Systems and methods for providing illumination in machine vision systems
AssigneeColor Kinetics Incorporated
InventorsKevin J. Dowling, George G. Mueller, Ihor A. Lys
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Abstract
One embodiment is a lighting system associated with a machine vision system. The machine vision system may direct lighting control commands to the lighting system to change the illumination conditions provided to an object. A vision system may also be provided and associated with the machine vision system such that the vision system views and captures an image(s) of the object when lit by the lighting system. The machine vision system may direct the lighting system to change the illumination conditions and then capture the image.
Claims31
A machine vision system, comprising:
- a first processor;
- and
- a lighting system configured to produce and modulate light;
- wherein the first processor communicates lighting command signals to the lighting system,
- wherein the lighting system further comprises an LED lighting system, and
- wherein the LED lighting system further comprises:
- a second processor that controls the light output from the LED lighting system in accordance with the lighting command signals received from the first processor.
A machine vision system, comprising:
- a first processor;
- and
- a lighting system configured to produce and modulate light;
- wherein the first processor is configured to communicate lighting command signals to the lighting system, and
- wherein the lighting system further comprises an addressable processor, and wherein the lighting command signals are directed to the addressable processor.
A method of lighting an object or surface in a machine vision system, comprising acts of:
- providing a machine vision system;
- providing a lighting system capable of producing and modulating light;
- and
- communicating lighting command signals from the machine vision system to the lighting system,
- wherein the lighting system comprises an LED lighting system,
- wherein the LED lighting system further comprises at least one first LED and at least one second LED, wherein the at least one first LED produces a different color than the at least one second LED, and
- wherein the lighting system further comprises a processor that independently controls the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED.
A method of lighting an object or surface in a machine vision system, comprising acts of:
- providing the machine vision system that includes an optical system for viewing the object;
- providing the object;
- arranging the optical system to view the object;
- arranging a lighting system to irradiate the object, wherein the lighting system is configured to produce and modulate light;
- communicating first lighting control commands from the machine vision system to the lighting system;
- and
- executing a machine vision function and then having the machine vision system communicate second lighting control commands to the lighting system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.