Graphical user interface for scheduling and monitoring an automated inspection process for batch production
AssigneeHexagon Metrology, Inc.
InventorsJonathan J. O'Hare, Jonathan Dove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments enable batch inspection of a plurality of workpieces by and inspection instrument such as a coordinate measuring machine. Some embodiments present user interfaces, including graphical user interfaces, to enable an operator to configure a batch inspection system and a batch inspection job, and to monitor and control execution of a batch inspection job.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method of operating a batch inspection system through a software implementing reusable data objects representing different workpieces and elements comprising a batch inspection system, the batch inspection system comprising a coordinate measuring machine having a measuring space, a workpiece container, a robot disposed to deliver each of plurality of workpieces to the measuring space from the workpiece container, and a control computer having a display device and operably coupled to the coordinate measuring machine and the robot, the method comprising:
- displaying, on the display device, a graphical user interface configured to allow an operator to control execution of a batch inspection job by the batch inspection system, the graphical user interface comprising:
- a graphical container graphically representing a corresponding physical container, the physical container having a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece in the plurality of workpieces having a corresponding unique position in the container, and
- a plurality of graphical icons, each graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons corresponding to a unique workpiece from among a plurality of workpieces in a batch job, and displayed in the graphical container in a graphical position corresponding to the position on the physical container of the workpiece,
- each such graphical icon having indicia conveying a status of inspection of the corresponding workpiece.
A batch inspection system for inspecting a plurality of workpieces in batch of workpieces from a physical container, the batch inspection system comprising:
- a coordinate measuring machine having a measuring space;
- a robot disposed to deliver each of plurality of workpieces to the measuring space;
- and
- a control computer having a display device and operably coupled to the coordinate measuring machine and the robot, the control computer configured to display on the display device a graphical user interface comprising:
- a graphical container graphically representing the corresponding physical container, and
- a plurality of graphical icons, each graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons representing a unique corresponding workpiece from among a plurality of workpieces in a batch job, and displayed on the graphical container in a position corresponding to a corresponding position on the physical container of the workpiece corresponding to said icon, each such graphical icon having a set of indicia conveying a status of inspection of the corresponding workpiece;
- the graphical user interface further configured to receive control input from the operator;
- and
- the control computer further configured to coordinate the operations of the robot and the coordinate measuring machine to inspect each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces according to the control input.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
- display on a display screen a graphical user interface configured to allow an operator to control execution of a batch inspection job by a batch inspection system, the graphical user interface comprising:
- a graphical container graphically representing a corresponding physical container, and
- a plurality of graphical icons, each graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons representing a unique corresponding workpiece from among a plurality of workpieces in a batch job, and displayed on the graphical container in a position corresponding to a corresponding position on the physical container of the workpiece corresponding to said icon,
- each such graphical icon having a set of indicia conveying a status of inspection of the corresponding workpiece;
- receive via the graphical user interface control input from the operator;
- and
- coordinate the operations of a coordinate measuring machine and a robot to inspect each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces according to the control input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.