# US 11,440,119 B2 · System and method for weld path generation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,119 B2 - Document ID: US11440119B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/159,197 - Filed: 2018-10-12 - Published: 2020-04-16 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-12 - Assignees: Teradyne, Inc. - Applicants: Teradyne, Inc. - Inventors: Chu-Yin Chang; Brett L. Limone; Ralph F. Polimeni, Jr.; James D. English - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440119B2 ## CPC - B23K 9/0956: {using sensing means, e.g. optical} - B23K 9/1274: {Using non-contact, optical means, e.g. laser means} - B23K 9/0953: {using computing means} - B23K 9/12: Automatic feeding or moving of electrodes or work for spot or seam welding or cutting - B23K 9/32: Accessories - B25J 9/1664: {characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning} - B25J 9/1684: {Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - G05B 2219/36417: Programmed coarse position, fine position by alignment, follow line, path adaptive - G05B 2219/40519: Motion, trajectory planning - G05B 2219/45104: Lasrobot, welding robot - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a robotic system and method. The system may include a robot and a three dimensional sensor device associated with the robot configured to scan a welding area and generate a scanned welding area. The system may include a processor configured to receive the scanned welding area and to generate a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area. The processor may be further configured to perform processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain. The processor may be further configured to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths and to simulate the one or more three dimensional welding paths. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a robot; one or more three dimensional sensor devices associated with the robot configured to scan a welding area and generate a scanned welding area; and one or more processors configured to receive the scanned welding area and to generate a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area, the one or more processors further configured to perform processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain, wherein performing processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes converting the three dimensional point cloud to a height field and subsequently applying a local minimum filter, the one or more processors further configured to perform image thinning and branch removal prior to converting the height field back to a three dimensional space, the one or more processors further configured to utilize the converted height field to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths and to simulate the one or more three dimensional welding paths, wherein the one or more processors are communicatively coupled to a graphical user interface configured to allow a user to select a filter size, select a point cloud for processing, visualize a weld path result or save the one or more three-dimensional welding paths. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein processing the three-dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes at least one of binary image thinning of a welding path or smoothing a welding path based upon, at least in part, a moving average filter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein processing the three-dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes analysis of one or more environmental or robot constraints. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein simulating the one or more three dimensional welding paths includes verifying feasibility of the one or more three dimensional welding paths. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein if the one or more three dimensional welding paths are not verified, the one or more processors further configured to re-simulate after altering a position of a welding table. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein binary image thinning includes removing one or more branch nodes, wherein a branch node corresponds to a pixel having more than two neighbors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to use one or more extra degrees of freedom to maintain a welding formation with respect to gravity as a welding process is being performed. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: providing a robot; scanning a welding area using one or more three dimensional sensor devices associated with the robot to generate a scanned welding area; receiving the scanned welding area at one or more processors; generating a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area; processing the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths, wherein performing processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes converting the three dimensional point cloud to a height field and subsequently applying a local minimum filter; performing image thinning and branch removal prior to converting the height field back to a three dimensional space; generating one or more three dimensional welding paths based upon, the converted height field, wherein the one or more processors are communicatively coupled to a graphical user interface configured to allow a user to select a filter size, select a point cloud for processing, visualize a weld path result or save the one or more three-dimensional welding paths; and simulating the one or more three dimensional welding paths. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein processing the three-dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes at least one of binary image thinning of a welding path or smoothing a welding path based upon, at least in part, a moving average filter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein processing the three-dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain includes analysis of one or more environmental or robot constraints. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein simulating the one or more three dimensional welding paths includes verifying feasibility of the one or more three dimensional welding paths. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein if the one or more three dimensional welding paths are not verified, the one or more processors further configured to re-simulate after altering a position of a welding table. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein binary image thinning includes removing one or more branch nodes, wherein a branch node corresponds to a pixel having more than two neighbors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: using one or more processors to maintain a welding formation with respect to gravity as a welding process is being performed wherein maintaining the welding formation is based upon, at least in part, one or more extra degrees of freedom associated with the robot.