Mitutoyo Corporation

Barry Saylor

Dahai Yu

Mark Lawrence Delaney

Ryan Northrup

Akira Takada

Gyokubu Cho

Kozo Ariga

Ana M Tessadro

Rodney Doe

Charles Randall Blanford, Jr

Kai Kircher

Charles Blanford

A system is provided for programming workpiece feature inspection operations for a coordinate measuring machine. The system includes a user interface with a simulation portion (e.g., including a 3D view of a workpiece) and an editing user interface portion (e.g., including an editable plan representation of a current workpiece feature inspection plan). Transparency operations are performed including automatically identifying as a target feature a workpiece feature in the 3D view that corresponds to a workpiece feature or inspection operation representation in the editable plan representation that is indicated by a current feature-directed operation (e.g., a selection operation for selecting a workpiece feature or inspection operation in the editable plan representation). An occluding workpiece feature that would otherwise be occluding at least a portion of the target feature in the 3D view is then automatically rendered as at least partially transparent in the 3D view.

Inspection program editing environment with automatic transparency operations for occluded workpiece features

A system, a GUI and a method are provided that allow intuitive, flexible and robust editing of individually editable instructions generated by conversion operations applied to a defined step-and-repeat programming element in a machine vision inspection system. The method includes: a) Converting a defined step-and-repeat programming element to generate N independently-editable code blocks including an independently-editable substantial replication of a repeated operation block of the step-and-repeat element, each of code blocks executed at a respective location corresponding to a step and repeat location; b) Representing the code blocks in an editing GUI; and c) Eliminating the defined step-and-repeat programming element as an editable element. The defined step-and-repeat programming element may be represented in the editing GUI. The conversion operations may be initiated by a user activating a step and repeat conversion command directed to the defined step-and-repeat programming element.

System, GUI and method for editing step and repeat operation instructions in a machine vision inspection system

In a machine vision system editing environment for a part program, a continuous stream of image acquisition operations are performed during a run mode. Previously, a continuous stream of image acquisition operations was achieved by utilizing different programming representations and syntax for programming and grouping image acquisition operations together in the part program. A new common syntax and representations are utilized wherein such continuous image acquisition operations are recorded in the same way as regular operations, with the running of the part program being performed in two stages. First, the portion of the part program that is to have the continuous stream of image acquisition is scanned for image acquisition operations, and the most efficient order for acquiring the images is determined. Second, while the image acquisition process is being performed, the portion of the part program is scanned again, with the image analysis operations then being performed.

Machine vision system editing environment for a part program in which a continuous stream of image acquisition operations are performed during a run mode

A machine vision system program editing environment including synchronized selection and/or identification of related features in a plurality of different user interface windows is provided. In particular, one of the windows is an editing window where a part program representation is displayed for editing by a user. In one embodiment, a user may select data or another feature of interest in a window that is not the editing window (e.g., a results window, or graphical workpiece inspection feature display window) and the associated part program instruction representation is automatically highlighted and/or selected in the editing window. Conversely, a part program instruction representation may be selected by a user in the editing window and the associated results or feature in another window is automatically highlighted and/or selected. User interface navigation, rapid program quality assessment, and overall part program creation and editing efficiency are significantly enhanced in such an editing environment.

Machine vision system program editing environment including synchronized user interface features

A machine vision system program editing environment includes near real time context generation. Rather than requiring execution of all preceding instructions of a part program in order to generate a realistic context for subsequent edits, surrogate data operations using previously saved data replace execution of certain sets of instructions. The surrogate data may be saved during the actual execution of operations that are recorded in a part program. An edit mode of execution substitutes that data as a surrogate for executing the operations that would otherwise generate that data. Significant time savings may be achieved for context generation, such that editing occurs within an operating context which may be repeatedly refreshed for accuracy in near real time. This supports convenient program modification by relatively unskilled users, using the native user interface of the machine vision system, rather than difficult to use text-based or graphical object-based editing environments.

Machine vision system program editing environment including real time context generation features

A machine vision system editing environment is provided for a part program in which a continuous stream of image acquisition operations are performed during a run mode. In one embodiment, a new common syntax and representations are utilized wherein continuous image acquisition operations are recorded in the same way as regular operations, with the running of the part program being performed in two stages. In the first stage, the portion of the part program that is to have the continuous stream of image acquisition is scanned for image acquisition operations, and the most efficient order for acquiring the images is determined, after which the image acquisition process is begun. Then, in the second stage, while the image acquisition process is being performed, the portion of the part program is scanned again, with the image analysis operations then being performed.

A combination of arc tool user interface features and operations are provided for efficiently defining an arc tool region of interest in a machine vision inspection system. Multiple distinct types of parameter control features are provide in an arc tool GUI. The distinct types of parameter control features may be distinguished by their relative locations, or by distinct symbols, or the like. One or more of the types of control features may include at least two modes of operation. In one such mode of operation restricted to one type of control feature, a user may change the nominal radius of curvature of the arc tool using a single cursor motion. In another such mode of operation shared by multiple types of control features, a user may rotate the region of interest of the arc tool using a single cursor motion.

Arc tool user interface

A system and method for tool enhancements are provided which allow users to utilize video tools in a controlled manner. The video tools balance a minimal amount of cursor positioning and 'mouse clicks' against a level of video tool 'customization' control desired by a user when applying the video tools. Tool construction methods using multiple mouse clicks are provided as an alternative to using drag-and-draw and one-click tools. Multi-click-plus tools give more specific information and provide a precise way to rapidly create customized tools.

Enhanced video metrology tool

A system and method are provided for a 'multi-region' autofocus video tool-type or mode within a machine vision inspection system. The user may efficiently define multiple regions of interest that are grouped as a 'multi-region' set. The autofocus operations for the multi-region set are defined with a shared set of autofocus parameters. The same set of autofocus images may be used for the autofocus operations of the multi-region set. The user may conveniently also define individual autofocus regions of interest, defined with individual autofocus parameters, within the same field of view. Various user interface features allow a user to conveniently change between the individual autofocus tool-type or mode and the multi-region autofocus tool-type or mode.

Multi-region autofocus tool and mode

A method is provided for converting joystick deflection into a speed of relative motion between a image system and a workpiece stage in a computer vision system. The conversion of joystick deflection into speed may be described in terms of a speed/deflection profile that corresponds a present lens characteristics of the system. In one embodiment, the speed/deflection response of the system depends relatively strongly on the present lens characteristic at relatively lower deflections and depends on relatively weakly on the present lens characteristic as the deflection approaches a maximum deflection. The system is advantageous in that, for any lens used, it maintains consistent ergonomic and visual feel at small joystick deflections which typically occur during ostensible precision maneuvers, but is also able to provide fast long-range traverses for large joystick deflections.

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Kent, WA, United States of America

Barry Saylor