WO2021167558A1

WO2021167558A1 - A training system for being applied in a bridge crane simulator

Info

Publication number: WO2021167558A1
Application number: PCT/TR2020/050914
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emre Bulbul; Ufuk SEKER
Original assignee: Borcelik Celik San. Tic. A.S.
Priority date: 2020-02-20
Filing date: 2020-10-06
Publication date: 2021-08-26
Also published as: DE112020006773T5

Abstract

The present invention is a bridge crane training system (10) for use in a bridge crane simulation system having a control unit (300) which produces a virtual reality medium, where a bridge crane and the components of the medium where the bridge crane is used are simulated, by means of three-dimensional virtual objects for training of an operator, a simulation seat (100) provided for seating of the operator (500) and embodied to move in at least one plane, at least one user interface (200) provided in the vicinity of the simulation seat (100) and which permits realization of user inputs for moving the virtual medium objects related to the bridge crane in the virtual reality medium, and a display unit (400) for displaying said virtual reality medium by the operator.

Description

A TRAINING SYSTEM FOR BEING APPLIED IN A BRIDGE CRANE SIMULATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a bridge crane training system for use in a bridge crane simulation system having a control unit which produces a virtual reality medium where a bridge crane and the components of the medium where the bridge crane is used are simulated by means of three-dimensional virtual objects for training of an operator.

PRIOR ART

Bridge cranes are vehicles used for facilitating carriage of heavy loads. However, besides the advantages provided for carriage, bridge cranes have various accident risks since they realize the loading process over air. Therefore, special bridge crane operators are employed for usage of bridge cranes. Since the usage of cranes in the field during the training of the operators is risky, different methods are begun to be used for training of the operators.

In the Turkish application with reference number TR2019/22692, a bridge crane simulation system used for training bridge crane operator is disclosed.

As a result, because of all of the abovementioned problems, an improvement is required in the related technical field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bridge crane training system, for eliminating the above mentioned disadvantages and for bringing new advantages to the related technical field.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system for increasing operator training efficiency in bridge crane simulators.

In order to realize the abovementioned objects and the objects which are to be deducted from the detailed description below, the present invention is a bridge crane training system for use in a bridge crane simulation system having a control unit which produces a virtual reality medium, where a bridge crane and the components of the medium where the bridge crane is used are simulated, by means of three-dimensional virtual objects for training of an operator, a simulation seat provided for seating of the operator and embodied to move in at least one plane, at least one user interface provided in the vicinity of the simulation seat and which permits realization of user inputs for moving the virtual medium objects related to the bridge crane in the virtual reality medium, and a display unit for displaying said virtual reality medium by the operator. Accordingly, the improvement of the present invention is that a trainer interface is provided which permits selection of at least one duty, which is to be realized by the operator in said bridge crane simulation system, by the trainer, said trainer interface is configured to transfer the selected duty data to said control unit, the control unit is configured to provide displaying of the instructions, related to the assigned duty, in said display unit, to receive the inputs, related to the instructions, realized by the operator by means of said user interface, to provide simulating of the movements realized by the operator in the virtual reality medium according to the received inputs and to provide displaying of said movements in the trainer interface, to determine a success point from the received images according to the condition of obeying to the predetermined limitations by the operator, and to provide producing a signal indicating that the duty is successfully completed when the success point exceeds a predetermined reference point. Thus, unique duties are selected for the training of each operator by the trainers, and the training is provided to be tailor-made.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is embodied to permit selection of at least one duty with a second difficulty level, having additional delimitations, by means of the trainer interface when a signal is produced indicating that at least one duty, having the delimitations which exist in a first difficulty level, is successfully completed. Thus, the development of the operator is monitored and the difficulty degree of the training is increased in a compliant manner to the development of the operator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a representative view of the bridge crane training system.

Figure 2 is a lateral representative view of the bridge crane training system.

Figure 3 is a top representative view of the bridge crane training system.

Figure 4 is a representative view of the block schemas of the operation of the bridge crane training system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the subject matter is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.

The present invention is essentially a bridge crane training system (10) for use in a simulation system where a bridge crane and the components of the medium, where the bridge crane is used, are simulated by means of three-dimensional virtual objects.

With reference to Figure 1 , in said simulation system, a simulation seat (100) is provided for seating of the operator who is being trained. At said simulation seat (100), a seat movement mechanism (110) is provided which is embodied to provide movement in at least one dimension. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, in said seat movement mechanism (110), there is a guide whereon the seat is seated and there is a drive motor which produces drive in a manner providing multi-dimensional movement of the guide according to the received signal. By means of the seat movement mechanism (110), configuration is realized to provide at least one of the movements like forward-backward, right-left, vibration, etc. in the simulation seat (100).

At least one first user interface (200), which permits realization of user inputs for the movement of virtual medium objects related to the bridge crane in the virtual reality medium, is provided in the vicinity of the simulation seat (100). In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first user interface (200) is configured to include at least one of the items like pluralities of keys, joystick, touch-screen panel, etc where different functions are realized. The user interface (200) is moreover connected to an interface calibration mechanism used for adjusting the distance with respect to the simulation seat (100).

With reference to Figure 4, in the bridge crane training system (10), a control unit (300) is provided which produces the virtual reality medium where simulation is realized and which is embodied to simulate the trainings realized in the virtual medium. Said control unit (300) is electrically connected to a memory unit (310) where the information, related to the simulation of the bridge crane and the medium where the bridge crane is operated, is accommodated.

With reference to Figure 2, the bridge crane training system comprises a display unit (400) for displaying the virtual reality medium by the operator. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, said display unit (400) comprises a virtual reality eyeglass (400) which is for wearing of the operator and embodied to provide a view in said virtual medium according to the head orientation of the operator. Said virtual reality eyeglass (400) is embodied to change the view direction of the virtual medium according to the head movements. Thus, the angle of view, which is in the virtual medium, is changing according to the head orientations of the operator as if the user is looking, and the operator is given a training which creates the sense of reality. In a different exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display unit (400) is embodied to transmit sound command to the operator.

Another characteristic of the present invention is that there is at least one virtual reality hand apparatus (500) for determining the position of the hands of the operator in space. Said virtual reality hand apparatus (500) comprises at least one sensor for determining the position of the hand. The virtual reality apparatus is embodied to transmit the data, related to the position of the hand, to the control unit (300) by means of wireless communication protocols. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the virtual reality apparatus is a glove which wraps the hand of the operator at least partially and which comprises pluralities of sensors.

In the bridge crane training system (10), moreover, there is a trainer interface which permits selection of at least one duty by the operator in said bridge crane simulation system. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, said trainer interface is for instance a touch screen, a screen, a keypad, etc. which provides displaying of the simulation training and which permits data input related to said training.

An exemplary operation scenario of the present invention is described below;

In order for the operator to complete the training in a simulation system where the bridge crane training system (10) is used, the operator must realize pluralities of duties with success in more than one difficulty mode. In order to provide training to the operator, at least one trainer is defined to the bridge crane training system (10). Said trainer determines at least one duty, comprising delimitations related to the first difficulty mode, by means of the trainer interface. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, said duty is for instance like carrying a bobbin from one point to a second point in the stock field, etc. Said limitations are for instance like the accessibility from the first point to the second point, the safety of the used route, accessing time, the distance of the route used for reaching from the first point to the second point, etc.

The data, related to said duties selected from the trainer interface, is transferred to the control unit (300). The control unit (300) accesses the instructions provided in the memory unit (310) and which are related to said duty. The control unit (300) simulates the virtual reality medium according to the information like the loading field where the simulation determined in the duty will be realized, the item to be carried between two determined points, etc. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the duty which will be realized by the operator is to carry a bobbin, which does not have another bobbin thereon, to a target point in the stock field. While the control unit (300) simulates the duty in virtual reality medium, it displays the instructions like the target point whereto the bobbin will be carried, the bobbin to be carried, the distance to the target and estimated arrival duration, etc. in the two-dimensional map of the stock field to the operator through the display unit (400). In a different embodiment of the present invention, the instructions can comprise more detailed auxiliary members depending on the difficulty modes. For instance, in the first difficulty mode, by means of a safe route guide, the operator is helped for accessing the target in the safest and shortest routed manner.

By the control unit (300), the inputs which are related to the duty simulated in the virtual reality medium and realized by the operator are taken through the user interface (200). It is detected whether the operator obeys the predetermined limitations, while realizing the duty, in accordance with the received inputs. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the detection whether the operator obeys the predetermined limitations is realized by the control unit (300) in accordance with the deviations which occur by comparing the virtual component movements with the predetermined reference virtual component movements during taking and carrying of the bobbin. In a different exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the detection whether the operator obeys the limitations during realization of the duty is visually realized by the trainer who monitors the realization process of the duty through the trainer interface. In accordance with the determined deviation conditions, a success point is calculated which shows the success of realization of the duty by the operator. When the control unit (300) determines that said success point exceeds a predetermined success point, it generates a signal indicating that the operator is successful for the first difficulty mode. When said signal is produced, the operator, who is being trained, begins to fulfill the duties determined by the trainer in a second difficulty mode. Said second difficulty mode comprises additional delimitations in addition to the delimitations which exist in the first difficulty mode. Said additional limitations are for instance like the necessity to change the equipment of a bridge crane for realizing carrying in duty and obeying to the instructions of a virtual ground operator who realizes the equipment change process, and taking and carrying of a bobbin which remains under other bobbins, etc. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the operator in the simulation system realizes pluralities of duties selected by the trainer related to the pluralities of difficulty modes. When the duties in each difficulty mode are completed successfully, a signal which indicates that the operator is successful in the simulation training is produced.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, when the simulation training is begun, first of all, the bridge crane usage presentation simulation, which is pre-provided in said memory unit (310), is executed. In said bridge crane usage presentation simulation, presentations are realized for instance like the clothes to be worn while using the bridge crane, the safety precautions to be taken into account, first aid rules, etc. After the presentation simulation, pluralities of questions, provided in the memory unit (310), are asked to the operator. The operator answers the questions by means of the user interface (200). The user interface (200) transfers the entered answers to the control unit (300). The control unit (300) compares the given answers and the answers, provided beforehand, and it calculates a success point. When said success point exceeds a predetermined reference point, a signal is produced which indicates that the duty has been fulfilled with success and the control unit (300) passes to the step of realizing the duties in the first difficulty mode.

In one of the possible embodiments of the present invention, the simulation training, realized by the operator, is recorded and is recorded to the memory unit (310) and/or to a server (not illustrated in the figures). Thus, the record can be watched by the trainers again when desired. In a different exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the trainer marks the parts in the record where the operator does not obey the delimitations. Thus, the operator can watch the record and can see the points with fault in a detailed manner.

The protection scope of the present invention is set forth in the annexed claims and cannot be restricted to the illustrative disclosures given above, under the detailed description. It is because a person skilled in the relevant art can obviously produce similar embodiments under the light of the foregoing disclosures, without departing from the main principles of the present invention. REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 Bridge crane training system 100 Simulation seat 110 Seat movement mechanism

200 User interface 300 Control unit

310 Memory unit 400 Display unit 500 Virtual reality hand apparatus

600 Trainer interface

Claims

1. A bridge crane training system (10) for use in a bridge crane simulation system having a control unit (300) which produces a virtual reality medium, where a bridge crane and the components of the medium where the bridge crane is used are simulated, by means of three-dimensional virtual objects for training of an operator, a simulation seat (100) provided for seating of the operator (500) and embodied to move in at least one plane, at least one user interface (200) provided in the vicinity of the simulation seat (100) and which permits realization of user inputs for moving the virtual medium objects related to the bridge crane in the virtual reality medium, and a display unit (400) for displaying said virtual reality medium by the operator, wherein a trainer interface is provided which permits selection of at least one duty, which is to be realized by the operator in said bridge crane simulation system, by the trainer, said trainer interface is configured to transfer the selected duty data to said control unit (300), the control unit (300) is configured to provide displaying of the instructions, related to the assigned duty, in said display unit (400), to receive the inputs, related to the instructions, realized by the operator by means of said user interface (200), to provide simulating of the movements realized by the operator in the virtual reality medium according to the received inputs and to provide displaying of said movements in the trainer interface, to determine a success point from the received images according to the condition of obeying to the predetermined limitations by the operator, and to provide producing a signal indicating that the duty is successfully completed when the success point exceeds a predetermined reference point.

2. The bridge crane training system (10) according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit (300) is embodied to permit selection of at least one duty with a second difficulty level, having additional delimitations, by means of the trainer interface when a signal is produced indicating that at least one duty, having the delimitations which exist in a first difficulty level, is successfully completed.