US 5,742,504 AGranted

Method and system for quickly developing application software for use in a machine vision system

AssigneeMedar, Inc.

InventorsFrank Meyer, Frederico P. de Magalhaes, Benjamin J. Chappel, Christopher J. Cooper

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method and system are provided for quickly developing application software for use in a machine vision system using a computer system. Hardware operating parameters are stored which correspond to possible hardware for use in the machine vision system. The hardware operating parameters define a set of custom controls having properties. Commands and a set of instructions are received from a user of the computer system to select a first custom control program corresponding to a desired component, desired hardware operating parameters corresponding to desired hardware and a second custom control program corresponding to a desired machine vision algorithm. The first custom control program is linked with the desired hardware operating parameters to the second custom control program to form the application software. The step of linking includes the step of setting the property of one custom control to be equal to one property of another custom control to form the application software in response to the commands and a set of user supplied instructions.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method for quickly developing application software for use in a machine vision system using an open computer system operating in an open programming environment, the method comprising the steps of:

storing an application development program, including a first set of custom control programs representing possible components of a user interface for the machine vision system, the first set of custom control programs defining a first set of custom controls obeying an open standard which defines properties for programming the first set of custom controls;
storing a second set of custom control programs representing possible machine vision algorithms for the machine vision system, the second set of custom control programs defining a second set of custom controls obeying the open standard which defines properties for programming the second set of custom controls;
storing hardware operating parameters corresponding to possible hardware for use in the machine vision system, the hardware operating parameters defining a third set of custom controls obeying the open standard which defines properties for programming the third set of custom controls;
displaying graphical representations of the possible components, the possible hardware and the possible machine vision algorithms;
receiving commands from a user of the open computer system to select a first custom control program corresponding to a desired component of the user interface, desired hardware operating parameters corresponding to desired hardware and a second custom control program corresponding to a desired machine vision algorithm;
and
linking the first custom control program with the desired hardware operating parameters to the second custom control program to form the application software in response to the commands wherein the step of linking includes the step of setting the properties of the custom controls of the selected programs and hardware operating parameters.

4 more elements

An open computer system operating in an open programming environment for quickly developing application software for use in a machine vision system, the system comprising:

means for storing an application development program, including a first set of custom control programs representing possible components of a user interface for the machine vision system, the first set of custom control programs defining a first set of custom controls obeying an open standard which defines properties for programming the first set of custom controls;
means for storing a second set of custom control programs representing possible machine vision algorithms for the machine vision system, the second set of custom control programs defining a second set of custom controls obeying the open standard which defines properties for programming the second set of custom controls;
means for storing hardware operating parameters corresponding to possible hardware for use in the machine vision system, the hardware operating parameters defining a third set of custom controls obeying the open standard which defines properties for programming the third set of custom controls;
means for displaying graphical representations of the possible components, the possible hardware and the possible machine vision algorithms;
means for receiving commands from a user of the open computer system to select a first custom control program corresponding to a desired component of the user interface, desired hardware operating parameters corresponding to desired hardware and a second custom control program corresponding to a desired machine vision algorithm;
and
means for linking the first custom control program with the desired hardware operating parameters to the second custom control program to form the application software in response to the commands wherein the means for linking includes means for setting the properties of custom controls of the selected programs and hardware operating parameters.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.