HUMAN-MACHINE-INTERFACE AND METHOD FOR MANIPULATING DATA IN A MACHINE VISION SYSTEM

• US 20070146491A1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Inventors: Phillips, Brian, Eames, Andrew, Whitman, Steven, Keating, John, Tremblay, Robert, Mirtich, Brian, Arbogast, Carroll
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.990
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/40 Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/945 User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/972 Inserted real-time video in operator interface

Abstract

This invention provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that operates in connection with a machine vision detector or other machine vision system, which provides a highly intuitive and industrial machine-like appearance and layout. The GUI includes a centralized image frame window surrounded by panes having buttons and specific interface components that the user employs in each step of a machine vision system set up and run procedure. One pane allows the user to view and manipulate a recorded filmstrip of image thumbnails taken in a sequence, and provides the filmstrip with specialized highlighting (colors or patterns) that indicate useful information about the underlying images. The system is set up and run are using a sequential series of buttons or switches that are activated by the user in turn to perform each of the steps needed to connect to a vision system, train the system to recognize or detect objects/parts, configure the logic that is used to handle recognition/detection signals, set up system outputs from the system based upon the logical results, and finally, run the programmed system in real time. The programming of logic is performed using a programming window that includes a ladder logic arrangement. A thumbnail window is provided on the programming window in which an image from a filmstrip is displayed, focusing upon the locations of the image (and underlying viewed object/part) in which the selected contact element is provided.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (GUI) for setup and testing of machine vision systems comprising:

an image frame pane in which recorded and real time images of an object acquired by an interconnected vision system are displayed as discrete frames;

at least one box in which the user performs interface functions in connection with each of a plurality of different and discrete procedures to set up and run a machine vision job using the interconnected vision system; and

a plurality of buttons, arranged in a sequential order across a portion of the GUI, the buttons defining each of the plurality of different and discrete procedures, the sequential order corresponding to a predetermined order in which the procedures occur to set up and run a machine vision job.

2. The GUI as set forth in claim 1 wherein the buttons include a first set of buttons that provide interface functions in the box so that the user can identify the machine vision job, connect to the vision system, and set up imaging functions in the vision system.

3. The GUI as set forth in claim 2 wherein the buttons include a second set of buttons that provide interface functions in the box so that the user can train the vision system to locate an object and identify predetermined features on the object.

4. The GUI as set forth in claim 3 wherein the second set of buttons provides controls that allow the user to select locators that allow the object to be located in the image field of view and sensors that allow predetermined parameters of the features of the object to be identified by the vision system and a resulting high or low value to be assigned to the results.

5. The GUI as set forth in claim 3 wherein the buttons include a third set of buttons that provide interface functions so that the user can configure rungs of ladder logic that uses results provided by the vision system on the features as contacts on the rungs to provide discrete high or low output coils for each of the rungs.

6. The GUI as set forth in claim 5 wherein the output coils are constructed and arranged to be provided as contacts on predetermined of the rungs.

7. The GUI as set forth in claim 6 wherein the rungs of ladder logic are displayed on a screen having an image window that presents a thumbnail of a subject image of the object including graphical representations of sensors associated with selected of the contacts, wherein highlighting each of the contacts causes the window to display the associated graphical representation of the sensor associated with the contact.

8. The GUI as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of the contacts is constructed and arranged so as to be highlighted and thereby display a menu of properties, the menu of properties being selectable so as to change the properties of the highlighted contact.

9. The GUI as set forth in claim 8 wherein the menu of properties includes inversion of a contact, association of a contact with sensors or another input source and deletion of a contact from a selected of the rungs.

10. The GUI as set forth in claim 6 further comprising an OR button that applies an OR branch to a selected of the rungs.

11. The GUI as set forth in claim 5 wherein the third set of buttons provide interface functions in the box so that the user can configure outputs that interconnect with alarms, actuators and physical devices based upon the coils.

12. The GUI as set forth in claim 11 wherein the buttons include a fourth set fourth set of buttons having interface functions so that the user can define parameters of image frame recordings associated with a runtime operation of the job and run the job.

13. The GUI as set forth in claim 11 wherein the buttons include a fourth set fourth set of buttons having interface functions so that the user can define visual signals that appear on the interface to indicate a predetermined status based upon selected of the coils.

14. The GUI as set forth in claim 13 wherein the visual signals comprise simulated LEDs and a title of the predetermined status adjacent to each of the simulated LEDs.

15. The GUI as set forth in claim 14 wherein the simulated LEDs are located on a strip overlying the image frame window.

16. A graphical user interface (GUI) for setup and testing of machine vision systems comprising:

an interface screen that includes buttons that allow a user to set up and configure a sensor on an image of an object, the sensor providing a high or low value based upon the presence or absence of predetermined features;

a ladder logic screen on which the user can configure rungs of ladder logic that uses results provided by the sensors as contacts on the rungs to provide discrete high or low output coils for each of the rungs; and

an image window that presents a thumbnail of a subject image of the object including graphical representations of sensors associated with selected of the contacts, wherein highlighting each of the contacts causes the window to display the associated graphical representation of the sensor associated with the contact.

17. The GUI as set forth in claim 16 wherein the output coils are constructed and arranged to be provided as contacts on predetermined of the rungs.

18. A graphical user interface (GUI) for setup and testing of machine vision systems comprising:

an interface screen that includes buttons that allow a user to set up and configure a sensor on an image of an object, the sensor providing a high or low value based upon the presence or absence of predetermined features;

a ladder logic screen on which the user can configure rungs of ladder logic that uses results provided by the sensors as contacts on the rungs to provide discrete high or low output coils for each of the rungs; and

wherein the output coils are constructed and arranged to be provided as contacts on predetermined of the rungs.

19. A graphical user interface (GUI) for setup and testing of machine vision systems comprising:

an interface screen that includes buttons that allow a user to set up and configure a sensor on an image of an object, the sensor providing a high or low value based upon the presence or absence of predetermined features;

a ladder logic screen on which the user can configure rungs of ladder logic that uses results provided by the sensors as contacts on the rungs to provide discrete high or low output coils for each of the rungs; and

wherein each of the contacts is constructed and arranged so as to be highlighted and thereby display a menu of properties, the menu of properties being selectable so as to change the properties of the highlighted contact.

20. The GUI as set forth in claim 19 wherein the menu of properties includes inversion of a contact, association of a contact with sensors or another input source and deletion of a contact from a selected of the rungs.

21. The GUI as set forth in claim 19 wherein the rungs include a first default rung that ANDs the results of all sensors and a second default rung that Ors the results of all sensors.

22. The GUI as set forth in claim 21 wherein the rungs include a third default rung that signals detection of the object within a vision system field of view.

25. The GUI as set forth in claim 22 wherein a second group of the thumbnail images are highlighted in a second discrete color or pattern dissimilar from the first discrete color or pattern so as to identify a second predetermined detected feature on the object in connection with the recorded images associated with the thumbnail images.

23. A method for setting up and testing a machine vision system using graphical user interface (GUI) comprising the steps of:

displaying, in an image frame pane, recorded and real time images of an object acquired by an interconnected vision system as discrete frames;

performing interface functions in connection with each of a plurality of different and discrete procedures to set up and run a machine vision job using the interconnected vision system; and

activating a plurality of buttons, arranged in a sequential order across a portion of the GUI, the buttons defining each of the plurality of different and discrete procedures, the sequential order corresponding to a predetermined order in which the procedures occur to set up and run a machine vision job.

26. The GUI as set forth in claim 23 wherein at least one of the first group and the second group represent all images associated with the object.

27. The GUI as set forth in claim 23 wherein at least one of the first group and the second group comprise only images determined to have the first predetermined detected feature and second predetermined detected feature, respectively.

28. The GUI as set forth in claim 23 wherein the first predetermined feature and second predetermined feature each respectively indicate a first type of object and a second type of object.

29. The GUI as set forth in claim 23 wherein the first predetermined feature and second predetermined feature each respectively indicate a failed object and a passing object.

24. A graphical user interface (GUI) for setup and testing of machine vision systems comprising:

an image frame pane in which recorded and real time images of an object acquired by an interconnected vision system are displayed as discrete frames;

a filmstrip window that displays individual thumbnail images of a series of time-based sequential image frames of the recorded images acquired by the interconnected vision system;

wherein a first group of the thumbnail images are highlighted in a first discrete color or pattern so as to identify a first predetermined detected feature on the object in connection with the recorded images associated with the thumbnail images.