Method and apparatus for producing graphical machine vision content for distribution via a network

• US 7,961,201 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognex Corporation
• Inventors: Fix, Raymond A., Wallack, Aaron S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phu K
• Application Number:
  US09/742,895
• Time in Patent Office: 3,827 Days
• Field of Search: 365/619, 365/630, 365/636, 345/629, 345/630, 345/636, 701/32, 715/512, 715/733, 715/734, 715/736
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30152 Solder
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection

Abstract

A method and system is provided for viewing machine vision information. The machine vision information includes machine vision data representing a sequence of machine vision processing steps. The machine vision information pertaining to a machine vision process on a given machine vision processor is produced. The machine vision information is displayed at a device remotely located from the given machine vision processor. A selection interface is provided on the device to allow a user to view the machine vision data corresponding to at least one stage of the machine vision processing.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a remote device capable of being located remotely from a machine vision device, the remote device including a remote display configured to receive and to display, when the remote device is located remotely from the machine vision device, given machine vision diagnostic data about a given machine vision tool on the machine vision device, the given machine vision diagnostic data, as displayed by the remote device, including plural discrete results of a given machine vision process of the given machine vision tool at respective discrete times within the given machine vision process;

a remote display interface preconfigured to provide the remote display with limited access to display select information from the machine vision device independently of what is being displayed on a screen of the machine vision device, the select information being displayed when the remote device is located remotely from the machine vision device, and the select information including the given machine vision diagnostic data;

a selection interface configured to allow a user to select, for display on the remote display, via a computer screen remote from the machine vision device, from among plural selectable computer screen displayed representations of the plural discrete results, less than all the plural discrete results, in accordance with the selection via the selection interface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the machine vision device including a set of machine vision tools, the machine vision tools being configured to carry out respective machine vision processes.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a data provider configured to provide the given machine vision diagnostic data about the given machine vision tool.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the machine vision diagnostic data includes interactive diagnostic data about the given machine vision tool.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the machine vision device comprises a machine vision tool including a diagnostic capability mechanism including the data provider.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the machine vision tool with the diagnostic capability mechanism includes a ball grid array (BGA) finder tool configured to ascertain a description of a BGA device from an image of the BGA device and information about the physical size of pixels.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote device is located remotely from the machine vision device by separating the devices from each other via a network.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the network includes the Internet.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plural discrete results includes information representing different steps within a machine vision process performed by the given machine vision tool.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection interface is at a same location as the remote device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural discrete results include a plural subset, all, or more of an overlay display of coarse results of the given machine vision tool, an overlay display of grid lines, an overlay display of an initial origin, an overlay display of results of the given machine vision tool, and a display of results text.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural discrete results include results to be displayed by the remote device as one or more overlay images.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plural discrete results also include overlay text.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a notification mechanism configured to notify a user of an existence of the given machine vision diagnostic data, the notification mechanism including an email sender to send an email to the user, the email including a link to an Internet browser accessible web page.

15. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the machine vision device includes a storage device storing the given machine vision diagnostic data.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a storage device storing the given machine vision diagnostic data.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a thin client.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a web browser.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an interactive diagnostic data requester configured to allow a user to submit, via a computer screen, all parameters needed to run the given machine vision tool.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the given machine vision tool includes a diagnostic setting configured to save machine vision diagnostic information based on a set of configuration parameters.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the configuration parameters indicate that machine vision diagnostic information of the given machine vision tool is to be saved upon each inspection failure of the given machine vision tool.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the configuration parameters indicate that machine vision diagnostic information about the given machine vision tool is to be saved upon every run of the given machine vision tool.

23. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the configuration parameters indicate that machine vision diagnostic information about the given machine vision tool is to be saved upon every nth run of the given machine vision tool.

24. A method comprising:

providing a remote device capable of being located remotely from a machine vision device, the remote device including a remote display configured to receive and to display, when the remote device is located remotely from the machine vision device, given machine vision diagnostic data about a given machine vision tool on the machine vision device, the given machine vision diagnostic data, as displayed by the remote device, including plural discrete results of a given machine vision process of the given machine vision tool at respective discrete times within the given machine vision process;

providing a remote display interface preconfigured to provide the remote display with limited access to display select information from the machine vision device independently of what is being displayed on a screen local to the machine vision device, the select information being displayed when the remote device is located remotely from the machine vision device, and the select information including the given machines vision diagnostic data; and

presenting to a user, via a computer screen remote from the machine vision device, plural selectable computer screen displayed representations of the plural discrete results, and accepting from the user, via the computer screen, a selection for display on the remote display of less than all the plural discrete results in accordance with the selection.

25. The method according claim 24, further including providing a machine vision device including a set of machine vision tools, the set of machine vision tools including the given machine vision tool, the machine vision tools being configured to carry out respective machine vision processes.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising providing the given machine vision diagnostic data about the given machine vision tool.

27. Apparatus comprising:

a remote display interface preconfigured to cause a remote display to display, when the remote display is remote from a machine vision device, given machine vision diagnostic data about a given machine vision tool on the machine vision device, the given machine vision diagnostic data, as displayed by the remote device, including plural discrete results of a given machine vision process of the given machine vision tool at respective discrete times within the given machine vision process;

the remote display interface being, preconfigured to cause the remote display to have limited access to display select information from the machine vision device independently of what is being, displayed on a screen local to the machine vision device, the select information displayed when the remote display is located remotely from the machine vision device including the given machine vision diagnostic data; and

a selection interface configured to allow a user to select, for display on the remote display, via a computer screen remote from the machine vision device, from among plural selectable computer screen displayed representations of the plural discrete results, less than all the plural discrete results in accordance with the selection via the selection interface.