Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Dale Weber

Jeffrey Dale Weber has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11192199
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sets of reflective visual markers, a light source configured to emit light, and a controller communicatively coupled to the light source. Each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system. Each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras. The controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Patent number: 11127133
    Abstract: A welding system includes one or more cameras and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The one or more cameras are configured to detect a plurality of sets of visual markers of a welding device, where each each set is oriented in a respective marker direction. The controller is configured to determine one or more marker directions of one or more respective sets of visual markers based on a detected set of visual markers, to select one of the sets of visual markers as a tracked set of visual markers based at least in part on a determined marker direction of the tracked set of visual markers, to associate a rigid body model to the tracked set of visual markers, and to determine a position and an orientation of the welding device based on the associated rigid body model of the tracked set of visual markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20200034963
    Abstract: A welding system includes one or more cameras and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The one or more cameras are configured to detect a plurality of sets of visual markers of a welding device, where each each set is oriented in a respective marker direction. The controller is configured to determine one or more marker directions of one or more respective sets of visual markers based on a detected set of visual markers, to select one of the sets of visual markers as a tracked set of visual markers based at least in part on a determined marker direction of the tracked set of visual markers, to associate a rigid body model to the tracked set of visual markers, and to determine a position and an orientation of the welding device based on the associated rigid body model of the tracked set of visual markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Patent number: 10402959
    Abstract: A welding system includes one or more cameras and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The one or more cameras are configured to detect a plurality of sets of visual markers of a welding device, where each set is oriented in a respective marker direction. The controller is configured to determine one or more marker directions of one or more respective sets of visual markers based on a detected set of visual markers, to select one of the sets of visual markers as a tracked set of visual markers based at least in part on a determined marker direction of the tracked set of visual markers, to associate a rigid body model to the tracked set of visual markers, and to determine a position and an orientation of the welding device based on the associated rigid body model of the tracked set of visual markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Patent number: 10373304
    Abstract: A system includes a welding device, one or more cameras, and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The welding device includes a first set of visual markers oriented in a first direction and a second set of visual markers oriented in a second direction. Each set of visual markers includes at least three visual markers. The one or more cameras are configured to observe the first set of visual markers when the first direction is directed toward the one or more cameras, and to observe the second set of visual markers when the second direction is directed toward the one or more cameras. The controller is configured to track a position and an orientation of the welding device based at least in part on detection of a threshold quantity of the first set of visual markers or the threshold quantity of the second set of visual markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20190172195
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sets of reflective visual markers, a light source configured to emit light, and a controller communicatively coupled to the light source. Each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system. Each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras. The controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Patent number: 10210773
    Abstract: A method including determining an orientation of a display of a welding torch relative to a joint of a workpiece, displaying, on the display of the welding torch during a welding operation, a graphical representation of a welding parameter in relation to a predetermined threshold range for the welding parameter as a position of the welding torch changes, the orientation of the welding torch changes, a movement of the welding torch changes, or some combination thereof, and rotating the graphical representation of the welding parameter based at least in part on the determined orientation of the display of the welding torch relative to the joint. The graphical representation of the welding parameter is associated with the position of the welding torch relative to the joint, the orientation of the welding torch relative to the joint, the movement of the welding torch relative to the joint, or some combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber, Jeremy John Erdmann
  • Patent number: 10204406
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sets of reflective visual markers, a light source configured to emit light, and a controller communicatively coupled to the light source. Each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system. Each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras. The controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20160125593
    Abstract: A welding system includes one or more cameras and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The one or more cameras are configured to detect a plurality of sets of visual markers of a welding device, where each each set is oriented in a respective marker direction. The controller is configured to determine one or more marker directions of one or more respective sets of visual markers based on a detected set of visual markers, to select one of the sets of visual markers as a tracked set of visual markers based at least in part on a determined marker direction of the tracked set of visual markers, to associate a rigid body model to the tracked set of visual markers, and to determine a position and an orientation of the welding device based on the associated rigid body model of the tracked set of visual markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20160125594
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sets of reflective visual markers, a light source configured to emit light, and a controller communicatively coupled to the light source. Each set of reflective visual markers is coupled to a component of a welding system. Each reflective visual marker is configured to reflect the emitted light received from the light source towards one or more cameras. The controller is configured to control illumination settings of the light source based at least in part on a status of the welding system being utilized to perform a live-arc welding operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20160125762
    Abstract: A system including a base component configured to be detected by one or more cameras of a welding system. The base component includes a thermally insulating layer coupled to the base component, a first set of three or more visual markers coupled to the thermally insulating layer on a first face of the base component, and a cover layer disposed on the thermally insulating layer on at least the first face of the base component. An exterior surface of the cover layer is less reflective of visible light or infrared light than the first set of three or more visual markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber, David Paul Marcusen
  • Publication number: 20160125592
    Abstract: A system includes a welding device, one or more cameras, and a controller coupled to the one or more cameras. The welding device includes a first set of visual markers oriented in a first direction and a second set of visual markers oriented in a second direction. Each set of visual markers includes at least three visual markers. The one or more cameras are configured to observe the first set of visual markers when the first direction is directed toward the one or more cameras, and to observe the second set of visual markers when the second direction is directed toward the one or more cameras. The controller is configured to track a position and an orientation of the welding device based at least in part on detection of a threshold quantity of the first set of visual markers or the threshold quantity of the second set of visual markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber
  • Publication number: 20160125761
    Abstract: A method including determining an orientation of a display of a welding torch relative to a joint of a workpiece, displaying, on the display of the welding torch during a welding operation, a graphical representation of a welding parameter in relation to a predetermined threshold range for the welding parameter as a position of the welding torch changes, the orientation of the welding torch changes, a movement of the welding torch changes, or some combination thereof, and rotating the graphical representation of the welding parameter based at least in part on the determined orientation of the display of the welding torch relative to the joint. The graphical representation of the welding parameter is associated with the position of the welding torch relative to the joint, the orientation of the welding torch relative to the joint, the movement of the welding torch relative to the joint, or some combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Jeffrey Dale Weber, Jeremy John Erdmann