Method and apparatus for interactively generating a computer program for machine vision analysis of an object

• US 5,481,712 A
• Filed: 04/06/1993
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cognex Technology & Investment Corporation (Cognex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Inventors: Arbogast, Carroll, Romanik, Philip, Druker, Samuel, Silver, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/043,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 395/161, 395/158
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A system for interactively generating a computer program for machine vision analysis insures that the program is correct by permitting the operator to make only syntactically correct modifications to the program. The system includes an element for storing the computer program being generated. A further element displays the program to the operator. A positioning element demarks a location of interest within the program. A menu element displays permissible programming modifications for the location of interest. The menu element incorporates in its display of permissible programming modifications statements for machine vision analysis of an object image, e.g., calls to machine vision subroutines and functions. To facilitate specification of input parameters to those subroutines and functions, the imaging element can generate a candidate image of the object upon which the machine vision analysis is to be run. A graphical input element displays over that candidate image a graphical icon that the operator can manipulate to specify the parameters. A textual input element can display an icon, e.g., a dialog box, prompting the operator to designate textually input parameters for the machine vision tool. An update element responds to the operator selection by appropriately modifying the stored program.

Claims

1. A digital processing system for interactively generating a computer program, said system comprising

A. program storage means for storing a program signal representative of a syntactically correct computer program being generated,

B. display means, coupled to said program storage means, for displaying at least a portion of said computer program being generated,

C. positioning means coupled to said display means for demarking a location of interest within said computer program being generated, and for generating a position signal representative of that location,

D. menu means, coupled to said program storage means and to said positioning means, for responding to said position signal and said program signal for graphically displaying one or more syntactically correct modifications of said computer program being generated at said location of interest, said menu means including

selection means for inputting an operator selection corresponding to at least one of said syntactically correct modifications, and for generating a selection signal representative of that operator selection, and

E. update means, coupled to said selection means, said program storage means, and said positioning means, for responding to said selection signal, said position signal and said program signal, for generating and storing in said program storage means an updated program signal representative of said computer program being generated as modified in accord with said at least one syntactically correct modification corresponding to said operator selection.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said menu means includes means for graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more programming statements for insertion at said location of interest in said computer program being generated.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said menu means includes means for selecting said programming statements for display to include one or more statements for machine vision analysis of an image.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

A. said program storage means includes means for storing said program signal as representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated, and

B. said update means includes intermediate code generator means for generating said program signal as representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said intermediate code generator includes means for generating said program signal as a syntax tree representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated.

6. A system according to any of claims 4 or 5, wherein said display means includes

A. conversion means for converting said program signal from said intermediate form to a format of a selected computer programming language, and

B. means for displaying sad computer program being generated in the format of said selected computer programming language.

7. A system according to any of claims 4 or 5, wherein said menu means includes means for graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more programming statements in the format of a selected computer programming language for insertion at said location of interest in said computer program being generated.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein

A. said menu means includes means graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more statements for invocation of a machine vision analysis tool, said machine vision analysis tool requiring input parameters,

B. imaging means for generating a candidate of an image upon which said machine vision analysis tool is to operate,

C. graphical input means, coupled to said selection means and to said imaging means, for selectively displaying in connection with said candidate image a :

manipulable graphical icon,

said graphical input means including means for responding to operator manipulation of that icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters, and

D. said update means includes means for generating and storing in said program storage means an updated program signal representative of said computer program being generated as modified to include one or more syntactically correct programming statements for invoking said selected machine vision analysis tool and for supplying thereto said values for said one or more input parameters.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said graphical input means includes means for displaying as said manipulable graphical icon at least one of a cross,hair and a marquee.

10. A system according to claim 8, further comprising textual input means, coupled to said selection means and to said update means, for selectively displaying a textual input icon requesting one or more of said input parameters, said textual input means including means for responding to operator input to said textual input icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said textual input means includes means for displaying said textual input icon as a dialog box.

12. A system according to any of claims 9 or 10 further comprising run-time means for executing said program to invoke said selected machine vision analysis tool using said values for said one or more input parameters and, thereby, analyzing an image of an object.

13. A digital processing system for interactively generating a computer program for use in conjunction with machine vision analysis of an image, said system comprising

A. selection means for selecting, for inclusion in a computer program being created, a machine vision analysis tool to be invoked by that program, said machine vision analysis tool requiring input parameters,

B. imaging means for generating a candidate of an image upon which said machine vision analysis tool is to operate,

C. graphical input means, coupled to said selection means and to said imaging means, for selectively displaying in connection with said candidate image a manipulable graphical icon,

said graphical input means including means for responding to operator manipulation of that icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters, and

D. update means, coupled to said selection means and to said graphical input means, for generating a program signal representative of at least a portion of said computer program being generated, said portion including one or more syntactically correct programming statements for invoking said selected machine vision analysis tool and for supplying thereto said values for said one or more input parameters.

14. A digital processing system according to claim 13, wherein said graphical input means includes means for displaying as said manipulable graphical icon at least one of a cross-hair and a marquee.

15. A digital processing system according to claim 13, further comprising textual input means, coupled to said selection means and to said update means, for selectively displaying a textual input icon requesting one or more of said input parameters, said textual input means including means for responding to operator input to said textual input icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters.

16. A digital processing system according to claim 13, wherein said textual input means includes means for displaying said textual input icon as a dialog box.

17. A digital processing system according to any of claims 14 or 15 further comprising runtime means for executing said program to invoke said selected machine vision analysis tool using said values for said one or more input parameters and, thereby, analyzing an image of an object.

18. A method for automated generation of a computer program, said method comprising

A. a program storage step for storing a program signal representative of a syntactically correct computer program being generated,

B. a display step for displaying at least a portion of said computer program being generated,

C. a positioning step for demarking a location of interest within said computer program being generated, and for generating a position signal representative of that location,

D. a menu step for responding to said position signal and said program signal for graphically displaying one or more syntactically correct modifications of said computer program being generated at said location of interest, said menu step including

an input step for inputting an operator selection corresponding to at least one of said syntactically correct modifications, and for generating a selection signal representative of that operator selection, and

E. an update step for responding to said selection signal, said position signal and said program signal, for generating and storing in said program storage step an updated program signal representative of said computer program being generated as modified in accord with said at least one syntactically correct modification corresponding to said operator selection.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said menu step includes the step of graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more programming statements for insertion at said location of interest in said computer program being generated.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said menu step includes the step of selecting said programming statements for display to include one or more statements for machine vision analysis of an image.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein

A. said program storage step includes the step of storing said program signal as representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated, and

B. said update step includes an intermediate code generator step for generating said program signal as representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said intermediate code generator step includes the step of generating said program signal as a syntax tree representative of a syntactically correct intermediate form of said computer program being generated.

23. A method according to any of claims 21 or 22, wherein said display step includes

A. a conversion step for converting said program signal from said intermediate form to a format of a selected computer programming language, and

B. a step for displaying said computer program being generated in the format of said selected computer programming language.

24. A method according to any of claims 21 or 22, wherein said menu step includes the step of graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more programming statements in the format of a selected computer programming language for insertion at said location of interest in said computer program being generated.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein

A. said menu step includes the step of graphically displaying said one or more syntactically correct modifications to include one or more statements for invocation of a machine vision analysis tool, said machine vision analysis tool requiring input parameters,

B. said update step includes the step of generating and storing in said program storage step an updated program signal representative of said computer program being generated as modified to include one or more syntactically correct programming statements for invoking said selected machine vision analysis tool and for supplying thereto said values for said one or more input parameters,

said method further comprising

C. an imaging step for generating an image upon which said machine vision analysis tool is to operate,

D. a graphical input step for selectively displaying in connection with said image a manipulable graphical icon,

said graphical input step including the step of responding to operator manipulation of that icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said graphical input step includes the step of displaying as said manipulable graphical icon at least one of a cross-hair and a marquee.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising a textual input step for selectively displaying a textual input icon requesting one or more of said input parameters, said textual input step including the step of responding to operator input to said textual input icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein said textual input step includes the step of displaying said textual input icon as a dialog box.

29. A method according to any of claims 26 or 27, further comprising a run-time step for executing said program to invoke said selected machine vision analysis tool using said values for said one or more input parameters and, thereby, analyzing an image of an object.

30. A method for automated generation of a computer program for use in conjunction with machine vision analysis of an image, said method comprising

A. a selection step for selecting, for inclusion in a computer program being created, a machine vision analysis tool to be invoked by that program, said machine vision analysis tool requiring input parameters,

B. an imaging step for generating a candidate of an image upon which said machine vision analysis tool is to operate,

C. a graphical input step for selectively displaying in connection with said candidate image a manipulable graphical icon,

said graphical input step including the step of responding to operator manipulation of that icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters, and

D. an update step for generating a program signal representative of at least a portion of said computer program being generated, said portion including one or more syntactically correct programming statements for invoking;

said selected machine vision analysis tool and for supplying thereto said values for said one or more input parameters.

31. A digital processing method according to claim 30, wherein said graphical input step includes the step of displaying as said manipulable graphical icon at least one of a cross-hair and a marquee.

32. A digital processing method according to claim 30, further comprising textual input step for selectively displaying a textual input icon requesting one or more of said input parameters, said textual input step including the step of responding to operator input to said textual input icon for generating values for one or more of said input parameters.

33. A digital processing method according to claim 30, wherein said textual input step includes the step of displaying said textual input icon as a dialog box.

34. A digital processing method according to any of claims 31 or 32 further comprising runtime step for executing said program to invoke said selected machine vision analysis tool using said values for said one or more input parameters and, thereby, analyzing an image of an object.