JPH0566825A - Monitor in image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the monitor so that information outputted from an image processor can always be referred to in a position of a teaching operating panel. CONSTITUTION:To a teaching operating panel of an image processor, a miniature TV monitor 3 of a liquid crystal is attached so as to be freely attachable and detachable. Also, the teaching operating panel 1 and the TV monitor 3 are connected with a video signal cable 7. Moreover, in a connecting cable 2 of the teaching operating panel 1, a transmitting line for sending a video signal from the image processor is provided therein. In such a way, the video signal from the image processor is transmitted to the TV monitor 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which is used as a vision for an industrial robot or the like and which detects and inspects the position of an object, and in particular an apparatus for monitoring the original image and the processed image of the object. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A TV monitor attached to an image processing device of a visual sensor provides image information necessary for an operator to execute image processing, and therefore, has a window function in view of resolution and in some cases. It is difficult to make it compact from the standpoint of the above, and it is usually a stationary type. Therefore, the TV monitor is connected to the video signal cable drawn from the image device and is independent of the teaching operation panel.

[0003]

For example, regarding a series of operations from the field of view adjustment of a TV camera to the detection of an object,
The operator must execute the teaching work while checking the monitor image as needed, but since the teaching operation panel and the TV monitor are configured independently as described above, the TV monitor and the teaching operation panel are operated during such work. Both had to be carried to the adjustment location.

Therefore, in the present invention, a lightweight and small TV monitor that can be easily carried together with the teaching operation panel is separately provided in addition to the normal TV monitor so that the resolution during teaching operation does not have to be high. The purpose is to allow the operator to see the minimum reference image at any time near the teaching operation panel.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a teaching operation panel is detachably equipped with a TV monitor for displaying an image stored in an image memory of an image processing apparatus and an image captured by a camera. This is a solution to the problem.

Further, according to the present invention, a TV monitor for displaying an image stored in the image memory of the image processing apparatus and an image captured by the camera is detachably attached to the teaching operation panel, and the teaching operation panel and The video signal is connected to the TV monitor with a video signal cable, and the connection cable of the teaching operation panel is provided with a transmission line for sending the video signal from the image processing apparatus to the TV monitor, so that the video signal is transmitted to the TV monitor. I am going to send it to.

[0007]

A small liquid crystal TV monitor is attached to the teaching operation panel, a video signal from the image processing device is transmitted to the TV monitor, and the current image captured by the camera or the image of the processed image from the image memory is displayed on the TV. It appears on the monitor. Then, the operator performs necessary teaching on the teaching operation panel while constantly referring to this image.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of a visual sensor using an image processing device equipped with a monitor device according to the present invention. Therefore, the main CPU 11 is connected to the camera interface 12, the image processor 13, the console interface 1 via the bus 21.
4, communication interface 15, monitor interface 1
6, an image memory (frame memory) 17, a control software memory 18, a program memory 19, and a data memory 20 are connected to constitute the image processing apparatus 10 as a whole.

The camera interface 12 has a camera 2 for photographing the objects sequentially sent on the production line.
2 is connected. The image memory 17 has a camera 22
Taken to. Pixel data for the object processed as a grayscale image is stored. The image processor 13 processes the image stored in the image memory 17,
The object is identified and its position and orientation are detected. The console interface 14 has a teaching operation panel 1 described later.
Are connected.

A system (not shown) utilizing a visual sensor system such as a robot is connected to the communication interface 15. A monitor television 24 is connected to the monitor interface 16, and an image stored in the image memory 17 and a live image captured by the camera 22 are displayed here. The control software memory 18 stores a control program for the main CPU to control the visual sensor system. The program memory 19 stores an application program created by the user. The data memory 20 is a non-volatile RA
Various data in image processing such as teaching data are stored here.

The above construction is similar to that of the conventional visual sensor, but the present invention is characterized in that a small TV monitor is attached to the teaching operation panel 1.
That is, in addition to the conventional TV monitor 24, another small TV monitor 3 is connected to the monitor interface 16. Then, the contents displayed on the conventional TV monitor 24 are simultaneously displayed on the small TV monitor 3.

This structure will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. A small size (for example, 4 inches) liquid crystal TV monitor 3 is connected to the teaching operation panel 1 via a mounting member 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the attachment member 4 fixed to the lower end of the TV monitor 3 is fixed to the upper portion of the teaching operation panel 1. The teaching operation panel 1 includes a key sheet 8 and an LCD display unit 9.
Consists of. This key sheet 8 has various command keys,
It contains numeric keys for inputting, editing, registering, and executing the application program. Also,
The LCD display unit 9 can display a menu for setting various data and a list of programs. The contents instructed by the teaching operation panel 1 are sent to the image processing apparatus 10 by the connection cable 2.

On the other hand, the connection cable 2 of the teaching operation panel 1 has therein a transmission line for transmitting a video signal from the image processing apparatus. Furthermore, connectors 6 and 5 are provided on both the TV monitor 3 and the teaching operation panel 1. And
The connector 5 of the teaching operation panel 1 acts as an output terminal for outputting the video signal transmitted from the transmission line in the connection cable to the outside of the teaching operation panel 1. Further, the connector 6 of the TV monitor 3 acts as an input terminal for taking in the above video signal. Therefore, connect both connectors 6 and 5 to
As shown in FIG. 3, when the video signal cable 7 is connected, the video signal output from the monitor interface 16 of the image processing apparatus 10 is input to the TV monitor 3. In addition, T
When the V monitor 3 is not used, the teaching operation panel 1
The V monitor 3 should be removed.

As described above, even if the TV monitor 3 and the teaching operation panel 1 are integrated, a single connecting cable for the teaching operation panel 1 is sufficient.
It is possible to avoid knots and the like of the cable when moving with the cable connected. Furthermore, the TV monitor 3 used here
Since the teaching screen is small and the number of pixels cannot be increased due to the demand for downsizing and weight reduction, generally, high resolution cannot be expected, but especially for a series of work from the adjustment of the visual field of the camera to the detection of the object, the teaching operation panel 1 Since an image to be referred to while being taught by the operator is of this level, it is usually in time, and therefore the usefulness of this small TV monitor is extremely high. Of course, this image processing apparatus according to the present invention does not exclude the conventional stationary TV monitor 24. Therefore, when a high resolution image is required for image processing, the TV monitor 24 can be referred to. good.

[0015]

As described above, according to the device of the present invention,
Since a small and lightweight TV monitor is attached to the teaching operation panel of the image processing apparatus, the teaching operation panel and the TV monitor can be moved at any time at the same time. Especially, a series of operations from adjusting the field of view of the camera to detecting the object can be performed. In executing,
Information output from the image processing apparatus can be referenced and confirmed very close to the teaching operation panel, that is, at the operator's hand.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a visual sensor including an image processing apparatus including a monitor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a monitor device of the present invention attached to a teaching operation panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Teaching operation panel 2 Cable 3 TV monitor 4 Mounting member 5 Connector 6 Connector 7 Video signal cable 8 Key sheet 9 LCD display 10 Image processing device 11 Central processing unit (main CPU) 12 Camera interface 13 Image processing processor 14 Console interface 15 Communication interface 16 Monitor interface 17 Image memory (frame memory) 18 Control software memory 19 Program memory 20 Data memory 21 Bus 22 Camera 24 Monitor TV

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06F 1/18 H04N 7/18 B 8626-5C // G06F 15/62 380 9287-5L

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A monitor device in an image processing apparatus, wherein a TV monitor for displaying an image stored in an image memory and an image captured by a camera is detachably attached to a teaching operation panel. 2. A teaching operation panel is detachably equipped with a TV monitor for displaying an image stored in an image memory of an image processing apparatus and an image captured by a camera, and further, the teaching operation panel and the TV monitor. Is connected by a video signal cable, and the above-mentioned T
A monitor device in an image processing apparatus, wherein the video signal is transmitted to a TV monitor by providing a transmission line for transmitting a video signal from the image processing apparatus to the V monitor.