Programmable CCD camera equipped with user-configurable video rate digital video processing for use in industrial inspection

摘要

Abstract: A new high performance CCD camera family is presented.The camera incorporates a micro-controller/PLDcombination to provide users with computer control ofimage acquisition, image processing and analysis. Usercontrol of image acquisition includes adjustable gainand offset, data rate and timing.Image processing andanalysis algorithms are implemented within PLDs andregulated via the microcontroller. A variety of imageprocessing algorithms are discussed including grayscale thresholding, RLE, edge detection and gauging.Parameters that govern the nature of the imageprocessing algorithm can be computer controlled andrandomly accessed. The camera transmits a combinationof high speed digital video for frame grabberacquisition and low speed serial analysis and statusinformation to a PC serial prot. Pixel rates at up to20Mbyte/sec/channel for up to 8 channels combine fordata throughputs of up to 160Mbytes/sec/camera. Cameraconfigurations include single and multi-tap, linescan,TDI and area array formats. Up to 15 cameras can beeasily integrated together to form a single networkthrough the use of a programmable communication HUBunit. An even larger number of cameras can be linkedtogether by combining several networks into a web.Applications for the programmable camera/HUB technologyinclude web and parts inspection, template matching andgauging. !2