National Instruments Corporation

Kevin L Schultz

Nicolas F Vazquez

Dinesh R Nair

Brian Keith Odom

Jeffrey L Kodosky

B Keith Odom

Cary Paul Butler

Perry C Steger

Bob Mitchell

Glen O Sescila, Iii

Charles G Schroeder

Stefanie F Breyer

Christophe Caltagirone

Hugo A Andrade

Robert Wayne Hormuth

Lothar Wenzel

Craig M Conway

Ram Kudukoli

Glen Sescila

Ross Sabolcik

Dan Repich

Sundeep Chandhoke

Darren R Schmidt

Siming Lin

Mike Hall

Chris Cifra

David Henry Dorr

Christophe R J Caltagirone

Jared W Jenson

Dinesh Nair

Jeff Kellam

Jeff Correll

Bradley D Buchanan

Timothy Lynn Moor

System and method for creating a machine vision application. A machine vision prototype comprising a plurality of machine vision steps specifying a machine vision image processing algorithm and associated parameters may be stored. The steps may be interpretable by an emulator to perform the specified image processing on an image by emulating or simulating execution of the steps on a hardware accelerator, e.g., a programmable hardware element or graphics processing unit. An emulator may emulate or simulate execution of the steps on the hardware accelerator, thereby generating image processing results, which may be displayed for validation of the emulating or simulating by a user. The prototype may be analyzed, and based on the analyzing, an estimate of resource usage or performance of the image processing algorithm for the hardware accelerator may be determined and displayed, and may be usable for target platform selection or modification of the image processing algorithm.

Prototyping an image processing algorithm and emulating or simulating execution on a hardware accelerator to estimate resource usage or performance

A system and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype is presented. The hardware device may include a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The prototype may comprise a software entity operable to perform a plurality of executable operations, wherein the prototype is created by a user without requiring user programming. For example, a prototyping environment may provide a library of operations that are specific to a particular problem domain and may enable the user to select various operations from the library for inclusion in the prototype. The prototyping environment may include a graphical user interface that is streamlined for interactively experimenting with various parameters or properties associated with the selected operations and seeing the effects of adjusting the parameters.

System and method for configuring a hardware device to execute a prototype

A system and method for automatically generating a graphical program from a prototyping environment application. By utilizing an application specialized for developing solutions to problems in a particular domain, i.e., a prototyping environment, a user may develop a solution to a problem, i.e., a prototype. The prototype may comprise a series of functions that form an algorithm or process. Once the user has developed the desired prototype, the user may request the prototyping environment to automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate a graphical program implementing the prototype, e.g., in order to run the program independently of the prototyping environment. In various embodiments, the prototyping environment may be operable to generate any of various types of graphical programs. Once the graphical program has been generated, the program may be modified as desired, e.g., in order to include features not available from the prototyping environment that generated the program.

System and method for automatically generating a graphical program to implement a prototype

A smart camera with modular expansion capabilities, including a housing, a camera directly attached to the housing for acquiring an image of an object, a functional unit comprised in the housing and coupled to the camera, where the functional unit is configurable to implement an image processing function, a backplane comprised in the housing and coupled to the functional unit to provide electrical communication, and one or more slots comprised in the housing, where each slot includes a connector that is electrically coupled to the backplane, and where each slot is adapted for receiving a function module. An inserted function module provides modular functionality to the smart camera, such as dedicated image processing functionality, pattern recognition, analysis, communication, sensor, sensor I/O, signal conditioning and/or conversion, control, measurement, and synchronization, among others. The function module may communicate a protocol to the functional unit which may be configured to implement the protocol.

Smart camera with modular expansion capability including a function module that performs image processing

Smart camera with a plurality of slots for modular expansion capability through a variety of function modules connected to the smart camera

A system and method for performing pattern matching to locate zero or more instances of a template image in a target image. An image is received by a computer from an image source, e.g., a camera. First pattern matching is performed on the image using a first pattern matching technique to determine a plurality of candidate areas. Second pattern matching is performed on each of the candidate areas using a second different pattern matching technique to generate final pattern match results. An output is generated indicating the final pattern match results. The second pattern matching may determine a second plurality of candidate areas which may be analyzed to determine the final pattern match results. The first pattern matching may use a plurality of pattern matching techniques, the results of which may be used to select a best technique from the plurality of techniques to use for the second pattern match.

Pattern matching method selection

A system and method for automatically (i.e., programmatically) generating a computer program based on program information, such as a prototype, wherein the program includes a graphical user interface (GUI) for specifying input values to or viewing output values from the program. The prototype may comprise a series of functional operations. One or more input and/or output parameters may be associated with each functional operation. In response to a user's request for a program implementing the prototype to be automatically generated, a list of parameters associated with the operations included in the prototype may be displayed. The user may select from the displayed list the input parameters which are desired to be interactively changeable. In response, the program may be generated such that the program has a graphical user interface including a user interface control associated with each selected input parameter.

Automatic generation of programs with GUI controls for interactively setting or viewing values

Pattern matching using multiple techniques

A system and method for enabling a prototyping environment application to automatically create a plurality of prototypes, wherein each of the plurality of prototypes is configured to perform a process to solve a particular problem. In response to receiving user input requesting the automatic creation of a prototype, the prototyping environment may display a list of items, wherein each item visually indicates a particular problem. In response to the user specifying an item, the prototyping environment is operable to create a prototype including a plurality of elements operable to interact in order to perform a process to solve the problem indicated by the specified item. The prototyping environment is preferably operable to receive and use solution information updates enabling the automatic creation of a new prototype, i.e., a prototype configured to perform a process to solve a new problem. For example, the vendor of the prototyping environment or third-party developers may periodically provide solution information updates which users can download or which the prototyping environment is operable to automatically retrieve. Users may also be able to request and receive solution information updates enabling the prototyping environment to automatically create a prototype to perform a process to solve a particular problem.

System and method for automatically creating a prototype to perform a process

Operations in an application may be displayed using a graphical programming representation. A plurality of interconnected icons may be displayed, where each icon corresponds to an operation included in the application. The plurality of interconnected icons may visually indicate a function implemented by operations in the application. Each displayed icon may correspond to a node in a graphical programming development environment.

Displaying operations in an application using a graphical programming representation

A system and method for specifying a machine vision process utilizing two or more different program creation methodologies. In one embodiment, the different program creation methodologies may include specifying steps or operations for the process using graphical input panels, e.g., in a 'wizard-based' manner, and using graphical programming techniques for other portions, such as to specify decision operations. Thus, optimum program creation methodologies may be used for specifying different respective portions of the process.

System and method for specifying a machine vision process using different programming methodologies

A system and method for specifying a computer-implemented process utilizing two or more different program creation methodologies. In one embodiment, the different program creation methodologies may include specifying steps or operations for the process using graphical input panels, e.g., in a 'wizard-based' manner, and using graphical programming techniques for other portions, such as to specify decision operations. Thus, optimum program creation methodologies may be used for specifying different respective portions of the process. At least a portion of the process may be dependent on prior execution results determined by a previous portion of the process. As an example, for a machine vision inspection process, the previous portion of the process may analyze images of a product, and a subsequent portion of the process may depend on the results of the image analysis, e.g., may either accept or reject the product depending on prior execution results of the image analysis portion. Thus, the process may include one or more decision operations that analyze the prior execution results. The execution of the portion(s) of the process that are dependent on prior execution results may depend on the outcome(s) of the decision operation(s). The decision operation(s) may advantageously be specified graphically, e.g., as a block diagram constructed in response to user input.

System and method for specifying a computer-implemented process using different programming methodologies

A system and method for acquiring images of variably sized objects. An object detector provides an indication of the presence or absence of objects as they pass by. An image sensing device acquires image data for the objects. An image acquisition device starts an activity counter, and initiates storage of image data for an object in response to detecting presence of the object. The image data is stored into an on-board memory. The activity counter counts a number of acquired scan lines for the object. In response to detecting absence of the object, the image acquisition device terminates the activity counter, and discontinues storage of the image data for the object. The final activity counter value, which reflects the number of scan lines acquired for the object, is recorded in an on-board FIFO. The image data is transferred to a system memory image buffer in a system memory. Host software routines may read the on-board FIFO. The image acquisition device is configured to rearm for acquisition of another object by resetting the activity counter, and initializing a write pointer to the on-board memory so that it points to the top of a next on-board memory buffer. After rearming, the image acquisition device may acquire image data for a second object in response to detecting presence of the second object.

Image acquisition system and method for acquiring variable sized objects

A computer-implemented system and method for deploying a graphical program onto an image acquisition (IMAQ) device. The method may operate to configure an image acquisition (IMAQ) device to perform image processing or machine vision functions, wherein the device includes a programmable hardware element and/or a processor and memory. The method comprises first creating a graphical program which implements the image processing or machine vision function. A portion of the graphical program may be converted into a hardware implementation on a programmable hardware element, and a portion may optionally be compiled into machine code for execution by a CPU. The programmable hardware element is thus configured utilizing a hardware description and implements a hardware implementation of at least a portion of the graphical program. The CPU-executable code may be executed by a computer coupled to the IMAQ device, or by a processor/memory on the IMAQ device.

System and method for deploying a graphical program on an image acquisition device

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Georgetown, TX, United States of America

Kevin L Schultz