Method of and apparatus for controlling robotic equipment with the aid of mask algorithm image processing techniques

• US 4,443,855 A
• Filed: 05/06/1981
• Issued: 04/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: B.E.L-Tronics, Inc. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: B.E.L-Tronics, Inc. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bishop, Robert, Damon, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruggiero, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US06/260,892
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 364/513, 364/191-193, 364/514, 364/515, 364/516, 358/101, 358/107, 358/160, 358/166, 358/180, 358/284, 358/903, 382/8, 382/47, 382/54, 382/56
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0014 Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera robots B25J19/023

Abstract

A robotic control system and technique is disclosed involving image sensing of an object to be subjected to robotic action, to obtain analog image signals that are converted into binary image signal matrices which, through the use of a mask algorithm image processor (MAIP), are analyzed, and selected signals thereof corresponding to predetermined portions of the object defining points of interest at which robotic action is to be effected are fed to a computer to control movement of a robotic arm, tool or the like to effect some physical action at said predetermined points of interest of the object, in real time.

Claims

1. Robotic apparatus having, in combination, a robotic mechanism to operate on points of interest in a field;

computer means for controlling the robotic mechanism;

an image sensor operable to scan the field and provide an analog image of objects within the field;

means to convert the analog image to a binary image in the form of binary words each comprising several pixels, said pixels forming multiple adjacent rows; and

a mask algorithm image processor that comprises high-speed picture memory means connected to receive the binary words and operable to store the same in a manner that maintains the spatial relationship thereof, and analyzing means for analyzing contiguous overlapping groups of binary bits in successive iterations of the stored binary image, each group comprising at least nine pixels in a three-by-three matrix, thereby to determine the new binary value to be assigned to the center pixel of the group, which new binary value is applied to said center pixel to update the same, said analyzing means including a programmable memory operable to store in real time the present binary value to the center pixel until it is no longer needed in the present iteration and also to apply the new value as memory update in real time; and

result memory means that receives information from the analyzing means only as to said points of interest and that stores said information which is in the form of address information and description information with respect to said points of interest to provide an output that is connected as input to the computer in order to cause the robotic mechanism to operate upon said points of interest of objects in real time.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the programmable memory comprises a programmable read only memory.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the programmable memory comprises a random access memory.

4. For use in an apparatus to locate points of interest in a field, which apparatus includes an image sensor operable to scan the field and provide an analog image of objects within the field and which further includes a mechanism to convert the analog image to a binary image in the form of binary words each comprising several pixels, said pixels forming multiple adjacent rows, a mask algorithm image processor that comprises high-speed picture memory means connected to receive the binary words and operable to store the same in a manner that maintains the spatial relationship thereof;

analyzing means for analyzing contiguous overlapping groups of pixels in successive iterations of the stored binary image, each group comprising at least nine pixels in a three-by-three matrix to determine the new binary value to be assigned to the center pixel of the group, which new binary value is later applied to said center pixel to update the same, said analyzing means including a programmable read only memory (PROM) operable to assign in real time the new binary value to the center pixel, which new value is applied as an update only after the address coordinate of the center pixel is no longer needed in the current iteration; and

result memory means connected to receive information from the analyzing means with respect to said points of interest and operable to store the information, said information being in the form of address information and description information as to said points of interest.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the analyzing means includes buffer or line-storage memory means connected to receive data from the high speed picture memory means as input and operable to provide an output, and shift registers connected to receive as input the output of the buffer or line-storage memory means and provide an output that is connected as input to the PROM which, in turn, is connected to control data processing in the high-speed picture memory means.

6. For use in a system to locate at least one point of interest in a field, which system includes an image sensor operable to scan the field and provide a binary image in the form of binary words, a mask algorithm image processor that comprises high-speed memory means connected to receive the binary words and operable to store the same in a manner that maintains the spatial relationship thereof;

analyzing means for analyzing contiguous overlapping groups of binary bits in successive iterations of the stored binary image, each group comprising at least nine digital bits in a three-by-three matrix to determine the new binary value to be assigned to an interior bit of the group, which new binary value is applied to said interior bit to update the same, said analyzing means including circuitry operable to store in real time the present binary value of the interior bit until no longer required in the present iteration and also to apply the new value memory update in real time; and

result memory means connected to receive information from the analyzing means with respect to said at least one point of interest and operable to store the information, said information being in the form of address information and description information with respect to said at least one point of interest.

7. For use in a system to locate at least one point of interest in a field, which system includes image sensor means operable to scan the field and provide a binary image in the form of binary words, a mask algorithm image processor that comprises high-speed memory means connected to receive the binary words and operable to store the same in a manner that maintains the spatial relationship thereof;

analyzing means for analyzing contiguous overlapping groups of binary bits in successive iterations of the stored binary image, each group comprising tne new binary value to be assigned to a bit of the group, which new binary value is applied to said bit to update the same, said analyzing means including circuitry operable to store in real time the present binary value to said bit until no longer needed ln the present iteration and also to apply the new value as a memory update in real time; and

result memory means connected to receive information from the analyzing means with respect to said at least one point of interest and operable to store the information, said information being in the form of address information and description information with respect to said at least one point of interest.