Smart camera with modular expansion capability

• US 20030193571A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Kevin L., Steger, Perry, Breyer, Stefanie
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/662 by using master/slave camera arrangements for affecting the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image

Abstract

A smart camera with modular expansion capabilities, including a housing, a camera directly attached to the housing for acquiring an image of an object, a functional unit comprised in the housing and coupled to the camera, where the functional unit is configurable to implement an image processing function, a backplane comprised in the housing and coupled to the functional unit to provide electrical communication, and one or more slots comprised in the housing, where each slot includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, and where each slot is adapted for receiving a function module. An inserted function module provides modular functionality to the smart camera, such as dedicated image processing functionality, pattern recognition, analysis, communication, sensor, sensor I/O, signal conditioning and/or conversion, control, measurement, and synchronization, among others. The function module may communicate a protocol to the functional unit which may be configured to implement the protocol.

Claims

1. A smart camera, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of sides;

a camera directly attached to the housing for acquiring an image of an object; and

a functional unit comprised in the housing and coupled to the camera, wherein the functional unit is configurable to implement an image processing function;

a backplane comprised in the housing operable to provide electrical communication, wherein the backplane is coupled to the functional unit; and

one or more slots comprised in the housing, wherein each of the one or more slots includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, and wherein each of the one or more slots is adapted for receiving a function module;

wherein the housing has dimensions less than 1 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot.

2. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more slots comprise a plurality of slots.

3. The smart camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a function module comprised in one of the one or more slots, wherein the function module provides modular functionality to the smart camera.

4. The smart camera of claim 3, wherein the function module provides dedicated image processing functionality to the smart camera.

5. The smart camera of claim 4, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises pattern recognition.

6. The smart camera of claim 4, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises Fourier analysis.

7. The smart camera of claim 4, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises motion detection.

8. The smart camera of claim 3, wherein the function module provides communication functionality to the smart camera.

9. The smart camera of claim 8, wherein the communication functionality comprises network connectivity.

10. The smart camera of claim 8, wherein the communication functionality comprises wireless network connectivity.

11. The smart camera of claim 8, wherein the communication functionality comprises Ethernet connectivity.

12. The smart camera of claim 3, wherein the function module is programmable over a network.

13. The smart camera of claim 3, wherein the function module has a form factor in accordance with one of ISA, EISA, PCI, SPCI, PCI-X, CompactPCI, PXI, VXI, VME, PC/104, PC/104 Plus, SCXI, PCMCIA, PC Card, PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card), MicroDAQ, Smart Card, CompactFlash, 3GIO and USB.

14. The smart camera of claim 3, wherein the functional unit is programmable by the function module to perform an image processing function.

15. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the functional unit comprises a programmable hardware element, wherein the programmable hardware element in the smart camera is configurable to perform an image processing function on an acquired image.

16. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the functional unit comprises a processor and memory.

17. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the functional unit is programmable over a network.

18. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the housing is a ruggedized housing.

19. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the housing has dimensions less than 1 foot by 8 inches by 8 inches.

20. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus comprises one or more of ISA, EISA, PCI, SPCI, PCI-X, CompactPCI, PXI, VXI, VMEbus, PC/104, PC/104 Plus, SCXI, PCMCIA, CardBus, PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card), MicroDAQ, Smart Card, CompactFlash, 3GIO, and USB.

21. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus provides for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more function modules.

22. The smart camera of claim 21, wherein said providing for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more function modules comprises providing for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more devices coupled to said one or more function modules.

23. The smart camera of claim 22, wherein said one or more devices comprise one or more of:

one or more of smart cameras;

one or more of motion control devices; and

one or more of smart sensors.

24. The smart camera of claim 1, wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus provides for timing and triggering between two or more function modules.

25. The smart camera of claim 24, wherein said providing for timing and triggering between two or more function modules comprises providing for timing and triggering between two or more devices coupled to said two or more function modules.

26. The smart camera of claim 25, wherein each of said two or more devices comprises one or more of:

a smart camera;

a motion control device; and

a smart sensor.

27. A smart camera, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of sides;

a camera directly attached to the housing for acquiring an image of an object; and

a functional unit comprised in the housing that is configurable to implement an image processing function;

a backplane comprised in the housing providing electrical communication, wherein the backplane is coupled to the functional unit; and

a chassis fixedly attached to the housing, wherein the chassis comprises one or more slots, wherein each of the one or more slots includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein each of the one or more slots is adapted for receiving a function module;

wherein the housing has dimensions less than 6″

by 6″

by 6″

.

28. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the one or more slots comprise a plurality of slots.

29. The smart camera of claim 27, further comprising:

a function module comprised in one of the one or more slots, wherein the function module provides modular functionality to the smart camera.

30. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module provides dedicated image processing functionality to the smart camera.

31. The smart camera of claim 30, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises pattern recognition.

32. The smart camera of claim 30, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises Fourier analysis.

33. The smart camera of claim 30, wherein the dedicated image processing functionality comprises motion detection.

34. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module provides communication functionality to the smart camera.

35. The smart camera of claim 34, wherein the communication functionality comprises network connectivity.

36. The smart camera of claim 35, wherein the communication functionality comprises wireless network connectivity.

37. The smart camera of claim 35,

wherein the function module comprises connectivity to one or more other smart cameras;

and

wherein said function module provides for synchronization between the smart camera and the one or more other smart cameras.

38. The network modules of claim 35, wherein the network connectivity comprises Ethernet and Internet network connectivity.

39. The network modules of claim 35, wherein the network connectivity comprises USB connectivity.

40. The network modules of claim 35, wherein the network connectivity comprises Firewire (IEEE 1134) connectivity.

41. The smart camera of claim 29,

wherein the function module is programmable over a network.

42. The smart camera of claim 29,

wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus comprises one or more of ISA, EISA, PCI, SPCI, PCI-X, CompactPCI, PXI, VXI, VMEbus, PC/104, PC/104 Plus, SCXI, PCMCIA, CardBus, PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card), MicroDAQ, Smart Card, CompactFlash, 3GIO, and USB;

and

wherein the function module has a form factor in accordance with a corresponding one of ISA, EISA, PCI, SPCI, PCI-X, CompactPCI, PXI, VXI, VME, PC/104, PC/104 Plus, SCXI, PCMCIA, PC Card, PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card), MicroDAQ, Smart Card, CompactFlash, 3GIO and USB.

43. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the functional unit is programmable by the function module to perform an image processing function.

44. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein function module is operable to provide measurement functionality to the smart camera.

45. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein function module is operable to provide control functionality to the smart camera.

46. The smart camera of claim 45, wherein the function module comprises an industrial programmable logic controller comprising one or more of a real time controller and an embedded controller.

47. The smart camera of claim 45, wherein the function module comprises a motion control module for controlling servo or stepper motors.

48. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a web server, and wherein the smart camera is operable to publish data to a website.

49. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) module for precise positioning with a satellite system.

50. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises one or more of an Ethernet carrier, a USB carrier, a FireWire carrier, and a wireless carrier.

51. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises one or more digital signal processing (DSP) processors for on-board hardware signal analysis.

52. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a data acquisition (DAQ) module for direct signal analysis and conditioning.

53. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a GPIB module for connectivity to GPIB instruments.

54. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises an auxiliary power source for the smart camera.

55. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a display for the smart camera.

56. The smart camera of claim 55, wherein the display comprises an LCD display.

57. The smart camera of claim 55, wherein the function module provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the smart camera.

58. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module comprises a printer for the smart camera.

59. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module has a small form factor.

60. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module has dimensions of approximately 1 inch by 2 inches by 3 inches or less.

61. The smart camera of claim 29, wherein the function module has dimensions of approximately 0.2 inches by 1 inch by 1 inch or more.

62. The function module of claim 29,

wherein the function module is operable to couple to a sensor;

and

wherein the sensor is operable to send sensor signals to the function module for one or more of signal conditioning and signal conversion.

63. The function module of claim 62, wherein signal conditioning comprises performing one or more of protection, isolation, filtering, amplification, and excitation.

64. The function module of claim 62, wherein signal conversion comprises one or more of analog to digital (A/D) conversion and digital to analog (D/A) conversion.

65. The function module of claim 29,

wherein the function module comprises a sensor;

and

wherein the function module is operable to perform one or more of signal conditioning and signal conversion on sensor signals received from the sensor.

66. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the functional unit comprises a programmable hardware element, wherein the programmable hardware element in the smart camera is configurable to perform an image processing function on an acquired image.

67. The smart camera of claim 27,

wherein the functional unit comprises a programmable hardware element;

wherein the programmable hardware element is operable to receive protocol information from an inserted function module describing an interface protocol for communication with the function module; and

wherein the programmable hardware element is configurable to implement the interface protocol.

68. The smart camera of claim 67, wherein the programmable hardware element comprises a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

69. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the functional unit comprises a processor and memory.

70. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the functional unit is programmable over a network.

71. The smart camera of claim 27,

wherein the housing is a ruggedized housing.

72. The smart camera of claim 27,

wherein the camera is comprised in the housing.

73. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the housing comprises a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

74. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the camera is an analog camera, and wherein the functional unit is operable to provide signal conditioning on signals from the analog camera.

75. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the camera is an analog camera, and wherein the functional unit is operable to provide signal conversion on signals from the analog camera.

76. The smart camera of claim 27,

wherein the plurality of sides comprise top, bottom, left, right, front and back sides.

77. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus provides for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more function modules.

78. The smart camera of claim 77, wherein said providing for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more function modules comprises providing for timing and triggering between said smart camera and one or more devices coupled to said one or more function modules.

79. The smart camera of claim 78, wherein said one or more devices comprise one or more of:

one or more of smart cameras;

one or more of motion control devices; and

one or more of smart sensors.

80. The smart camera of claim 27, wherein the backplane comprises a bus for communication with function modules, wherein said bus provides for timing and triggering between two or more function modules.

81. The smart camera of claim 80, wherein said providing for timing and triggering between two or more function modules comprises providing for timing and triggering between two or more devices coupled to said two or more function modules.

82. The smart camera of claim 81, wherein each of said two or more devices comprises one or more of:

a smart camera;

a motion control device; and

a smart sensor.

83. A smart camera device, comprising:

a camera for acquiring an image of an object, wherein the camera includes a camera housing, and wherein the camera housing comprises camera components;

a housing having a plurality of sides, wherein the camera is directly attached to the housing;

a functional unit comprised in the housing that is configurable to implement an image processing function;

a backplane comprised in the housing providing electrical communication, wherein the backplane is coupled to the functional unit; and

one or more slots comprised in the housing, wherein each of the one or more slots includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein each of the one or more slots is adapted for receiving a function module.