Welding Helmet HDR Imaging via Dual-Path Optical Splitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual welding operations face challenges in maintaining clear visibility of the arc, weld, and workpiece due to intense brightness variations, leading to reduced detail visibility and potential eye safety risks with conventional welding headwear.
Innovation Solution
The use of dual-camera systems with beam splitters and image sensors capturing images with different dynamic ranges, combined to produce high dynamic range (HDR) images, which enhance visibility in both bright and less bright areas, reducing eye safety risks and improving detail clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed, dark shade lens is used to reduce arc intensity, then eye safety is improved, but visibility of weld and workpiece details deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical path is segmented into multiple channels with different filter densities. The system divides the incoming light into separate optical paths, each processed by filters with different densities, allowing simultaneous capture of both bright arc and darker workpiece areas with appropriate filtering for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the optical system apply different filter densities to different parts of the image. Bright areas (arc) receive stronger filtering through darker filters, while darker areas (workpiece) receive lighter filtering, ensuring each region is optimized for its specific brightness level.
2Loss of information
If a fixed, less dark shade lens is used to improve visibility of less bright areas, then detail clarity is improved, but eye safety deteriorates due to increased arc intensity exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The optical path is segmented into multiple channels with different filter densities. The system divides the incoming light into separate optical paths, each processed by filters with different densities, allowing simultaneous capture of both bright arc and darker workpiece areas with appropriate filtering for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the optical system apply different filter densities to different parts of the image. Bright areas (arc) receive stronger filtering through darker filters, while darker areas (workpiece) receive lighter filtering, ensuring each region is optimized for its specific brightness level.
3Device complexity
If a single exposure time is used for image capture, then device complexity is reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to inability to capture both bright arc and darker areas with adequate detail
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts exposure parameters by using multiple image sensors with different exposure times. At least one sensor captures images with a first exposure time optimized for bright areas, while another sensor captures images with a second exposure time optimized for darker areas, allowing the system to adapt to varying brightness conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the dimension of multiple exposure times to the image capture process. By capturing images at different exposure levels and combining them, the system extends its dynamic range coverage beyond what a single exposure time could achieve, capturing both bright arc and darker workpiece areas with adequate detail.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The HDR images provide improved visibility of both bright and less bright areas, reducing eye safety risks and enhancing detail clarity, allowing operators to safely and effectively perform welding tasks.
Implementation Method 1
an optical prism for splitting the electromagnetic waves into two separate optical paths
Implementation Method 2
covered by low optical filters with different densities
Implementation Method 3
low optical filters with different densities
Implementation Method 4
images from both optical paths are then combined into a single high dynamic range (HDR) image
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A
AI summary
Dynamic range enhancement methods and systems for display for use welding applications are described. A display system in a dynamic range enhancement system can include, for example, a splitter, a high density filter, a low density filter, a first image sensor, a second image sensor, a graphical circuit, and a display. The high density filter and the first image sensor can be disposed in a first path. The low density filter and the second image sensor can be disposed in a second path. The first image sensor can receive filtered electromagnetic waves from the high density filter. The second image sensor can receive filtered electromagnetic waves from the low density filter. The graphic circuit can combine the signals from the first image sensor and the second image sensor to provide a high dynamic range image or video that is displayed on the display of a welding helmet, for example.