Workpiece machining work support system and workpiece machining method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10140767-B2
Application number	US-201414787108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2014
Priority date	Apr 24, 2013
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The system includes imaging unit configured to image a work space at a viewpoint position in a visual line direction of a worker together with a workpiece, a position attitude information obtaining unit configured to obtain a position attitude information which indicates a relative position attitude relation between a viewpoint of the worker and the workpiece in the work space, a virtual image generating unit configured to generate a three-dimensional virtual image which indicates a completed shape of the workpiece in the viewpoint position and the visual line direction of the worker based on the position attitude information, an image composing unit configured to generate a composite image by superimposing the virtual image on a real image of the work space, and a display unit configured to display the composite image. According to the system, efficiency of workpiece machining work can be considerably improved by using the mixed reality technology.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A workpiece machining work support system for supporting a workpiece machining work, comprising:
an imaging unit configured to image a work space at a viewpoint position in a visual line direction of a worker together with the workpiece;
a position attitude information obtaining unit configured to obtain a position attitude information which indicates a relative position attitude relation between a viewpoint of the worker and the workpiece in the work space;
a virtual image generating unit configured to generate a three-dimensional virtual image which indicates a target completed shape of the workpiece in the viewpoint position and the visual line direction based on the position attitude information;
an image composing unit configured to generate a composite image by superimposing the virtual image on a real image of the work space imaged by the imaging unit, wherein the real image indicates a real completed shape of the workpiece in the viewpoint position, and the composite image provides a comparison between the real completed shape and the target completed shape of the workpiece, with the target completed shape superimposed on the real completed shape; and
a display unit configured to display the composite image for the comparison between the real completed shape of the workpiece and the superimposed target completed shape of the workpiece, wherein
the machining work includes a press-forming work to the workpiece, and
the workpiece includes a curved surface, the display unit displays a plurality of vectors normal to a curved surface of the real completed shape of the workpiece, and a display state of the plurality of vectors relative to a curved surface of the target completed shape of the workpiece indicates a press degree of the workpiece.

2. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 1 , wherein
the position attitude information obtaining unit has a marker for mixed reality installed temporarily in a predetermined relative position with respect to a reference point on the workpiece.

3. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 2 , wherein
the virtual image generating unit generates the virtual image indicating the target completed shape based on a detection of the marker installed on the workpiece, for the comparison between the real completed shape of the workpiece and the superimposed target completed shape of the workpiece.

4. The workpiece assembly work support system according to claim 1 , wherein
the position attitude information obtaining unit has a marker for mixed reality installed in a location that a relative position with respect to a reference point on the workpiece does not substantially change according to the machining work.

5. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 4 , wherein
the marker for mixed reality is installed on a holding member which holds the workpiece during machining.

6. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 1 , wherein
the position attitude information obtaining unit has a position direction measuring device configured to measure the viewpoint position and the visual line direction of the worker and a position of the workpiece.

7. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 1 , wherein
the virtual image indicating the target completed shape is generated including an allowable machining error in the machining work.

8. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an error determination unit configured to display in the display unit a discrepancy position between the real image which indicates the real completed shape of the workpiece and the virtual image which indicates the target completed shape.

9. The workpiece machining work support system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a virtual image position adjusting unit configured to move the virtual image to the real image so as to minimize a discrepancy rate between the real image of the workpiece and the virtual image which indicates the target completed shape.

10. A workpiece machining method using a workpiece machining work support system for supporting a workpiece machining work, comprising:
a machining step which machines the workpiece by a machining device;
an imaging step which images a work space at a viewpoint position in a visual line direction of a worker together with the workpiece during the machining step;
a position attitude information obtaining step which obtains a position attitude information which indicates a relative position attitude relation between a viewpoint of the worker and the workpiece in the work space;
a virtual image generating step which generates a three-dimensional virtual image which indicates a target completed shape of the workpiece in the viewpoint position and visual line direction based on the position attitude information;
an image composing step which generates a composite image by superimposing the virtual image on a real image of the work space imaged by the imaging step, wherein the real image indicates a real completed shape of the workpiece in the viewpoint position, and the composite image provides a comparison between the real completed shape and the target completed shape of the workpiece, with the target completed shape superimposed on the real completed shape; and
a display step which displays the composite image for the comparison between the real completed shape of the workpiece and the superimposed target completed shape of the workpiece, wherein
the machining device is a press machine,
the machining step includes a press-forming work to the workpiece, and
the workpiece includes a curved surface, the display step includes displaying a plurality of vectors normal to a curved surface of the real completed shape of the workpiece, and a display state of the plurality of vectors relative to a curved surface of the target completed shape of the workpiece indicates a press degree of the workpiece.

11. The workpiece machining method according to claim 10 , wherein
the position attitude information obtaining step includes a marker installation step which installs a marker for mixed reality temporarily in a predetermined relative position with respect to a reference point on the workpiece.

12. The workpiece machining method according to claim 11 , wherein,
in a state that a machining of the workpiece has progressed and the workpiece has been machined to some extent in the machining step, the marker for mixed reality is temporarily installed in a predetermined position of the workpiece during processing in the marker installing step, a place where the real image of the workpiece is displayed with respect to the three-dimensional virtual image indicating the completed image of the workpiece, if any, being determined to be corrected based on the composite image displayed in the display step.

13. The workpiece machining method according to claim 11 , wherein
a plurality of markers for mixed reality are stuck on a surface of the workpiece.

14. The workpiece machining method according to claim 11 , wherein
the virtual image generating step generates the virtual image indicating the target completed shape based on a detection of the marker installed on the workpiece, for the comparison between the real completed shape of the workpiece and the superimposed target completed shape of the workpiece.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shikoda Shigekazu
• Nakamura Naohiro
• Nakano Shinichi
• Akamatsu Masahiko
• Yonemoto Shingo
• TOKAI Daisuke
• KOUMOTO Takashi

Classifications

• G06T19/006 Primary

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title

• G06T2207/30204

  Marker · CPC title

• G06T7/73

  using feature-based methods · CPC title

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• G06T7/001

  using an image reference approach · CPC title