Camera unit and welding information providing device including the same

Abstract

To provide a camera unit that enables a worker to accurately recognize a welding process by acquiring and providing a clear video related to welding work, and a welding information providing device including the same.SOLUTION: A camera unit includes: a camera module configured to acquire a welding video frame from a welding work area according to imaging conditions; an illuminance sensor configured to detect intensity of light in the welding work area; and a control unit configured to determine the operation mode of the camera module to be one of a first mode and a second mode based on intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor, and to change the imaging conditions of the camera module to an imaging setting value set in advance corresponding to a determined mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera unit that changes image capturing conditions based on light intensity, and a welding information providing device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Protective equipment is worn to protect workers from light and high heat generated during the welding process. While wearing the protective gear, the worker can only see that welding is being performed through the protective gear, so in order to check various welding information such as the conditions set on the welding equipment, the worker must take off the protective gear and check with the naked eye, which is a hassle.

[0003] When an operator is not highly skilled, especially when wearing an automatic welding mask or a manual welding mask, the operator can only see the area adjacent to the welding light, making it difficult to recognize the specific welding situation, such as the welding environment. This provides the worker with high-quality images that allow him or her to visually check the welding environment.

[0004] However, during welding, the illuminance / brightness of the welding light spot is very high, so the video shooting environment when welding is in progress is significantly different from the video shooting environment when welding is temporarily interrupted.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can acquire and provide accurate images of welding work by adaptively changing the camera's shooting conditions according to the video shooting environment. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a camera unit and a welding information providing device including the same, which adaptively changes the operation mode of a camera module and the shooting conditions according to the operation mode according to the shooting environment to obtain and provide clear images of welding work, thereby enabling a worker to accurately recognize the welding process.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention provides a welding information providing device that determines the operating mode of a camera unit to one of a first mode and a second mode based on the intensity of light in a welding work area detected by an illuminance sensor, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera unit to shooting setting values ​​that are pre-set in a memory corresponding to the determined mode, thereby enabling the shooting conditions of the camera unit to be switched quickly and without delay.

[0008] In addition, one embodiment of the present invention provides a welding information providing device that can immediately control the shading level of the shading panel based on the light intensity in the welding work area detected by an illuminance sensor using a processor separately provided in the shading panel, thereby obtaining welding images in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked without processing images captured separately.

[0009] The problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other problems and advantages of the present invention that have not been described will be understood from the following description and will become more clearly understood from the embodiments of the present invention. It will be understood that the problems and advantages to be solved by the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A camera unit according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a camera module that acquires welding video frames from a welding work area according to shooting conditions, an illuminance sensor that detects the intensity of light within the welding work area, and a control unit that determines the operating mode of the camera module to one of a first mode and a second mode based on the light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera module to shooting setting values ​​that are preset corresponding to the determined mode.

[0011] The camera module may include an image sensor that recognizes light during welding work, and the camera unit may further include a light-shielding panel that is disposed in front of the camera module that includes the image sensor and that blocks a portion of the light that enters during welding work and transmits the remaining light to the image sensor.

[0012] The shading panel may include a processor (ie, a second processor) electrically connected to the illuminance sensor, and the processor may be configured to control the degree of shading of the shading panel based on the intensity of the light.

[0013] The processor may control the degree of shading of the shading panel in proportion to the intensity of the light, or may control the degree of shading of the shading panel to a preset value based on the result of comparing the intensity of the light with a preset intensity.

[0014] The camera unit may further include an illumination unit that emits illumination light, and the control unit may adjust the output intensity of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit based on the intensity of the light.

[0015] The illuminance sensor may detect the light intensity at a set period, and the control unit may count the number of times the operating mode of the camera module is changed due to changes in the light intensity, and if the counted number exceeds a preset number at a preset time, generate and output a notification message.

[0016] A welding information providing device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a main body wearable by a user, a camera unit disposed on the outside of the main body and configured to acquire welding video frames from a welding work area according to shooting conditions, an illuminance sensor that detects the intensity of light within the welding work area, and a processor that determines the operating mode of the camera unit to one of a first mode and a second mode based on the light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera unit to shooting setting values ​​preset corresponding to the determined mode.

[0017] In addition, other methods and systems for realizing the present invention, and computer-readable recording media storing computer programs for executing the methods can also be provided.

[0018] Further aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the accompanying drawings, the claims, and the following detailed description of the invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera unit and a welding information providing device including the same, which can obtain and provide clear images of welding work by adaptively changing the operation mode of the camera module and the shooting conditions according to the operation mode depending on the shooting environment, thereby enabling a worker to accurately recognize the welding process.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating mode of the camera unit is determined to be one of the first mode and the second mode depending on the intensity of light in the welding work area detected by the illuminance sensor, and the shooting conditions of the camera unit are changed to shooting setting values ​​that are pre-set in the memory corresponding to the determined mode, thereby enabling the shooting conditions of the camera unit to be switched quickly and without delay.

[0021] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a processor separately provided in the shading panel can immediately control the shading level of the shading panel based on the light intensity in the welding work area detected by the illuminance sensor, thereby obtaining a welding image in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked without processing a separately captured image.

[0022] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not described will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating yet another example of the configuration of the welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the inside of the welding information providing device of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating only the configuration of the camera unit in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a camera unit according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a block diagram for explaining a method for controlling a light-shielding panel in a camera unit. [Figure 10] 3 is a diagram showing an example of shooting setting values ​​for each mode stored in the memory of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of the welding information providing device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the methods for achieving them, will become more apparent by reference to the embodiments described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth below, but can be embodied in various different forms, and includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. The embodiments presented below are provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related publicly known techniques would obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0025] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" and "have" and the like are intended to specify the presence of a stated feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, but are not intended to preclude the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0026] Furthermore, in this specification, a "unit" may be a hardware component such as a processor or a circuit, and / or a software component executed by a hardware component such as a processor.

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components will be given the same symbols, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0028] In the following embodiments, terms such as first and second are not used in a limiting sense but are used to distinguish one component from another.

[0029] In the following embodiments, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] In the following embodiments, terms such as "include" and "have" mean that the features or components described in the specification are present, and do not preclude the possibility of adding one or more other features or components.

[0031] When different implementations of an embodiment are possible, the particular order of steps may be performed in a different order than that described. For example, two steps described as successive may be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order from that described.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, a welding system 10 of the present invention may include a welding information providing device 100 and a welding torch 200 . Welding information providing device 100 and welding torch 200 are connected to each other via a communication network, and can transmit and receive data. The welding information providing device 100 and the welding torch 200 may be matched one-to-one to operate, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a one-to-n relationship may also be possible. That is, one welding information providing device 100 may be connected to n welding torches 200, or one welding torch 200 may be connected to n welding information providing devices 100. In addition, the welding information providing device 100 and the welding torch 200 may communicate with another server (not shown) to transmit and receive data.

[0034] The welding information providing device 100 can provide information about the welding status to the worker. Specifically, the welding information providing device 100 can acquire welding images captured using at least one camera attached to the welding information providing device 100, and generate and display a composite video based on the acquired welding images. Here, the welding information providing device 100 can generate a composite image using HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology and display and provide a high-quality composite image to the worker. At this time, the worker can visually confirm the shape of the weld bead and information about the surrounding environment other than the area adjacent to the welding light from the high-quality composite image.

[0035] The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can capture images using two or more cameras and display each image on at least one display unit to synthesize and provide a high-quality welding image. Here, the welding information providing device 100 can repeatedly capture images by changing the shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain value of each camera to synthesize the images. The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve image quality by performing contrast ratio processing on the acquired composite image.

[0036] Furthermore, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a function of displaying welding information in a preferred color (for example, green or blue) using RGB. Furthermore, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a magnifying glass power correction function (for example, screen enlargement and screen reduction). Furthermore, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a temperature composite image using a separate thermal imaging camera. Here, the welding information providing device 100 can display the welding temperature in color. The welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can support a function to provide all of the above-mentioned functions by sound (e.g., a guide alarm) or voice guidance.

[0037] The welding torch 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention can detect welding conditions including welding temperature, welding direction, welding inclination, welding speed, and the gap between the base material and the welding torch during real-time welding operations using at least one sensor. The welding torch 200 can monitor the torch status and change the setting values ​​for the torch operation depending on the welding situation.

[0038] The welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can receive information on the work settings and work status from the welding torch 200 via a communication network connected to the welding torch 200, and can provide the worker with visual feedback of the work information based on the received welding information.

[0039] For example, when the welding information providing device 100 receives sensing information regarding a welding temperature value, it can output a notification corresponding to the temperature value in various ways such as lighting, vibration, message, etc. Here, the notification may be visual feedback provided on a display unit or display of the welding information providing device 100, or may be auditory feedback such as sound (e.g., a guidance alarm) or guidance voice.

[0040] On the other hand, the sensing information regarding the temperature value includes information regarding whether or not the temperature exceeds a preset temperature range, etc. The sensing information regarding the temperature value also includes a numerical value, rank, level, etc. corresponding to the temperature value of the welding surface.

[0041] The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can guide the worker to stop the work when it determines that the temperature values ​​of the torch and the welding surface are outside a preset temperature range. When the temperature is outside the preset temperature range, there is a risk of deterioration in welding quality, so the welding information providing device 100 can guide the worker to adjust the torch temperature.

[0042] When an abnormal current or voltage state of the welding torch 200 is detected, the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide visual feedback as a warning.

[0043] Here, the visual feedback may be a display of an icon indicating a danger in a partial area of ​​the display unit of welding information providing device 100 that displays the work site. As another example, the welding information providing device 100 can provide a work stoppage guide by visual feedback by repeatedly increasing and decreasing the saturation of a specific color (for example, red) across the entire screen of the display unit.

[0044] In addition, the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention generates and outputs a notification message when the number of times the operation mode of the camera unit (or the shooting conditions of the camera unit) is changed due to changes in light intensity exceeds a preset number within a preset time period, thereby restricting frequent welding work within a short period of time and reducing eye fatigue.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 can sense welding information using at least one sensor (e.g., a second sensor) included in the welding torch 200 as well as a sensor (e.g., a first sensor) included in the welding information providing device 100. Here, the welding information can be detected by at least one sensor to indicate the welding status including the light intensity, welding temperature, welding direction, welding inclination, welding speed, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch related to the real-time welding work.

[0046] Similarly, based on welding information detected by a sensor (for example, a first sensor) included in welding information providing device 100, welding information providing device 100 can provide a guide corresponding to the welding information.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 may change the operation of the welding torch by sensing a preset user movement or a preset user voice after the work stop guidance is provided.

[0048] In another embodiment, when the welding information providing device 100 is not in a state where communication with the welding torch 200 is not smooth, the welding information providing device 100 may obtain the temperature values ​​of the torch and the welding surface through image sensing provided therein. As an example, the welding information providing device 100 can obtain the temperature values ​​of the torch and the welding surface based on image data obtained by a thermal imaging camera.

[0049] The above example only describes the case where the information received from welding torch 200 is welding temperature information, and welding information providing device 100 can provide various guides regarding various welding information.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, welding information providing device 100 may include a camera unit 110, a communication unit 120, a display unit 130, a sensor unit 140, a first processor 150, an illumination unit 160, and a memory 170.

[0052] The camera unit 110 may include one or more cameras, and may include a camera for capturing images related to 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 information providing device 100 . For example, in camera unit 110, first and second cameras may be symmetrically mounted in one region on the front surface of welding information providing device 100, respectively. In another embodiment, the camera unit 110 is formed to be detachable, and can be attached at a different position as needed. As described above, camera unit 110 may be attached so as to be located adjacent to display unit 130, but may also be attached to a different position on the side of main body 101 (101 in FIG. 5) as needed. Camera unit 110 may also be attached to the top of main body 101, i.e., on the user's head.

[0053] Camera unit 110 (specifically, camera module 112 within camera unit 110) can acquire welding video frames from the welding work area according to the imaging conditions. Here, the camera unit 110 (i.e., the camera module 112) can operate in one of a plurality of operating modes with different shooting conditions (e.g., a "welding mode" in which welding work is performed, or a "general mode" in which welding work is not performed) under the control of the first processor 150. The camera unit 110 receives control commands from the first processor 150, and in response to the control commands, can photograph the welding work site by changing settings such as shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain according to the operating mode determined by the first processor 150. The camera unit 110 may include a first camera and a second camera, each of which can capture images of the welding work site using different capture settings.

[0054] The camera unit 110 may also include an image sensor 112-4 that recognizes light during welding work and generates a video signal that forms the basis of a welding video frame, and a shading panel 113 that is positioned in front of the image sensor 112-4 (e.g., in front of the camera module 112 that includes the image sensor 112-4) and performs a shading function. Here, the light blocking panel 113 can block a portion of the light incident during welding work and transmit the remaining light to the image sensor 112-4.

[0055] The shading panel 113 may include a second processor 113-5 electrically connected to the illuminance sensor 141 of the sensor unit 140. Here, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 based on the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor 141. In one embodiment, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 in proportion to the light intensity, or can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 to a preset value based on the result of comparing the light intensity with a preset intensity. For example, the second processor 113-5 can increase the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 as the intensity of light increases. In addition, the second processor 113-5 can control the shading degree of the shading panel 113 to be a first numerical value when the light intensity exceeds a first intensity, and can control the shading degree of the shading panel 113 to be a second numerical value lower than the first numerical value when the light intensity is equal to or lower than the first intensity and exceeds a second intensity. Furthermore, when the light intensity is equal to or less than the second intensity, the second processor 113-5 can control the shading level of the shading panel 113 to a third numerical value lower than the second numerical value. Here, the second intensity is lower than the first intensity, but is not limited to this and may be the same as the first intensity.

[0056] In another embodiment, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel based on the operating mode of the camera unit 110. When the first processor 150 determines that the operating mode of the camera unit 110 is the first mode, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 so that it becomes a first numerical value that is preset corresponding to the first mode. When the first processor 150 determines that the operating mode of the camera unit 110 is the second mode, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 so that it becomes a second numerical value that is preset corresponding to the second mode.

[0057] The shading panel 113 may be controlled by a second processor 113-5 connected to the illuminance sensor 141, but is not limited to this, and may also be controlled by a first processor 150 as shown in FIG. Here, the first processor 150 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 based on the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor 141, or can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 based on a mode determined based on the intensity of light.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the camera unit 110 may include a thermal imaging camera. The welding information providing device 100 may acquire a temperature image by combining a thermal image acquired by the thermal imaging camera with an image of the welding site.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 may further include an illumination unit 160 electrically connected to the first processor 150. Here, the illumination unit 160 may be located outside the camera unit 110, but is not limited thereto, and may also be located inside the camera unit 110.

[0060] The lighting unit 160 is located outside the welding information providing device 100 and is configured to irradiate illumination light toward at least the welding work area. The lighting unit 160 may include multiple LED modules, and the output intensity (degree) of the illumination light emitted by the lighting unit 160 can be adjusted by control of the first processor 150 (or the control unit 114 in Figure 4) based on the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor 141. Here, the first processor 150 can increase the output intensity of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit 160 as the intensity of the light detected by the illuminance sensor 141 decreases.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the illumination unit 160 can operate in conjunction with the operation of the camera unit 110 under the control of the first processor 150 (or the control unit 114 in FIG. 4). For example, when the operating mode of camera unit 110 is determined to be the first mode, first processor 150 can change the output intensity of the illumination light emitted from lighting unit 160 based on a first output value that is preset in memory 170 corresponding to the first mode, and when the operating mode of camera unit 110 is determined to be the second mode, first processor 150 can change the output intensity of the illumination light emitted from lighting unit 160 based on a second output value that is preset in memory 170 corresponding to the second mode.

[0062] Communication unit 120 is configured to receive welding information from welding torch 200 and transmit commands for controlling welding torch 200 . According to an embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 120 can transmit the composite image to an external device other than the welding torch 200. Here, the external device may include various devices including a communication module, such as a smartphone or computer of a worker or a third party.

[0063] The communication unit 120 may be configured to communicate with various types of external devices using various types of communication methods. The communication unit 120 may include at least one of a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) chip, a wireless communication chip, and an NFC chip. In particular, when a Wi-Fi chip or a Bluetooth (registered trademark) chip is used, various connection information such as an SSID and a session key can be transmitted and received first, a communication connection can be established using the information, and then various information can be transmitted and received. A wireless communication chip refers to a chip that communicates in accordance with various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee (registered trademark), 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (registered trademark) (3rd Generation Partnership Project (registered trademark)), and LTE (Long Term Evolution). An NFC chip refers to a chip that operates using the NFC (Near Field Communication) method, which uses the 13.56 MHz band among various RF-ID frequency bands such as 135 kHz, 13.56 MHz, 433 MHz, 860-960 MHz, and 2.45 GHz.

[0064] The display unit 130 is configured to provide a high-quality composite image to the worker. Specifically, the display unit 130 may be realized in the form of goggle glasses including a display 131 (see FIG. 6) that displays a composite image obtained by combining images acquired by the camera unit 110 to the worker.

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the rear portion of the display unit 130, i.e., the portion facing the user, may include a display 131 (see FIG. 6) for displaying high-quality images to the user, and a main lens member 135 (see FIG. 6) for viewing the display 131.

[0066] The display included in the display unit 130 can display high-quality composite images so that the worker can visually check the surrounding environment other than the area adjacent to the welding light (for example, the shape of the welding bead that has already been worked on). Furthermore, the display unit 130 can provide the operator with visual feedback regarding the welding progress state (for example, the welding progress direction).

[0067] The display 131 included in the display unit 130 may be realized using various display technologies such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), LED (Light-Emitting Diode), LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon), and DLP (Digital Light Processing). Here, the display according to an embodiment of the present invention may be realized as a panel made of an opaque material to prevent workers from being directly exposed to harmful light, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and the display may be provided as a transparent display.

[0068] The sensor unit 140 may include a plurality of sensor modules configured to detect various information related to the welding site and acquire welding information, including welding temperature, welding direction, welding inclination, welding speed, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch related to real-time welding work. The sensor portion 140 may also include a light sensor configured to detect the degree of light within at least the welding work area.

[0069] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit 140 may include an illuminance sensor 141 that detects the intensity of light within a welding work area. Here, the illuminance sensor 141 can acquire information regarding the intensity of light at the welding site (e.g., the intensity of welding light, the intensity of ambient light). The illuminance sensor 141 may be included in the sensor unit 140, but is not limited to this. For example, the illuminance sensor 141 may be included in the camera unit 110. In addition to the illuminance sensor, the sensor unit 140 may further include various sensors such as a proximity sensor, a noise sensor, a video sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and an RF sensor, and can detect various changes related to the welding work environment.

[0070] The first processor 150 can generate a high-quality composite image by synthesizing the welding image frames received via the camera unit 110. First processor 150 can set different imaging conditions for camera unit 110 for each frame, and can acquire a composite video by synthesizing welding video frames acquired in chronological order in parallel. Specifically, the first processor 150 can control the camera unit 110 so that the ISO sensitivity, gain, shutter speed, etc. of the camera unit 110 are changed to capture an image.

[0071] Here, the first processor 150 may set different imaging conditions depending on conditions such as the welding light, the ambient light, and the degree of movement of the welding torch 200 at the sensed welding site.

[0072] Specifically, the first processor 150 can set the shooting conditions such that, for example, the stronger the welding light and / or ambient light at the welding site, the lower at least one of the ISO sensitivity, the gain, and the shutter speed.

[0073] In one embodiment, the first processor 150 (or the control unit 114 in FIG. 4) can operate the camera unit 110 (specifically, the camera module 112 in the camera unit 110) in one of a plurality of operating modes with different shooting conditions depending on the intensity of light in the welding work area. Here, the first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 to be either a first mode (e.g., "welding mode") or a second mode (e.g., "general mode") based on the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor 141. First processor 150 changes the shooting conditions of camera unit 110 to shooting setting values ​​previously set in memory 170 corresponding to the determined mode, thereby enabling quick and undelayed switching of the shooting conditions of camera unit 110. Here, memory 170 can store shooting setting values ​​for each mode (see FIG. 10).

[0074] Specifically, when the light intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the first processor 150 determines the operating mode of the camera unit 110 to be a first mode (e.g., "welding mode") and changes the shooting conditions of the camera unit 110 to the shooting setting values ​​(1010 in FIG. 10) detected from the memory 170 corresponding to the first mode. In addition, when the light intensity is less than a threshold, the first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 to be a second mode (e.g., "general mode") and change the shooting conditions of the camera unit 110 to the shooting setting values ​​(1020 in FIG. 10) detected from the memory 170 corresponding to the second mode.

[0075] In one embodiment, the first processor 150 (or the control unit 114 in FIG. 4) can control the operating mode of the camera unit 110 based on the detection results of the illuminance sensor 141, which detects light at set intervals or continuously. Here, the first processor 150 counts the number of times the operating mode of the camera unit 110 (camera module) (or the shooting conditions of the camera unit) is changed due to changes in light intensity, and if the counted number exceeds a preset number within a preset time, it generates a notification message and outputs it to, for example, the display unit 130, thereby limiting frequent welding work within a short period of time and protecting the eyes.

[0076] In another embodiment, the first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 based on the intensity of light in the welding work area detected by the illuminance sensor 141, but is not limited to this.

[0077] First processor 150 can also estimate the intensity of light within the welding work area using image sensor 112-4 and determine the operating mode of camera unit 110 based on the estimated light intensity. Here, the first processor 150 can estimate the light intensity in the welding work area based on the video signal generated by the image sensor 112-4 by recognizing the light during the welding work, or can estimate the light intensity in the welding work area based on the welding video frame acquired by the camera unit 110 based on the video signal.

[0078] For example, the first processor 150 first determines the operating mode of the camera unit 110 based on the light intensity in the welding work area estimated using the image sensor 112-4, and when a change in the light intensity (or a change in the operating mode of the camera unit) is a set condition, the first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 based on the light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor 141. The set condition may be, for example, when the change in light intensity estimated using image sensor 112-4 at a set time is less than a set value (or when the operating mode of camera unit 110 is not changed at a set time). In other words, when the first processor 150 cannot correctly detect changes in light intensity using the image sensor 112-4, the first processor 150 can sensitively control the operating mode of the camera unit 110 according to the surrounding environment by more accurately detecting the light intensity using the illuminance sensor 141.

[0079] In one embodiment, the first processor 150 can estimate light intensity from the video signal generated by the image sensor 112-4 (or the welding video frame acquired by the camera unit 110) using a deep learning-based light estimation learning model that is pre-trained to estimate light intensity from a video signal (or a video frame). The light estimation learning model may be trained using a supervised learning method using training data that uses, for example, a video signal (or a video frame) as input and labels of light intensity, but is not limited to this.

[0080] The first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 using the image sensor 112-4, and then determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 using the illuminance sensor 141, but is not limited to this.The first processor 150 can also determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 using the illuminance sensor 141, and then determine the operating mode of the camera unit 110 using the image sensor 112-4. In one embodiment, first processor 150 can determine the operating mode of camera unit 110 using at least one of illuminance sensor 141 and image sensor 112-4. Furthermore, the first processor 150 can determine the operation mode of the camera unit 110 using the image sensor 112-4 and the illuminance sensor 141 according to the set priority order.

[0081] Furthermore, if the movement and / or working speed of the welding torch (200 in FIG. 1) is detected to be fast, the photographing conditions can be set so that the shutter speed is increased.

[0082] The first processor 150 can synthesize a preset number of frames of video in parallel. According to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the images in the preset number of frames may have been captured under different shooting conditions.

[0083] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when there are two or more camera units 110, the first processor 150 can control each camera to capture images by setting different shooting conditions for each camera. In this case, the first processor 150 can also synthesize a preset number of frames of video in parallel.

[0084] The first processor 150 may be located outside the camera unit 110 and control the camera unit 110, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a control unit 114 that controls the camera unit 110 may be located inside the camera unit 110, and the control unit 114 can communicate with the first processor 150. Here, the control unit 114 can receive shooting setting values ​​based on the determination of the operating mode of the camera unit 110 from the first processor 150 and change the shooting conditions of the camera unit 110 to the received shooting setting values, but is not limited to this and can perform all of the functions of the first processor 150 related to the camera unit 110. For example, the control unit 114 of the camera unit 110 can determine the operation mode of the camera unit 110 and change the shooting conditions of the camera unit 110 to shooting setting values ​​that are preset in accordance with the operation mode of the camera unit 110 . Here, the shooting setting values ​​may be stored in memory 170 or in a memory (not shown) within camera unit 110. Furthermore, the control unit 114 may be configured to include a second processor 113-5.

[0085] The first processor 150 can control the overall operation of the welding information providing device 100 using various programs stored in the memory 170 . For example, the first processor 150 may include a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and a system bus. Here, the ROM stores a command set for system startup, and the CPU copies the operating system stored in the memory of the welding information providing device 100 to the RAM according to the commands stored in the ROM and executes the O / S to start the system. After the startup is complete, the CPU copies various applications stored in the memory to the RAM and executes them to perform various operations. Although the above description has been given of a case where first processor 150 includes only one CPU, it may be realized by a plurality of CPUs (or DSPs, SoCs, etc.).

[0086] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first processor 150 may be implemented by a digital signal processor (DSP) that processes digital signals, a microprocessor, and / or a time controller (TCON). However, the term may include or be defined by one or more of the following, but is not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a controller, an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), and an ARM processor. The first processor 150 may be realized as an SoC (System on Chip) or an LSI (large scale integration) incorporating a processing algorithm, or may be realized in the form of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0087] On the other hand, although not shown in FIG. 2, the welding torch 200 may include a communication unit, a sensor unit, and a third processor.

[0088] The communication unit of welding torch 200 transmits and receives data to and from welding information providing device 100. The communication unit may include a module capable of short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth (registered trademark), WiFi, WiFi-Direct) or long-range wireless communication (3G, HSDPA (High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access), or LTE (Long Term Evolution)).

[0089] The sensor unit or second sensor of the welding torch 200 is included in the welding torch (200 in FIG. 1) and is configured to sense welding conditions such as the welding temperature, welding speed, welding inclination, welding direction, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch.

[0090] Here, the sensor unit can detect 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 illumination of the welding surface, or a change in the acceleration of the welding torch 200, and transmit a corresponding electrical signal to the third processor. That is, the sensor unit can detect a state change that occurs based on the welding torch 200, generate a detection signal based on the state change, and transmit the signal to the third processor.

[0091] In the present disclosure, the sensor unit may consist of various sensors, and power is supplied to at least one pre-set sensor by control when the welding torch 200 is driven (or based on user settings), so that changes in the state of the welding torch 200 can be detected.

[0092] In this case, the sensor unit may include at least one of all types of sensing devices that can detect a change in the state of the welding torch 200. For example, the sensor unit may include at least one sensor from various sensing devices such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, an illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a noise sensor, a video sensor, and a gravity sensor. The degree of light in the welding work area detected by the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200 can be transmitted to the first processor 150 via the communication unit, and the first processor 150 can control the lighting unit 160 and / or the camera unit 110 based on the degree of light transmitted through the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200, rather than through the sensor unit 140 of the welding information providing device 100.

[0093] On the other hand, 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 therefore can measure the movement of the welding torch 200.

[0094] The gravity sensor is a component for detecting the direction of gravity. That is, the detection result of the gravity sensor, together with the acceleration sensor, can be used to determine the movement of the welding torch 200. The gravity sensor also makes it possible to determine the direction in which the welding torch 200 is held.

[0095] In addition to the above-mentioned types of sensors, the welding torch 200 may further include various sensors such as a gyroscope sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and an RF sensor, and can detect various changes related to the welding work environment.

[0096] 5 to 8 are diagrams shown for explaining a welding information providing device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the inside of the welding information providing device 100 of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing only the configuration of the camera unit 110 of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a camera unit 110 according to another embodiment.

[0098] 5 and 6, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention may include a main body 101, a display unit 130 provided on the front surface of the main body 101, a camera unit 110, and a first processor 150. The welding information providing device 100 may also include at least one sensor unit 140 (see FIG. 2) and a fixing unit (not shown) arranged on the back of the main body 101 to fix the welding information providing device 100 to the head of the worker.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the camera unit 110 may be mounted on the outside of the body 101 and may be implemented in one or more units. When there is only one camera unit 110, it may be attached to the center of the upper end of the main body 101. In another embodiment, when there are two camera units 110, the camera units 110 may be symmetrically attached to one area on the front surface of the display unit . Here, the front portion of the display unit 130 may be an external area (the area shown in FIG. 5) corresponding to the direction in which welding work is performed, while the rear portion of the display unit 130 may be an internal area corresponding to the direction in which the worker's face is to be viewed. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the camera unit 110 may be disposed in an area outside the main body 101 corresponding to the direction in which the welding operation is performed. Also, the camera unit 110 may be formed in a detachable form so that its position can be changed as needed.

[0100] Meanwhile, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention may include a main lens member 135 for transmitting the welding image provided from the display 131 to both eyes of the user at a short distance.

[0101] The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention provides a welding image through a display 131 spaced a predetermined distance from the user to ensure a viewing area for the user. Therefore, instead of receiving welding images via displays corresponding to each eye, the user can receive welding images from a single display, ensuring a wide field of view even in the enclosed space within the welding information providing device 100. In this case, however, the welding information providing device 100 may include a main lens member 135 in order to provide the welding image provided by the display 131 to the user more clearly.

[0102] When the display 131 of the present invention is composed of one unit, an imaginary center line Ax1 passing through the center O1 of the display unit 130 may be positioned between the user's eyes. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that a plurality of displays 131 may be arranged at positions spaced a predetermined distance from both eyes of the user.

[0103] The main lens member 135 is disposed on the path through which the welding image provided from the display 131 passes, and may have a convex surface so as to adjust the size of the welding image and guide it to the user's eyes E. The primary lens element 135 may be a convex lens that includes a convex surface to magnify the welding image provided.

[0104] The main lens member 135 may be made of glass, plastic, or the like. In the case of plastic, a transparent resin such as (meth)acrylic resin, styrene resin, polycarbonate resin, allyl resin, allyl carbonate resin such as diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate resin (CR-39), vinyl resin, polyester resin, polyether resin, urethane resin obtained by reacting an isocyanate compound with a hydroxy compound such as diethylene glycol, thiourethane resin obtained by reacting an isocyanate compound with a polythiol compound, or a polymerizable composition containing a (thio)epoxy compound having one or more disulfide bonds in the molecule can be used. The main lens element 135 may also be coated with a filter that blocks light of a specific wavelength band. For example, the main lens element 135 may be a lens coated with a blue light blocking filter.

[0105] The main lens member 135 may be movable back and forth relative to an initial position. As described above, the power of the main lens member 135 is determined taking into consideration the user's eyesight. However, since each user has different eyesight, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide welding images with the best image quality by adjusting the distance between the main lens member 135 and the user. For this purpose, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention may further include a distance adjusting member (not shown) for adjusting the distance between the main lens member 135 and the display 131.

[0106] Similar to the main lens member 135, the display unit 130 may be provided with another distance adjustment member to adjust the distance to the main lens member 135 or the distance from the display 131 to the user's eyes. For example, the welding information providing device 100 may further include a lens barrel support that fixes the display unit 130 to one side. The distance adjustment member can move the lens barrel support back and forth by manual distance adjustment by a user or automatic distance adjustment. Therefore, the display unit 130 can be recessed inside the front surface of the main body 101 or protrude outside the front surface.

[0107] At least one sensor unit 140 (or a first sensor) may be attached to a region on the front surface of the display unit 130. In another embodiment, the sensor unit 140 may be included in the main body 101. Here, the sensor unit 140 may be attached to the front of the main body 101 so as to be able to detect the welding status.

[0108] The main body 101 that protects the worker's face may be made of a material with a predetermined strength, such as reinforced plastic, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various materials can be used as long as they are resistant to elements such as sparks that occur during welding.

[0109] The fixing part (not shown) is configured to come into direct contact with the worker's head, and one side of the fixing part (not shown), i.e., at least a portion of the inner surface that comes into direct contact with the worker's head, may include a soft material such as a fiber material or a cushioning material.

[0110] The camera unit 110 will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0111] Further, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an exterior housing 111, a camera module 112 provided inside the exterior housing 111, and a light-shielding panel 113. The camera unit 110 may further include at least one of an illuminance sensor that detects the intensity of light within the welding work area, an illumination unit that emits illumination light, and a control unit that controls the overall operation of the camera unit 110.

[0112] The camera module 112 includes a camera housing 112-1, a lens assembly 112-2, and a substrate assembly 112-3, and can acquire welding video frames from the welding work area according to the shooting conditions (e.g., settings of shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, gain, etc.).

[0113] The camera housing 112-1 functions to fix a camera module consisting of a lens assembly 112-2 and a substrate assembly 112-3. The camera housing 112-1 has a through hole formed in a region corresponding to the lens assembly 112-2, allowing the welding light to enter the camera module.

[0114] Lens assembly 112-2 may include an actuator and one or more lenses housed therein. The actuator may include an autofocus actuator and / or a vibration correction actuator, but the autofocus actuator and the vibration correction actuator may be provided integrally.

[0115] The substrate assembly 112-3 may have a structure in which the image sensor IS (112-4 in FIG. 8) is coupled to a PCB substrate on which a conductive wiring pattern is formed.

[0116] The shading panel 113 can function to block welding light (or ambient light) generated by welding work. The camera unit 110 can capture, via the camera module 112, a welding video frame in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked by the light blocking panel 113. The light blocking panel 113 is disposed in front of the camera, and specifically may be configured to be located in front of the lens that receives light from the subject.

[0117] In one embodiment, the shading panel 113 may include a blackening filter 113-3 and a second processor (113-5 in FIG. 9). The blackening filter 113-3 can block the welding light generated when the worker is welding. That is, the second processor 113-5 can increase the light blocking degree of the blackening filter 113-3 by blackening the blackening filter 113-3 based on the welding light information (or ambient light information) detected by the illuminance sensor 141 (or light sensor) of the sensor unit 140. Here, the blackening filter 113-3 may include, for example, a liquid crystal protection panel (LCD panel) whose blackening density is adjusted according to the alignment direction of the liquid crystal. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be realized by various panels such as a VA (Vertical Align) LCD, a TN (Twist Nematic) LCD, or an IPS (In Plane Switching) LCD.

[0118] The blackening density of the blackening filter 113-3 can be automatically adjusted by the second processor 113-5 depending on the presence or absence of welding light or the intensity of the welding light (or ambient light). As described above, when the illumination is automatically adjusted according to the brightness of the welding light, the illumination sensor 141 of the sensor unit 140 can be used. The illuminance sensor 141 of the sensor unit 140 can detect the presence or absence of welding light or the intensity of the welding light to obtain welding light information, and convert information regarding the intensity of the welding light contained in the welding light information into a predetermined electrical signal. The illuminance sensor 141 of the sensor unit 140 transmits the converted electrical signal to the second processor 113-5, and the second processor 113-5 can control the blackening density based on the intensity of the welding light. The blackening filter 113-3 may be controlled by the second processor 113-5, but is not limited to this, and may also be controlled by the first processor 150.

[0119] That is, the blackening filter 113-3 can change the degree of light blocking of the panel in real time to correspond to the intensity of light generated from the welding surface at the welding work site, and the camera unit 110 can capture, via the camera module 112, a welding video frame in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked by the blackening filter 113-3 provided on the front part.

[0120] In another embodiment, the shading panel 113 may further include a neutral density filter 113-2. The neutral density filter 113-2 (for example, a variable neutral density filter) can reduce the amount of welding light generated when a worker is welding and transmit the reduced light to the camera module 112. The neutral density filter 113-2 can reduce the amount of welding light by a preset neutral density. For example, when the neutral density filter 113-2 with a neutral density of 50% is applied, the amount of welding light can be further reduced compared to when the neutral density filter 113-2 with a neutral density of 15% is applied.

[0121] The light-shielding panel 113 may have a structure in which the neutral density filter 113-2 can be replaced, so that an operator can replace the neutral density filter 113-2 with a filter 113-2 having a different neutral density as needed.

[0122] As another embodiment, the neutral density filter 113-2 may be a digital filter whose neutral density is controlled by the second processor 113-5 (or the first processor 150). Similar to the blackening filter 113-3, the neutral density filter 113-2, which is a digital filter, can increase the neutral density based on welding light (or ambient light) information detected by the sensor unit 140, for example, the illuminance sensor 141, thereby increasing the degree of light blocking of the neutral density filter 113-2.

[0123] Here, the neutral density filter 113-2 is located in front of the camera module 112, but may be located farther from the camera module 112 than the blackening filter 113-3. Since the blackening filter 113-3 has a greater ability to block welding light than the neutral density filter 113-2, the camera unit 110 first blocks the light using the neutral density filter 113-2 depending on the intensity of the welding light, and then, if the intensity of the welding light is high, it can block the light using the blackening filter 113-3, or it can block the light using both the blackening filter 113-3 and the neutral density filter 113-2.

[0124] Meanwhile, although not shown, the shading panel 113 may further include a band pass filter. The neutral density filter 113-2 or the blackening filter 113-3 functions to reduce the amount of welding light regardless of the wavelength of the light, while the bandpass filter functions to block light in a specific wavelength band. The shading panel 113 can further include a bandpass filter (not shown) to block ultraviolet or infrared rays generated during welding work. The bandpass filter (not shown) blocks infrared and ultraviolet rays and may be positioned farthest from the face of the operator. The bandpass filter (not shown) may have a dielectric multilayer film formed on one surface facing the other filters.

[0125] When welding light is generated during welding work by a worker, the infrared and ultraviolet rays of the welding light are reflected and blocked by the dielectric multilayer film of the bandpass filter, and only the visible light passes through the bandpass filter and is irradiated toward the camera module 112.

[0126] The light-shielding panel 113 may have a protective glass 113-1 disposed at the front facing the welding light to prepare for accidents such as the flying of flames generated during welding work. A coating layer that can prevent condensation and moisture, such as a hydrophilic coating material, may be formed on the front surface of the protective glass 113-1. Therefore, the shading panel 113 can prevent contaminants from adhering to the shading panel 113.

[0127] Specifically, the coating layer formed on the front surface of the protective glass 113-1 may be formed of a hydrophilic photocatalytic material such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) with self-cleaning capabilities to prevent the adsorption of organic substances around the welding operation.

[0128] On the other hand, the light-shielding panel 113 may further include a glass portion 113-4 disposed between the blackening filter 113-3 and the face of the operator. The glass portion 113-4 is directly or indirectly coupled to the blackening filter 113-3 to prevent the blackening filter 113-3 from being damaged by external foreign matter. The glass portion 113-4 may be made of a transparent material.

[0129] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 8, the shading panel 113 may be configured to be coupled to the camera module 112 . The shading panel 113 may be positioned on the path of light traveling inside the lens assembly 112-2 of the camera module 112. The shading panel 113 may be disposed in front of the lens assembly 112-2 that receives light, or between the lens assembly 112-2 and the image sensor IS(112-4) to perform the function of blocking light. That is, the shading panel 113 may be formed in a form that can be combined with the camera module 112 while forming the appearance of a separate housing. The light-shielding panel 113 may be coupled to the front of the camera module 112, or may be disposed and coupled between the lens assembly 112-2 of the camera module 112 and the image sensor IS (112-4). In another embodiment, the shading panel 113 may be integrally formed with the lens assembly of the camera module 112 . The blackening filter 113-3 and the neutral density filter 113-2 of the shading panel 113 may be disposed on the optical axis of the lens L and combined into one housing. In this case, the shading panel 113 may be formed in a circular shape similar to the shape of the lens L. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shading panel 113 may be formed in a shape different from the lens L, for example, a rectangular shape. In this case, the lens assembly 112-2 may have an internal structure of a housing that can accommodate both the circular lens L and the rectangular shading panel 113.

[0130] In this case, as described above, the shading panel 113 may include the blackening filter 113-3, and may further include the neutral density filter 113-2, which is a digital neutral density filter. Although not shown, the shading panel 113 may further include a bandpass filter.

[0131] The method by which the second processor 113-5 controls the shading panel 113 will now be described. FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining a method for controlling the light-shielding panel in the camera unit.

[0132] 9, the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can acquire information about the welding light using the sensor unit 140. Here, the sensor unit 140 is an optical sensor and includes an illuminance sensor 141, and can detect the presence or absence or intensity of the welding light. The illuminance sensor 141 can convert the presence or absence or intensity of the welding light into an electrical signal and transmit it to the second processor 113-5 of the shading panel 113. Here, the shading panel 113 of the camera unit 110 may include a controllable blackening filter 113-3 and a neutral density filter 113-2 together with the second processor 113-5. When the second processor 113-5 receives an electrical signal from the illuminance sensor 141, it generates a control signal and immediately transmits it to the blackening filter 113-3 and the neutral density filter 113-2, thereby immediately controlling the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 in accordance with the light detection result of the illuminance sensor 141.

[0133] When the welding light detected by the illuminance sensor 141 exceeds a predetermined first intensity, the second processor 113-5 generates a first control signal S1 and a second control signal S2 to control both the blackening filter 113-3 and the neutral density filter 113-2 to operate, thereby controlling the degree of shading of the shading panel 113. Here, the second processor 113-5 can adjust both the black density of the blackening filter 113-3 and the neutral density of the neutral density filter 113-2 according to the intensity of the detected welding light.

[0134] When the welding light detected by the illuminance sensor 141 is equal to or less than a predetermined first intensity and exceeds a predetermined second intensity, the second processor 113-5 can control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 by generating a second control signal S2 to control only the neutral density filter 113-2, or by generating a first control signal S1 to control only the blackening filter 113-3.

[0135] In addition, if the welding light is not detected by the illuminance sensor 141 or is below the set second intensity, the second processor 113-5 can transmit the welding light directly to the camera module 112 without separately controlling the neutral density filter 113-2 or the blackening filter 113-3.

[0136] In one embodiment, the second processor 113-5 can generate a first control signal S1 and a second control signal S2 to control the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 in proportion to the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor 141, or can generate the first control signal S1 and the second control signal S2 so that the degree of shading of the shading panel 113 becomes a predetermined value based on the comparison result between the intensity of light and a predetermined intensity.

[0137] The welding information providing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can obtain a welding image (frame) in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked by placing a light blocking panel in front of a camera, without processing a separately captured image. The welding information providing device is also provided with a blackening filter and a neutral density filter, and by controlling the blackening density or neutral density depending on the presence or absence or intensity of the welding light, the degree of blocking can be effectively controlled.

[0138] FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of the welding information providing device according to this embodiment. The method for operating the welding information providing device (or the method for controlling the camera unit) can be performed by the welding information providing device (or the camera unit) according to this embodiment.

[0139] Referring to FIG. 11, in step S1110, the welding information providing device can detect the intensity of light within the welding work area using an illuminance sensor.

[0140] In step S1120, if the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, in step S1130, the welding information providing device can determine the operating mode of the camera unit to be a first mode (e.g., "welding mode") by the first processor.

[0141] In step S1140, the welding information providing device can change the shooting conditions of the camera unit to shooting setting values ​​(1010 in FIG. 10) detected from the memory corresponding to the first mode. Here, the shooting setting values ​​corresponding to the first mode may be ISO sensitivity, gain, shutter speed, etc. corresponding to the "welding mode."

[0142] In step S1120, if the light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor is less than a preset threshold, in step S1131, the welding information providing device can use the first processor to determine the operating mode of the camera unit to the second mode (e.g., "general mode") and change the shooting conditions of the camera unit to the shooting setting values ​​(1020 in Figure 10) detected from the memory corresponding to the second mode. The shooting setting values ​​corresponding to the second mode may be the ISO sensitivity, gain, shutter speed, etc. corresponding to the "general mode."

[0143] Here, the ISO sensitivity, gain, and shutter speed corresponding to the "welding mode" may be smaller than the ISO sensitivity, gain, and shutter speed corresponding to the "general mode."

[0144] The first processor of the welding information providing device can determine the operating mode of the camera unit as "welding mode" or "general mode" based on the light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor, and can quickly change the shooting conditions of the camera unit to the shooting setting values ​​corresponding to the determined mode.

[0145] In step S1150, the welding information providing apparatus can control the degree of shading of the shading panel based on the intensity of the light. Here, the welding information providing device controls the degree of shading of the shading panel based on the light intensity using the second processor of the shading panel, so that the degree of shading of the shading panel can be immediately controlled in accordance with the light detection result. Here, the welding information providing device can control the degree of shading of the shading panel in proportion to the intensity of light, or can control the degree of shading of the shading panel to a preset value based on the result of comparing the intensity of light with a preset intensity. In addition, in one embodiment, the welding information providing device can change the light blocking degree of the light blocking panel to a preset value corresponding to the operation mode of the camera unit.

[0146] As described above, the welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention adaptively changes the operation mode of the camera unit and the shooting conditions according to the operation mode depending on the shooting environment, thereby obtaining and providing clear images of the welding work, thereby enabling the worker to accurately recognize the welding process.

[0147] A welding information providing device according to one embodiment of the present invention determines the operating mode of a camera unit to one of a first mode and a second mode depending on the intensity of light in a welding work area detected by an illuminance sensor, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera unit to shooting setting values ​​preset in a memory corresponding to the determined mode, thereby enabling the shooting conditions of the camera unit to be switched quickly and without delay.

[0148] A welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention can immediately control the shading level of the shading panel according to the light intensity in the welding work area detected by the illuminance sensor using a processor separately provided in the shading panel, thereby obtaining a welding image in which a predetermined amount of welding light is blocked without processing a separately captured image.

[0149] The above-described embodiments of the present invention can be realized in the form of a computer program that can be executed by various components on a computer, and such a computer program can be recorded on a computer-readable medium. Here, 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 hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory.

[0150] Meanwhile, the computer programs may be those specially designed and constructed for the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those skilled in the computer software art. Examples of computer programs include not only machine code, such as produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that is executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0151] In the present specification (particularly in the claims), the use of the term "said" and similar directives may refer to both the singular and the plural. Furthermore, when a range is described in the present invention, it includes inventions to which individual values ​​belonging to the above range are applied (unless otherwise stated), and is equivalent to describing each individual value constituting the above range in the detailed description of the invention.

[0152] Unless an explicit order or order is stated to the contrary with respect to steps making up a method in accordance with the present invention, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the order of steps described above. The use of all examples or exemplary terms (such as, for example, etc.) in the present invention is merely to further illustrate the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by said examples or exemplary terms unless limited by the claims. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, combinations, and variations can be made within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents depending on design conditions and factors.

[0153] Therefore, the concept of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and not only the scope of the appended claims, but also all scopes equivalent to or modified equivalently from the scope of the claims, can be said to fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. a camera module for acquiring welding video frames from a welding work area according to imaging conditions; an illuminance sensor that detects the intensity of light within the welding work area; determining whether the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor exceeds a set threshold; If the light intensity is equal to or greater than a set threshold, set the camera to a first mode, retrieve from a memory shooting setting values ​​including an ISO sensitivity, a gain, and a shutter speed corresponding to the first mode, and change the shooting conditions of the camera module to the shooting setting values ​​detected from the memory; a control unit that sets a second mode when the light intensity is less than a set threshold, retrieves from the memory shooting setting values ​​corresponding to the second mode, including an ISO sensitivity, a gain, and a shutter speed, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera module to the shooting setting values ​​detected from the memory; the camera module includes an image sensor that recognizes light in the welding operation; a light-shielding panel disposed in front of the camera module for blocking a portion of light incident from the welding work area and transmitting the remaining light to the image sensor; the shading panel includes a processor electrically connected to the illuminance sensor; The processor changes the light blocking level of the shading panel to a level corresponding to each mode in the first mode and the second mode based on a comparison result between the light intensity and a set intensity; the illuminance sensor detects the intensity of the light at set intervals; The control unit counts the number of times the operation mode of the camera module is changed due to a change in the light intensity, and generates and outputs a notification message when the counted number exceeds a predetermined number within a predetermined time.

2. The processor: The camera unit according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of light blocking of the light blocking panel is controlled in proportion to the intensity of the light.

3. further including an illumination unit that emits illumination light; The control unit The camera unit according to claim 1 , wherein an output intensity of the illumination light emitted from the illumination unit is adjusted based on the intensity of the light.

4. a main body provided so as to be wearable by a user; a camera unit disposed outside the main body and adapted to capture welding video frames from a welding work area according to imaging conditions; an illuminance sensor that detects the intensity of light within the welding work area; determining whether the intensity of light detected by the illuminance sensor exceeds a set threshold; If the light intensity is equal to or greater than a set threshold, a first mode is set, and shooting setting values ​​including ISO sensitivity, gain, and shutter speed corresponding to the first mode are retrieved from a memory, and the shooting conditions of the camera unit are changed to the shooting setting values ​​detected from the memory; a control unit that sets a second mode when the light intensity is less than a set threshold, retrieves from the memory shooting setting values ​​corresponding to the second mode, including ISO sensitivity, gain, and shutter speed, and changes the shooting conditions of the camera unit to the shooting setting values ​​detected from the memory, The camera unit includes an image sensor that recognizes light during the welding operation; a light blocking panel disposed in front of the camera for blocking a portion of the light incident from the welding work area and transmitting the remaining light to the image sensor; the shading panel includes a processor electrically connected to the illuminance sensor; The processor changes the light blocking level of the shading panel to a level corresponding to each mode in the first mode and the second mode based on a comparison result between the light intensity and a set intensity; the illuminance sensor detects the intensity of the light at set intervals; The control unit counts the number of times the operation mode of the camera unit is changed due to a change in the light intensity, and generates and outputs a notification message when the counted number exceeds a predetermined number within a predetermined time.

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