Claims
- 1. A method for specifying a machine vision process, the method comprising:
displaying an image on a display; displaying a graphical user interface on the display, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of possible image processing steps; receiving user input selecting a plurality of image processing steps to be applied to the image; creating a process specification in response to the user input, wherein the process specification comprises the plurality of image processing steps, wherein the process specification specifies a first portion of the machine vision process; and creating a block diagram in response to user input, wherein the block diagram specifies a second portion of the machine vision process; wherein the process specification and the block diagram collectively specify the machine vision process.
- 2. The method of claim 1,
wherein the machine vision process is operable to visually inspect a device.
- 3. The method of claim 1,
wherein the plurality of image processing steps of the process specification are operable to analyze an image of a device under inspection; wherein the block diagram is operable to determine an inspection result for the device, based on values determined by the image processing steps.
- 4. The method of claim 1,
wherein the block diagram graphically specifies a procedure that uses values determined by the first portion of the process to produce one or more results.
- 5. The method of claim 1,
wherein the block diagram graphically specifies a decision operation based on execution results determined by steps in the process specification.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
including one or more steps in the process specification operable to perform a plurality of operations based on a result computed by the block diagram.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
including a step in the process specification that references the block diagram.
- 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
executing the machine vision process, wherein the machine vision process visually inspects a device and generates a result.
- 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying a graphical user interface useable to create the block diagram; receiving user input specifying the block diagram via the graphical user interface.
- 10. The method of claim 1,
wherein said creating the block diagram comprises:
displaying a plurality of nodes in the diagram, wherein one or more of the nodes are displayed in response to user input; creating interconnections among the plurality of nodes in response to user input.
- 11. The method of claim 1,
wherein said creating the block diagram in response to user input comprises creating a graphical program in response to user input.
- 12. The method of claim 1,
wherein the block diagram includes a first set of nodes having values determined by execution results of the process specification; wherein said creating the block diagram comprises:
including a second set of function nodes in the block diagram in response to user input; connecting nodes from the first set of nodes to nodes from the second set of function nodes, in response to user input.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of steps in the process specification has zero or more associated values, the method further comprising:
receiving user input specifying at least a subset of the values associated with the plurality of steps; automatically including one or more nodes in the block diagram, wherein each node corresponds to a value from the specified at least a subset of values.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the process specification comprises a script, the method further comprising:
displaying a graphical user interface useable to select from image processing steps available for inclusion in the script; wherein said creating the process specification is performed in response to user input received via the graphical user interface specifying desired image processing steps to include in the script.
- 15. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:
displaying a graphical user interface indicating operations that can be performed on an image; receiving user input specifying one or more operations on the image; wherein said creating the process specification is performed in response to user input received via the graphical user interface specifying one or more operations to be performed on the image.
- 16. A method for specifying a machine vision process, the method comprising:
displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI includes machine vision operations that are selectable to be included in a process specification; receiving user input to the GUI, wherein the user input selects machine vision operations for inclusion in the process specification; creating the process specification in response to the user input, wherein the process specification specifies a first portion of the machine vision process; creating a block diagram in response to user input, wherein the block diagram specifies a second portion of the machine vision process; wherein the process specification and the block diagram collectively specify the machine vision process.
- 17. The method of claim 16,
wherein the machine vision operations included in the process specification comprise image processing operations operable to analyze an image of a device.
- 18. The method of claim 17,
wherein the block diagram is operable to determine an inspection result for the device, based on values determined by the image processing operations.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
including one or more operations in the process specification that depend on the inspection result determined by the block diagram.
- 20. A method for specifying a machine vision process, the method comprising:
creating a process specification in response to user input, wherein the process specification comprises a plurality of steps specifying a first portion of the machine vision process; creating a block diagram in response to user input, wherein the block diagram specifies a second portion of the machine vision process; wherein the process specification and the block diagram collectively specify the machine vision process.
- 21. A memory medium for specifying a machine vision process, the memory medium comprising program instructions executable to:
display an image on a display; display a graphical user interface on the display, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of possible image processing steps; receive user input selecting a plurality of image processing steps to be applied to the image; create a process specification in response to the user input, wherein the process specification comprises the plurality of image processing steps, wherein the process specification specifies a first portion of the machine vision process; create a block diagram in response to user input, wherein the block diagram specifies a second portion of the machine vision process; wherein the process specification and the block diagram collectively specify the machine vision process.
- 22. The memory medium of claim 21,
wherein the machine vision process is operable to visually inspect a device.
- 23. The memory medium of claim 21,
wherein the plurality of image processing steps of the process specification are operable to analyze an image of a device under inspection; wherein the block diagram is operable to determine an inspection result for the device, based on values determined by the image processing steps.
- 24. The memory medium of claim 21,
wherein the block diagram graphically specifies a procedure that uses values determined by the first portion of the process to produce one or more results.
- 25. The memory medium of claim 21,
wherein the block diagram graphically specifies a decision operation based on execution results determined by steps in the process specification.
- 26. The memory medium of claim 21, further comprising program instructions executable to:
include one or more steps in the process specification operable to perform a plurality of operations based on a result computed by the block diagram.
- 27. The memory medium of claim 21,
wherein said creating the block diagram comprises:
displaying a plurality of nodes in the diagram, wherein one or more of the nodes are displayed in response to user input; creating interconnections among the plurality of nodes in response to user input.
- 28. A system for specifying a machine vision process, the system comprising:
a processor; a memory storing program instructions; wherein the processor is operable to execute the program instructions to:
display an image on a display; display a graphical user interface on the display, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of possible image processing steps; receive user input selecting a plurality of image processing steps to be applied to the image; create a process specification in response to the user input, wherein the process specification comprises the plurality of image processing steps, wherein the process specification specifies a first portion of the machine vision process; create a block diagram in response to user input, wherein the block diagram specifies a second portion of the machine vision process; wherein the process specification and the block diagram collectively specify the machine vision process.
PRIORITY DATA
[0001] The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/940,189 titled, “System and Method for Specifying a Computer-Implemented Process Using Different Programming Methodologies,” filed Aug. 27, 2001, whose inventors were Nicolas Vazquez and Kevin L. Schultz.
[0002] The present application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/301,799 titled, “System and Method for Specifying a Machine Vision Process Using Different Programming Methodologies,” filed Jun. 29, 2001, whose inventors were Nicolas Vazquez and Kevin L. Schultz.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09940189 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10100559 |
Mar 2002 |
US |