System and method for assigning analysis parameters to vision detector using a graphical interface

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for automating the setup of Locators and Detectors within an image view of an object on the HMI of a vision detector by determining detectable edges and best fitting the Locators and Detectors to a location on the object image view following the establishment of an user selected operating point on the image view, such as by clicking a GUI cursor. In this manner, the initial placement and sizing of the graphical elements for Locator and Detector ROIs are relatively optimized without excessive adjustment by the user. Locators can be selected for direction, including machine or line-movement direction, cross direction or angled direction transverse to cross direction and movement direction. Detectors can be selected based upon particular analysis tools, including brightness tools, contrast tools and trained templates. The Locators and detectors are each associated with a particular set of operating parameters, such as activation threshold, which are displayed in a control box within the GUI (and can be accessed by clicking on the specific Locator or Detector. A parameter bar can also be provided adjacent to the depiction of the Detector on the image view for easy reference. Both Locators and Detectors may be manually readjusted once automatically placed and sized by drag and drop techniques.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for placing and sizing on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) display at least one of Locators and Detectors comprising one or more processors implementing the steps of:
 a GUI screen image view of an object derived from a vision sensor having a field of view in which the object is in relative motion thereto and a plurality of captured image frames of the object within the filed of view, the image view being accessible by a GUI cursor; 
 an edge detection process that determines and analyzes detectable edges in the screen image view and stores edge information; 
 a selector that allows a user to select either a (a) Locator or (b) a Detector based upon a predetermined analysis tool for placement on the image view; and 
 an automatic placement process that uses the edge information to place the selected (a) Locator or (b) Detector at a position on the image view upon which the cursor points with a size that is determined based upon a location of adjacent edges of the object image view. 
 
     
     
       2. The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the automatic placement process is constructed and arranged to place the Locator on the image view relative to a nearest adjacent edge of the image view and to adjust the Locator so as to avoid a stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       3. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the automatic placement process is constructed and arranged to size a width of the Locator according to a predetermined value and reduce the width so as to avoid the stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       4. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the Locator includes a height based upon a line segment fit within a predetermined deviation away from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       5. The system as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the line segment is oriented at a relative angle with respect to a vertical and a horizontal axis within the image view so as to cause the line segment to fit with minimum deviation from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       6. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to the direction of relative motion. 
     
     
       7. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to (a) the direction of relative motion, and at least one of (b) a direction transverse to the direction of relative motion and (c) a direction at an angle between (a) and (b). 
     
     
       8. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the Locator is adapted to be resized and rotated about a center point by dragging and dropping the cursor at predetermined locations on the Locator so as to allow manual resizing and reorienting of the Locator with respect to the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       9. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein operating parameters relating to a threshold for activating the Locator are displayed in an associated control box within the GUI. 
     
     
       10. The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the operating parameters are selectively displayed in the control box by operating the cursor upon the Locator. 
     
     
       11. The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the Detector is adapted to be selected based upon at least one of brightness, contrast and a trained template. 
     
     
       12. The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the automatic placement process is constructed and arranged to place the Director Detector on the image view relative to the position at which the cursor points so that a relative center of the Detector as is at the position at which the cursor points and an outer boundary of the Director Detector extends to a location that is within detected edges of the object image view. 
     
     
       13. The system as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the Detector is adapted to be selected based upon at least one of brightness, contrast and a trained template. 
     
     
       14. The system as set forth in  claim 12  wherein operating parameters relating to a threshold for activating the Detector, brightness settings and contrast settings are displayed in an associated control box within the GUI and at a location adjacent to the Detector. 
     
     
       15. The system as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the operating parameters are selectively displayed in the control box by operating the cursor upon the Detector. 
     
     
       16. The system as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the outer boundary defines a circle and wherein the Detector is adapted to be resized in diameter about a center point by dragging and dropping the cursor relative to the outer boundary. 
     
     
       17. A method for placing and sizing on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) display at least one of Locators and Detectors comprising one or more processors implementing the steps of the steps of:
 displaying a GUI screen image view of an object derived from a vision sensor having a field of view in which the object is in relative motion thereto and a plurality of captured image frames of the object within the filed of view, the image view being accessible by a GUI cursor; 
 determining and analyzing detectable edges in the screen image view and stores edge information; 
 selecting either a (a) Locator or (b) a Detector based upon a predetermined analysis tool for placement on the image view; and 
 placing automatically, using the edge information, the selected (a) Locator or (b) Detector at a position on the image view upon which the cursor points with a size that is determined based upon a location of adjacent edges of the object image view. 
 
     
     
       18. The method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the step of placing places the Locator on the image view relative to a nearest adjacent edge of the image view and to adjust the Locator so as to avoid a stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       19. The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the step of placing sizes a width of the Locator according to a predetermined value and reduces the width so as to avoid the stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       20. The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the Locator includes a height based upon a line segment fit within a predetermined deviation away from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       21. The method as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the line segment is oriented at a relative angle with respect to a vertical and a horizontal axis within the image view so as to cause the line segment to fit with minimum deviation from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       22. The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to the direction of relative motion. 
     
     
       23. The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to (a) the direction of relative motion, and at least one of (b) a direction transverse to the direction of relative motion and (c) a direction at an angle between (a) and (b). 
     
     
       24. The method as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising resizing and rotating the Locator a center point by dragging and dropping the cursor at predetermined locations on the Locator so as to allow manual resizing and reorienting of the Locator with respect to the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       25. The method as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising displaying operating parameters relating to a threshold for activating the Locator in an associated control box within the GUI. 
     
     
       26. The method as set forth in claim  25  18 wherein the threshold for activating the Locator is automatically determined by computing a threshold value based upon a magnitude value relative to the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       27. The method as set forth in claim  25  18 further comprising displaying the operating parameters are selectively in the control box by operating the cursor upon the Locator. 
     
     
       28. The method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the Detector is adapted to be selected based upon at least one of brightness, contrast and a trained template. 
     
     
       29. The method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the step of placing places the Director Detector on the image view relative to the position at which the cursor points so that a relative center of the Detector as is at the position at which the cursor points and an outer boundary of the Director Detector extends to a location that is within detected edges of the object image view. 
     
     
       30. The method as set forth in  claim 29  further comprising selecting the Detector based upon at least one of brightness, contrast and a trained template. 
     
     
       31. The method as set forth in  claim 29  further comprising displaying operating parameters relating to a threshold for activating the Detector, brightness settings and contrast settings in an associated control box within the GUI and at a location adjacent to the Detector. 
     
     
       32. The method as set forth in  claim 31  further comprising selectively displaying the operating parameters in the control box by operating the cursor upon the Detector. 
     
     
       33. The system as set forth in  claim 29  wherein the outer boundary defines a circle, and further comprising resizing the Detector in diameter about a center point by dragging and dropping the cursor relative to the outer boundary. 
     
     
       34. A system for placing at least one of a Locator and a Detector on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) display, the system comprising one or more processors performing the steps of:
 providing an image view of an object derived from a vision sensor on the GUI display;   performing an edge detection process that identifies detectable object edges in the image view and stores edge information;   enabling selection of at least one of a (a) Locator and (b) a Detector for placement on the image view; and   automatically using the edge information to place the selected at least one of the (a) Locator and (b) Detector at a position on the image view with a size that is determined based upon edge information.   
     
     
       35. The system as set forth in claim 34 wherein the step of using the edge information to place one of a Locator and a Detector on the image view with a size based upon edge information includes determining the size based upon a location of adjacent edges of the object in the screen image. 
     
     
       36. The system as set forth in claim 34 wherein the step of placing one of a Locator and a Detector includes placing a Locator on the image view relative to a nearest adjacent edge of the image view and adjusting the Locator so as to avoid a stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       37. The system as set forth in claim 36 wherein the step of placing one of a Locator and a Detector includes sizing a width of the Locator so as to avoid the stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       38. The system as set forth in claim 36 wherein the Locator includes a height based upon a line segment fit within a predetermined deviation away from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       39. The system as set forth in claim 38 wherein the line segment is oriented at a relative angle with respect to a vertical and a horizontal axis within the image view so as to cause the line segment to fit with minimum deviation from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       40. The system as set forth in claim 36 wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to a direction of relative motion of the object within a field of view of the vision sensor. 
     
     
       41. The system as set forth in claim 36 wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to (a) a direction of relative motion of the object within a field of view of the vision sensor, and at least one of (b) a direction transverse to the direction of relative motion and (c) a direction at an angle between (a) and (b). 
     
     
       42. The system as set forth in claim 36 wherein the operating parameters are selectively displayed in a control box by operating the cursor upon the Locator. 
     
     
       43. The system as set forth in claim 34 wherein the Detector is adapted to be selected based upon at least one of brightness, contrast and a trained template. 
     
     
       44. The system as set forth in claim 34 wherein the step of placing one of a Locator and a Detector includes placing the Detector on the image view relative to the position at which a cursor points so that a relative center of the Detector is at the position at which the cursor points and an outer boundary of the Detector extends to a location that is within detected edges of the object in the image view. 
     
     
       45. The system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the operating parameters are selectively displayed in the a control box by operating the cursor upon the Detector. 
     
     
       46. A method for placing at least one of a Locator and a Detector on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) display, the method comprising one or more processors performing the steps of:
 displaying an image view of an object derived from a vision sensor on the GUI display;   performing an edge detection process that identifies detectable edges in the image view and stores edge information;   selecting at least one of a (a) Locator and (b) a Detector for placement on the image view; and   using the edge information to automatically place the selected at least one of the (a) Locator and (b) Detector at a position on the image view with a size that is determined based upon the edge information.   
     
     
       47. The method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the step of using the edge information to place includes placing the Locator on the image view relative to a nearest adjacent edge of the image view and to adjust the Locator so as to avoid a stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       48. The method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the step of using the edge information to place includes sizing a width of the Locator so as to avoid the stronger-magnitude more-distant edge. 
     
     
       49. The method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the Locator includes a height based upon a line segment fit within a predetermined deviation away from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       50. The method as set forth in claim 49 wherein the line segment is oriented at a relative angle with respect to a vertical and a horizontal axis within the image view so as to cause the line segment to fit with minimum deviation from the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       51. The method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the Locator is selected to be oriented with respect to the direction of relative motion of the object in a field of view of the vision sensor. 
     
     
       52. The method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the threshold for activating the Locator is automatically determined by computing a threshold value based upon a magnitude value relative to the nearest adjacent edge. 
     
     
       53. The method as set forth in claim 47 further comprising displaying the operating parameters selectively in the control box by operating a cursor upon the Locator. 
     
     
       54. The method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the step of using the edge information to place includes placing the Detector on the image view relative to the position at which a cursor points so that a relative center of the Detector is at the position at which the cursor points and an outer boundary of the Detector extends to a location that is within detected edges of the object within the image view.