Distributed vision system with multi-phase synchronization
First Claim
1. A method for synchronizing results of a plurality of vision system processors, that processes acquired images, to generate results therefrom, comprising the steps of:
- providing a master processor with a discrete master synchronization process associated therewith;
providing a slave camera bank interconnected to the discrete master processor and including at least one (a) master vision system processor and at least one (b) slave vision system processor interconnected thereto;
providing a master camera bank interconnected to the discrete master processor and including at least one (c) master vision system processor and at least one (d) slave vision system processor interconnected thereto;
in each inspection cycle, receiving, by each of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor, (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor, a trigger signal, and in response thereto, acquiring and processing an image, the trigger signal including a unique inspection cycle identifier;
after acquiring and processing images with each of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor, consolidating the results of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor in the master bank and transmitting consolidated slave bank results to the master processor by a first communication link, the consolidated slave bank results including the unique inspection cycle identifier;
after acquiring and processing images with each of the (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor, consolidating the results of the (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor in the slave bank and transmitting consolidated master bank results to the master processor by a second communication link, the consolidated master bank results including the unique inspection cycle identifier;
with the master synchronization process associated with the discrete master processor, determining if the consolidated master bank results and the consolidated slave bank results are complete and that each of the inspection cycle identifiers is the same, and if the results are complete and the same, transmitting the complete results to a predetermined destination.
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Abstract
This invention provides a system and method for synchronization of vision system inspection results produced by each of a plurality of processors that includes a first bank (that can be a “master” bank) containing a master vision system processor and at least one slave vision system processor. At least a second bank (that can be one of a plurality of “slave” banks) contains a master vision system processor and at least one slave vision system processor. Each vision system processor in each bank generates results from an image acquired and processed in a given inspection cycle. The inspection cycle can be based on an external trigger or other trigger signal, and it can enable some or all of the processors/banks to acquire and process images at a given time/cycle. In a given cycle. each of the multiple banks can be positioned to acquire an image of a respective region of a plurality of succeeding regions on a moving line. A synchronization process (a) generates a unique identifier and that passes a trigger signal with the unique identifier associated with the master processor in the first bank to each of the slave processor in the master bank and each of the master and slave processor and (b) receives consolidated results via the master processor of the second bank, having the unique identifier and consolidated results from the results from the first bank. The process then (c) consolidates the results for transmission to a destination if the results are complete and the unique identifier of each of the results is the same.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing results of a plurality of vision system processors, that processes acquired images, to generate results therefrom, comprising the steps of:
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providing a master processor with a discrete master synchronization process associated therewith; providing a slave camera bank interconnected to the discrete master processor and including at least one (a) master vision system processor and at least one (b) slave vision system processor interconnected thereto; providing a master camera bank interconnected to the discrete master processor and including at least one (c) master vision system processor and at least one (d) slave vision system processor interconnected thereto; in each inspection cycle, receiving, by each of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor, (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor, a trigger signal, and in response thereto, acquiring and processing an image, the trigger signal including a unique inspection cycle identifier; after acquiring and processing images with each of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor, consolidating the results of the (a) master vision system processor, (b) slave vision system processor in the master bank and transmitting consolidated slave bank results to the master processor by a first communication link, the consolidated slave bank results including the unique inspection cycle identifier; after acquiring and processing images with each of the (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor, consolidating the results of the (c) master vision system processor, and (d) slave vision system processor in the slave bank and transmitting consolidated master bank results to the master processor by a second communication link, the consolidated master bank results including the unique inspection cycle identifier; with the master synchronization process associated with the discrete master processor, determining if the consolidated master bank results and the consolidated slave bank results are complete and that each of the inspection cycle identifiers is the same, and if the results are complete and the same, transmitting the complete results to a predetermined destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification