Method for synchronizing image data obtained from process monitoring cameras

• US 6,873,353 B1
• Filed: 02/29/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Oy (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Oy (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Valkonen, Mika, Toivonen, Juha, Snellman, Jorma
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US09/515,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 348/88, 348/86, 348/61, 348/159, 348/154, 348/163, 348/475
• US Class Current: 348/88
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8903 using a multiple detector array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for synchronizing image data obtained from process monitoring cameras. By utilizing synchronization, one and the same area in a paper web can be sought as it passed the different camera positions. Since the speed are high and the webs somewhat stretching, synchronization does not often directly result in the same area being shown in the different camera positions. To facilitate search, a selection area corresponding to the limited number of sequential images in the environment of the point of synchronization of each camera position is visualized for the operator, inside which area the corresponding area in the web can be found with certainty.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a plurality of images of a moving object obtained from a plurality of cameras, the method comprising:

placing each of the plurality of cameras is a position to take a respective image different from the images taken by the other cameras;

taking images using at least some of the cameras;

storing image data from the images in digital image processors;

obtaining variation information from the image data, the variation information representing a variation in a sequence of images from at least two of the cameras;

comparing the variation information from each of the two cameras to determine a first camera that provided the highest degree of variation in the sequence of images;

displaying a single image of the object from the sequence of images received from the first camera;

synchronizing the image information representing images received from, at least two other cameras to illustrate the object shown in the single image;

defining a first parameter representing distance between at least two of the plurality of cameras and a second parameter representing velocity of the moving object; and

providing a user interface comprising a selection area that uses the first and second parameters to represent fewer than all images in the sequence of images from one of the plurality of cameras, the interface further comprising a selection control to select an image in the sequence of images, wherein the number of images represented by the selection area depends on the speed of the moving object and the distance between at least two of the cameras, and wherein images from the at least two cameras are displayed that correspond to the image selected by the selection control.

2. A method for representing synchronized image data from images of a moving web obtained from a plurality of cameras, the method comprising:

placing each of the plurality of cameras is positions to take respective images different from the images taken by the others of the plurality of cameras;

obtaining a set of images using at least some of the cameras;

defining a first parameter representing distance between at least two of the cameras and a second parameter representing the velocity of the web;

storing image data from the set of images in at least one digital image processor;

selecting at least some images from the set of images showing a selected area of the web obtained from a first camera for display on a computer screen;

searching the image data according to synchronization rules that utilize the first parameter and the second parameter to select images obtained from a second camera which show the selected area of the web; and

displaying a selection area on the computes screen that represents images that correspond to the image data from the selected images.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the web is in a paper manufacturing machine, and further comprising monitoring the web in the paper manufacturing machine.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in sequential images obtained from at least one of the cameras, and displaying an image variation graph corresponding to the image variation data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of the images obtained from the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in a plurality of sequential images obtained from at least some of the cameras, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of the images taken by the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest level variation for automatic display.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in the fewer than all images, and displaying an image variation graph corresponding to the image variation data.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of the images obtained from the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in a plurality of sequential images taken obtained from at least some of the cameras, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data from the images obtained from the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection area includes a pointer, the pointer enabling the operator to select at least one of the images.

11. A method for representing synchronized image data from images of a moving paper web obtained from a plurality of cameras, the method comprising:

placing each of the plurality of cameras in positions to take respective images different from the images taken by the others of the plurality of cameras;

obtaining a set of images using at least some of the cameras;

defining a first parameter that represents the distance between at least two of the cameras, and a second parameter that represents the velocity of the paper web;

storing image data from the set of images in at least one digital image processor;

selecting at least some images from the set of images that correspond to respective image data from of images of a selected area of the web obtained from a first one of the cameras;

searching the image data according to synchronization rules that utilize the first and second parameters to locate images taken from at least a second of the cameras which show the selected area in the paper web; and

displaying a selection area on the operator'"'"'s computer screen representing fewer than all images from one of the cameras, wherein the selection area represents a first synchronized image that originates from one camera and changes to a second synchronized image originating from another camera.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the paper web is in a paper manufacturing machine, and further comprising monitoring the paper web in the paper manufacturing machine.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in sequential images obtained from at least one of the cameras, and displaying an image variation graph corresponding to the image variation data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of the images obtained from the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in a plurality of sequential images obtained from at least some of the cameras, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of the images taken by the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in a plurality of sequential images obtained from at least some of the cameras and displaying an image variation graph corresponding to the image variation data of at least one image preceding and following an image to be analyzed.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, standardizing the output levels of the images variation data of the images obtained from the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising analyzing and compiling image variation data based on a level of variation in a plurality of sequential images obtained from at least some of the cameras, standardizing the output levels of the image variation data of images taken by the different cameras so as to be mutually comparable, comparing the standardized output levels of the image variation data, and selecting the image data for a respective camera representing the highest-level variation for automatic display.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the selection area includes a pointer, the pointer enabling the operator to select at least one of the images.

20. A method, for monitoring a web process comprising the steps of placing a plurality of cameras at different process locations with different fields of view:

creating image streams using at least some of the cameras;

storing image data from the image streams in at least one digital image processor;

defining a first parameter representing distance between at least two of the plurality of cameras and a second parameter representing at least velocity of the web;

selecting an area of interest at a particular position along the web; and

tracking the selected area as the web moves through the process by;

selecting at least some images for display on a computer screen which show the selected area as viewed by a first camera;

searching the image data according to synchronization rules that utilize the first and second parameters to locate images depicting the selected area as viewed by a second camera; and

displaying a selection area on the computer screen that represents images of the selected area as viewed by the first and second cameras.