera may be placed in one area of the main body 160. As another example, when the camera unit 110 is implemented with a plurality of cameras, the camera unit 110 may be symmetrically disposed in one area of the main body 160. However, the location where the camera unit 110 is placed in the welding image processing device 100 is not limited to a specific location. Additionally, if necessary, the camera unit 110 may be implemented in a detachable form by changing its position.

The front part of the display unit 130 may be an external area (area shown in FIG. 1) corresponding to the direction in which the welding operation progresses. Conversely, the rear portion of the display unit 130 may be an internal area corresponding to the direction of the worker's face.

Additionally, the sensor unit 140 includes at least one of an image sensor, a photo sensor, and a welding fume sensor. For example, the image sensor may be included in the camera unit 110 or may be placed adjacent to the camera unit 110. Additionally, the photo sensor may be included in the cartridge or disposed adjacent to the cartridge. Accordingly, the sensor included in the sensor unit 140 can accurately detect various physical parameters emitted from the welding area viewed by the camera unit 110.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a method different from the embodiment described in FIG. 7.

The method according to FIG. 9 can be implemented by the welding image processing device described in FIGS. 2 and 3, and hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it will be described based on the first processor 150.

The first processor 150 receives sensor values from the sensor (S910).

The first processor 150 deactivates one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit based on the received sensor value (S930).

The first processor 150 controls the camera that is not deactivated in step S930 to generate a welding image (S950).

The first processor 150 acquires the generated welding image and controls the obtained welding image to be output to a display unit that the operator can visually check (S970). In step S970, the display unit may be implemented as included in a welding image processing device mounted on the worker's head, as shown in FIG. 8, or may be implemented as being located a certain distance away from the worker through wired or wireless communication.

As an optional embodiment, the welding image processing device according to the present invention is in a default mode, and when welding is not detected by the sensor, only the second camera is activated and operates, but at the moment welding is detected, only the first camera operates. , it can operate as a process that automatically acquires images of welding work with a narrow angle of view. In particular, the welding image processing device according to the present invention includes a structure that is mounted on the entire face of the user, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, and thus compensates for the lack of visibility with the user's naked eyes. However, through the above-described process, the user can perform welding work and move safely.

Additionally, according to the present invention, operator convenience can be maximized in an environment where the welding process and operator movement occur alternately.

Additionally, according to the present invention, through selective activation processing for the two cameras, the worker's welding efficiency can be maximized and the worker's safety can be ensured.

Embodiments according to the present invention described above may be implemented in the form of a computer program that can be executed through various components on a computer, and such a computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable medium. At this time, the media includes magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and ROM. , RAM, flash memory, etc., may include hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions.

Meanwhile, the computer program may be designed and configured specifically for the present invention, or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer programs may include not only machine language code such as that created by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

The specific implementations described in the present invention are examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way. For the sake of brevity of the specification, descriptions of conventional electronic components, control systems, software, and other functional aspects of the systems may be omitted. In addition, the connections or connection members of lines between components shown in the drawings exemplify functional connections and/or physical or circuit connections, and in actual devices, various functional connections or physical connections may be replaced or added. Can be represented as connections, or circuit connections. Additionally, if there is no specific mention such as “essential,” “important,” etc., it may not be a necessary component for the application of the present invention.

In the specification of the present invention (especially in the claims), the use of the term “above” and similar referential terms may refer to both the singular and the plural. In addition, when a range is described in the present invention, the invention includes the application of individual values within the range (unless there is a statement to the contrary), and each individual value constituting the range is described in the detailed description of the invention. It's the same. Finally, unless there is an explicit order or statement to the contrary regarding the steps constituting the method according to the invention, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. The present invention is not necessarily limited by the order of description of the above steps. The use of any examples or illustrative terms (e.g., etc.) in the present invention is merely to describe the present invention in detail, and unless limited by the claims, the scope of the present invention is limited by the examples or illustrative terms. It doesn't work. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, combinations and changes may be made depending on design conditions and factors within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

100: Welding image processing device
110: Camera unit
112: lighting unit
120: Department of Communications
130: display unit
140: sensor unit
150: first processor
200: welding torch
210: Department of Communications
220: sensor
230: Second processor

Claims (8)

A sensor that detects the welding area;
a first camera unit and a second camera unit disposed adjacent to the sensor; and
Includes a processor,
The processor,
A welding image processing device that controls one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit to operate based on a result detected by the sensor to obtain a welding image with an adjusted view angle. According to paragraph 1,
A welding image processing device further comprising a display unit that outputs the welding image. According to paragraph 1,
The sensor is,
It is a photo sensor,
The processor,
A welding image processing device that determines whether welding is in progress at the welding site based on the sensor value of the photo sensor. According to paragraph 1,
The lenses of the first camera unit and the second camera unit are open toward the welding area,
The processor,
A welding image processing device that switches one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit from a sleep mode to a wake-up mode. According to paragraph 1,
The lenses of the first camera unit and the second camera unit are open toward the welding area,
The processor,
A welding image processing device that performs switching control of the first camera unit and the second camera unit to obtain a welding image from the first camera unit or the second camera unit. According to paragraph 1,
The welding image captured and acquired by the first camera unit is an image with an angle of view set to one of 20 degrees to 40 degrees,
The welding image captured and acquired by the second camera unit is an image with a viewing angle set to one of 80 degrees to 120 degrees. Receiving sensor values from a sensor that detects a welding area;
Controlling one of a first camera unit and a second camera unit disposed adjacent to the sensor to operate based on the received sensor value; and
A welding image processing method comprising acquiring a welding image with an adjusted view angle from one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to claim 7.

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