GB2248933A - High resolution camera with hardware data compaction - Google Patents

Abstract

A camera serves as an object discrimination - identification system by creating an object silhouette. Objects (12, 14, 16, Fig. 1) are singulated on a conveyor (18, Fig. 1) and scanned by a linear array of CCD units 34 (e.g. 2048 pixels per inch) at a scan rate of e.g. 10 MHz. The pixel data is compacted by creating count values from a counter which is synchronised with the scanner. These count values relate to pixel transitions corresponding to object edge points. A microprocessor 54 with a first in, first out buffer memory 52 needs only a capacity to handle the count values rather than all data from the pixels, thus reducing both memory requirements and processing time. <IMAGE>

Description

22,'39-53 1 HIGH-RESOLUTION CAMERA WITH HARDWARE DATA COMPACTION This

invention relates to the compaction of data by use of hardware for example in connection with the real-time creation of a high resolution silhouette image of an object on a moving conveyor.

Background Information

In the inspection by video equipment of objects being transported on a conveyor, it is required that the image processing be done on a real time basis to produce the necessary secondary control signals. various prior art techniques are disclosed in Ohyama U.S. Patent No. 4,866,783.

composite video signals are not required for some applications. It may be sufficient to have a high resolution silhouette of an object elevation to determine the object orientation or size. Real time processing of large amounts of data is prohibitive for a feasible low-cost system due to the processing time involved and huge memory requirements to store all the information customarily used. Usual solutions to enable high resolution would be to invest in an expensive, faster computer and to add on the required memory.

Summarv of Invention It is an object of the invention to provide a novel method and system for the compaction of serial image information for reducing image processing time and memory requirements while maintaining the requisite video intelligence information.

The invention accordingly provides a method for compacting serial image data for reducing image processing time and memory requirements, comprising: producing a serial digital bit stream during a scan interval; converting each transition of the digital bit stream into 2 an edge pulse; and storing in a memory only a unique count value associated with each transition. The invention also provides a system for determining the position of points lying along an object edge comprising: an analog to digital conversion circuit; means for successively scanning a visual image of said object to produce an analog information signal for supply to said analog to digital conversion circuit, the conversion circuit producing serial digital data for each scan having transitions relating to edge points on said object; means for producing an edge pulse at each transition; means for producing a unique count value associated with each pulse; and a memory for storing said count values. In a further aspect, the invention provides a system for storing information related to the shape, size or orientation of an object moved by a conveyor in a f irst direction in a memory circuit connected to receive a plurality of digital signals related to a series of points on at least one marginal edge of said object, comprising: an analog to digital conversion circuit; a single line of sensors arranged for viewing pixels that extend along a second direction that is transverse to the first direction; a synchronization circuit including means f or producing clock signals; scanning means f or producing an analog voltage signal from said sensors operating in synchronization with said clock signals; means for outputting said analog voltage signal from said sensors to said analog to digital conversion circuit; an object edge detection circuit coupled to receive output signals from said analog to digital conversion circuit for generating a transfer signal at a time during a scan of the pixels that is related to detection of an object edge point; A 3 a counter circuit operating in synchronization with said clock signals and said scanning means and being reset between successive scans; and means connecting said memory circuit to receive a count value from said counter circuit which coincides with the time of occurrence of said transfer signals whereby the'count value is the only information stored concerning the location of said object edge points.

In a yet further aspect, the invention provides a system for determining a silhouette of an object moving in a first direction comprising:

a number of sensors arranged to scan pixels aligned in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the object to extend above and below the object; scanning means for successively producing an analog signal voltage from each of said sensors which signal is applied to an analog to digital conversion circuit; means for generating a transfer signal connected to the output of said analog to digital conversion circuit; a counter circuit operating in synchronization with said scanning means and at a counting speed in excess of 1 MHz; a memory connected to said counting circuit to receive a count value only in response to receipt of a transfer signal whereby the difference between two count values obtained during a single scan is related to a dimension of that portion of the object imaged by said sensors.

The invention provides a low-cost solution to the problem of reducing data handled by a ratio of up to 20:1 from a serial bit stream of fixed total length by reducing the number of data bits to be manipulated and stored. In one embodiment, a linear array of 1000 or more sensors having a resolution of between about 1000 and 4000 pixels per inch (394-1575 pixels/cm) facing a collimated light source and shadowed by an object on a conveyor as it passes between the light source and the linear array is able to provide a resolution of as little as 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm). The pixel scanner and counter circuit are all driven by a central 4 clock oscillator operating at frequencies in the range of 1 MHz to 40 MHz and reset at intervals in the range of a f ew hundred microseconds thereby to allow conveyor speeds of several inches per second. Standard off-shelf available components may be used and use of a relatively small memory capacity and inexpensive computer is possible.

Further features of the invention are in the claims and in the following description, made by way of example and with reference to the drawings, wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conveyor system for separating and orienting parts, together with a novel inspection camera and information processor; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a camera sensor and related functional circuitry for acquiring and storing object silhouette information; Fig. 3 is an elevation of a conveyor moving surface that is supporting a round of ammunition; Fig. 4 is a group of waveforms taken at scan position 120 as depicted by line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a group of waveforms taken at scan position 800 as depicted by line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a diagram of a suitable circuit arrangement for hardware that can compact the object image intelligence data.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment

The present invention is adapted f or use with conveyors that move a series of like objects on a repetitive basis f or automated inspection or assembly. The invention serves as a substitute f or human inspection of the object orientation on the conveyor surface and is adapted to provide data representation concerning a part size that may have a resolution as little as 0.0005 inches.

In the illustrated conveyor 10 of Fig. 1, objects 12, 14, 16 rest on a surface 18 that moves in a counter-clockwise direction while a tilted central disk rotates at a slower speed to load objects in spaced positions along conveyor surf ace 18 in a known manner.The objects 12, 14, 16 pass between a camera sensor 22 and a light source 24 after which they move downstream to a conventional detector 26 and diverter 28 which enables reorientation and/or rejection or improperly oriented or sized articles. The diverter may of the general type as shown in Dean et al U. S. Patent No. 4,619,356.

In the illustrated embodiment, a camera sensor 22 is not a raster scan type, but instead consists of a linear array of charge coupled device (CCD) units. The CCD units are aligned to be transverse to the direction of object movement. The linear array of CCD units thus may be essentially vertical in the case of a horizontal conveyor. The CCD units are aligned in a single column that is one pixel wide and at least about 1000 pixels high. The height of the CCD unit column must be sufficient to span the feature of interest of the object 12, 14, 16 on the conveyor 18. For many small objects such as bolts, screwdriver handles, small caliber ammunition and the like, a maximum variation of the feature of interest may be within a one inch (2.54 cm) span.

Silhouette image data obtained for certain applications must have a 0. 0025 inch (0.635 mm) resolution. The number of CCD units in the one inch column may conveniently be about 2000 and advantageously may be 2048. An even smaller resolution below 0.0005 inches may be obtained with the use of about 3000 or 4000 pixels in a one inch column. The linear array of CCD units may be obtained commercially from Texas Instruments as TC-103-1. The drive circuitry necessary for proper CCD operation and timing diagrams to provide a sequential scan of the analog voltage signal are commercially available. The scan rate must provide sufficient time to transfer each pixel charge fully and not allow any charge to accumulate in pixel between reset and the next scan at which time a momentary voltage is applied to each of the CCD sensing units.

In the system of the present invention, the light source 24 is located across the conveyor surface 18 to face the CCD units. As an object 12, 14, 16 passes between the light 6 source 24 and the camera sens or 22, a shadow is formed on certain of the pixel areas whereas unblocked pixels are fully illuminated by the light. By use of a collimated light source which operates through a lens having a shape and size corresponding to that of the linear array of CCD units forming a camera sensor, a precise point on the upper ed4e surface of the object can be optically determined with great accuracy. variations in ambient light conditions are less likely to interfere with operation of the camera sensor when a collimated light source is used.

If the object has a point on the lower edge surface that is positioned above the conveyor surface, a light beam will be detected at appropriately positioned pixels in the same linear array at a point on the lower surface which is opposite the detected point on the upper object surface. Similarly, an aperture in the object which is alignedbetween collimated light source and the camera sensor will produce transitions in the adjacent pixels to provide a manifestation of the marginal edge points of the aperture at successive positions as the object advances past the camera sensor.

successive exposures of the camera sensor 22 to each object 12, 14 or 16 as it moves along the conveyor path 18 gives successive data inputs which may be sequentially processed and collectively used to provide as a display, a silhouette of the object before the object reaches the diverter station 28. object speed on the conveyor may be several per second depending upon the desired resolution. Successive scans may be provided at 300 microsecond intervals with a 2048 pixel linear array driven by a 10 MHz clock. Conveyor speeds up to seven inches per second (0.18 m1s) may be acceptable without exceeding the resolution accuracy specified.

The installation as illustrated in Fig. I may include also a system control 30 and control box 32 which are usually physically located near the conveyor.

With reference to Fig. 2, a functional block diagram of the camera sensor 22 is illustrated. The vertical column of 7 CCD units 34, consisting of a 2048 pixel linear array in the illustrated embodiment, is connected to receive clocking or timing signals from the clock and sync circuit 35. Clock circuit 35 includes an oscillator running at a frequency of at least about one MHz, and 10 MHz in the illustrated example, in order to provide pixel scanning in about 200 micr6seconds and 100 microseconds for reset operation. The CCD units that are commercially available are capable of running at clock frequencies as high as 40 MHz. Thus, pixel scan during a 300 microsecond sampling scan after conditioning, is used to produce an analog' information signal which contains a transition relating to the precise position of an edge point on an object or part which is being conveyed.

From the column of CCD units 34 which each functions as a pixel, an output signal on lead 36 is in the form of an analog signal voltage (see Figs. 4 and 5) containing sequentially obtained voltages of a first amplitude for shadowed pixels and a second low amplitude for those pixels receiving light from light source 24. The analog information is a serial bit stream of uniform length and is transferred serially at the clock rate to a voltage follower that serves as an isolation circuit 38 and to a black sample and hold circuit 40 which produces a voltage level reference signal from pixels that are blocked from receiving light. This provides a reference signal which holds the analog signal at a controlled DC level and may be used as one input to circuitry associated with an analog to digital conversion circuit 42.

The output signal on lead 44 is applied to the transition detector and data compaction circuitry 48 which will be described in connection with Fig. 6. On lead 46, a clock signal from the clocking and sync circuit 35 is applied to maintain synchronization between the data compaction unit 48 and the scanning means that is part of the charge coupled device array 34.

The output signal from the data compaction device 48 on leads 50 is in the form of a single binary number for each transition from the analog to digital conversion circuit and 8 is applied to the memory 52 which serves as a buf f er to collect all of the data for a particular object 12, 14 or 16 on the conveyor surface on a first in, first out basis. The microprocessor unit 54, which may be any suitable type that is commercially available, may start to process the output signals as soon as the memory 52 begins to r6ceive valid object data.

The camera sensor 22 is thus synchronized with a counter in the data compactor 48 by means of the clocking and sync circuit 35. The memory 52 for data buffering may have a 64K or even smaller capacity for objects of the type mentioned above. As pointed out above, low cost commercially offshelf available components have a capability to operate up to a 10 MHz data rate in a reliable fashion thereby providing a low cost hardware product.

With reference to Fig. 3, there illustrated a round of ammunition which has a cylindrical cartridge or casing 56 that is supported on a conveyor surface 18 and a projectile 58. Fig. 4 contains a group of waveforms taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 contains a group of similar waveforms taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 4 waveforms are taken at a position corresponding to scan 120 whereas, the Fig. 5 waveforms are taken at scan 800.

In Fig. 4, the waveform of the amplified analog signal starts at time 0 in a black condition because of the conveyor 18. At pixel 30, which corresponds to count 30 in a counter, light is detected thereby starting a negative going digital pulse and a positive going edge detector pulse 60. At pixel 100, the lower edge point on the silhouette of the projectile 58 is effective to block light and create a further edge detector pulse 62. At pixel 500, the light is again detected, thereby causing a third edge detector signal 64 to be generated. Finally, at the top of pixel linear array and pixel 2048, the scanner no longer produces a signal and an end of scan transition detector pulse 66 is generated.

A conventional binary counter capable of counting up to at least 2048 at the clock frequency is synchronized with the 9 scan of the 2048 pixels in the camera sensor as indicated at the bottom waveform of Fig. 4. The clock is reset to start at zero as the scan starts so that count values of 30, 100, 500 and 2048 are stored in the memory 52 of Fig. 2 as determined by the time of occurrence of edge detector pulses 60, 62, 64 and 66.

Fig. 5 shows the corresponding waveforms that occur at scan 800. Since the lowest point on the cylindrical casing 56 rests on the conveyor surface 18, the lowest 1499 pixels in the linear array are dark and the first transition occurs with pixel 1500, which is aligned with the upper edge point of the cartridge casing 56 at scan position 800.

The edge detector pulse 68 is generated in response to the transition at pixel 1500 and causes the count value of 1500 to fall through the memory 52 to its output terminals. A similar edge detector pulse 70 occurs at count 2048. Thereafter, a master reset pulse is generated. The counters are reset to a zero count by a counter reset signal which is synchronized with the beginning of the next scan of the pixels.

Fig. 6 shows one preferred embodiment for converting the digital signals of Figs. 4 and 5 into count values that are supplied to the microprocessor unit (MPU) 56. The digital signal from Fig. 4, in the form of incoming serial binary bits, is applied to terminal 80 of a negative and positive edge detecting network that detects changes in the binary state and issues for each positive or negative edge a 50n sec. pulse on lead 82. At a 10 MHz clock frequency, the scanned information data and clock counts are separated by 100n sec. The 50n sec. pulse is used to gate on the memory unit 52 (Fig. 2) which includes FIFO registers 84 as illustrated in Fig. 6. The three binary counter registers 86 that operate with clock signals on lead 46 are reset by a counter reset signal on lead 88. The count value on leads 50 is constantly presented to the FIFO registers 84. However, the count values are allowed to drop through the FIFO registers 84 only when an edge detector pulse on lead 82 is present. in this example, the count values of 30, 100, 150 and 2048 are stored.

When a count value f alls through the FIFO registers 84, the FIFO issues an output ready signal to MPU 54 on lead 92. When the MPU sees an output ready signal, it issues a shift out signal on lead 94 to FIFO registers 84 which releases the count value immediately to the MPU 90. The data at this point is then coded object image intelligence. This handshaking continues throughout the entire scan cycle and sequentially throughout all scans of a object.

As is evident from the foregoing, for the scan 120, only four count values are processed and stored rather than 2048 bits of scan information. Other scans such as scan 800 may have only two count values that are processed. The number of scans may be decreased where less resolution in the horizontal direction is acceptable thereby further reducing the processing time. This compaction of data increases processing speed and reduces memor size requirements without sacrificing resolution of the silhouette image.

While only a single embodiment has been illustrated, other modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in this art. The illustrated embodiment has a degree of sophistication which can be simplified for less demanding applications. It is - therefore intended that the variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof be covered thereby.

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Claims (23)

CLAIMS:

1. A method f or compacting serial image data for reducing image processing time and memory requirements, comprising: producing a serial digital bit stream duiing a scan interval; converting each transition of the digital bit stream into an edge pulse; and storing in a memory only a unique count value associated with each transition.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bit stream has at least 1000 bits per scan interval and a number of binary transitions that is no greater than ten percent (10%) of the number of bits.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the edge pulse has a duration less than the duration of one of said bits, and the bit periods are counted, the bit period count only being gated on to the memory by said edge pulses, so as to store said unique count values in the memory.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein a plurality of bit streams having the same length are produced during successive scan intervals and counting is re-started at the beginning of each scan interval.

5. A method as defined in any preceding claim wherein the bit stream contains data relating to object edge point locations for use in determining a silhouette of the object, said method further comprising: providing a source of collimated light facing a number of sensors arranged to view a linear array of pixels; passing said object along a path to form a shadow on a portion of said sensors; and 12 scanning said linear array of pixels with said sensors to produce an analog information signal which varies in accordance with whether a pixel receives or is shadowed f rom said light.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein binari transitions occur at time intervals which correspond to scan times of transitions occurring between adjacent pixels which are shadowed and illuminated.

7. A system for determining the_ position of points lying along an object edge comprising:

an analog to digital conversion circuit; means for successively scanning a visual image of said object to produce an analog information signal for supply to said analog to digital conversion circuit, the conversion circuit producing serial digital data for each scan having transitions relating to edge points on said object; means for producing an edge pulse at each transition; means for producing a unique count value associated with each pulse; and a memory for storing said count values.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the conversion circuit includes means for controlling the analog amplitude level for digital binary transition.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the means for producing unique count values comprises a counter circuit synchronised with said scanning means.

10. A system as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein the memory is a first in, first out buffer memory.

11. A system as def ined in any of claims 7-10, including a conveyor for moving a plurality of singulated objects relative to a camera including said sensors and a microprocessor unit b 13 connected to the output of said memory, and wherein the count values generated from a first object on said conveyor are transmitted to the microprocessor before initiating scanning of the next object.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein' the system further comprises means for detecting the positions of two aligned points on opposite object edges during each scan, and means operative during each scan to provide count information corresponding to only the positions of each of said two aligned points thereby to provide accurate information concerning the spacing between said two aligned points on the object without processing analog information signal portions that are unrelated to either of said two aligned points.

13. A system as defined in claim 11 or 12 wherein the objects are moved in one direction by the conveyor, the camera sensor is stationary and comprises a number of sensors for scanning a linear array of pixels transverse to the one direction, the count information relating to both size and orientation of an object on said conveyor structure.

14. A system for storing information related to the shape, size or orientation of an object moved by a conveyor in a first direction in a memory circuit connected to receive a plurality of digital signals related to a series of points on at least one marginal edge of said object comprising: an analog to digital conversion circuit; a single line of sensors arranged for viewing pixels that extend along a second direction that is transverse to the first direction; a synchronization circuit including means for producing clock signals; scanning means for producing an analog voltage signal from said sensors operating in synchronization with said clock signals; means for outputting said analog voltage signal from said 14 sensors to said analog to digital conversion circuit; an object edge detection circuit coupled to receive output signals from said analog to digital conversion circuit for generating a transfer signal at a time during a scan of the pixels that is related to detection of an object edge point; a counter circuit operating in synchronization with said clock signals and said scanning means and being reset between successive scans; and means connecting said memory circuit to receive a count value from said counter circuit which coincides with the time of occurrence of said transfer signals whereby the count value is the only information stored concerning the location of said object edge points.

15. A system as defined in claim 14 wherein said object edge point transfer signal is a pulse that has a duration that is about one-half the duration of output signals from the counter circuit.

16. A system as def ined in claim 14 or claim 15 wherein the pixels extend beyond two opposite edges of said object and two transfer signals are generated by said object edge detection circuit to identify the relative positions of points on opposite marginal edges of said object and provide a size measurement of said object.

17. A system as def ined in any of claims 14-16 wherein the density of pixels in the linear array is at least about 2000 pixels per inch thereby to provide size measurements having a resolution at least as small as 0. 0025 inches.

18. A system as defined in any of claims 14 - 17 wherein the said transfer signals generated by said object edge detection circuit are connected to open said memory circuit to receive an instantaneous count value from said counter circuit, and said memory circuit has a storage capacity for storing only count values relating to edges of said object and is connected to transfer on a first in, first out basis the stored count value information to a microprocessor.

19. A system for determining a silhouette of an object moving in a first direction comprising: a number of sensors arranged to scan pixels aligned in a direction transverse to the moving direction of the object to extend above and below the object; scanning means for successively producing an analog signal voltage from each of said sensors which signal is applied to an analog to digital conversion circuit; means for generating a transfer signal connected to the output of said analog to digital conversion circuit; a counter circuit operating in synchronization with said scanning means and at a counting speed in excess of I MHz; a memory connected to said counting circuit to receive a count value only in response to receipt of a transfer signal whereby the difference between two count values obtained during a single scan is related to a dimension of that portion of the object imaged by said sensors.

20. A system as defined in claim 19 wherein the memory has a capacity capable of storing in a first in, first out basis all of the count values corresponding to a plurality of points along an axis of the object extending in the first direction and the system further comprises a microprocessor for processing the stored count values for providing a plurality of object measurements that determine the object silhouette.

21. A system as defined in claim 20 wherein the density of the aligned pixels is about 2000 pixels per inch along the direction of the object dimension being measured thereby to provide measurements having a resolution at least as small as about 0.0025 inches.

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22. A method f or compacting serial data for reducing image processing time and memory requirements substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

23. A system for gathering and processing data relating to the shape, size or orientation of an object, substantially as described with reference to or as shown by the drawings.