Augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method

Abstract

Disclosed is an augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method using a mobile device on which a welding point management application is installed and a camera for capturing an object to be managed is mounted. The method comprises the steps of: implementing that the welding point management application is executed to match the actual reality of a pipe construction site with the virtual reality related to the pipe construction site so as to display the augmented reality, a welding point generation bar, in addition to the augmented reality related to the pipe construction site, being further displayed on the screen of the mobile device, and being reduced and scaled to correspond to the object to be managed that was implemented in the augmented reality related to the pipe construction site; displaying, as a virtual line, the corresponding object to be managed and activating same if there is a first touch input by which a user to manage a welding point in virtual reality selects the object to be managed; generating a reference welding point at a secondary touch input point if there is a secondary touch input for the welding point generation bar, such that a user applies the welding point to the object to be managed; and generating and displaying a virtual welding line at a point on the object to be managed that was implemented in augmented reality corresponding to the reference welding point generated at the secondary touch input point.

Description

Augmented Reality-Based Pipe Welding Point Management Method

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe welding point management method based on augmented reality, and more particularly, to a pipe welding point management method based on augmented reality using a welding point management application installed on a mobile device for efficient management of welding points.

[0002] High-tech industries are generally defined as highly technology-intensive and have a significant impact on related industries. For example, they encompass advanced technologies such as electronics, new materials, biotechnology, computers, and information and communications. Building facilities for these high-tech industries often involves the installation of numerous pipes and wiring. For example, building a semiconductor production line requires the installation of gas and chemical pipes, electrical wiring, and fire extinguishing pipes, all of which are essential for the various processes involved. Various applications are known to enable workers to register the construction status of various components, including these pipes, during the construction of semiconductor production lines, and to enable clients to clearly understand this status. One such method is utilizing augmented reality (AR) to register and update construction records.

[0003] Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that adds computer-generated information to the user's five senses of the real world. In other words, it superimposes virtual objects (VR) onto the real world the user sees. Unlike VR, which constructs reality solely within a computer, AR superimposes virtual information onto the real world.

[0004] Methods for managing plant construction sites or interior construction sites using such augmented reality have been disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-2462229 (registered on October 28, 2022), etc. These conventional technologies, as well as conventional methods for managing construction sites or registering or modifying construction performance using augmented reality, have several drawbacks. Namely, in a construction site, especially when fire pipes, gas pipes, chemical pipes, and electrical pipes are located on the ceiling, there is a problem in that when using a mobile device (e.g., a tablet PC) to sense the actual reality with a camera mounted on the mobile device and match it with virtual reality to implement augmented reality, one must hold the mobile device with one hand and perform tasks such as touching, dragging, and entering information with the other hand. Due to the weight of the mobile device itself, it is difficult to perform tasks other than very short ones when held with one hand. In addition, in the construction of facilities for high-tech industries, fire piping, gas piping, chemical piping, and electrical piping are very long and heavy, so they are connected by welding during the installation. In order to improve efficiency and enhance convenience in checking and managing multiple welding points, it is necessary to utilize augmented reality.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is that, in the construction of facilities for high-tech industries, fire pipes, gas pipes, chemical pipes, electrical pipes, etc. are very long and heavy, so they are connected by welding during the construction of the facilities, and an improved method of pipe welding point management based on augmented reality is provided, which can efficiently manage welding points.

[0006] Another problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide an improved method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality to solve the problems of the conventional method of managing construction sites using augmented reality through mobile devices, namely, the problem that it is difficult to proceed with anything other than a very short task when holding the mobile device with one hand due to the weight of the mobile device itself, the problem that the mobile device must be held with one hand and the task must be performed with the other hand, which increases the frequency of occurrence of designation errors, and as a result, the accuracy of the task is reduced, and the task progresses unevenly or the task progresses slowly.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above problem, a pipe welding point management method is an augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method using a mobile device having a welding point management application installed and a camera for photographing a management object, comprising: (a) a step of executing the welding point management application to match the actual reality of the pipe construction site being photographed by the camera with a virtual reality regarding the pipe construction site, and implementing the augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site to be displayed through the mobile device - in addition to the augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site, a welding point creation bar is further displayed on the screen of the mobile device, and the welding point creation bar is scaled down to correspond to a management object implemented as an augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site - (b) a step of activating the management object by displaying a virtual line when there is a first touch input for selecting a management object by a user of the mobile device to manage a welding point in the augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site, and (c) a step of applying a welding point to the management object by the user of the mobile device, wherein the welding point creation bar is displayed on the screen of the mobile device. When there is a second touch input for the creation bar, the method comprises the steps of: (d) creating a reference welding point at the second touch input point; and (e) creating and displaying a virtual welding line at a point on a management object implemented as augmented reality for the pipe construction site corresponding to the reference welding point created at the second touch input point.

[0008] In one embodiment, the object of management may be any one of a gas pipe, a fire pipe, a chemical pipe, and an electrical pipe.

[0009] In one embodiment, a length adjustment button for adjusting the length of the welding point generation bar may be further displayed on the screen of the mobile device.

[0010] According to one embodiment, if there are a plurality of reference welding points generated in step (c), step (d) may include a step of generating and displaying virtual welding lines at points on a management object implemented as augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site, corresponding to each of the plurality of reference welding points.

[0011] In one embodiment, the plurality of reference welding points may be generated corresponding to each of a plurality of secondary touch inputs of the user of the mobile device to the welding point generation bar.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the plurality of reference welding points may be formed at equal intervals according to interval information input by a user of the mobile device.

[0013] According to one embodiment, a plurality of reference welding points may be formed at equal intervals according to a number of information input by a user of the mobile device.

[0014] The present invention provides an improved method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality, thereby enabling more efficient management of welding points for various pipes in the construction of facilities for high-tech industries. In addition, the present invention provides an improved method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality, thereby solving problems in conventional methods for managing construction sites using augmented reality via mobile devices, namely, the weight of the mobile device itself makes it difficult to perform tasks other than very short ones when held with one hand; the need to hold the mobile device with one hand and perform tasks with the other hand increases the frequency of designation errors, resulting in lower work accuracy, unsmooth work progress, or delays in work progress.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a mobile device (1) used in an augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method according to one embodiment of the present invention and a display state of the mobile device (1) when an application for welding point management is executed on the mobile device (1).

[0016] Figures 2a and 2b are drawings showing an example of augmented reality for pipe welding point management,

[0017] Figure 3 is a drawing for explaining the single selection mode after the creation of reference welding point(s).

[0018] Figures 4a and 4b are drawings for explanation of the multiple selection mode after generation of reference welding points,

[0019] Figure 5 is a drawing to explain an example of split mode,

[0020] Figures 6a and 6b are drawings for explaining another example of the split mode,

[0021] FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b are drawings for explaining a length adjustment button (111) for adjusting the length of a welding point generation bar (110).

[0022]

[0023] As mentioned above, the present invention is a method for increasing work efficiency by utilizing an application for welding point management in an augmented reality environment installed in a mobile device when constructing equipment for a high-tech industry.

[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. It should be noted that the attached drawings and embodiments are simplified and illustrated with the intention of helping those skilled in the art to understand the present invention. In the present invention, the management object may be any one of gas pipes, fire pipes, chemical pipes, and electrical pipes required when constructing facilities in the high-tech industrial field. In addition, the term 'management' used in relation to welding points in this specification is used to mean a term that refers to all of a series of work processes related to welding points, such as creating welding points (welding points in virtual reality) for a plurality of welding points in the management object, comparing them with the locations of welding points in actual reality using augmented reality, modifying the locations of welding points in the virtual reality, and registering and monitoring the results.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a mobile device (1) used in an augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method according to one embodiment of the present invention, and a display state of the mobile device (1) in a state where a welding point management application is executed on the mobile device (1), FIGS. 2a and 2b are drawings illustrating an example of augmented reality for pipe welding point management, FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a single selection mode after generation of reference welding point(s), FIGS. 4a and 4b are drawings for explaining a multiple selection mode after generation of reference welding points, FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an example of a split mode, FIGS. 6a and 6b are drawings for explaining another example of a split mode, and FIGS. 7a and 7b are drawings for explaining a length adjustment button (111) for adjusting the length of a welding point creation bar (110).

[0026] First, referring to Fig. 1, a tablet PC is illustrated as an example of a mobile device (1), but it may be a smartphone or a dedicated computing device for implementing augmented reality in addition to a tablet PC. The mobile device (1) is equipped with a camera for photographing a welding point management target (hereinafter also referred to as a management target or member for short). In addition to the camera, the mobile device (1) is basically equipped with a processing unit and a memory, and a detailed description of these basic components is omitted. When the welding point management application installed on the mobile device (1) is executed, various buttons may be displayed on the screen (2) so that the user of the mobile device (1) can operate it by scrolling or touching with a finger. The component indicated by reference numeral RE1 in Fig. 1 (b) is an example of a welding point management target, a management target, and reference numeral 110 indicates a welding point creation bar, which is a core user interface in the present invention. The welding point creation bar (110) is an additional element other than the augmented reality of the pipe construction site on the screen (2) of the mobile device (1). It is scaled down to correspond to the management object implemented as the augmented reality of the pipe construction site, and reference welding point(s) are created and displayed depending on the touch input by the user (worker) of the mobile device (1) through the welding point creation bar (110). This welding point creation bar (110) will be described in more detail later.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality using a mobile device (1) is provided. In order to implement augmented reality, a welding point management application is basically installed on the mobile device (1) and a camera (not shown) for capturing images of a management object is mounted. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality using a mobile device (1) includes the step of first executing a welding point management application to match the actual reality of a pipe construction site captured by the camera with a virtual reality of the pipe construction site, thereby displaying the augmented reality of the pipe construction site on the screen of the mobile device. In addition to the augmented reality of the pipe construction site, a welding point creation bar (110) is additionally displayed on the screen of the mobile device. As mentioned above, the welding point creation bar (110) is scaled down to correspond to the management object (RE1) implemented as augmented reality of the pipe construction site. Next, when the user of the mobile device (1) touches a management object for management of welding points in an augmented reality of a pipe construction site, i.e., when there is a first touch input by the user for selecting a management object, a step is included for activating the management object by displaying it with a virtual line (see the outer line of RE1 in FIG. 2A). By this first touch input, the management object (RE1) and the welding point generation bar (110) are linked to each other. Specifically, when there is a second touch input by the user of the mobile device (1) to the welding point generation bar (110) for welding point application to the management object by the user of the mobile device (1), a reference welding point is generated and displayed at the second touch input point. The reference welding points are indicated as L1, L11, L12, L13, etc. in the drawings that follow.That is, the user of the mobile device (1) creates reference welding point(s) at an appropriate position on the welding point creation bar (110). Since the welding point creation bar (110) and the management object (RE1) are linked to each other, a virtual welding line is created and displayed on the screen of the mobile device (1) at a corresponding point on the management object (RE1) implemented in augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site corresponding to the reference welding point created at the second touch input point by the user. The virtual welding lines are indicated as VL1, VL11, VL12, VL13, ..., etc. in the drawings that follow. When there are multiple reference welding points to be created, points on the management object implemented in augmented reality can be created corresponding to the positions of each of the multiple reference welding points and reflected and displayed on the augmented reality. A plurality of reference welding points may be generated corresponding to each of a plurality of secondary touch inputs to the welding point generation bar (110) of the user of the mobile device (1), or alternatively, may be generated according to various segmentation modes described later.

[0028] FIGS. 2A and 2B are drawings showing an example of augmented reality for pipe welding point management. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B together with FIG. 1, after selecting a member to which a welding point is to be applied, i.e., a management object (RE11), reference welding point(s) can be created by touching (secondary touch input) the welding point creation bar (110) located at the center of the screen (2) of the mobile device (1). That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, initially, no reference welding point is displayed on the welding point creation bar (110), and when the user of the mobile device (1) makes a secondary touch input at an appropriate location on the welding point creation bar (110), a reference welding point (L1) is created at that location accordingly. As shown in FIG. 2B, a plurality of reference welding points (L1) can be created by the user's operation, but for convenience, only one reference welding point is indicated as L1. In addition, a virtual welding line (VL1) is generated and displayed at a corresponding position on the management object (RE11) corresponding to the reference welding point (L1). Although not expressed in Fig. 2a, each of the plurality of reference welding points generated in the welding point generation bar (110) matches each of the virtual welding lines displayed on the management object (RE11). In this way, by comparing the positions of the actual welding points with the virtual welding lines displayed on the management object (RE11), the number and exact positions of the welding points can be tracked and monitored. In Fig. 2b, the button indicated by reference numeral 120 is a delete function button, which is located at the bottom of each of the reference welding points. " is displayed as a shape, and the user can delete the reference welding point by touching the delete function button (120). In addition, although not expressed in the drawing, by adding a transparency adjustment button, the actual welding point and the welding point to be registered, i.e., the virtual welding lines (VL1) and their positions can be compared. That is, by touching the transparency adjustment button, the transparency of the management object implemented in virtual reality is increased so that the actual welding point can be seen through augmented reality, and the welding point to be registered can be finely adjusted while comparing whether the welding point in actual reality and the welding point applied in virtual reality, i.e., the virtual welding lines (VL1) match. Reference numeral 140 is a left and right arrow button used to designate a specific reference welding point when a plurality of reference welding points are created in the welding point creation bar (110). When the left arrow is pressed, the reference welding point located to the left of the current reference welding point is designated, and when the right arrow is pressed, the reference welding point located to the right of the current reference welding point is designated. It is designated. Reference numeral 160 is a position movement button for moving the position of the selected reference welding point. The use of the position movement button (160) is described with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b below.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a single selection mode after the creation of reference welding point(s). The single selection mode is a mode for selecting one reference welding point to modify its position or delete it. Referring to FIG. 3, when a plurality of reference welding points (L11, L12, L13, L14) are created on the welding point creation bar (110), and then the single selection button (150) is touched by the user of the mobile device, the state is switched to one in which only one of the reference welding points (L11, L12, L13, L14) can be selected. For example, when L14 is touched and L14 is designated, touching L13 again switches to a state in which L13 is designated. In addition, the position of the designated reference welding point can be changed by touching the left and right arrow buttons (140). For example, when the reference welding point L13 is selected, touching the left and right arrow buttons (140) once designates L13, and touching them twice designates L11. Reference symbols VL11, VL12, VL13, and VL14 are virtual welding lines displayed on the management object (RE21) corresponding to L11, L12, L13, and L14, respectively.

[0030] FIGS. 4A and 4B are drawings for explaining a multiple selection mode after reference welding points (L21, L22, L23) are created on a welding point creation bar (110). The multiple selection mode is a mode for selecting multiple reference welding points. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, after multiple reference welding points (L21, L22, L23) are created on the welding point creation bar (110), when a user of a mobile device touches a multiple selection button (170), multiple of the reference welding points (L21, L22, L23) can be selected. For example, in FIG. 4a, when two of the reference welding points (L21, L22, L23) are selected and the position movement button (160) is dragged to the right, the two reference welding points (L21, L22) are simultaneously moved to the right (L21', L22' in FIG. 4b). Correspondingly, the corresponding virtual welding lines (VL21, VL22) on the management object (RE31) are also moved to the right (VL21', VL22' in FIG. 4b). VL21, VL22, VL23, VL21', VL22' are virtual welding lines corresponding to L21, L22, L23, L21', L22', respectively. In this case, the left and right arrow buttons (140) can be used to increase or decrease the number of selected reference welding points. That is, when L21 is selected and the right arrow of the left and right arrow buttons (140) is touched once, L21 and L22 are selected simultaneously, and when touched once more, L21, L22, and L23 are all selected. In this state, when the left arrow is touched once more, L23 is deselected, and when touched once more, L22 is also deselected.

[0031] Fig. 5 is a drawing for explaining an example of a division mode. The illustrated division mode is a division mode based on the number, and is a mode for dividing the welding point generation bar (110) into n parts at equal intervals. When the number of parts to be divided is input by the user of the mobile device into the number information input window indicated by reference numeral 180, reference welding points are generated so as to automatically calculate the entire length of the selected member, i.e., the management object (RE31), and divide it into n parts at equal intervals. At the same time, virtual welding lines are displayed on the management object (RE31) corresponding to the reference welding points. In Fig. 5, only one reference welding point among a plurality of reference welding points is indicated with reference numeral L31, and only one virtual welding line VL31 corresponding to L31 among a plurality of virtual welding lines is displayed.

[0032] FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawings for explaining another example of the segmentation mode. The illustrated segmentation mode is a segmentation mode based on the interval. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the same interval button indicated by reference numeral 190 is selected, and along with this, the interval information to be segmented is input into the interval input window (191). Then, after generating one flag welding point (L41) on the welding point generation bar (110), when the direction to be segmented is selected by touching the direction selection arrow (192), the welding point generation bar (110) is segmented according to the interval information input in the interval input window (191), as illustrated in FIG. 6B, and the management target (RE41) is also segmented correspondingly. That is, reference welding points (L42, L43, L44) are generated on the welding point generation bar (110), and correspondingly, virtual welding lines (VL42, VL43, VL44) are also generated on the management target (RE41). Conversely, if you want to split in the right direction, you can touch the arrow (not shown) located to the right of the flag welding point (L41).

[0033] FIGS. 7A and 7B are drawings for explaining a length adjustment button (111) for adjusting the length of the welding point creation bar (110). As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a length adjustment button for adjusting the length of the welding point creation bar (110) may be further displayed on the screen of the mobile device. The length adjustment button (111) is illustrated as being located at the far right of the welding point creation bar (110) in the drawing, but may also be located on the opposite side. When the length of the welding point creation bar (110) is increased as shown in FIG. 7A, if the user drags the length adjustment button (111) to the left, the length of the welding point creation bar (110) is reduced as shown in FIG. 7B. Conversely, when the user drags the length adjustment button (111) to the right while the length of the welding point creation bar (110) is reduced as shown in FIG. 7b, the length of the welding point creation bar (110) increases as shown in FIG. 7a.

[0034] In the above, a method for managing pipe welding points using a mobile device according to embodiments of the present invention has been described. By utilizing the augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method according to the present invention, it is expected that welding point management of various pipes can be performed more efficiently in the construction of facilities for high-tech industries.

[0035] It should be noted that the scope of the present invention is defined not by the above description but by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality using a mobile device equipped with a camera for photographing a management target and an application for managing welding points is installed. (a) a step of executing the above welding point management application to match the actual reality of the pipe construction site captured by the camera with the virtual reality regarding the pipe construction site so that an augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site is displayed through the mobile device - in addition to the augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site, a welding point creation bar is further displayed on the screen of the mobile device, and the welding point creation bar is scaled down to correspond to a management object implemented as the augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site -; (b) a step of activating the management object by displaying it as a virtual line when there is a first touch input by the user of the mobile device to select a management object in order to manage a welding point in augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site; (c) a step of creating a reference welding point at a second touch input point when there is a second touch input on the welding point creation bar by the user of the mobile device to apply a welding point to a management object by the user of the mobile device; and (d) A method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality, characterized in that it comprises a step of creating and displaying a virtual welding line at a point on a management object implemented as augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site corresponding to a reference welding point created at the second touch input point.

2. In claim 1, the management object is: An augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method characterized in that the pipe is one of gas pipe, fire pipe, chemical pipe, and electrical pipe.

3. In claim 1, An augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method, characterized in that a length adjustment button for adjusting the length of the welding point creation bar is further displayed on the screen of the mobile device.

4. In claim 1, A method for managing pipe welding points based on augmented reality, characterized in that when there are multiple reference welding points generated in the step (c), the step (d) includes a step of generating and displaying virtual welding lines on points on a management object implemented as augmented reality regarding the pipe construction site, corresponding to each of the multiple reference welding points.

5. In claim 4, An augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method, characterized in that the plurality of reference welding points are generated in response to each of a plurality of secondary touch inputs made by a user of the mobile device to the welding point generation bar.

6. In claim 4, An augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method, characterized in that the plurality of reference welding points are formed at equal intervals according to interval information input by a user of the mobile device.

7. In claim 4, An augmented reality-based pipe welding point management method, characterized in that the plurality of reference welding points are formed at equal intervals according to the number information input by the user of the mobile device.

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