National Instruments Corporation

Nicolas F Vazquez

Kevin L Schultz

Dinesh R Nair

Sundeep Chandhoke

Lothar Wenzel

Christopher G Cifra

David W Fuller, Iii

Christophe Caltagirone

Jeffrey L Kodosky

Darren R Schmidt

Samson L DeKey

Ram Kudukoli

Siming Lin

Raffaele Cetrulo

Kevin M Crotty

Robert J B Giesen

Bruce Smyth

Anita L Salmon

Marc Marini

Chris Cifra

Venkatesh Bagaria

David Fuller

Dinesh Nair

Joshua B Keeler

William M Allai

Bradley D Buchanan

Darin J Shaw

Jared W Jenson

Jeff Kellam

Christophe R J Caltagirone

Jeff Correll

Samson Dekey

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

System and method for measuring distances in an image. An image is received that includes curves corresponding to one or more objects in the image. Multiple curves in a specified region of interest (ROI) in the image are detected, where the ROI has a specified direction. Each curve includes respective curve points. A convex hull is determined based on the respective curve points. One or more candidate antipodal point pairs of the convex hull are determined. A first point pair of the one or more antipodal point pairs is selected based on one or more specified constraints. A clamp angle corresponding to the first point pair is determined. A distance between the first point pair along a direction specified by the clamp angle is determined. The first point pair, the distance, and the clamp angle are stored. Calibration information may be applied at any point during the process.

Machine vision based automatic maximal clamp measurement tool

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 user may utilize a prototyping environment to create a sequence of motion control, machine vision, and/or data acquisition (DAQ) operations, e.g., without needing to write or construct code in any programming language. For example, the environment may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the user to develop/prototype the sequence at a high level, by selecting from and configuring a sequence of operations using the GUI. The prototyping environment application may then be operable to automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate graphical program code implementing the sequence. For example, the environment may generate a standalone graphical program operable to perform the sequence of operations.

System and method for programmatically generating a graphical program based on a sequence of motion control, machine vision, and data acquisition (DAQ) operations

System and method for characterizing vision systems. A multi-dimensional condition space is provided, each dimension representing a respective condition axis, where each point in the condition space specifies a set of conditions under which a vision system may operate. An image is provided. The condition space is sampled according to a pseudo-random sequence, e.g., a low-discrepancy sequence, to determine a plurality of test conditions usable to characterize the vision system, where each test condition corresponds to a respective set of conditions. A plurality of test images corresponding to the plurality of test conditions are generated based on the image, e.g., by applying image processing functions to the image that simulate the test conditions. A vision inspection is performed on each of the plurality of test images to generate respective test results, and the test results are analyzed to determine conditions under which the vision system operates correctly.

Characterizing vision systems

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 includes an integrated lighting current controller and can couple to one or more external light sources. The integrated lighting current controller can control and power the one or more external light sources using a current pulse. The one or more external light sources can provide illumination for the smart camera to acquire the image of an object under test.

Smart camera with an integrated lighting controller

A system and method for developing a sequence of motion control operations. Various embodiments of a motion control prototyping environment application are described. The motion control prototyping environment may be designed to enable a user to easily and efficiently develop/prototype a motion control sequence without requiring the user to perform programming, e.g., without needing to write or construct code in any programming language. For example, the environment may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the user to develop/prototype the motion control sequence at a high level, by selecting from and configuring a sequence of motion control operations using the GUI.

System and method for graphically creating a sequence of motion control operations

A machine vision development environment that may utilize a control flow representation (preferably a state diagram representation) to specify and execute machine vision routines (e.g., sometimes referred to as inspection routines). A user may first create one or more machine vision routines using any of various methods. The user may then graphically specify a sequence of machine vision steps or operations, e.g., a machine vision inspection, using a state diagram representation. The state diagram representation may comprise a plurality of icons which represent states with corresponding operations or functions, such as, for example, Load Inspection, Part Ready, Run Inspection, Read Digital Input, etc. The various icons may be connected by wires that indicate control flow transitions, e.g., state transitions, among the states. The state diagram may then be executed to control the machine vision routines.

Creating machine vision inspections using a state diagram representation

A system and method for developing a prototype that comprises a sequence of motion control, machine vision, and/or data acquisition (DAQ) 'MC/MV/DAQ' operations. A MC/MV/DAQ prototyping environment may be designed to enable a user to easily and efficiently develop/prototype a MC/MV/DAQ sequence (i.e., a sequence of operations which includes one or more motion control, machine vision, and/or DAQ operations) without requiring the user to perform programming, e.g., without needing to write or construct code in any programming language. For example, the environment may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the user to develop/prototype the MC/MV/DAQ sequence at a high level, by selecting from and configuring a sequence of MC/MV/DAQ operations using the GUI.

System and method for graphically creating a sequence of motion control, machine vision, and data acquisition (DAQ) operations

System and method for analyzing an image. A received image, comprising an object or objects, is optionally preprocessed. Invariant shape features of the object(s) are extracted using a generalized invariant feature descriptor. The generalized invariant feature descriptor may comprise a generalized invariant feature vector comprising components corresponding to attributes of each object, e.g., related to circularity, elongation, perimeter-ratio-based convexity, area-ratio-based convexity, hole-perimeter-ratio, hole-area-ratio, and/or functions of Hu Moment 1 and/or Hu Moment 2. Non-invariant features, e.g., scale and reflection, may be extracted to form corresponding feature vectors. The object is classified by computing differences between the generalized invariant feature vector (and optionally, non-invariant feature vectors) and respective generalized invariant feature vectors corresponding to reference objects, determining a minimum difference corresponding to a closest reference object or class of reference objects of the plurality of reference objects, and outputting an indication of the closest reference object or class as the classification.

Shape feature extraction and classification

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.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Nicolas F Vazquez