Systems and methods for providing illumination in machine vision systems

• US 6,624,597 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A., Mueller, George G., Dowling, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US09/944,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/292, 315/294, 315/297, 315/300, 315/302, 315/307, 315/312, 315/360, 315/362, 315/76, 257/88, 257/89, 250/227.29, 250/234, 250/578.1
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8816 by using multiple sources, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8845 Multiple wavelengths of illumination or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/95661 for leads, e.g. position, curvature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/95684 Patterns showing highly reflecting parts, e.g. metallic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0627 Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the second processor independently controls the output from at least one first LED and at least one second LED, and wherein the at least one second LED produces a different color than the at least one first LED.

3. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the lighting system modulates the light output by the LED lighting system by changing at least one of a hue, saturation and intensity of the light.

4. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein communication between the first processor and the lighting system is accomplished through at least one of wireless and wired transmission.

5. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the LED lighting system further comprises:

at least one first LED;

at least one second LED;

wherein the at least one second LED produces a different color light than the at least one first LED; and

wherein the second processor independently controls the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED.

6. The machine vision system of claim 5, wherein the second processor controls the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED with signals that are at least one of pulse width modulated, pulse amplitude modulated, and pulse displacement modulated.

7. The machine vision system of claim 5, wherein the second processor controls at least one of the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED with signals that are analog voltage control signals, analog current control signals, and analog power control signals.

8. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the second processor comprises an addressable processor.

9. The machine vision system of claim 8, wherein the lighting command signals comprise addressed lighting command signals.

10. 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.

11. The machine vision system of claim 10, wherein the lighting command signals comprise addressed lighting command signals.

12. The machine vision system of claim 10, wherein the lighting system further comprises an LED lighting system.

13. The machine vision system of claim 12, wherein the lighting system further comprises at least one of a fluorescent light, compact fluorescent light, incandescent light, halogen light, and high intensity discharge light.

14. 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.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor controls the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED with at least one of pulse width modulated signals, pulse amplitude modulated signals, and pulse displacement modulated signals.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor controls the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED with at least one of analog voltage control signals, analog current control signals, and analog power control signals.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor is an addressable processor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the lighting system further comprises at least one of a fluorescent light, compact fluorescent light, incandescent light, halogen light, and high intensity discharge light.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the machine vision system communicates LED control signals to the LED lighting system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the LED control signals are at least one of pulse width modulated signals, pulse amplitude modulated signals, and pulse displacement modulated signals.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the LED control signals are at least one of analog voltage control signals, analog current control signals, and analog power control signals.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the LED lighting system is capable of modulating at least one of hue, saturation and intensity of the light produced by the LED lighting system.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein communication between the machine vision system and the lighting system is accomplished through at least one of wired and wireless communication.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the lighting system comprises a networked lighting system.

25. 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.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the machine vision system comprises a color machine vision system.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the machine vision system comprises a grey scale vision system.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the lighting system further comprises an LED lighting system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the LED lighting system further comprises:

at least one first LED; and

at least one second LED that produces a different color than the at least one first LED.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the LED lighting system further comprises a processor that controls the output from at least one of the at least one first LED and the at least one second LED.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the processor comprises an addressable processor.