US 2006/0133663 A1 · System and method for programming interrupting operations during moving image acquisition sequences in a vision system

Abstract

Methods and systems of part programming for machine vision inspection systems are provided, which permit a user to readily define multiple image acquisition operations interspersed with associated image analysis and/or inspection operations during learn mode operations and in the resulting part program image acquisition operations for at least some of the images are arranged into a continuous motion image acquisition sequence that acquires images and stores images in a “non-interspersed” manner in order to increase the throughput of the machine vision inspection system. Image analysis/inspection operations associated with the stored images are performed subsequently by recalling the store images. The programming systems and methods disclosed herein may operate automatically to facilitate rapid programming for a variety of workpieces by relatively unskilled users, wherein the resulting programs include continuous motion image acquisition sequences.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for programming a precision machine vision inspection system for inspecting a workpiece, the precision machine vision inspection system comprising an image acquisition system comprising at least a camera;

a workpiece stage;
and a control system portion, wherein at least one of the workpiece stage and the camera is movable to provide relative motion with respect to each other, the method comprising;
a user operating the precision machine vision inspection system to perform a plurality of image acquisition operations interspersed with a plurality of image analysis operations during a learn mode of operation;
determining whether respective operations performed during the learn mode of operation are one of a) compatible operations that are compatible with a moving image acquisition sequence of operations and b) incompatible operations that are incompatible with a moving image acquisition sequence of operations;
and
if respective operations are determined to be compatible operations, providing corresponding respective part programming instructions that are automatically arranged to provide a moving image acquisition sequence for a plurality of images.

3 more elements

A method for operating a precision machine vision inspection system for inspecting a workpiece, the precision machine vision inspection system comprising an image acquisition system comprising at least a camera;

a workpiece stage;
and a control system portion, wherein at least one of the workpiece stage and the camera is movable to provide relative motion with respect to each other, the method comprising;
(a) employing a moving image acquisition mode of part programming during learn mode operations, the moving image acquisition mode of part programming providing at least one sequence of part program instructions arranged to sequentially acquire a set of workpiece images during an uninterrupted continuous motion sequence,
(b) for each image acquisition and analysis/inspection operation input during learn mode operation,
(i) determining if the operation is one of compatible and incompatible with a moving image acquisition sequence of operations;
(ii) if the operation is determined to be compatible with a moving image acquisition sequence of operations, including the corresponding image acquisition operations in a moving image acquisition sequence of instructions for acquiring and storing a set of workpiece images during continuous motion, and further determining an image analysis/inspection sequence of instructions comprising a set of respective machine control instructions for analyzing/inspecting the respective images included in the set images acquired and stored during continuous motion, wherein the respective machine control instructions for analyzing/inspecting each respective image included in the set images acquired and stored during continuous motion are executable by recalling and analyzing the respective image subsequent to the acquiring and storing the respective image such that initially acquiring and storing the set of workpiece images during continuous motion can be performed without interrupting the continuous motion;
and
(iii) if the operation is determined to be incompatible with a moving image acquisition sequence of operations, providing corresponding respective sequence of part programming instructions for performing the incompatible operation wherein the corresponding respective sequence is arranged to terminate a previously established moving image acquisition sequence of instructions, and
(c) storing all of the determined sequences of instructions as part of a workpiece part program for the workpiece,
wherein the performance of steps (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) based on the determination of step (b)(i) is carried out automatically without a user input.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for programming interrupting operations during moving image acquisition sequences in a vision system

Life of this patent

System and method for programming interrupting operations during moving image acquisition sequences in a vision system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11