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About This Manual
Conventions ...................................................................................................................ix
Related Documentation..................................................................................................x
NI Vision Assistant..........................................................................................x
Chapter 1
About IMAQ Vision ......................................................................................................1-1
IMAQ Vision Function Tree..........................................................................................1-2
Creating IMAQ Vision Applications.............................................................................1-4
Chapter 2
Acquiring an Image.........................................................................................2-6
Converting an Array to an Image....................................................................2-7
Lookup Tables.................................................................................................2-10
Filters...............................................................................................................2-10
Convolution Filter.............................................................................2-11
Nth Order Filter.................................................................................2-11
Grayscale Morphology ....................................................................................2-11
FFT ..................................................................................................................2-12
Complex Image Operations ..............................................................2-13
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Contents
Chapter 3
Defining Regions Programmatically............................................................... 3-6
Measure Color Statistics................................................................................................ 3-7
Comparing Colors........................................................................................... 3-9
Learning Color Information............................................................................ 3-9
Specifying the Color Information to Learn ...................................... 3-9
Chapter 4
Create a Binary Image................................................................................................... 4-1
Improve the Binary Image............................................................................................. 4-2
Separating Touching Particles ........................................................................ 4-3
Chapter 5
Defining Regions Programmatically............................................................... 5-9
Find Measurement Points.............................................................................................. 5-9
Finding Lines or Circles ................................................................... 5-10
Finding Edge Points Along One Search Contour............................. 5-11
Finding Edge Points Along Multiple Search Contours .................... 5-12
Finding Points Using Pattern Matching.......................................................... 5-13
Defining and Creating Good Template Images................................ 5-13
Training the Pattern Matching Algorithm ........................................ 5-15
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Make Measurements......................................................................................................5-26
Analytic Geometry Measurements..................................................................5-27
Reading Characters..........................................................................................5-29
Reading Barcodes............................................................................................5-30
Reading Data Matrix Barcodes.........................................................5-30
Chapter 6
Calibrating Images
Perspective and Nonlinear Distortion Calibration.........................................................6-1
Defining a Calibration Template.....................................................................6-2
Learning the Correction Table ..........................................................6-8
Setting the Scaling Method...............................................................6-8
Calibration Invalidation ....................................................................6-8
Simple Calibration .........................................................................................................6-9
Save Calibration Information.........................................................................................6-10
Attach Calibration Information......................................................................................6-10
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Contents
Technical Support and Professional Services
Glossary
Index
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About This Manual
The IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI User Manual is intended for
engineers and scientists who have knowledge of the LabWindows™/CVI™
programming environment and need to create machine vision and image
processing applications using C functions. The manual guides you through
tasks beginning with setting up your imaging system to taking
measurements.
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
»
The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options
to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options
from the last dialog box.
This icon denotes a tip, which alerts you to advisory information.
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.
bold
Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names.
italic
Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction
to a key concept. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
monospace
Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames, and extensions.
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About This Manual
Related Documentation
In addition to this manual, the following documentation resources are
available to help you create your vision application.
IMAQ Vision
•
•
IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual—If you are new to machine vision
and imaging, read this manual to understand the concepts behind
IMAQ Vision.
IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI Function Reference—If you need
information about IMAQ Vision functions while creating your
application, refer to this help file.
NI Vision Assistant
•
•
NI Vision Assistant Tutorial—If you need to install NI Vision
Assistant and learn the fundamental features of the software, follow
the instructions in this tutorial.
NI Vision Assistant Help—If you need descriptions or step-by-step
guidance about how to use any of the functions or features of NI Vision
Assistant, refer to this help file.
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection
•
•
•
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection Tutorial—If you have
little experience with machine vision, and you need information about
how to solve common inspection tasks with NI Vision Builder AI,
follow the instructions in this tutorial.
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection: Configuration
Help—If you need descriptions or step-by-step guidance about how to
use any of the NI Vision Builder AI functions to create an automated
vision inspection system, refer to this help file.
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection: Inspection Help—If you
need information about how to run an automated vision inspection
system using NI Vision Builder AI, refer to this help file.
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About This Manual
Other Documentation
•
Your National Instruments image acquisition (IMAQ) device user
manual—If you need installation instructions and device-specific
information, refer to your device user manual.
•
Getting Started With Your IMAQ System—If you need instructions
for installing the NI-IMAQ software and your IMAQ hardware,
connecting your camera, running Measurement & Automation
Explorer (MAX) and the NI-IMAQ Diagnostics, selecting a camera
file, and acquiring an image, refer to this getting started document.
•
•
•
NI-IMAQ User Manual—If you need information about how to use
NI-IMAQ and IMAQ image acquisition devices to capture images for
processing, refer to this manual.
NI-IMAQ VI or function reference guides—If you need information
about the features, functions, and operation of the NI-IMAQ image
acquisition VIs or functions, refer to these help files.
IMAQ Vision Deployment Engine Note to Users—If you need
information about how to deploy your custom IMAQ Vision
applications on target computers, read this CD insert.
•
•
Example programs—If you want examples of how to create specific
applications, go to <CVI>\samples\vision.
Application Notes—If you want to know more about advanced
IMAQ Vision concepts and applications, refer to the Application
Notes located on the National Instruments Web site at ni.com/
appnotes.nsf.
•
NI Developer Zone (NIDZ)—If you want even more information
about developing your vision application, visit the NI Developer Zone
at ni.com/zone. The NI Developer Zone contains example
programs, tutorials, technical presentations, the Instrument Driver
Network, a measurement glossary, an online magazine, a product
advisor, and a community area where you can share ideas, questions,
and source code with vision developers around the world.
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1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
This chapter describes the IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI software,
outlines the IMAQ Vision function organization, and lists the steps for
making a machine vision application.
Note Refer to the Vision Development Module Release Notes that came with your
software for information about the system requirements and installation procedure for
IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI.
About IMAQ Vision
IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI—a part of the Vision Development
Module—is a library of C functions that you can use to develop machine
vision and scientific imaging applications. The Vision Development
Module also includes the same imaging functions for LabVIEW,
and ActiveX controls for Microsoft Visual Basic. Vision Assistant, another
Vision Development Module software product, enables you to prototype
your application strategy quickly without having to do any programming.
Additionally, NI offers Vision Builder for Automated Inspection:
configurable machine vision software that you can use to prototype,
benchmark, and deploy applications.
Application Development Environments
This release of IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI supports the
following Application Development Environments (ADEs) for
Windows 2000/NT/XP.
•
•
LabWindows/CVI version 6.0 and later
Microsoft Visual C/C++ version 6.0 and later
Note IMAQ Vision has been tested and found to work with these ADEs, although other
ADEs may also work.
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Chapter 1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
IMAQ Vision Function Tree
The IMAQ Vision function tree (NIVision.lfp) contains separate
classes corresponding to groups or types of functions. Table 1-1 lists the
IMAQ Vision function types and gives a description of each type.
Table 1-1. IMAQ Vision Function Types
Function Type
Description
Image
Management
Functions that create space in memory for images and perform basic image
manipulation.
Memory
Management
Function that returns, to the operating system, previously used memory that is
no longer needed.
Error
Management
Functions that set the current error, return the name of the function in which the
last error occurred, return the error code of the last error, and clear any pending
errors.
Acquisition
Display
Functions that acquire images through an IMAQ hardware device.
Functions that cover all aspects of image visualization and image window
management.
Overlay
Functions that create and manipulate overlays.
Regions of
Interest
Functions that create and manipulate regions of interest.
File I/O
Functions that read and write images from and to files.
Calibration
Functions that learn calibration information and correct distorted images.
Image
Analysis
Functions that compute the centroid of an image, profile of a line of pixels,
and the mean line profile. This type also includes functions that calculate the
pixel distribution and statistical parameters of an image.
Grayscale
Processing
Functions for grayscale image processing and analysis.
Functions for binary image processing and analysis.
Functions for color image processing and analysis.
Functions that learn patterns and search for patterns in images.
Binary
Processing
Color
Processing
Pattern
Matching
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Chapter 1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
Table 1-1. IMAQ Vision Function Types (Continued)
Function Type
Caliper
Description
Functions designed for gauging, measurement, and inspection applications.
Operators
Functions that perform arithmetic, logic, and comparison operations with
two images or with an image and a constant value.
Analytic
Functions that perform basic geometric calculations on an image.
Geometry
Frequency
Domain
Analysis
Functions for the extraction and manipulation of complex planes. Functions
of this type perform Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), inverse FFT, truncation,
attenuation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of complex
images.
Barcode I/O
LCD
Functions that find and read barcodes.
Functions that find and read seven-segment LCD characters.
Functions that return the arc information of a meter and read the meter.
Meter
Utilities
Functions that return structures, and a function that returns a pointer to
predefined convolution matrices.
OCR
Functions that perform optical character recognition on an image.
Functions that classify an image or feature vector.
Classification
Obsolete
Functions that are no longer necessary but may exist in older applications.
IMAQ Machine Vision Function Tree
The IMAQ Machine Vision function tree (NIMachineVision.fp)
contains separate classes corresponding to groups or types of functions.
Table 1-2 lists the IMAQ Machine Vision function types and gives a
description of each type.
Table 1-2. IMAQ Machine Vision Function Types
Function Type
Description
Coordinate Transform
Functions that find coordinate transforms based on image contents.
Count and Measure Objects Function that counts and measures objects in an image.
Find Patterns
Locate Edges
Function that finds patterns in an image.
Functions that locate different types of edges in an image.
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Chapter 1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
Table 1-2. IMAQ Machine Vision Function Types (Continued)
Function Type
Description
Measure Distances
Measure Intensities
Functions that measure distances between objects in an image.
Functions that measure light intensities in various shaped regions
within an image.
Select Region of Interest
an image.
Creating IMAQ Vision Applications
Figures 1-1 and 1-2 illustrate the steps for creating an application with
IMAQ Vision. Figure 1-1 describes the general steps to designing a Vision
application. The last step in Figure 1-1 is expanded upon in Figure 1-2.
You can use a combination of the items in the last step to create your IMAQ
Vision application. Refer to the corresponding chapter listed to the side of
the item for more information about items in either diagram.
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Chapter 1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
Set Up Your Imaging System
Chapter 6:
Calibration
Calibrate Your Imaging System
Create an Image
Acquire or Read an Image
Chapter 2:
Getting
Measurement-Ready
Images
Display an Image
Attach Calibration Information
Analyze an Image
Improve an Image
Make Measurements or Identify Objects
in an Image Using
1
2
3
Grayscale or Color Measurements, and/or
Particle Analysis, and/or
Machine Vision
Figure 1-1. General Steps for Designing a Vision Application
Note Diagram items enclosed with dashed lines are optional steps.
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Chapter 1
Introduction to IMAQ Vision
2
Define Regions of Interest
Chapter 4:
Grayscale and Color
Measurements
Measure
Grayscale Statistics
Measure
Color Statistics
3
4
Locate Objects to Inspect
Set Search Areas
Create a Binary Image
Chapter 5:
Particle
Analysis
Improve a Binary Image
Find Measurement Points
Identify Parts Under Inspection
Chapter 6:
Machine
Vision
Make Particle Measurements
Classify
Read
Read
Objects Characters Symbologies
Convert Pixel Coordinates to
Real-World Coordinates
Make Measurements
Display Results
Figure 1-2. Inspection Steps for Building a Vision Application
Note Diagram items enclosed with dashed lines are optional steps.
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2
Getting Measurement-Ready
Images
This chapter describes how to set up your imaging system, acquire and
display an image, analyze the image, and prepare the image for additional
processing.
Set Up Your Imaging System
Before you acquire, analyze, and process images, you must set up your
imaging system. How you set up your system depends on your imaging
environment and the type of analysis and processing you need to do. Your
imaging system should produce images with high enough quality so that
you can extract the information you need from the images.
Complete the following steps to set up your imaging system.
1. Determine the type of equipment you need given your space
constraints and the size of the object you need to inspect. Refer to
Chapter 3, System Setup and Calibration, of the IMAQ Vision
Concepts Manual for more information.
a. Make sure your camera sensor is large enough to satisfy your
minimum resolution requirement.
b. Make sure your lens has a depth of field high enough to keep all
of your objects in focus regardless of their distance from the lens.
Also, make sure your lens has a focal length that meets your
needs.
c. Make sure your lighting provides enough contrast between the
object under inspection and the background for you to extract the
information you need from the image.
2. Position your camera so that it is perpendicular to the object under
inspection. If your camera acquires images of the object from an angle,
perspective errors occur. Even though you can compensate for these
errors with software, NI recommends that you use a perpendicular
inspection angle to obtain the most accurate results.
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Chapter 2
Getting Measurement-Ready Images
3. Select an IMAQ device that meets your needs. National Instruments
offers several IMAQ devices, including analog color and monochrome
devices as well as digital devices. Visit ni.com/imaqfor more
information about IMAQ devices.
4. Configure the driver software for your image acquisition device. If
you have a National Instruments image acquisition device, configure
the NI-IMAQ driver software through MAX. Open MAX by
double-clicking the Measurement & Automation Explorer icon on
your desktop. Refer to the NI-IMAQ User Manual and the
Measurement and Automation Explorer Help for IMAQ for more
information.
Calibrate Your Imaging System
After you set up your imaging system, you may want to calibrate your
system to assign real-world coordinates to pixel coordinates. This allows
you to compensate for perspective and nonlinear errors inherent in your
imaging system.
Perspective errors occur when your camera axis is not perpendicular to the
object under inspection. Nonlinear distortion may occur from aberrations
in the camera lens. Perspective errors and lens aberrations cause images to
appear distorted. This distortion misplaces information in an image, but it
Use simple calibration if you only want to assign real-world coordinates to
pixel coordinates. Use perspective and nonlinear distortion calibration if
you need to compensate for perspective errors and nonlinear lens distortion.
For detailed information about calibration, refer to Chapter 5, Performing
Machine Vision Tasks.
Create an Image
To create an image in IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI, call
imaqCreateImage(). This function returns an image reference you can
use when calling other IMAQ Vision functions. The only limitation to the
size and number of images you can acquire and process is the amount of
memory on your computer. When you create an image, specify the type of
the image. Table 2-1 lists the valid image types.
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Table 2-1. IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI Image Types
Value
Description
8 bits per pixel—unsigned, standard monochrome
16 bits per pixel—signed, monochrome
IMAQ_IMAGE_U8
IMAQ_IMAGE_I16
IMAQ_IMAGE_SGL
IMAQ_IMAGE_COMPLEX
32 bits per pixel—floating point, monochrome
2 × 32 bits per pixel—floating point, native format after a Fast
Fourier Transform (FFT)
IMAQ_IMAGE_RGB
IMAQ_IMAGE_HSL
IMAQ_IMAGE_RGB_U64
32 bits per pixel—standard color
32 bits per pixel—color
64 bits per pixel—standard color
You can create multiple images by executing imaqCreateImage()as
many times as you want. Determine the number of required images through
an analysis of your intended application. The decision is based on different
processing phases and your need to keep the original image after each
processing step. The decision to keep an image occurs before each
processing step.
When you create an image, IMAQ Vision creates an internal image
structure to hold properties of the image, such as its name and border size.
However, no memory is allocated to store the image pixels at this time.
IMAQ Vision functions automatically allocate the appropriate amount of
memory when the image size is modified. For example, functions that
acquire or resample an image alter the image size, so they allocate the
appropriate memory space for the image pixels. The return value of
imaqCreateImage()is a pointer to the image structure. Supply this
pointer as an input to all subsequent IMAQ Vision functions.
Most functions in the IMAQ Vision library require one or more image
pointers. The number of image pointers a function takes depends on the
image processing function and the type of image you want to use. Some
IMAQ Vision functions act directly on the image and require only one
image pointer. Other functions that process the contents of images require
pointers to the source image(s) and to a destination image.
At the end of your application, dispose of each image that you created using
imaqDispose().
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Chapter 2
Getting Measurement-Ready Images
Source and Destination Images
Some IMAQ Vision functions that modify the contents of an image have
source image and destination image input parameters. The source image
receives the image to process. The destination image receives the
processing results. The destination image can receive either another image
or the original, depending on your goals. If you do not want the contents of
the original image to change, use separate source and destination images.
If you want to replace the original image with the processed image, pass the
same image as both the source and destination.
Depending on the function, the image type of the destination image can be
the same or different than the image type of the source image. The function
descriptions in the IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI Function Reference
include the type of images you can use as image inputs and outputs. IMAQ
Vision resizes the destination image to hold the result if the destination is
not the appropriate size.
The following examples illustrate source and destination images with
imaqTranspose():
• imaqTranspose(myImage,myImage);
This function creates a transposed image using the same image for the
source and destination. The contents of myImagechange.
• imaqTranspose(myTransposedImage,myImage);
This function creates a transposed image and stores it in a destination
different from the source. The myImageimage remains unchanged,
and myTransposedImagecontains the result.
Functions that perform arithmetic or logical operations between two
images have two source images and a destination image. You can perform
an operation between two images and then either store the result in a
separate destination image or in one of the two source images. In the
latter case, make sure you no longer need the original data in the source
image before storing the result over the data.
The following examples show the possible combinations using
imaqAdd():
• imaqAdd(myResultImage,myImageA,myImageB);
This function adds two source images (myImageAand myImageB) and
images remain intact after processing.
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Chapter 2
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• imaqAdd(myImageA,myImageA,myImageB);
This function adds two source images and stores the result in the first
source image.
• imaqAdd(myImageB,myImageA,myImageB);
This function adds two source images and stores the result in the
second source image.
Most operations between two images require that the images have the
same type and size. However, some arithmetic operations can work
between two different types of images, such as 8-bit and 16-bit images.
Some functions perform operations that populate an image. Examples of
this type of operation include reading a file, acquiring an image from an
IMAQ device, or transforming a 2D array into an image. This type of
function can modify the size of an image.
Some functions take an additional mask parameter. The presence of this
parameter indicates that the processing or analysis is dependent on the
contents of another image, the image mask.
Note The image mask must be an 8-bit image.
If you want to apply a processing or analysis function to the entire image,
pass NULL for the image mask. Passing the same image to both the source
image and image mask also gives the same effect as passing NULL for the
image mask, except in this case the source image must be an 8-bit image.
Acquire or Read an Image
After you create an image reference, you can acquire an image into your
imaging system in three ways. You can acquire an image with a camera
through your IMAQ device, load an image from a file stored on your
computer, or convert data stored in a 2D array to an image. Functions that
acquire images, load images from file, or convert data from a 2D array to
an image automatically allocate the memory space required to
accommodate the image data.
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Acquiring an Image
Use one of the following methods to acquire images with a National
Instruments IMAQ device.
•
Acquire a single image using imaqEasyAcquire(). When you call
this function, it initializes the IMAQ device and acquires the next
incoming video frame. Use this function for low-speed single capture
applications where ease of programming is essential.
•
•
•
Acquire a single image using imaqSnap(). When you call this
function, it acquires the next incoming video frame on an IMAQ
device you have already initialized using imgInterfaceOpen()and
imgSessionOpen(). Use this function for high-speed single capture
applications.
Acquire images continually through a grab acquisition. Grab functions
perform high-speed acquisitions that loop continually on one buffer.
Use imaqSetupGrab()to start the acquisition. Use imaqGrab()
to return a copy of the current image. Use imaqStopAcquisition()
to stop the acquisition.
Acquire a fixed number of images using a sequence acquisition.
Set up the acquisition using imaqSetupSequence(). Use
imaqStartAcquisition()to acquire the number of images you
requested during setup. If you want to acquire only certain images,
supply imaqSetupSequence()with a table describing the number
of frames to skip after each acquired frame.
•
Acquire images continually through a ringed buffer acquisition.
Set up the acquisition using imaqSetupRing(). Use
imaqStartAcquisition()to start acquiring images into the
acquired ring buffer. To get an image from the ring, call
imaqExtractFromRing()or imaqCopyRing(). Use
imaqStopAcquisition()to stop the acquisition.
Note You must use imgClose()to release resources associated with the image
acquisition device.
Reading a File
Use imaqReadFile()to open and read data from a file stored on your
computer into the image reference. You can read from image files stored
in several standard formats: BMP, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, and AIPD. The
software automatically converts the pixels it reads into the type of image
you pass in.
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Use imaqReadVisionFile()to open an image file containing additional
information, such as calibration information, template information for
pattern matching, or overlay information. For more information about
pattern matching templates and overlays, refer to Chapter 5, Performing
Machine Vision Tasks.
You can also use imaqGetFileInfo()to retrieve image
properties—such as image size, recommended image type, and
calibration units—without actually reading all the image data.
Converting an Array to an Image
Use imaqArrayToImage()to convert a 2D array to an image. You can
also use imaqImageToArray()to convert an image to a 2D array.
Display an Image
Display an image in an external window using imaqDisplayImage().
You can display images in 16 different external windows. Use the other
display functions to configure the appearance of each external window.
Properties you can set include whether the window has scroll bars, a title
bar, and whether it is resizable. You can also use imaqMoveWindow()to
position the external image window at a particular location on you monitor.
Refer to the IMAQ Vision for LabWindows/CVI Function Reference for a
complete list of Display functions.
Note Image windows are not LabWindows/CVI panels. They are managed directly by
IMAQ Vision.
You can use a color palette to display grayscale images by applying a color
palette to the window. Use imaqSetWindowPalette()to set predefined
color palettes. For example, if you need to display a binary image—an
image containing particle regions with pixel values of 1 and a background
region with pixel values of 0—apply the predefined binary palette. For
more information about color palettes, refer to Chapter 2, Display, of the
IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual.
Note At the end of your application, close all open external windows using
imaqCloseWindow().
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Attach Calibration Information
If you want to attach the calibration information of the current setup to
each image you acquire, use imaqCopyCalibrationInfo(). This
function takes in a source image containing the calibration information and
a destination image that you want to calibrate. The output image is your
inspection image with the calibration information attached to it. For
detailed information about calibration, refer to Chapter 6, Calibrating
Images.
Note Because calibration information is part of the image, it is propagated throughout
the processing and analysis of the image. Functions that modify the image size, such as
geometrical transforms, void the calibration information. Use imaqWriteVisionFile()
to save the image and all of the attached calibration information to a file.
Analyze an Image
After you acquire and display an image, you may want to analyze the
contents of the image for the following reasons:
•
To determine whether the image quality is high enough for your
inspection task.
•
To obtain the values of parameters that you want to use in processing
functions during the inspection process.
The histogram and line profile tools can help you analyze the quality of
your images.
Use imaqHistogram()to analyze the overall grayscale distribution in the
image. Use the histogram of the image to analyze two important criteria
that define the quality of an image—saturation and contrast. If your image
is underexposed, or does not have enough light, the majority of your pixels
will have low intensity values, which appear as a concentration of peaks on
the left side of your histogram. If your image is overexposed, or has too
much light, the majority of your pixels will have high intensity values,
which appear as a concentration of peaks on the right side of your
histogram. If your image has an appropriate amount of contrast, your
histogram will have distinct regions of pixel concentrations. Use the
histogram information to decide if the image quality is high enough to
separate objects of interest from the background.
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If the image quality meets your needs, use the histogram to determine the
range of pixel values that correspond to objects in the image. You can use
this range in processing functions, such as determining a threshold range
during particle analysis.
If the image quality does not meet your needs, try to improve the imaging
and modify each component of your imaging setup, including lighting
equipment and setup, lens tuning, camera operation mode, and acquisition
device parameters. If you reach the best possible conditions with your setup
but the image quality still does not meet your needs, try to improve the
image quality using the image processing techniques described in the
Improve an Image section of this chapter.
Use imaqLineProfile()to get the pixel distribution along a line in the
image, or use imaqROIProfile()to get the pixel distribution along a
one-dimensional path in the image. By looking at the pixel distribution, you
can determine if the image quality is high enough to provide you with sharp
edges at object boundaries. Also, you can determine if the image is noisy
and identify the characteristics of the noise.
If the image quality meets your needs, use the pixel distribution
information to determine some parameters of the inspection functions you
want to use. For example, use the information from the line profile to
determine the strength of the edge at the boundary of an object. You can
input this information into imaqEdgeTool2()to find the edges of objects
along the line.
Improve an Image
Using the information you gathered from analyzing your image, you may
want to improve the quality of your image for inspection. You can improve
your image with lookup tables, filters, grayscale morphology, and FFTs.
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Lookup Tables
Apply lookup table (LUT) transformations to highlight image details in
areas containing significant information at the expense of other areas.
A LUT transformation converts input grayscale values in the source image
into other grayscale values in the transformed image. IMAQ Vision
provides four functions that directly or indirectly apply lookup tables to
images.
• imaqMathTransform()—Converts the pixel values of an image
by eplacing them with values from a predefined lookup table.
IMAQ Vision has seven predefined lookup tables based on
mathematical transformations. For more information about these
lookup tables, refer to Chapter 5, Image Processing, of the IMAQ
Vision Concepts Manual.
• imaqLookup()—Converts the pixel values of an image by replacing
them with values from a user-defined lookup table.
• imaqEqualize()—Distributes the grayscale values evenly within a
given grayscale range. Use imaqEqualize()to increase the contrast
in images containing few grayscale values.
• imaqInverse()—Inverts the pixel intensities of an image to
compute the negative of the image. For example, use imaqInverse()
before applying an automatic threshold to your image if the
background pixels are brighter than the object pixels.
Filters
Filter your image when you need to improve the sharpness of transitions in
the image or increase the overall signal-to-noise ratio of the image. You can
choose either a lowpass or highpass filter depending on your needs.
Lowpass filters remove insignificant details by smoothing the image,
removing sharp details, and smoothing the edges between the objects
and the background. You can use imaqLowPass()or define your own
lowpass filter with imaqConvolve()or imaqNthOrderFilter().
Highpass filters emphasize details, such as edges, object boundaries,
or cracks. These details represent sharp transitions in intensity value.
You can define your own highpass filter with imaqConvolve()or
imaqNthOrderFilter(), or you can use a predefined highpass filter
with imaqEdgeFilter()or imaqCannyEdgeFilter(). The
predefined edge detection kernels, such as the Sobel, Prewitt, and Roberts
kernels.
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Convolution Filter
The imaqConvolve()function allows you to use a predefined set of
lowpass and highpass filters. Each filter is defined by a kernel of
coefficients. Use imaqGetKernel()to retrieve predefined kernels. If the
predefined kernels do not meet your needs, define your own custom filter
using a 2D array of floating point numbers.
Nth Order Filter
The imaqNthOrderFilter()function allows you to define a lowpass or
highpass filter depending on the value of N that you choose. One specific
Nth order filter, the median filter, removes speckle noise, which appears as
small black and white dots. Use imaqMedianFilter()to apply a median
filter. For more information about Nth order filters, refer to Chapter 5,
Image Processing, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual.
Grayscale Morphology
Perform grayscale morphology when you want to filter grayscale
features of an image. Grayscale morphology helps you remove or
enhance isolated features, such as bright pixels on a dark background.
Use these transformations on a grayscale image to enhance non-distinct
features before thresholding the image in preparation for particle analysis.
Grayscale morphological transformations compare a pixel to those pixels
surrounding it. The transformation keeps the smallest pixel values when
performing an erosion or keeps the largest pixel values when performing
a dilation.
Refer to Chapter 5, Image Processing, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts
Manual for more information about grayscale morphology
transformations.
Use imaqGrayMorphology()to perform one of the following seven
transformations:
•
Erosion—Reduces the brightness of pixels that are surrounded by
neighbors with a lower intensity.
•
Dilation—Increases the brightness of pixels surrounded by neighbors
with a higher intensity. A dilation produces the opposite effect of an
erosion.
•
Opening—Removes bright pixels isolated in dark regions and smooths
boundaries.
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•
•
•
•
Closing—Removes dark pixels isolated in bright regions and smooths
boundaries.
Proper-opening—Removes bright pixels isolated in dark regions and
smooths the inner contours of particles.
Proper-closing—Removes dark pixels isolated in bright regions and
smooths the inner contours of particles.
Auto-median—Generates simpler particles that have fewer details.
FFT
Use the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to convert an image into its
frequency domain. In an image, details and sharp edges are associated
with mid to high spatial frequencies because they introduce significant
gray-level variations over short distances. Gradually varying patterns are
associated with low spatial frequencies.
An image can have extraneous noise, such as periodic stripes, introduced
during the digitization process. In the frequency domain, the periodic
pattern is reduced to a limited set of high spatial frequencies. Also, the
imaging setup may produce non-uniform lighting of the field of view,
which produces an image with a light drift superimposed on the
information you want to analyze. In the frequency domain, the light drift
appears as a limited set of low frequencies around the average intensity of
the image, the DC component.
You can use algorithms working in the frequency domain to isolate and
remove these unwanted frequencies from your image. Complete the
following steps to obtain an image in which the unwanted pattern has
disappeared but the overall features remain.
1. Use imaqFFT()to convert an image from the spatial domain to the
frequency domain. This function computes the FFT of the image and
results in a complex image representing the frequency information of
your image.
2. Improve your image in the frequency domain with a lowpass or
highpass frequency filter. Specify which type of filter to use with
imaqAttenuate()or imaqTruncate(). Lowpass filters smooth
noise, details, textures, and sharp edges in an image. Highpass filters
emphasize details, textures, and sharp edges in images, but they also
emphasize noise.
•
Lowpass attenuation—The amount of attenuation is directly
proportional to the frequency information. At low frequencies,
there is little attenuation. As the frequencies increase, the
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attenuation increases. This operation preserves all of the zero
frequency information. Zero frequency information corresponds
to the DC component of the image or the average intensity of
the image in the spatial domain.
•
Highpass attenuation—The amount of attenuation is inversely
proportional to the frequency information. At high frequencies,
there is little attenuation. As the frequencies decrease, the
attenuation increases. The zero frequency component is removed
entirely.
•
•
Lowpass truncation—Frequency components above the ideal
cutoff frequency are removed, and the frequencies below it remain
unaltered.
Highpass truncation—Frequency components above the ideal
cutoff frequency remain unaltered, and the frequencies below it
are removed.
3. To transform your image back to the spatial domain, use
imaqInverseFFT().
Complex Image Operations
The imaqExtractComplexPlane()and
imaqReplaceComplexPlane()functions allow you to access, process,
and update independently the real and imaginary planes of a complex
image. You can also convert planes of a complex image to an array
and back with imaqComplexPlaneToArray()and
imaqArrayToComplexPlane().
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3
Making Grayscale and Color
Measurements
images. You can make inspection decisions based on image statistics, such
as the mean intensity level in a region. Based on the image statistics, you
can perform many machine vision inspection tasks on grayscale or color
images, such as detecting the presence or absence of components, detecting
flaws in parts, and comparing a color component with a reference.
Figure 3-1 illustrates the basic steps involved in making grayscale and
color measurements.
Define Regions of Interest
Measure
Measure
Grayscale Statistics
Color Statistics
Figure 3-1. Steps to Taking Grayscale and Color Measurements
Define Regions of Interest
A region of interest (ROI) is an area of an image in which you want
to focus your image analysis. You can define an ROI interactively,
programmatically, or with an image mask.
Defining Regions Interactively
You can interactively define an ROI in a window that displays an image.
Use the tools from the IMAQ Vision tools palette to interactively define and
manipulate an ROI.
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Table 3-1 describes each of the tools and the manner in which you use
them.
Table 3-1. Tools Palette Functions
Function
Icon
Tool Name
Selection Tool
Select an ROI in the image and adjust the position of its control
points and contours.
Action: Click the desired ROI or control points.
Select a pixel in the image.
Point
Line
Action: Click the desired position.
Draw a line in the image.
Action: Click the initial position, move the cursor to the final
position, and click again.
Rectangle
Draw a rectangle or square in the image.
Action: Click one corner and drag to the opposite corner.
Draw a rotated rectangle in the image.
Rotated Rectangle
Action: Click one corner and drag to the opposite corner to create
the rectangle. Then, click the lines inside the rectangle and drag
to adjust the rotation angle.
Oval
Draw an oval or circle in the image.
Action: Click the center position and drag to the desired size.
Draw an annulus in the image.
Annulus
Action: Click the center position and drag to the desired size.
Adjust the inner and outer radii, and adjust the start and end
angles.
Broken Line
Polygon
Draw a broken line in the image.
Action: Click to place a new vertex and double-click to complete
the ROI element.
Draw a polygon in the image.
Action: Click to place a new vertex and double-click to complete
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Table 3-1. Tools Palette Functions (Continued)
Icon
Tool Name
Function
Freehand Line
Draw a freehand line in the image.
Action: Click the initial position, drag to the desired shape,
and release the mouse button to complete the shape.
Freehand Region
Draw a freehand region in the image.
Action: Click the initial position, drag to the desired shape,
and release the mouse button to complete the shape.
Zoom
Pan
Zoom-in or zoom-out in an image.
Action: Click the image to zoom in. Hold down the <Shift> key
and click to zoom out.
Pan around an image.
Action: Click an initial position, drag to the desired position,
and release the mouse button to complete the pan.
Hold down the <Shift> key while drawing an ROI to constrain the ROI to
the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axes. Use the Selection Tool to position
an ROI by its control points or vertices. ROIs are context sensitive, meaning
that the cursor actions differ depending on the ROI with which you interact.
For example, if you move your cursor over the side of a rectangle, the
cursor changes to indicate that you can click and drag the side to resize the
rectangle. If you want to draw more than one ROI in a window, hold down
the <Ctrl> key while drawing additional ROIs.
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You can display the IMAQ Vision tools palette as part of an ROI
constructor window or in a separate, floating window. Follow these steps
to invoke an ROI constructor and define an ROI from within the ROI
constructor window:
1. Use imaqConstructROI2()to display an image and the tools palette
in an ROI constructor window, as shown in Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-2. ROI Constructor
2. Select an ROI tool from the tools palette.
3. Draw an ROI on your image. Resize and reposition the ROI until it
designates the area you want to inspect.
4. Click OK to output a descriptor of the region you selected. You can
input this ROI descriptor into many analysis and processing functions.
You can also convert the ROI descriptor into an image mask, which
you can use to process selected regions in the image. Use
imaqROIToMask()to convert the ROI descriptor into an image mask.
You can also use imaqSelectPoint(), imaqSelectLine(),
imaqSelectRect(), and imaqSelectAnnulus()to define regions
of interest. Complete the following steps to use these functions.
Only the tools specific to that function are available for you to use.
2. Draw an ROI on your image. Resize or reposition the ROI until it
covers the area you want to process.
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3. Click OK to populate a structure representing the ROI. You can use
this structure as an input to a variety of functions, such as the following
functions that measure grayscale intensity.
• imaqLightMeterPoint()—Uses the output of
imaqSelectPoint()
• imaqLightMeterLine()—Uses the output of
imaqSelectLine()
• imaqLightMeterRect()—Uses the output of
imaqSelectRect()
Tools Palette Transformation
The tools palette, shown in Figure 3-3, automatically transforms from the
palette on the left to the palette on the right when you manipulate an ROI
tool in an image window. The palette on the right displays the
characteristics of the ROI you are drawing.
Pixel Intensity
Image-type indicator (8-bit, 16-bit, Float, RGB, HSL, Complex)
Coordinates of the mouse
on the active image window
Anchoring coordinates of a Region of Interest
Size of an active Region of Interest
Length and horizontal angle
of a line region
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The following list describes how you can display the tools palette in a
separate window and manipulate the palette.
•
Use imaqShowToolWindow()to display the tools palette in a floating
window.
•
Use imaqSetupToolWindow()to configure the appearance of the
tools palette.
•
•
Use imaqMoveToolWindow()to move the tools palette.
Use imaqCloseToolWindow()to close the tools palette.
If you want to draw an ROI without using an ROI constructor or displaying
the tools palette in a separate window, use imaqSetCurrentTool().
This function allows you to select a contour from the tools palette without
opening the palette.
Defining Regions Programmatically
When you have an automated application, you may need to define regions
of interest programmatically. To programmatically define an ROI, create
the ROI using imaqCreateROI(), and then add the individual contours.
A contour is a shape that defines an ROI. You can create contours from
points, lines, rectangles, ovals, polygons, and annuli. For example, to add a
rectangular contour to an ROI, use imaqAddRectContour().
Specify regions by providing basic parameters that describe the region you
want to define. For example, define a point by providing the x-coordinate
and y-coordinate. Define a line by specifying the start and end coordinates.
Define a rectangle by specifying the coordinates of the top, left point; the
width and height; and in the case of a rotated rectangle, the rotation angle.
Defining Regions with Masks
You can define regions to process with image masks. An image mask is
an 8-bit image of the same size as or smaller than the image you want to
process. Pixels in the mask image determine whether the corresponding
pixel in the source image needs to be processed. If a pixel in the image
mask has a value different than 0, the corresponding pixel in the source
corresponding pixel in the source image is left unchanged.
When you need to make intensity measurements on particles in an image,
you can use a mask to define the particles. First, threshold your image to
make a new binary image. For more information about binary images, refer
to Chapter 4, Performing Particle Analysis. You can input the binary image
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or a labeled version of the binary image as a mask image to the intensity
measurement function. If you want to make color comparisons, convert the
binary image into an ROI descriptor using imaqMaskToROI().
Measure Grayscale Statistics
You can measure grayscale statistics in images using light meters or
quantitative analysis functions. You can obtain the center of energy for
an image with the centroid function.
Use imaqLightMeterPoint()to measure the light intensity at a
point in the image. Use imaqLightMeterLine()to get pixel value
statistics along a line in the image, such as mean intensity,
standard deviation, minimum intensity, and maximum intensity.
Use imaqLightMeterRect()to get the pixel value statistics within
a rectangular region in an image.
Use imaqQuantify()to obtain the following statistics about the entire
image or individual regions in the image: mean intensity, standard
deviation, minimum intensity, maximum intensity, area, and the percentage
of the image that you analyzed. You can specify regions in the image with
a labeled image mask. A labeled image mask is a binary image that has
been processed so that each region in the image mask has a unique intensity
value. Use imaqLabel2()to label your image mask.
Use imaqCentroid()to compute the energy center of the image, or of a
region within an image.
Measure Color Statistics
Most image processing and analysis functions apply to 8-bit images.
However, you can analyze and process individual components of a color
image.
Using imaqExtractColorPlanes(), you can break down a color image
into various sets of primary components, such as RGB (Red, Green, and
Luminance), or HSV (Hue, Saturation, and Value). Each component
becomes an 8-bit or 16-bit image that you can process like any other
grayscale image. Using imaqReplaceColorPlanes(), you can
reassemble a color image from a set of three 8-bit or 16-bit images, where
each image becomes one of the three primary components. Figures 3-4
and 3-5 illustrate how a color image breaks down into its three primary
components.
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Red
Red
Green
Blue
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
Green
8
Blue
8
Hue
Hue
Saturation
Intensity
8
or
or Saturation
8
Color
Color
Intensity
8
Image
Image
32
32
8-bit Image Processing
Hue
Hue
Saturation
Luminance
Hue
8
8
8
8
8
8
or
Saturation
Luminance
Hue
or
or
Saturation
Value
Saturation or
Value
Figure 3-4. Primary Components of a 32-Bit Color Image
16
16
16
16
Red
Red
16-bit
Image
Processing
Color
Image
Color
Image
64
64
Green
Green
Blue 16
16 Blue
Figure 3-5. Primary Components of a 64-Bit Color Image
Use imaqExtractColorPlanes()to extract the red, green, blue, hue
saturation, intensity, luminance, or value plane of a color image into an
8-bit image.
Note You can also use imaqExtractColorPlanes()to process the red, green, and blue
components of a 64-bit image.
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Comparing Colors
You can use the color matching capability of IMAQ Vision to compare or
evaluate the color content of an image or regions in an image.
Complete the following steps to compare colors using color matching:
1. Select an image containing the color information that you want to use
as a reference. The color information can consist of a single color or
multiple dissimilar colors, such as red and blue.
2. Use the entire image or regions in the image to learn the color
information using imaqLearnColor(), which outputs a color
spectrum that contains a compact description of the color information
in an image or ROI. Use the color spectrum to represent the learned
color information for all subsequent matching operations.
Refer to Chapter 14, Color Inspection, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts
Manual for more information about color learning.
3. Define an entire image, a region, or multiple regions in an image as the
inspection or comparison area.
4. Use imaqMatchColor()to compare the learned color information to
the color information in the inspection regions. This function returns
an array of scores that indicates how close the matches are to the
learned color information.
5. Use the color matching score as a measure of similarity between the
reference color information and the color information in the image
regions being compared.
Learning Color Information
Choose the color information carefully when learning color information.
•
Specify an image or regions in an image that contain the color or color
information that you want to learn.
•
•
Select the level of detail you want the for the learned color information.
Choose colors that you want to ignore during matching.
Specifying the Color Information to Learn
Because color matching only uses color information to measure similarity,
the image or regions in the image representing the object must contain only
the significant colors that represent the object, as shown in Figure 3-6a.
Figure 3-6b illustrates an unacceptable region containing background
colors.
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a.
b.
Figure 3-6. Template Color Information
The following sections explain when to learn the color information
associated with an entire image, a region in an image, or multiple regions
in an image.
Using the Entire Image
You can use an entire image to learn the color spectrum that represents the
entire color distribution of the image. In a fabric identification application,
for example, an entire image can specify the color information associated
with a certain fabric type, as shown in Figure 3-7.
Figure 3-7. Using the Entire Image to Learn Color Distribution
Using a Region in the Image
You can select a region in the image to provide the color information for
comparison. A region is helpful for pulling out the useful color information
in an image. Figure 3-8 shows an example of using a region that contains
the color information that is important for the application.
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Figure 3-8. Using a Single Region to Learn Color Distribution
Using Multiple Regions in the Image
that object. The color of a surface depends on the directions of illumination
and the direction from which the surface is observed. Two identical objects
may have different appearances because of a difference in positioning or a
change in the lighting conditions.
Figure 3-9 shows how light reflects differently off of the 3D surfaces of the
fuses, resulting in slightly different colors for identical fuses. Compare the
3-amp fuse in the upper row with the 3-amp fuse in the lower row. The
difference in light reflection results in different color spectrums for
identical fuses.
If you learn the color spectrum by drawing a region of interest around the
3-amp fuse in the upper row, and then do a color matching for the 3-amp
fuse in the upper row, you get a very high match score—close to 1000. But
the match score for the 3-amp fuse in the lower row is quite low—around
500. This problem could cause a mismatch for the color matching in a fuse
box inspection process.
The color learning algorithm of IMAQ Vision uses a clustering process to
find the representative colors from the color information specified by one
or multiple regions in the image. To create a representative color spectrum
for all 3-amp fuses in the learning phase, draw an ROI around the 3-amp
fuse in the upper row, hold down the <Shift> key, and draw another ROI
around the 3-amp fuse in the lower row. The new color spectrum represents
3-amp fuses better and results in high match scores (around 800) for both
3-amp fuses. Use as many samples as you want in an image to learn the
representative color spectrum for a specified template.
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1
1
Regions Used to Learn Color Information
Figure 3-9. Using Multiple Regions to Learn Color Distribution
Choosing a Color Representation Sensitivity
specify the color information. An image containing a few, well-separated
colors in the color space requires a lower sensitivity to describe the color
than an image that contains colors that are close to one another in the color
space. Use the sensitivity parameter of imaqLearnColor()to specify the
granularity you want to use to represent the colors. Refer to the Color
Sensitivity section of Chapter 5, Performing Machine Vision Tasks, for
more information about color sensitivity.
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Ignoring Learned Colors
Ignore certain color components in color matching by replacing the
corresponding component in the input color spectrum array to –1. For
example, by replacing the last component in the color spectrum with –1,
the white color is ignored during the color matching process. By replacing
the second to last component in the color spectrum, the black color is
ignored during the color matching process.
To ignore other color components in color matching, determine the index
to the color spectrum by locating the corresponding bins in the color wheel,
where each bin corresponds to a component in the color spectrum array.
Ignoring certain colors such as the background color results in a more
accurate color matching score. Ignoring the background color also provides
more flexibility when defining the regions of interest in the color matching
process. Ignoring other, non-background colors, such as the white color
created by glare on a metallic surface, also improves the accuracy of the
color matching. Experiment learning the color information about different
parts of the images to determine which colors to ignore. Refer to
Chapter 14, Color Inspection, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual
for more information about the color wheel and color bins.
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4
Performing Particle Analysis
This chapter describes how to perform particle analysis on your images.
Use particle analysis to find statistical information about particles—such as
the area, location, and presence of particles. With this information, you can
on silicon wafers or detecting soldering defects on electronic boards.
Examples of how particle analysis can help you perform inspection tasks
include locating structural defects on wood planks or detecting cracks on
plastic sheets.
Figure 4-1 illustrates the steps involved in performing particle analysis.
Create a Binary Image
Improve a Binary Image
Make Particle Measurements
in Pixels or Real-World Units
Figure 4-1. Steps to Performing Particle Analysis
Create a Binary Image
Threshold your grayscale or color image to create a binary image. Creating
a binary image separates the objects that you want to inspect from the
background. The threshold operation sets the background pixels to 0 in the
binary image while setting the object pixels to a non-zero value. Object
pixels have a value of 1 by default, but you can set the object pixels to any
value you choose.
You can use different techniques to threshold your image. If all the
objects of interest in your grayscale image fall within a continuous range
of intensities and you can specify this threshold range manually, use
imaqThreshold()to threshold your image.
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If all the objects in your grayscale image are either brighter or darker than
your background, you can use imaqAutoThreshold()to automatically
determine the optimal threshold range and threshold your image.
Automatic thresholding techniques offer more flexibility than simple
thresholds based on fixed ranges. Because automatic thresholding
techniques determine the threshold level according to the image histogram,
the operation is more independent of changes in the overall brightness and
contrast of the image than a fixed threshold. These techniques are more
resistant to changes in lighting, which makes them well suited for
automated inspection tasks.
If your grayscale image contains objects that have multiple discontinuous
grayscale values, use imaqMultithreshold()to specify multiple
threshold ranges.
If you need to threshold a color image, use imaqColorThreshold().
You must specify threshold ranges for each of the color planes using either
the RGB or HSL color model. The binary image resulting from a color
threshold is an 8-bit binary image.
Improve the Binary Image
After you threshold your image, you may want to improve the resulting
binary image with binary morphology. You can use primary binary
morphology or advanced binary morphology to remove unwanted
particles, separate connected particles, or improve the shape of particles.
Primary morphology functions work on the image as a whole by processing
pixels individually. Advanced morphology operations are built upon the
primary morphological operators and work on particles as opposed to
pixels. Refer to Chapter 9, Binary Morphology, of the IMAQ Vision
Concepts Manual for lists of which morphology functions are primary
and which are advanced.
The advanced morphology functions require that you specify the type of
connectivity to use. Use connectivity-4 when you want IMAQ Vision to
consider pixels to be part of the same particle only when the pixels touch
along an adjacent edge. Use connectivity-8 when you want IMAQ Vision
to consider pixels to be part of the same particle even if the pixels touch
only at a corner. Refer to Chapter 9, Binary Morphology, of the
IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual for more information about connectivity.
Note Use the same type of connectivity throughout your application.
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Removing Unwanted Particles
Use imaqRejectBorder()to remove particles that touch the border of
the image. Reject particles on the border of the image when you suspect
that the information about those particles is incomplete.
Use imaqSizeFilter()to remove large or small particles that do
not interest you. You can also use the IMAQ_ERODE, IMAQ_OPEN, and
IMAQ_POPENmethods in imaqMorphology()to remove small particles.
Unlike imaqSizeFilter(), these three operations alter the size and
shape of the remaining particles.
Use the IMAQ_HITMISSmethod of imaqMorphology()to locate
particular configurations of pixels, which you define with a structuring
element. Depending on the configuration of the structuring element, the
IMAQ_HITMISSmethod can locate single isolated pixels, cross-shape or
longitudinal patterns, right angles along the edges of particles, and other
user-specified shapes. Refer to Chapter 9, Binary Morphology, of the
IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual for more information about structuring
elements.
If you know enough about the shape features of the particles you want to
keep, use imaqParticleFilter2()to filter out particles that do not
interest you.
Separating Touching Particles
Use imaqSeparation()or apply an erosion or an open operation
with imaqMorphology()to separate touching objects. The
imaqSeparation()function is an advanced function that separates
particles without modifying their shapes. However, erosion and open
operations alter the shape of all the particles.
Note A separation is a time-intensive operation compared to an erosion or open operation.
Consider using an erosion or open operation if speed is an issue with your application.
Improving Particle Shapes
Use imaqFillHoles()to fill holes in the particles. Use
imaqMorphology()to perform a variety of operations on the particles.
You can use the IMAQ_AUTOM, IMAQ_CLOSE, IMAQ_PCLOSE, IMAQ_OPEN,
and proper-open smooth the boundaries of the particle by removing small
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isthmuses while close widens the isthmuses. Close and proper-close fill
small holes in the particle. Auto-median removes isthmuses and fills holes.
Refer to Chapter 9, Binary Morphology, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts
Manual for more information about these methods.
Make Particle Measurements
After you create a binary image and improve it, you can make particle
measurements. IMAQ Vision can return the measurements in uncalibrated
pixels or calibrated real-world units. With these measurements you can
determine the location of particles and their shape features. Use the
following functions to perform particle measurements:
• imaqCountParticles()—This function returns the number of
particles in an image and calculates various measurements for each
particle.
• imaqMeasureParticle()—This function uses the calculations
from imaqCountParticles()to return specific measurements of
a particle.
Table 4-1 lists all of the measurements that imaqMeasureParticle()
returns.
Table 4-1. Particle Measurements
Measurement
Description
Area of the particle
IMAQ_MT_AREA
IMAQ_MT_AREA_BY_IMAGE_AREA
Percentage of the particle area
covering the image area
IMAQ_MT_AREA_BY_PARTICLE_AND_HOLES_AREA
Percentage of the particle area in
relation to the area of its particle and
holes
IMAQ_MT_AVERAGE_HORIZ_SEGMENT_LENGTH
IMAQ_MT_AVERAGE_VERT_SEGMENT_LENGTH
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_BOTTOM
Average length of a horizontal
segment in the particle
Average length of a vertical segment
in the particle
Y-coordinate of the lowest particle
point
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_TOP
Y-coordinate of the highest particle
point
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
Description
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_LEFT
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_RIGHT
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_HEIGHT
X-coordinate of the leftmost particle
point
X-coordinate of the rightmost
particle point
Distance between the y-coordinate
of highest particle point and the
y-coordinate of the lowest particle
point
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_WIDTH
Distance between the x-coordinate
of the leftmost particle point and the
x-coordinate of the rightmost particle
point
IMAQ_MT_BOUNDING_RECT_DIAGONAL
IMAQ_MT_CENTER_OF_MASS_X
Distance between opposite corners of
the bounding rectangle
X-coordinate of the point
representing the average position
of the total particle mass assuming
every point in the particle has a
constant density
IMAQ_MT_CENTER_OF_MASS_Y
IMAQ_MT_COMPACTNESS_FACTOR
Y-coordinate of the point
representing the average position
of the total particle mass assuming
every point in the particle has a
constant density
Area divided by the product of
bounding rectangle width and
bounding rectangle height
IMAQ_MT_CONVEX_HULL_AREA
Area of the smallest convex polygon
containing all points in the particle
IMAQ_MT_CONVEX_HULL_PERIMETER
Perimeter of the smallest convex
polygon containing all points in
the particle
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
Description
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_ELLIPSE_MAJOR_AXIS
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_ELLIPSE_MINOR_AXIS
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_ELLIPSE_MINOR_AXIS_FERET
Length of the major axis of the ellipse
with the same perimeter and area as
the particle
Length of the minor axis of the
ellipse with the same perimeter
and area as the particle
Length of the minor axis of the
ellipse with the same area as the
particle, and major axis equal in
length to the max feret diameter
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_RECT_DIAGONAL
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_RECT_LONG_SIDE
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_RECT_SHORT_SIDE
IMAQ_MT_EQUIVALENT_RECT_SHORT_SIDE_FERET
Distance between opposite corners of
the rectangle with the same perimeter
and area as the particle
Longest side of the rectangle with
the same perimeter and area as the
particle
Shortest side of the rectangle with
the same perimeter and area as the
particle
Shortest side of the rectangle with the
same area as the particle, and longest
side equal in length to the max feret
diameter
IMAQ_MT_ELONGATION_FACTOR
IMAQ_MT_FIRST_PIXEL_X
IMAQ_MT_FIRST_PIXEL_Y
Max feret diameter divided by
equivalent rectangle short side (feret)
X-coordinate of the highest, leftmost
particle pixel
Y-coordinate of the highest, leftmost
particle pixel
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_1
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_2
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_3
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_4
First Hu moment
Second Hu moment
Third Hu moment
Fourth Hu moment
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_5
Description
Fifth Hu moment
Sixth Hu moment
Seventh Hu moment
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_6
IMAQ_MT_HU_MOMENT_7
IMAQ_MT_HEYWOOD_CIRCULARITY_FACTOR
Perimeter divided by the
circumference of a circle
with the same area
IMAQ_MT_HOLES_PERIMETER
IMAQ_MT_HYDRAULIC_RADIUS
IMAQ_MT_HOLES_AREA
Sum of the perimeters of each hole in
the particle
Particle area divided by the particle
perimeter
Sum of the areas of each hole in the
particle
IMAQ_MT_IMAGE_AREA
Area of the image
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER
Distance between the start and end of
the line segment connecting the two
perimeter points that are the furthest
apart
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER_END_X
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER_END_Y
X-coordinate of the end of the
line segment connecting the two
perimeter points that are the furthest
apart
Y-coordinate of the end of the
line segment connecting the two
perimeter points that are the furthest
apart
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER_ORIENTATION
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER_START_X
Angle of the line segment connecting
the two perimeter points that are the
furthest apart
X-coordinate of the start of the
line segment connecting the two
perimeter points that are the furthest
apart
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
Description
IMAQ_MT_MAX_FERET_DIAMETER_START_Y
Y-coordinate of the start of the
line segment connecting the two
perimeter points that are the furthest
apart
IMAQ_MT_MAX_HORIZ_SEGMENT_LENGTH_LEFT
IMAQ_MT_MAX_HORIZ_SEGMENT_LENGTH_RIGHT
IMAQ_MT_MAX_HORIZ_SEGMENT_LENGTH_ROW
X-coordinate of the leftmost pixel in
the longest row of contiguous pixels
in the particle
X-coordinate of the rightmost pixel
in the longest row of contiguous
pixels in the particle
Y-coordinate of all of the pixels in the
longest row of contiguous pixels in
the particle
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XX
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XY
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_YY
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XXX
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XXY
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XYY
IMAQ_MT_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_YYY
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XX
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XY
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_YY
Moment of inertia in the x direction
twice
Moment of inertia in the x and y
directions
Moment of inertia in the y direction
twice
Moment of inertia in the x direction
three times
Moment of inertia in the x direction
twice and the y direction once
Moment of inertia in the x direction
once and the y direction twice
Moment of inertia in the y direction
three times
Normalized moment of inertia in the
x direction twice
Normalized moment of inertia in the
x and y directions
Normalized moment of inertia in the
y direction twice
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
Description
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XXX
Normalized moment of inertia in the
x direction three times
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XXY
Normalized moment of inertia in the
x direction twice and the y direction
once
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_XYY
IMAQ_MT_NORM_MOMENT_OF_INERTIA_YYY
Normalized moment of inertia in the
x direction once and the y direction
twice
Normalized moment of inertia in the
y direction three times
IMAQ_MT_NUMBER_OF_HOLES
Number of holes in the particle
IMAQ_MT_NUMBER_OF_HORIZ_SEGMENTS
Number of horizontal segments in the
particle
IMAQ_MT_NUMBER_OF_VERT_SEGMENTS
IMAQ_MT_ORIENTATION
Number of vertical segments in the
particle
Angle of the line that passes through
the particle center of mass about
which the particle has the lowest
moment of inertia
IMAQ_MT_PERIMETER
Length of the outer boundary of the
particle
IMAQ_MT_PARTICLE_AND_HOLES_AREA
IMAQ_MT_RATIO_OF_EQUIVALENT_ELLIPSE_AXES
IMAQ_MT_RATIO_OF_EQUIVALENT_RECT_SIDES
Area of a particle that completely
covers the image
Equivalent ellipse major axis divided
by equivalent ellipse minor axis
Equivalent rectangle long side
divided by equivalent rectangle
short side
IMAQ_MT_SUM_X
IMAQ_MT_SUM_Y
Sum of all x-coordinates in the
particle
Sum of all y-coordinates in the
particle
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Table 4-1. Particle Measurements (Continued)
Measurement
Description
IMAQ_MT_SUM_XX
IMAQ_MT_SUM_XY
IMAQ_MT_SUM_YY
IMAQ_MT_SUM_XXX
IMAQ_MT_SUM_XXY
Sum of all x-coordinates squared in
the particle
Sum of all x-coordinates multiplied
by y-coordinates in the particle
Sum of all y-coordinates squared in
the particle
Sum of all x-coordinates cubed in the
particle
Sum of all x-coordinates squared
multiplied by y-coordinates in the
particle
IMAQ_MT_SUM_XYY
IMAQ_MT_SUM_YYY
Sum of all x-coordinates multiplied
by y-coordinates squared in the
particle
Sum of all y-coordinates cubed in the
particle
IMAQ_MT_TYPE_FACTOR
Factor relating area to moment of
inertia
IMAQ_MT_WADDEL_DISK_DIAMETER
Diameter of a disk with the same area
as the particle
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5
Performing Machine Vision
Tasks
This chapter describes how to perform many common machine vision
inspection tasks. The most common inspection tasks are detecting the
presence or absence of parts in an image and measuring the dimensions
of parts to see if they meet specifications.
Measurements are based on characteristic features of the object represented
in the image. Image processing algorithms traditionally classify the type
of information contained in an image as edges, surfaces and textures, or
patterns. Different types of machine vision algorithms leverage and extract
one or more types of information.
Edge detectors and derivative techniques—such as rakes, concentric rakes,
and spokes—use edges represented in the image. They locate, with high
accuracy, the position of the edge of an object in the image. For example,
a technique called clamping uses edge locations to measure the width of a
part. You can combine multiple edge locations to compute intersection
points, projections, circles, or ellipse fits.
Pattern matching algorithms use edges and patterns. Pattern matching can
locate, with very high accuracy, the position of fiducials or characteristic
features of the part under inspection. Those locations can then be combined
to compute lengths, angles, and other object measurements.
The robustness of your measurement relies on the stability of your image
acquisition conditions. Sensor resolution, lighting, optics, vibration
control, part fixture, and general environment are key components of the
imaging setup. All the elements of the image acquisition chain directly
affect the accuracy of the measurements.
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Figure 5-1 illustrates the basic steps involved in performing machine vision
inspection tasks.
Locate Objects to Inspect
Set Search Areas
Find Measurement Points
Identify Parts Under Inspection
Classify
Read
Read
Objects Characters Symbologies
Convert Pixel Coordinates to
Real-World Coordinates
Make Measurements
Display Results
Figure 5-1. Steps to Performing Machine Vision
Note Diagram items enclosed with dashed lines are optional steps.
Locate Objects to Inspect
ROIs rather than the entire image. To use this technique, the parts of the
object you are interested in must always appear inside the ROI you define.
If the object under inspection is always at the same location and orientation
in the images you need to process, defining an ROI is simple. Refer to
the Set Search Areas section of this chapter for information about selecting
an ROI.
Often, the object under inspection appears rotated or shifted relative to the
reference image in which you located the object. When this occurs, the
ROIs need to shift and rotate with the parts of the object in which you are
interested. To move the ROIs with the object, you must define a reference
coordinate system relative to the object in the reference image. During the
measurement process, the coordinate system moves with the object when
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it appears shifted and rotated in the image you need to process. This
coordinate system is referred to as the measurement coordinate system.
The measurement methods automatically move the ROIs to the correct
position using the position of the measurement coordinate system with
respect to the reference coordinate system. Refer to Chapter 13,
Dimensional Measurements, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual
for information about coordinate systems.
You can build a coordinate transform using edge detection or pattern
matching. The output of the edge detection and pattern matching functions
that build a coordinate system are the origin, angle, and axes direction of
the coordinate system. Some machine vision functions take this output and
adjust the regions of inspection automatically. You can also use these
outputs to programmatically move the regions of inspection relative to the
object.
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Using Edge Detection to Build a Coordinate Transform
You can build a coordinate transform using two edge detection techniques.
Use imaqFindTransformRect()to define a coordinate system using
one rectangular region. Use imaqFindTransformRects()to define a
coordinate system using two independent rectangular regions. Follow these
steps to build a coordinate transform using edge detection.
1. Specify one or two rectangular ROIs.
a. If you use imaqFindTransformRect(), specify one rectangular
ROI that includes part of two straight, nonparallel boundaries of
the object, as shown in Figure 5-2. This rectangular region must
be large enough to include these boundaries in all the images you
want to inspect.
1
1
2
4
2
3
3
4
a.
b.
1
2
Search Area for the Coordinate System
Object Edges
3
4
Origin of the Coordinate System
Measurement Area
Figure 5-2. Coordinate Systems of a Reference Image and Inspection Image
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b. If you use imaqFindTransformRects(), specify two
rectangular objects, each containing one separate, straight
boundary of the object, as shown in Figure 5-3. The boundaries
cannot be parallel. The regions must be large enough to include
the boundaries in all the images you want to inspect.
4
2
4
2
3
3
1
1
a.
b.
1
2
Primary Search Area
Secondary Search Area
3
4
Origin of the Coordinate System
Measurement Area
Figure 5-3. Locating Coordinate System Axes with Two Search Areas
2. Use the options parameter to choose the options you need to locate the
edges on the object, the coordinate system axis direction, and the
results that you want to overlay onto the image. Set the options
parameter to NULLto use the default options.
3. Choose the mode for the function. To build a coordinate transform for
the first time, set the mode parameter to IMAQ_FIND_REFERENCE.
To update the coordinate transform in subsequent images, set this
mode to IMAQ_UPDATE_TRANSFORM.
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Using Pattern Matching to Build a Coordinate Transform
You can build a coordinate transform using pattern matching. Use
imaqFindTransformPattern()to define a coordinate system based on
the location of a reference feature. Use this technique when the object under
inspection does not have straight, distinct edges. Complete the following
steps to build a coordinate reference system using pattern matching.
Note The object may rotate 360° in the image using this technique if you use
rotation-invariant pattern matching.
1. Define a template that represents the part of the object that you want
to use as a reference feature. Refer to the Find Measurement Points
section of this chapter for more information about defining a template.
2. Define a rectangular ROI in which you expect to find the template.
3. Use the options parameter to select your options for finding the pattern
and the results that you want to overlay onto the image. When setting
the Modeelement, select IMAQ_MATCH_ROTATION_INVARIANTwhen
you expect your template to appear rotated in the inspection images.
Otherwise, select IMAQ_MATCH_SHIFT_INVARIANT. Set the options
parameter to NULLto use the default options.
4. Choose the mode for the function. To build a coordinate transform for
the first time, set the mode parameter to IMAQ_FIND_REFERENCE.
To update the coordinate system in subsequent images, set the mode
parameter to IMAQ_UPDATE_TRANSFORM.
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Choosing a Method to Build the Coordinate Transform
Figure 5-4 guides you through choosing the best method for building a
coordinate transform for your application.
Start
Object positioning
accuracy better
No
than 65 degrees.
Yes
The object under
inspection has a straight,
distinct edge (main axis).
No
Yes
The object contains a
second distinct edge not parallel
to the main axis in the same
search area.
No
The object contains
a second distinct edge not
parallel to the main axis in a
separate search area.
No
Yes
Build a
coordinate transformation
based on edge detection
using a single search area.
Object positioning
accuracy better
than 5 degrees.
No
Yes
Build a coordinate
transformation based on
edge detection using two
distinct search areas.
Yes
Build a coordinate
transformation based on
pattern matching
Build a coordinate
transformation based on
pattern matching
rotation invariant strategy.
shift invariant strategy.
End
Figure 5-4. Building a Coordinate Transform
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Set Search Areas
You use ROIs to define search areas in your images and limit the areas in
which you perform your processing and inspection. You can define ROIs
interactively or programmatically.
Defining Regions Interactively
Complete the following steps to interactively define an ROI:
1. Use imaqConstructROI2()to display an image and the tools palette
in a window.
2. Select an ROI tool from the tools palette.
3. Draw an ROI on your image. Resize and reposition the ROI until it
specifies the area you want to process.
4. Click OK to output a descriptor of the region you selected. You can
input the ROI descriptor into many analysis and processing functions.
You can also use imaqSelectRect()and imaqSelectAnnulus()to
define ROIs. Complete the following steps to use these functions:
1. Call the function to display an image in a window. Only the tools
specific to that function are available for you to use.
2. Select an ROI tool from the tools palette.
3. Draw an ROI on your image. Resize or reposition the ROI until it
specifies the area you want to process.
Click OK to output a description of the ROI. You can use this description
as an input for the following functions.
ROI Selection Function
Measurement Function
imaqFindPattern()
imaqSelectRect()
imaqClampMax()
imaqClampMin()
imaqFindEdge()
imaqSelectAnnulus() imaqFindCircularEdge()
imaqFindConcentricEdge()
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Defining Regions Programmatically
When you have an automated application, you need to define ROIs
programmatically. You can programmatically define regions in two ways:
•
•
Specify the contours of the ROI.
Specify individual structures by providing basic parameters that
describe the region you want to define. You can specify a rotated
rectangle by providing the coordinates of the center, the width, the
the coordinates of the center, inner radius, outer radius, start angle, and
end angle. You can specify a point by setting its x-coordinates and
y-coordinates. You can specify a line by setting the coordinates of the
start and end points.
Refer to Chapter 3, Making Grayscale and Color Measurements, for more
information about defining ROIs.
Find Measurement Points
After you set regions of inspection, locate points within those regions on
which you can base measurements. You can locate measurement points
using edge detection, pattern matching, color pattern matching, and color
location.
Finding Features Using Edge Detection
Use the edge detection tools to identify and locate sharp discontinuities
in an image. Discontinuities typically represent abrupt changes in pixel
intensity values, which characterize the boundaries of objects.
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Finding Lines or Circles
If you want to find points along the edge of an object and find
a line describing the edge, use imaqFindEdge()and
imaqFindConcentricEdges(). The imaqFindEdge()function finds
edges based on rectangular search areas, as shown in Figure 5-5. The
imaqFindConcentricEdge()function finds edges based on annular
search areas.
4
3
1
2
1
2
Search Region
Search Lines
3
4
Detected Edge Points
Line Fit to Edge Points
Figure 5-5. Finding a Straight Feature
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If you want to find points along a circular edge and find the circle that best
fits the edge, as shown in Figure 5-6, use imaqFindCircularEdge().
1
4
3
2
1
2
Annular Search Region
Search Lines
3
4
Detected Edge Points
Circle Fit To Edge Points
Figure 5-6. Finding a Circular Feature
Use imaqFindEdge()and imaqFindConcentricEdge()to locate the
intersection points between a set of search lines within the search region
and the edge of an object. You can specify the search region using
imaqSelectRect()or imaqSelectAnnulus(). Specify the separation
between the lines that the functions use to detect edges. The functions
determine the intersection points based on their contrast, width, and
steepness. The software calculates a best-fit line with outliers rejected
or a best-fit circle through the points it found. The functions return the
coordinates of the edges found.
Finding Edge Points Along One Search Contour
Use imaqSimpleEdge()or imaqEdgeTool2()to find edge points along
a contour. Using imaqSimpleEdge(), you can find the first edge, last
edge, or all edges along the contour. Use imaqSimpleEdge()when your
image contains little noise and the object and background are clearly
differentiated. Otherwise, use imaqEdgeTool2().
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These functions require you to input the coordinates of the points along the
search contour. Use imaqROIProfile()to obtain the coordinates along
the edge of each contour in an ROI. If you have a straight line, use
imaqGetPointsOnLine()to obtain the points along the line instead of
using an ROI.
These functions determine the edge points based on their contrast and
slope. You can specify whether you want to find the edge points using
subpixel accuracy.
Finding Edge Points Along Multiple Search Contours
Use imaqRake(), imaqSpoke(), and imaqConcentricRake()to find
edge points along multiple search contours. These functions behave similar
to imaqEdgeTool2(), but they find edges on multiple contours. Pass in an
ROI to define the search region for these functions.
The imaqRake()function works on a rectangular search region. The
search lines are drawn parallel to the orientation of the rectangle. Control
the number of search lines in the region by specifying the distance, in
pixels, between each line. Specify the search direction as left to right or
right to left for a horizontally oriented rectangle. Specify the search
direction as top to bottom or bottom to top for a vertically oriented
rectangle.
The imaqSpoke()function works on an annular search region, scanning
the search lines that are drawn from the center of the region to the outer
boundary and that fall within the search area. Control the number of lines
in the region by specifying the angle, in degrees, between each line. Specify
the search direction as either going from the center outward or from the
outer boundary to the center.
The imaqConcentricRake()function works on an annular search
region. The concentric rake is an adaptation of the Rake to an annular
region. IMAQ Vision does edge detection along search lines that occur
in the search region and that are concentric to the outer circular boundary.
Control the number of concentric search lines that are used for the edge
detection by specifying the radial distance between the concentric lines
in pixels. Specify the direction of the search as either clockwise or
counterclockwise.
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Finding Points Using Pattern Matching
The pattern matching algorithms in IMAQ Vision measure the similarity
between an idealized representation of a feature, called a template, and the
feature that may be present in an image. A feature is defined as a specific
pattern of pixels in an image. Pattern matching returns the location of the
center of the template and the template orientation. Complete the following
generalized steps to find features in an image using pattern matching.
1. Define a template image in the form of a reference or fiducial pattern.
2. Use the reference pattern to train the pattern matching algorithm with
imaqLearnPattern2().
3. Define an image or an area of an image as the search area. A small
search area reduces the time to find the features.
4. Set the tolerances and parameters to specify how the algorithm
operates at run time using the options parameter of
imaqMatchPattern2().
5. Test the search algorithm on test images using
imaqMatchPattern2().
6. Verify the results using a ranking method.
Defining and Creating Good Template Images
The selection of a good template image plays a critical part in obtaining
good results. Because the template image represents the pattern that you
want to find, make sure that all the important and unique characteristics of
the pattern are well defined in the image.
These factors are critical in creating a template image: symmetry, feature
detail, positional information, and background information.
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Symmetry
A rotationally symmetric template, shown in Figure 5-7a, is less sensitive
to changes in rotation than one that is rotationally asymmetric, shown in
Figure 5-7b. A rotationally symmetric template provides good positioning
information but no orientation information.
a.
b.
Figure 5-7. Symmetry
Feature Detail
A template with relatively coarse features, shown in Figure 5-8a, is less
sensitive to variations in size and rotation than a model with fine features,
Figure 5-8b. However, the model must contain enough detail to identify the
feature.
a.
b.
Figure 5-8. Feature Detail
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Positional Information
A template with strong edges in both the x and y directions is easier to
locate. Figure 5-9a shows good positional information in both the x and
y directions, while Figure 5-9b shows insufficient positional information in
the y direction.
a.
b.
Background Information
Unique background information in a template improves search
performance and accuracy. Figure 5-10a shows a pattern with insufficient
background information. Figure 5-10b illustrates a pattern with sufficient
background information.
a.
b.
Figure 5-10. Background Information
Training the Pattern Matching Algorithm
After you create a good template image, the pattern matching
algorithm has to learn the important features of the template. Use
imaqLearnPattern2()to learn the template. The learning process
depends on the type of matching that you expect to perform. If you do not
expect the instance of the template in the image to rotate or change its size,
then the pattern matching algorithm has to learn only those features from
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the template that are necessary for shift-invariant matching. However, if
you want to match the template at any orientation, use rotation-invariant
matching. Use the learningMode parameter of imaqLearnPattern2()
to specify which type of learning mode to use.
The learning process is usually time intensive because the algorithm
attempts to find the optimum features of the template for the particular
matching process. The learning mode you choose also affects the speed of
the learning process. Learning the template for shift-invariant matching is
faster than learning for rotation-invariant matching. You can also save time
by training the pattern matching algorithm offline, and then saving the
template image with imaqWriteVisionFile().
Defining a Search Area
Two equally important factors define the success of a pattern matching
algorithm: accuracy and speed. You can define a search area to reduce
ambiguity in the search process. For example, if your image has multiple
instances of a pattern and only one of them is required for the inspection
task, the presence of additional instances of the pattern can produce
incorrect results. To avoid this, reduce the search area so that only the
desired pattern lies within the search area.
The time required to locate a pattern in an image depends on both the
template size and the search area. By reducing the search area or increasing
the template size, you can reduce the required search time. Increasing the
template size can improve the search time, but doing so reduces match
accuracy if the larger template includes an excess of background
information.
example, in a typical component placement application, each printed
circuit board (PCB) being tested may not be placed in the same location
with the same orientation. The location of the PCB in various images can
Figure 5-11. Figure 5-11a shows the template used to locate the PCB in the
image. Figure 5-11b shows an image containing a PCB with a fiducial you
want to locate. Notice the search area around the fiducial. If you know
before the matching process begins that the PCB can shift or rotate in the
image within a fixed range, then you can limit the search for the fiducial to
a small region of the image. Figure 5-11c and Figure 5-11d show examples
of a shifted fiducial and a rotated fiducial respectively.
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a.
b.
c.
d.
Figure 5-11. Selecting a Search Area for Grayscale Pattern Matching
Setting Matching Parameters and Tolerances
Every pattern matching algorithm makes assumptions about the images
and pattern matching parameters used in machine vision applications.
These assumptions work for a high percentage of the applications.
However, there may be applications in which the assumptions used in the
algorithm are not optimal. Knowing your particular application and the
images you want to process is useful in selecting the pattern matching
parameters. Use the imaqMatchPattern2()function to set the following
elements that influence the IMAQ Vision pattern matching algorithm:
match mode, minimum contrast, and rotation angle ranges.
Match Mode
You can set the match mode to control how the pattern matching algorithm
handles the template at different orientations. If you expect the orientation
of valid matches to vary less than 5° from the template, set the mode
element of the options parameter to IMAQ_MATCH_SHIFT_INVARIANT.
Otherwise, set the mode element to
IMAQ_MATCH_ROTATION_INVARIANT.
Note Shift-invariant matching is faster than rotation-invariant matching.
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Minimum Contrast
The pattern matching algorithm ignores all image regions in which contrast
values fall below a set minimum contrast value. Contrast is the difference
between the smallest and largest pixel values in a region. Set the
minContrastelement of the imaqMatchPattern2()options parameter
control to slightly below the contrast value of the search area with the
lowest contrast.
You can set the minimum contrast to potentially increase the speed of the
pattern matching algorithm. If the search image has high contrast overall
but contains some low contrast regions, set a high minimum contrast value
to exclude all areas of the image with low contrast. Excluding these areas
significantly reduces the area in which the pattern matching algorithm must
search. However, if the search image has low contrast throughout, set a low
minimum contrast to ensure that the pattern matching algorithm looks for
the template in all regions of the image.
Rotation Angle Ranges
If you know that the pattern rotation is restricted to a certain range, such as
between –15° to 15°, provide this restriction information to the pattern
matching algorithm in the angleRangeselement of the
imaqMatchPattern2()options parameter. This information improves
your search time because the pattern matching algorithm looks for the
pattern at fewer angles. Refer to Chapter 12, Pattern Matching, of the
IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual for information about pattern matching.
Testing the Search Algorithm on Test Images
To determine if your selected template or reference pattern is appropriate
for your machine vision application, test the template on a few test images
by using imaqMatchPattern2(). These test images should reflect the
images generated by your machine vision application during true operating
conditions. If the pattern matching algorithm locates the reference pattern
in all cases, you have selected a good template. Otherwise, refine the
current template, or select a better template until both training and testing
are successful.
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Using a Ranking Method to Verify Results
The manner in which you interpret the pattern matching algorithm depends
on your application. For typical alignment applications, such as finding a
fiducial on a wafer, the most important information is the position and
location of the best match. Use the positionand cornerelements of the
PatternMatchstructure to get the position and the bounding rectangle of
a match.
In inspection applications, such as optical character verification, the score
of the best match is more useful. The score of a match returned by the
pattern matching algorithm is an indicator of the closeness between the
original pattern and the match found in the image. A high score indicates a
very close match, while a low score indicates a poor match. The score can
be used as a gauge to determine whether a printed character is acceptable.
Use the scoreelement of the PatternMatchstructure to get the score
corresponding to a match.
Finding Points Using Color Pattern Matching
Color pattern matching algorithms provide a quick way to locate objects
when color is present. Use color pattern matching if your images have the
following qualities:
•
The object you want to locate has color information that is very
different from the background, and you want to find a very precise
location of the object in the image.
•
The object to locate has grayscale properties that are very difficult to
characterize or that are very similar to other objects in the search
image. In such cases, grayscale pattern matching can give inaccurate
results. If the object has color information that differentiates it from the
other objects in the scene, color provides the machine vision software
with the additional information to locate the object.
Color pattern matching returns the location of the center of the template and
the template orientation. Complete the following general steps to find
features in an image using color pattern matching:
1. Define a template image that contains a reference or fiducial pattern.
2. Use the reference pattern to train the color pattern matching algorithm
with imaqLearnColorPattern().
search area reduces the time to find the features.
4. Set the featureModeelement of the imaqMatchColorPattern()
options parameter to IMAQ_COLOR_AND_SHAPE_FEATURES.
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5. Set the tolerances and parameters to specify how the algorithm
operates at run time using the options parameter of
imaqMatchColorPattern().
6. Test the search algorithm on test images using
imaqMatchColorPattern().
7. Verify the results using a ranking method.
Defining and Creating Good Color Template Images
The selection of a good template image plays a critical part in obtaining
accurate results with the color pattern matching algorithm. Because the
template image represents the color and the pattern that you want to find,
well defined in the image.
Several factors are critical in creating a template image. These critical
factors include color information, symmetry, feature detail, positional
information, and background information. Refer to the Defining and
Creating Good Template Images section of this chapter for more
information about some of these factors.
Color Information
A template with colors that are unique to the pattern provides better results
than a template that contains many colors, especially colors found in the
background or other objects in the image.
Symmetry
A rotationally symmetric template in the luminance plane is less sensitive
to changes in rotation than a template that is rotationally asymmetric.
Feature Detail
A template with relatively coarse features is less sensitive to variations in
size and rotation than a template with fine features. However, the template
must contain enough detail to identify it.
Positional Information
A template with strong edges in both the x and y directions is easier to
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Background Information
Unique background information in a template improves search
This requirement could conflict with the color information requirement
because background colors may not be desirable during the color location
phase. Avoid this problem by choosing a template with sufficient
background information for grayscale pattern matching while specifying
the exclusion of the background color during the color location phase.
Refer to the Training the Color Pattern Matching Algorithm section of this
chapter for more information about how to ignore colors.
Training the Color Pattern Matching Algorithm
After you have created a good template image, the color pattern
matching algorithm learns the important features of the template. Use
imaqLearnColorPattern()to learn the template. The learning process
depends on the type of matching that you expect to perform. By default,
the color pattern matching algorithm learns only those features from the
template that are necessary for shift-invariant matching. However, if you
want to match the template at any orientation, the learning process must
consider the possibility of arbitrary orientations. Use the learnMode
element of the imaqLearnColorPattern()options parameter to
specify which type of learning mode to use.
Exclude colors in the template that you are not interested in using during
the search phase. Typically, you should ignore colors that either belong to
the background of the object or are not unique to the template, to reduce the
potential for incorrect matches during the color location phase. You can
ignore certain predefined colors using the ignoreModeelement of the
options parameter. To ignore other colors, first learn the colors to ignore
using imaqLearnColor(). Then set the colorsToIgnoreelement of the
options parameter to the resulting ColorInformationstructure from
imaqLearnColor().
The learning process is time-intensive because the algorithm attempts to
find unique features of the template that allow for fast, accurate matching.
However, you can train the pattern matching algorithm offline, and save the
template image using imaqWriteVisionFile().
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Defining a Search Area
Two equally important factors define the success of a color pattern
matching algorithm—accuracy and speed. You can define a search area to
reduce ambiguity in the search process. For example, if your image has
multiple instances of a pattern and only one instance is required for the
inspection task, the presence of additional instances of the pattern can
the desired pattern lies within the search area. For example, in the fuse box
inspection example, use the location of the fuses to be inspected to define
the search area. Because the inspected fuse box may not be in the exact
location or have the same orientation in the image as the previous one,
the search area you define must be large enough to accommodate these
variations in the position of the box. Figure 5-12 shows how you can select
search areas for different objects.
1
2
1
2
Search Area for 25 Amp Fuses
Figure 5-12. Selecting a Search Area for Color Pattern Matching
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The time required to locate a pattern in an image depends on both the
template size and the search area. By reducing the search area or increasing
the template size, you can reduce the required search time. Increasing the
template size can improve the search time, but doing so reduces match
accuracy if the larger template includes an excess of background
information.
Setting Matching Parameters and Tolerances
Every color pattern matching algorithm makes assumptions about the
images and color pattern matching parameters used in machine vision
applications. These assumptions work for a high percentage of the
applications. However, there may be applications in which the assumptions
used in the algorithm are not optimal. In such cases, you must modify the
color pattern matching parameters. Knowing your particular application
and the images you want to process is useful in selecting the pattern
matching parameters. Use the options parameter of
imaqMatchColorPattern()to set these elements.
The following are elements of the IMAQ Vision pattern matching
algorithm that influence color pattern matching: color sensitivity, search
strategy, color score weight, ignore background colors, minimum contrast,
and rotation angle ranges. These elements are discussed in the following
sections.
Color Sensitivity
Use the sensitivityelement to control the granularity of the color
information in the template image. If the background and objects in the
image contain colors that are very close to colors in the template image, use
a higher color sensitivity setting. Increase the color sensitivity settings as
the color differences decrease. Three color sensitivity settings are available
in IMAQ Vision: IMAQ_SENSITIVITY_LOW, IMAQ_SENSITIVITY_MED,
and IMAQ_SENSITIVITY_HIGH. Refer to Chapter 14, Color Inspection,
of the IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual for more information about color
sensitivity.
Search Strategy
Use the strategyelement to optimize the speed of the color pattern
matching algorithm. The search strategy controls the step size,
sub-sampling factor, and percentage of color information used from
the template.
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Choose from the following search strategies:
• IMAQ_CONSERVATIVE—Uses a very small step size, the least amount
of subsampling, and all the color information present in the template.
The conservative strategy is the most reliable method to look for a
template in any image at potentially reduced speed.
Note Use the IMAQ_CONSERVATIVEstrategy if you have multiple targets located very
close to each other in the image.
• IMAQ_BALANCED—Uses values in between the IMAQ_AGGRESSIVE
and IMAQ_CONSERVATIVEstrategies.
• IMAQ_AGGRESSIVE—Uses a large step size, a lot of sub-sampling,
and all of the color information from the template.
• IMAQ_VERY_AGGRESSIVE—Uses the largest step size, the most
subsampling, and only the dominant color from the template to search
for the template. Use this strategy when the color in the template is
almost uniform, the template is well contrasted from the background,
and there is a good amount of separation between different occurrences
of the template in the image. This strategy is the fastest way to find
templates in an image.
Color Score Weight
When you search for a template using both color and shape information, the
color and shape scores generated during the match process are combined to
generate the final color pattern matching score. The color score weight
determines the contribution of the color score to the final color pattern
matching score. If the color information of the templates is superior to
its shape information, set the weight higher. For example, if you set
colorWeightto 1000, the algorithm finds each match by using both color
and shape information, and then ranks the matches based entirely on their
color scores. If you set colorWeightto 0, the matches are still found using
color and shape information, but they are ranked based entirely on their
shape scores.
Minimum Contrast
Use the minContrastelement to increase the speed of the color pattern
matching algorithm. The color pattern matching algorithm ignores all
image regions where grayscale contrast values fall beneath a set minimum
contrast value. Refer to the Setting Matching Parameters and Tolerances
section of this chapter for more information about minimum contrast.
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Rotation Angle Ranges
Refer to the Setting Matching Parameters and Tolerances section of this
chapter for information about rotation angle ranges.
Testing the Search Algorithm on Test Images
To determine if your selected template or reference pattern is appropriate
for your machine vision application, test the template on a few test images
by using imaqMatchColorPattern(). These test images reflect the
images generated by your machine vision application during true operating
conditions. If the pattern matching algorithm locates the reference pattern
in all cases, you have selected a good template. Otherwise, refine the
current template, or select a better template until both training and testing
are successful.
Finding Points Using Color Location
Color location algorithms provide a quick way to locate regions in an image
with specific colors. Use color location when your application has the
following characteristics:
•
Requires the location and the number of regions in an image with their
specific color information
•
Relies on the cumulative color information in the region, instead of the
color arrangement in the region
•
•
•
Does not require the orientation of the region
Does not always require the location with sub-pixel accuracy
Does not require shape information for the region
Complete the following general steps to find features in an image using
color location.
1. Define a reference pattern in the form of a template image.
2. Use the reference pattern to train the color location algorithm with
imaqLearnColorPattern().
3. Define an image or an area of an image as the search area. A small
search area reduces the time to find the features.
4. Set the featureModeelement of the imaqMatchColorPattern()
options parameter to IMAQ_COLOR_FEATURES.
operates at run time using the options parameter of
imaqMatchColorPattern().
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6. Test the color location algorithm on test images using
imaqMatchColorPattern().
7. Verify the results using a ranking method.
You can save the template image using imaqWriteVisionFile().
Convert Pixel Coordinates to Real-World Coordinates
The measurement points you located with edge detection and pattern
matching are in pixel coordinates. If you need to make measurements using
real-world units, use imaqTransformPixelToRealWorld()to convert
the pixel coordinates into real-world units.
Make Measurements
You can make different types of measurements either directly from the
image or from points that you detect in the image.
Distance Measurements
Use the following functions to make distance measurements for your
inspection application.
Clamp functions measure the separation between two edges in a
rectangular search region. First, clamp functions detect points along
the two edges using the Rake function. Then, they compute the distance
between the points detected on the edges along each search line of the
rake and return the largest or smallest distance. The imaqSelectRect()
function generates a valid input search region for these functions. You also
need to specify the parameters for edge detection and the separation
between the search lines that you want to use within the search region
to find the edges. These functions work directly on the image under
inspection, and they output the coordinates of all the edge points that
they find. The following list describes the available clamp functions:
• imaqClampMax()—Measures the largest separation between
two edges in a rectangular search region.
edges.
such as consecutive pairs of points in an array of points. You can obtain
these points from the image using any one of the feature detection methods
described in the Find Measurement Points section of this chapter.
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Analytic Geometry Measurements
Use the following functions to make geometrical measurements from the
points you detect in the image:
• imaqFitLine()—Fits a line to a set of points and computes the
equation of the line.
• imaqFitCircle2()—Fits a circle to a set of at least three points and
computes its area, perimeter, and radius.
• imaqFitEllipse2()—Fits an ellipse to a set of at least six points
and computes its area, perimeter, and the lengths of its major and
minor axis.
• imaqGetIntersection()—Finds the intersection point of two
lines specified by their start and end points.
• imaqGetAngle()—Finds the smaller angle between two lines.
• imaqGetPerpendicularLine()—Finds the perpendicular line
from a point to a line and computes the perpendicular distance between
the point and the line.
• imaqGetBisectingLine()—Finds the line that bisects the angle
formed by two lines.
• imaqGetMidLine()—Finds the line that is midway between a point
and a line and is parallel to the line.
• imaqGetPolygonArea()—Calculates the area of a polygon
specified by its vertex points.
Instrument Reader Measurements
You can make measurements based on the values obtained by meter and
LCD readers.
Use imaqGetMeterArc()to calibrate a meter or gauge that you want to
read. The imaqGetMeterArc()function calibrates the meter using one of
two modes. The IMAQ_METER_ARC_ROImode uses the initial position and
the full-scale position of the needle. When using this mode, the function
calculates the position of the base of the needle and the arc traced by the tip
of the needle. The IMAQ_METER_ARC_POINTSmode calibrates the meter
using three points on the meter: the base of the needle, the tip of the needle
at its initial position, and the tip of the needle at its full-scale position.
When using this mode, the function calculates the position of the points
read the position of the needle using the base of the needle and the array of
points on the arc traced by the tip of the needle.
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Use imaqFindLCDSegments()to calculate the ROI around each digit
in an LCD or LED. To find the area of each digit, all the segments of the
indicator must be activated. Use imaqReadLCD()to read multiple digits of
an LCD or LED.
Identify Parts Under Inspection
In addition to making measurements after you set regions of inspection,
you can also identify parts using classification, optical character
recognition (OCR), and barcode reading.
Classifying Samples
Use classification to identify an unknown object by comparing a set of its
significant features to a set of features that conceptually represent classes
of known objects. Typical applications involving classification include the
following:
•
Sorting—Sorts objects of varied shapes. For example, sorting different
mechanical parts on a conveyor belt into different bins.
•
Inspection—Inspects objects by assigning each object an identification
score and then rejecting objects that do not closely match members of
the training set.
Before you classify objects, you must train the classifier session with
samples of the objects using the NI Classification Training Interface.
Go to Start»Programs»National Instruments»Classification Training
to launch the NI Classification Training Interface.
After you have trained samples of the objects you want to classify, use the
following functions to classify the objects:
1. Use imaqReadClassifierFile()to read in a classifier session that
you created using the NI Classification Training Interface.
2. Use imaqClassify()to classify the object inside the ROI of the
image under inspection into one of the classes you created using
the NI Classification Training Interface.
3. Use imaqDispose()to free the resources that the classifier
session used.
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The following code sample provides an example of a typical classification
application.
ClassifierSession* session;
Image* image;
ROI* roi;
char* fileName; // The classifier file to use.
ClassifierReport* report;
session = imaqReadClassifierFile(NULL, fileName,
IMAQ_CLASSIFIER_READ_ALL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
while (stillClassifying)
{
// Acquire and process an image and store it in the
//image variable.
// Locate the object to classify, and store an ROI
//containing that object in the roi variable.
report = imaqClassify(image, session, roi, NULL, 0);
// Take action based on the report.
imaqDispose(report);
}
imaqDispose(session);
Reading Characters
Use OCR to read text and/or characters in an image. Typical uses for OCR
in an inspection application include identifying or classifying components.
Before you read text and/or characters in an image, you must train the
OCR Session with samples of the characters using the NI OCR Training
Interface. Go to Start»Programs»National Instruments»Vision»OCR
Training to launch the OCR Training Interface.
After you have trained samples of the characters you want to read, use the
following functions to read the characters:
1. Use imaqReadOCRFile()to read in a session that you created using
the NI OCR Training Interface.
2. Use imaqReadText()to read the characters inside the ROI of the
image under inspection.
3. Use imaqDispose()to free the resources that the OCR Session used.
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Reading Barcodes
Use barcode reading functions to read values encoded into 1D barcodes,
Data Matrix barcodes, and PDF417 barcodes.
Reading 1D Barcodes
To read a 1D barcode, locate the barcode in the image using one of the
techniques described in this chapter. Then pass the ROI Descriptor of the
location into imaqReadBarcode().
Use imaqReadBarcode()to read values encoded in the 1D barcode.
Specify the type of 1D barcode in the application using the type parameter.
IMAQ Vision supports the following 1D barcode types: Codabar, Code 39,
Code 93, Code 128, EAN 8, EAN 13, Interleaved 2 of 5, MSI, and UPCA.
Reading Data Matrix Barcodes
Use imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()to read values encoded in a
Data Matrix barcode. The function can determine automatically the
location of the barcode and appropriate search options for your application.
However, you can improve the performance of the application by
specifying control values specific to your application.
imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()can locate automatically one or
multiple Data Matrix barcodes in an image. However, you can improve
the inspection performance by locating the barcodes using one of the
techniques described in this chapter. Then pass the ROI indicating the
location into imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode().
Tip If you need to read only one barcode per image, set the searchModeelement of the
options parameter to IMAQ_SEARCH_SINGLE_CONSERVATIVEto increase the speed of
your application. If the barcode occupies a large percentage of your search region, has
clearly defined cells, and exhibits little or no rotation, you can further increase the speed
of your application by setting the searchModeelement of the options parameter to
IMAQ_SEARCH_SINGLE_AGGRESSIVE.
By default, imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()detects whether the
barcode has black cells on a white background or white cells on a black
background. If the barcodes in your application have a consistent
cell-to-background contrast, you can improve the performance by setting
IMAQ_BLACK_ON_WHITE_BARCODEor
IMAQ_WHITE_ON_BLACK_BARCODE.
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By default, imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()assumes the barcode cells
are square. If the barcodes you need to read have round cells, set the
cellShapeelement of the options parameter to IMAQ_ROUND_CELLS.
Note Specify round cells only if the Data Matrix cells are round and have clearly defined
edges. If the cells in the matrix touch one another, you must set cellShapeto
IMAQ_SQUARE_CELLS.
By default, imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()assumes the shape of the
barcode is square. If the shape of your barcode is rectangular, set the
barcodeShapeelement of the options parameter to
IMAQ_RECTANGULAR_BARCODE_2D.
Note Setting the barcodeShapeelement to IMAQ_RECTANGULAR_BARCODE_2Dwhen
the barcode you need to read is square reduces the reliability of your application.
By default, imaqReadDataMatrixBarcode()automatically detects the
type of barcode to read. You can improve the performance of the your
function by specifying the type of barcode in your application. IMAQ
Vision supports Data Matrix types ECC 000 to ECC 140, and ECC 200.
Reading PDF417 Barcodes
Use imaqReadPDF417Barcode()to read values encoded in a PDF417
barcode.
imaqReadPDF417Barcode()can locate automatically one or multiple
PDF417 barcodes in an image. However, you can improve the inspection
performance by locating the barcodes using one of the techniques described
in this chapter. Then pass in the ROI location to
imaqReadPDF417Barcode().
Tip If you need to read only one barcode per image, set the searchMode parameter to
IMAQ_SEARCH_SINGLE_CONSERVATIVEto increase the speed of your application.
Display Results
You can overlay the results obtained at various stages of you inspection
process on the window that displays your inspection image. The software
attaches the information that you want to overlay to the image, but it does
not modify the image. The overlay appears every time you display the
image in an external window.
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Use the following functions to overlay search regions, inspection results,
and other information, such as text and bitmaps.
• imaqOverlayPoints()—Overlays points on an image. Specify a
point by its x-coordinate and y-coordinate.
• imaqOverlayLine()—Overlays a line on an image. Specify a line
by its start and end points.
• imaqOverlayRect()—Overlays a rectangle on an image.
• imaqOverlayOval()—Overlays an oval or a circle on the image.
• imaqOverlayArc()—Overlays an arc on the image.
• imaqOverlayMetafile()—Overlays a metafile on the image.
• imaqOverlayText()—Overlays text on an image.
• imaqOverlayROI()—Overlays an ROI on an image.
• imaqOverlayClosedContour()—Overlays a closed contour on an
image.
• imaqOverlayOpenContour()—Overlays an open contour on an
image.
To use these functions, pass in the image on which you want to overlay
information and the information that you want to overlay.
Tip You can select the color of overlays with these functions.
You can configure the following processing functions to overlay different
types of information on the inspection image:
• imaqFindEdge()
• imaqFindCircularEdge()
• imaqFindConcentricEdge()
• imaqClampMax()
• imaqClampMin()
• imaqFindPattern()
• imaqCountObjects()
• imaqFindTransformRect()
• imaqFindTransformRects()
• imaqFindTransformPattern()
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The following list contains the kinds of information you can overlay
with the previous functions except imaqFindPattern(),
imaqCountObjects(), and imaqFindTransformPattern().
•
•
•
•
The search area input into the function
The search lines used for edge detection
The edges detected along the search lines
The result of the function
With imaqFindPattern(), imaqCountObjects(), and
imaqFindTransformPattern(), you can overlay the search area and
the result. Select the information you want to overlay by setting the element
that corresponds to the information type to TRUEin the options input
parameter.
Use imaqClearOverlay()to clear any previous overlay information
from the image. Use imaqWriteVisionFile()to save an image with
its overlay information to a file. You can read the information from the
file into an image using imaqReadVisionFile().
Note As with calibration information, overlay information is removed from an image
when the image size or orientation changes.
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Calibrating Images
This chapter describes how to calibrate your imaging system, save
calibration information, and attach calibration information to an image.
After you set up your imaging system, you may want to calibrate your
system. If your imaging setup is such that the camera axis is perpendicular
or nearly perpendicular to the object under inspection and your lens has no
distortion, use simple calibration. With simple calibration, you do not need
to learn a template. Instead, you define the distance between pixels in the
horizontal and vertical directions using real-world units.
If your camera axis is not perpendicular to the object under inspection, use
perspective calibration to calibrate your system. If your lens is distorted,
use nonlinear distortion calibration.
Perspective and Nonlinear Distortion Calibration
Perspective errors and lens aberrations cause images to appear distorted.
This distortion misplaces information in an image, but it does not
necessarily destroy the information in the image. Calibrate your imaging
system if you need to compensate for perspective errors or nonlinear lens
distortion.
Complete the following general steps to calibrate your imaging system:
1. Define a calibration template.
2. Define a reference coordinate system.
3. Learn the calibration information.
After you calibrate your imaging system, you can attach the calibration
information to an image. Refer to the Attach Calibration Information
section of this chapter for more information. Then, depending on your
needs, you can do one of the following:
•
Use the calibration information to convert pixel coordinates to
real-world coordinates without correcting the image.
•
Create a distortion-free image by correcting the image for perspective
errors and lens aberrations.
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Refer to Chapter 5, Performing Machine Vision Tasks, for more
information about applying calibration information before making
measurements.
Defining a Calibration Template
You can define a calibration template by supplying an image of a grid or
providing a list of pixel coordinates and their corresponding real-world
coordinates. This section discusses the grid method in detail.
A calibration template is a user-defined grid of circular dots. As shown in
Figure 6-1, the grid has constant spacings in the x and y directions. You can
use any grid, but follow these guidelines for best results:
•
•
•
•
The displacement in the x and y directions should be equal (dx = dy).
The dots should cover the entire desired working area.
The radius of the dots in the acquired image should be 6–10 pixels.
The center-to-center distance between dots in the acquired image
should range from 18 to 32 pixels, as shown in Figure 6-1.
•
The minimum distance between the edges of the dots in the acquired
image should be 6 pixels, as shown in Figure 6-1.
dx
1
dy
2
3
1
Center-to-Center Distance
2
Center of Grid Dots
3
Distance Between Dot Edges
Figure 6-1. Defining a Calibration Grid
Note Click Start»Programs»National Instruments»Vision»Documentation»
Calibration Grid to use the calibration grid installed with IMAQ Vision. The dots have
radii of 2 mm and center-to-center distances of 1 cm. Depending on your printer, these
measurements may change by a fraction of a millimeter. You can purchase highly accurate
calibration grids from optics suppliers, such as Edmund Industrial Optics.
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Defining a Reference Coordinate System
To express measurements in real-world units, you need to define a
coordinate system in the image of the grid. Use the CoordinateSystem
structure to define a coordinate system by its origin, angle, and axis
direction.
The origin, expressed in pixels, defines the center of your coordinate
system. The angle specifies the orientation of your coordinate system
with respect to the angle of the topmost row of dots in the grid image.
The calibration procedure automatically determines the direction of the
horizontal axis in the real world. The vertical axis direction can either be
indirect, as shown in Figure 6-2a, or direct, as shown in Figure 6-2b.
X
Y
Y
X
a.
b.
Figure 6-2. Axis Direction in the Image Plane
If you do not specify a coordinate system, the calibration process defines a
default coordinate system. If you specify a grid for the calibration process,
Figure 6-3:
1. The origin is placed at the center of the left, topmost dot in the
calibration grid.
2. The angle is set to 0°. This aligns the x-axis with the first row of dots
in the grid, as shown in Figure 6-3b.
3. The axis direction is set to indirect. This aligns the y-axis to the first
column of the dots in the grid, as shown in Figure 6-3b.
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1
2
x
y
a.
b.
Origin of the Same Calibration Grid in an Image
1
Origin of a Calibration Grid in the Real World
2
Figure 6-3. A Calibration Grid and an Image of the Grid
Note If you specify a list of points instead of a grid for the calibration process,
the software defines a default coordinate system, as follows:
1. The origin is placed at the point in the list with the lowest x-coordinate value and
then the lowest y-coordinate value.
2. The angle is set to 0°.
3. The axis direction is set to indirect.
If you define a coordinate system yourself, carefully consider the needs of
your application.
•
within the calibration grid so that you can convert the location to
real-world units.
•
Specify the angle as the angle between the x-axis of the new coordinate
system (x') and the top row of dots (x), as shown in Figure 6-4. If your
imaging system exhibits nonlinear distortion, you cannot visualize the
angle as you can in Figure 6-4 because the dots do not appear in
straight lines.
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x
1
y'
x
x'
2
y
y
1
Default Origin in a Calibration Grid Image
2
User-Defined Origin
Learning Calibration Information
After you define a calibration grid and reference axis, acquire an image of
the grid using the current imaging setup. For information about acquiring
images, refer to the Acquire or Read an Image section of Chapter 2, Getting
Measurement-Ready Images. The grid does not need to occupy the entire
image. You can choose a region within the image that contains the grid.
After you acquire an image of the grid, learn the calibration information by
inputting the image of the grid into imaqLearnCalibrationGrid().
Note If you want to specify a list of points instead of a grid, use
imaqLearnCalibrationPoints()to learn the calibration information. Use the
CalibrationPointsstructure to specify the pixel to real-world mapping.
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Specifying Scaling Factors
Scaling factors are the real-world distances between the dots in the
calibration grid in the x and y directions and the units in which the distances
are measured. Use the GridDescriptorstructure to specify the scaling
factors.
Choosing a Region of Interest
Define a learning ROI during the learning process to define a region of the
calibration grid you want to learn. The software ignores dot centers outside
this region when it estimates the transformation. Depending on the other
calibration options selected, this is an effective way to increase correction
imaqLearnCalibrationGrid()or
imaqLearnCalibrationPoints().
Note The user-defined ROI represents the area in which you are interested. The learning
Figure 6-6 for an illustration of calibration ROIs.
Select a method in which to learn the calibration information: perspective
projection or nonlinear. Figure 6-5 illustrates the types of errors your image
can exhibit. Figure 6-5a shows an image of a calibration grid with no
errors. Figure 6-5b shows an image of a calibration grid with perspective
projection. Figure 6-5c shows an image of a calibration grid with nonlinear
distortion.
a.
b.
c.
Figure 6-5. Types of Image Distortion
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Choose the perspective projection algorithm when your system exhibits
perspective errors only. A perspective projection calibration has an accurate
transformation even in areas not covered by the calibration grid, as shown
in Figure 6-6. Set the modeelement of the options parameter to
IMAQ_PERSPECTIVEto choose the perspective calibration algorithm.
Learning and applying perspective projection is less computationally
intensive than the nonlinear method. However, perspective projection
cannot handle nonlinear distortions.
If your imaging setup exhibits nonlinear distortion, use the nonlinear
method. The nonlinear method guarantees accurate results only in the area
that the calibration grid covers, as shown in Figure 6-6. If your system
exhibits both perspective and nonlinear distortion, use the nonlinear
method to correct for both. Set the modeelement of the options parameter
to IMAQ_NONLINEARto choose the nonlinear calibration algorithm.
2
1
1
2
Calibration ROI Using the Perspective Algorithm
Calibration ROI Using the Nonlinear Algorithm
Figure 6-6. Calibration ROIs
Using the Learning Score
The learning process returns a score that reflects how well the software
learned the input image. A learning score above 800 indicates that you
chose the appropriate learning algorithm, that the grid image complies with
the guideline, and that your vision system setup is adequate.
Note A high score does not reflect the accuracy of your system.
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If the learning process returns a learning score below 600, try the following:
1. Make sure your grid complies with the guidelines listed in the
Defining a Calibration Template section of this chapter.
2. Check the lighting conditions. If you have too much or too little
lighting, the software may estimate the center of the dots incorrectly.
Also, adjust the range parameter to distinguish the dots from the
background.
3. Select another learning algorithm. When nonlinear lens distortion is
present, using perspective projection sometimes results in a low
learning score.
Learning the Error Map
An error map helps you gauge the quality of your complete system.
The error map returns an estimated error range to expect when a pixel
coordinate is transformed into a real-world coordinate. The transformation
accuracy may be higher than the value the error range indicates. Set the
learnMapelement of the options parameter to TRUEto learn the error
map.
Learning the Correction Table
If the speed of image correction is a critical factor for your application, use
a correction table. The correction table is a lookup table stored in memory
that contains the real-world location information of all the pixels in the
image. The extra memory requirements for this option are based on the size
of the image. Use this option when you want to correct several images at a
time in your vision application. Set the learnTableelement of the
options parameter to TRUEto learn the correction table.
Setting the Scaling Method
Use the methodelement of the options parameter to choose the appearance
of the corrected image. Select either IMAQ_SCALE_TO_FITor
IMAQ_SCALE_TO_PRESERVE_AREA. Refer to Chapter 3, System Setup and
Calibration, of the IMAQ Vision Concepts Manual for more information
about the scaling methods.
Calibration Invalidation
Any image processing operation that changes the image size or orientation
voids the calibration information in a calibrated image. Examples of
functions that void calibration information include imaqResample(),
imaqScale(), imaqArrayToImage(), and imaqUnwrap().
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Simple Calibration
When the axis of your camera is perpendicular to the image plane and lens
distortion is negligible, use simple calibration. In simple calibration, a pixel
coordinate is transformed to a real-world coordinate through scaling in the
horizontal and vertical directions.
Use simple calibration to map pixel coordinates to real-world coordinates
directly without a calibration grid. The software rotates and scales a pixel
coordinate according to predefined coordinate reference and scaling
factors. You can assign the calibration to an arbitrary image using
imaqSetSimpleCalibration().
To perform a simple calibration, set a coordinate reference (angle, center,
and axis direction) and scaling factors on the defined axis, as shown in
Figure 6-7. Express the angle between the x-axis and the horizontal axis
of the image in degrees. Express the center as the position, in pixels, where
you want the coordinate reference origin. Set the axis direction to direct or
indirect. Simple calibration also offers a correction table option and a
scaling mode option.
Use the system parameter to define the coordinate system. Use the grid
parameter to specify the scaling factors. Use the method parameter to set
the scaling method. Set the learnTable parameter to TRUEto learn the
correction table.
Y
dy
1
dx
X
1
Origin
Figure 6-7. Defining a Simple Calibration
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Save Calibration Information
After you learn the calibration information, you can save it so that you
do not have to relearn the information for subsequent processing. Use
imaqWriteVisionFile()to save the image of the grid and its associated
calibration information to a file. To read the file containing the calibration
information use imaqReadVisionFile(). Refer to the Attach
Calibration Information section of this chapter for more information about
attaching the calibration information you read from another image.
Attach Calibration Information
Now that you have calibrated your setup correctly, you can
apply the calibration settings to images that you acquire. Use
imaqCopyCalibrationInfo()to attach the calibration information of
the current setup to each image you acquire. This function takes in a source
image containing the calibration information and a destination image that
you want to calibrate. The destination image is your inspection image with
the calibration information attached to it.
Using the calibration information attached to the image, you can accurately
convert pixel coordinates to real-world coordinates to make any of the
analytic geometry measurements with
imaqTransformPixelToRealWorld(). If your application requires that
you make shape measurements, correct the image by removing distortion
with imaqCorrectImage().
Note Correcting images is a time-intensive operation.
A calibrated image is not the same as a corrected image. Because
calibration information is part of the image, it is propagated throughout the
processing and analysis of the image. Functions that modify the image size,
such as an image rotation function, void the calibration information. Use
imaqWriteVisionFile()to save the image and all of the attached
calibration information to a file.
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Professional Services
Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at
ni.comfor technical support and professional services:
•
Support—Online technical support resources at ni.com/support
include the following:
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Glossary
Numbers
1D
2D
3D
One-dimensional.
Two-dimensional.
Three-dimensional.
A
AIPD
The National Instruments internal image file format used for saving
complex images and calibration information associated with an image
(extension APD).
alignment
The process by which a machine vision application determines the
location, orientation, and scale of a part being inspected.
alpha channel
The channel used to code extra information, such as gamma correction,
about a color image. The alpha channel is stored as the first byte in the
four-byte representation of an RGB pixel.
area
(1) A rectangular portion of an acquisition window or frame that is
controlled and defined by software.
(2) The size of an object in pixels or user-defined units.
The image operations multiply, divide, add, subtract, and modulo.
An ordered, indexed set of data elements of the same type.
arithmetic operators
array
auto-median function
A function that uses dual combinations of opening and closing operations
to smooth the boundaries of objects.
B
b
Bit. One binary digit, either 0 or 1.
B
Byte. Eight related bits of data, an eight-bit binary number. Also denotes
the amount of memory required to store one byte of data.
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Glossary
barycenter
The grayscale value representing the centroid of the range of an image’s
grayscale values in the image histogram.
binary image
An image in which the objects usually have a pixel intensity of 1 (or 255)
and the background has a pixel intensity of 0.
binary morphology
binary threshold
Functions that perform morphological operations on a binary image.
The separation of an image into objects of interest (assigned a pixel value
of 1) and background (assigned pixel values of 0) based on the intensities
of the image pixels.
bit depth
blurring
The number of bits (n) used to encode the value of a pixel. For a given n,
a pixel can take 2n different values. For example, if n equals 8, a pixel can
take 256 different values ranging from 0 to 255. If n equals 16, a pixel can
take 65,536 different values ranging from 0 to 65,535 or –32,768 to 32,767.
Reduces the amount of detail in an image. Blurring commonly occurs
because the camera is out of focus. You can blur an image intentionally
by applying a lowpass frequency filter.
BMP
Bitmap. An image file format commonly used for 8-bit and color images.
BMP images have the file extension BMP.
border function
brightness
Removes objects (or particles) in a binary image that touch the image
border.
(1) A constant added to the red, green, and blue components of a color pixel
during the color decoding process.
(2) The perception by which white objects are distinguished from gray and
light objects from dark objects.
buffer
Temporary storage for acquired data.
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Glossary
C
caliper
(1) A function in the NI Vision Assistant and in NI Vision Builder for
Automated Inspection that calculates distances, angles, circular fits, and
the center of mass based on positions given by edge detection, particle
analysis, centroid, and search functions.
(2) A measurement function that finds edge pairs along a specified path in
the image. This function performs an edge extraction and then finds edge
pairs based on specified criteria such as the distance between the leading
and trailing edges, edge contrasts, and so forth.
center of mass
The point on an object where all the mass of the object could be
concentrated without changing the first moment of the object about
any axis.
chroma
The color information in a video signal.
chromaticity
The combination of hue and saturation. The relationship between
chromaticity and brightness characterizes a color.
closing
A dilation followed by an erosion. A closing fills small holes in objects and
smooths the boundaries of objects.
clustering
A technique where the image is sorted within a discrete number of classes
corresponding to the number of phases perceived in an image. The gray
values and a barycenter are determined for each class. This process is
repeated until a value is obtained that represents the center of mass for each
phase or class.
CLUT
Color lookup table. A table for converting the value of a pixel in an image
into a red, green, and blue (RGB) intensity.
color image
color space
An image containing color information, usually encoded in the RGB form.
The mathematical representation for a color. For example, color can be
described in terms of red, green, and blue; hue, saturation, and luminance;
or hue, saturation, and intensity.
complex image
connectivity
Stores information obtained from the FFT of an image. The complex
numbers that compose the FFT plane are encoded in 64-bit floating-point
values: 32 bits for the real part and 32 bits for the imaginary part.
Defines which of the surrounding pixels of a given pixel constitute its
neighborhood.
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Glossary
connectivity-4
Only pixels adjacent in the horizontal and vertical directions are considered
neighbors.
connectivity-8
contrast
All adjacent pixels are considered neighbors.
A constant multiplication factor applied to the luma and chroma
components of a color pixel in the color decoding process.
convex hull
The smallest convex polygon that can encapsulate a particle.
Computes the convex hull of objects in a binary image.
See linear filter.
convex hull function
convolution
convolution kernel
2D matrices, or templates, used to represent the filter in the filtering
process. The contents of these kernels are a discrete two-dimensional
representation of the impulse response of the filter that they represent.
D
Danielsson function
Similar to the distance functions, but with more accurate results.
determinism
A characteristic of a system that describes how consistently it can respond
to external events or perform operations within a given time limit.
digital image
dilation
An image f (x, y) that has been converted into a discrete number of pixels.
Both spatial coordinates and brightness are specified.
Increases the size of an object along its boundary and removes tiny holes in
the object.
driver
Software that controls a specific hardware device, such as an IMAQ or
DAQ device.
E
edge
Defined by a sharp transition in the pixel intensities in an image or along
an array of pixels.
edge contrast
edge detection
The difference between the average pixel intensity before and the average
Any of several techniques to identify the edges of objects in an image.
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edge steepness
The number of pixels that corresponds to the slope or transition area of
an edge.
energy center
equalize function
erosion
The center of mass of a grayscale image. See also center of mass.
See histogram equalization.
Reduces the size of an object along its boundary and eliminates isolated
points in the image.
exponential and
gamma corrections
Expand the high gray-level information in an image while suppressing low
gray-level information.
exponential function
Decreases brightness and increases contrast in bright regions of an image,
and decreases contrast in dark regions of an image.
F
FFT
Fast Fourier Transform. A method used to compute the Fourier transform
of an image.
fiducial
A reference pattern on a part that helps a machine vision application find
the part’s location and orientation in an image.
Fourier transform
frequency filters
Transforms an image from the spatial domain to the frequency domain.
The counterparts of spatial filters in the frequency domain. For images,
frequency information is in the form of spatial frequency.
ft
Feet.
function
A set of software instructions executed by a single line of code that may
have input and/or output parameters and returns a value when executed.
G
gamma
The nonlinear change in the difference between the video signal’s
brightness level and the voltage level needed to produce that brightness.
gradient convolution
filter
See gradient filter.
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Glossary
gradient filter
An edge detection algorithm that extracts the contours in gray-level values.
Gradient filters include the Prewitt and Sobel filters.
gray level
The brightness of a pixel in an image.
gray-level dilation
Increases the brightness of pixels in an image that are surrounded by other
pixels with a higher intensity.
gray-level erosion
Reduces the brightness of pixels in an image that are surrounded by other
pixels with a lower intensity.
grayscale image
An image with monochrome information.
grayscale morphology
Functions that perform morphological operations on a gray-level image.
H
h
Hour.
highpass attenuation
highpass filter
The inverse of lowpass attenuation.
Emphasizes the intensity variations in an image, detects edges or object
boundaries, and enhances fine details in an image.
highpass frequency
filter
Removes or attenuates low frequencies present in the frequency domain of
the image. A highpass frequency filter suppresses information related to
slow variations of light intensities in the spatial image.
highpass truncation
histogram
The inverse of lowpass truncation.
Indicates the quantitative distribution of the pixels of an image per
gray-level value.
histogram equalization
histogram inversion
histograph
Transforms the gray-level values of the pixels of an image to occupy the
entire range of the histogram, thus increasing the contrast of the image.
The histogram range in an 8-bit image is 0 to 255.
Finds the photometric negative of an image. The histogram of a reversed
image is equal to the original histogram flipped horizontally around the
center of the histogram.
In LabVIEW, a histogram that can be wired directly into a graph.
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Glossary
hit-miss function
Locates objects in the image similar to the pattern defined in the structuring
element.
HSI
A color encoding scheme in hue, saturation, and intensity.
HSL
A color encoding scheme using hue, saturation, and luminance information
where each image in the pixel is encoded using 32 bits: 8 bits for hue, 8 bits
HSV
hue
A color encoding scheme in hue, saturation, and value.
Represents the dominant color of a pixel. The hue function is a continuous
function that covers all the possible colors generated using the R, G, and
B primaries. See also RGB.
Hz
Hertz. Frequency in units of 1/second.
I
I/O
Input/output. The transfer of data to/from a computer system involving
communications channels, operator interface devices, and/or data
acquisition and control interfaces.
image
A two-dimensional light intensity function f (x, y) where x and y denote
spatial coordinates and the value f at any point (x, y) is proportional to the
brightness at that point.
image border
Image Browser
A user-defined region of pixels surrounding an image. Functions that
process pixels based on the value of the pixel neighbors require image
borders.
An image that contains thumbnails of images to analyze or process in a
vision application.
image buffer
A memory location used to store images.
image definition
The number of values a pixel can take on, which is the number of colors or
shades that you can see in the image.
image display
environment
A window or control that displays an image.
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Glossary
image enhancement
The process of improving the quality of an image that you acquire from
a sensor in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, image contrast, edge definition,
and so on.
image file
A file containing pixel data and additional information about the image.
image format
Defines how an image is stored in a file. Usually composed of a header
followed by the pixel data.
image mask
A binary image that isolates parts of a source image for further processing.
A pixel in the source image is processed if its corresponding mask pixel has
a non-zero value. A source pixel whose corresponding mask pixel has a
value of 0 is left unchanged.
image palette
The gradation of colors used to display an image on screen, usually defined
by a CLUT.
image processing
Encompasses various processes and analysis functions that you can apply
to an image.
image source
imaging
The original input image.
Any process of acquiring and displaying images and analyzing image data.
Image Acquisition.
IMAQ
inner gradient
inspection
Finds the inner boundary of objects.
The process by which parts are tested for simple defects such as missing
parts or cracks on part surfaces.
inspection function
instrument driver
intensity
Analyzes groups of pixels within an image and returns information about
the size, shape, position, and pixel connectivity. Typical applications
include quality of parts, analyzing defects, locating objects, and sorting
objects.
A set of high-level software functions, such as NI-IMAQ, that control
specific plug-in computer boards. Instrument drivers are available in
several forms, ranging from a function callable from a programming
language to a VI in LabVIEW.
The sum of the Red, Green, and Blue primary colors divided by three,
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Glossary
intensity calibration
Assigns user-defined quantities such as optical densities or concentrations
to the gray-level values in an image.
intensity profile
intensity range
The gray-level distribution of the pixels along an ROI in an image.
Defines the range of gray-level values in an object of an image.
intensity threshold
Characterizes an object based on the range of gray-level values in the
object. If the intensity range of the object falls within the user-specified
range, it is considered an object. Otherwise it is considered part of the
background.
J
jitter
The maximum amount of time that the execution of an algorithm varies
from one execution to the next.
JPEG
Joint Photographic Experts Group. An image file format for storing 8-bit
and color images with lossy compression. JPEG images have the file
extension JPG.
K
kernel
A structure that represents a pixel and its relationship to its neighbors.
The relationship is specified by weighted coefficients of each neighbor.
L
labeling
A morphology operation that identifies each object in a binary image and
assigns a unique pixel value to all the pixels in an object. This process is
useful for identifying the number of objects in the image and giving each
object a unique pixel intensity.
LabVIEW
Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench. A program
development environment application based on the programming
language G used commonly for test and measurement applications.
LabWindows/CVI
Windows/Sun Product.
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Glossary
line gauge
Measures the distance between selected edges with high-precision subpixel
accuracy along a line in an image. For example, this function can be used
to measure distances between points and edges. This function also can step
and repeat its measurements across the image.
line profile
linear filter
Represents the gray-level distribution along a line of pixels in an image.
A special algorithm that calculates the value of a pixel based on its own
pixel value as well as the pixel values of its neighbors. The sum of this
calculation is divided by the sum of the elements in the matrix to obtain a
new pixel value.
logarithmic function
logic operators
Increases the brightness and contrast in dark regions of an image and
decreases the contrast in bright regions of the image.
The image operations AND, NAND, OR, XOR, NOR, XNOR, difference,
mask, mean, max, and min.
lossless compression
lossy compression
lowpass attenuation
Compression in which the decompressed image is identical to the original
image.
Compression in which the decompressed image is visually similar but not
identical to the original image.
Applies a linear attenuation to the frequencies in an image, with no
attenuation at the lowest frequency and full attenuation at the highest
frequency.
lowpass FFT filter
lowpass filter
Removes or attenuates high frequencies present in the FFT domain of an
image.
Attenuates intensity variations in an image. You can use these filters to
smooth an image by eliminating fine details and blurring edges.
lowpass frequency
filter
Attenuates high frequencies present in the frequency domain of the image.
A lowpass frequency filter suppresses information related to fast variations
of light intensities in the spatial image.
lowpass truncation
L-skeleton function
luma
Removes all frequency information above a certain frequency.
Uses an L-shaped structuring element in the skeleton function.
The brightness information in the video picture. The luma signal amplitude
varies in proportion to the brightness of the video signal and corresponds
exactly to the monochrome picture.
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Glossary
luminance
LUT
See luma.
Lookup table. A table containing values used to transform the gray-level
values of an image. For each gray-level value in the image, the
corresponding new value is obtained from the lookup table.
M
M
(1) Mega, the standard metric prefix for 1 million or 106, when used with
units of measure such as volts and hertz.
(2) Mega, the prefix for 1,048,576, or 220, when used with B to quantify
data or computer memory.
machine vision
mask FFT filter
match score
An automated application that performs a set of visual inspection tasks.
Removes frequencies contained in a mask (range) specified by the user.
A number ranging from 0 to 1000 that indicates how closely an acquired
image matches the template image. A match score of 1000 indicates a
perfect match. A match score of 0 indicates no match.
MB
Megabyte of memory.
median filter
A lowpass filter that assigns to each pixel the median value of its neighbors.
This filter effectively removes isolated pixels without blurring the contours
of objects.
memory buffer
MMX
See buffer.
Multimedia Extensions. An Intel chip-based technology that allows
parallel operations on integers, which results in accelerated processing
of 8-bit images.
morphological
transformations
Extract and alter the structure of objects in an image. You can use these
transformations for expanding (dilating) or reducing (eroding) objects,
filling holes, closing inclusions, or smoothing borders. They are used
primarily to delineate objects and prepare them for quantitative inspection
analysis.
M-skeleton function
Uses an M-shaped structuring element in the skeleton function.
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Glossary
N
neighbor
A pixel whose value affects the value of a nearby pixel when an image is
processed. The neighbors of a pixel are usually defined by a kernel or a
structuring element.
neighborhood
operations
Operations on a point in an image that take into consideration the values of
the pixels neighboring that point.
NI-IMAQ
The driver software for National Instruments IMAQ hardware.
nonlinear filter
Replaces each pixel value with a nonlinear function of its surrounding
pixels.
nonlinear gradient filter A highpass edge-extraction filter that favors vertical edges.
nonlinear Prewitt filter
A highpass, edge-extraction filter based on two-dimensional gradient
information.
nonlinear Sobel filter
A highpass, edge-extraction filter based on two-dimensional gradient
information. The filter has a smoothing effect that reduces noise
enhancements caused by gradient operators.
Nth order filter
Filters an image using a nonlinear filter. This filter orders (or classifies)
the pixel values surrounding the pixel being processed. The pixel being
processed is set to the Nth pixel value, where N is the order of the filter.
number of planes
(in an image)
The number of arrays of pixels that compose the image. A gray-level or
pseudo-color image is composed of one plane, while an RGB image is
composed of three planes (one for the red component, one for the blue,
and one for the green).
O
OCR
Optical Character Recognition. The ability of a machine to read
human-readable text.
OCV
Optical Character Verification. A machine vision application that inspects
the quality of printed characters.
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Glossary
offset
The coordinate position in an image where you want to place the origin
of another image. Setting an offset is useful when performing mask
operations.
opening
An erosion followed by a dilation. An opening removes small objects and
smooths boundaries of objects in the image.
operators
Allow masking, combination, and comparison of images. You can use
arithmetic and logic operators in IMAQ Vision.
optical representation
outer gradient
Contains the low-frequency information at the center and the
high-frequency information at the corners of an FFT-transformed image.
Finds the outer boundary of objects.
P
palette
The gradation of colors used to display an image on screen, usually defined
by a CLUT.
particle
A connected region or grouping of non-zero pixels in a binary image.
particle analysis
A series of processing operations and analysis functions that produce some
information about the particles in an image.
pattern matching
The technique used to locate quickly a grayscale template within a
grayscale image
picture element
pixel
An element of a digital image. Also called pixel.
Picture element. The smallest division that makes up the video scan line.
For display on a computer monitor, a pixel’s optimum dimension is square
(aspect ratio of 1:1, or the width equal to the height).
pixel aspect ratio
The ratio between the physical horizontal size and the vertical size of the
region covered by the pixel. An acquired pixel should optimally be square,
thus the optimal value is 1.0, but typically it falls between 0.95 and 1.05,
depending on camera quality.
pixel calibration
pixel depth
Directly calibrates the physical dimensions of a pixel in an image.
The number of bits used to represent the gray level of a pixel.
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Glossary
PNG
Portable Network Graphic. An image file format for storing 8-bit, 16-bit,
and color images with lossless compression. PNG images have the file
extension PNG.
Prewitt filter
An edge detection algorithm that extracts the contours in gray-level values
using a 3 × 3 filter kernel.
proper-closing
proper-opening
A finite combination of successive closing and opening operations that you
can use to fill small holes and smooth the boundaries of objects.
A finite combination of successive opening and closing operations that you
can use to remove small particles and smooth the boundaries of objects.
Q
quantitative analysis
Obtaining various measurements of objects in an image.
R
real time
A property of an event or system in which data is processed as it is acquired
instead of being accumulated and processed at a later time.
resolution
reverse function
RGB
The number of rows and columns of pixels. An image composed of m rows
and n columns has a resolution of m × n.
Inverts the pixel values in an image, producing a photometric negative of
the image.
A color encoding scheme using red, green, and blue (RGB) color
information where each pixel in the color image is encoded using 32 bits:
8 bits for red, 8 bits for green, 8 bits for blue, and 8 bits for the alpha value
(unused).
RGB U64
A color encoding scheme using red, green, and blue (RGB) color
information where each pixel in the color image is encoded using
64 bits:16 bits for red, 16 bits for green, 16 bits for blue, and 16 bits
for the alpha value (unused).
Roberts filter
An edge detection algorithm that extracts the contours in gray level,
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Glossary
ROI
Region of interest.
(1) An area of the image that is graphically selected from a window
displaying the image. This area can be used focus further processing.
(2) A hardware-programmable rectangular portion of the acquisition
window.
ROI tools
A collection of tools that enable you to select a region of interest from an
image. These tools let you select points, lines, annuli, polygons, rectangles,
rotated rectangles, ovals, and freehand open and closed contours.
rotational shift
The amount by which one image is rotated relative to a reference image.
This rotation is computed relative to the center of the image.
rotation-invariant
matching
A pattern matching technique in which the reference pattern can be located
at any orientation in the test image as well as rotated at any degree.
S
saturation
The amount of white added to a pure color. Saturation relates to the
richness of a color. A saturation of zero corresponds to a pure color with no
white added. Pink is a red with low saturation.
scale-invariant
matching
A pattern matching technique in which the reference pattern can be any size
in the test image.
segmentation function
Fully partitions a labeled binary image into non-overlapping segments,
with each segment containing a unique object.
separation function
Separates objects that touch each other by narrow isthmuses.
shift-invariant
matching
A pattern matching technique in which the reference pattern can be located
anywhere in the test image but cannot be rotated or scaled.
skeleton function
smoothing filter
Sobel filter
Applies a succession of thinning operations to an object until its width
becomes one pixel.
Blurs an image by attenuating variations of light intensity in the
neighborhood of a pixel.
An edge detection algorithm that extracts the contours in gray-level values
using a 3 × 3 filter kernel.
spatial calibration
Assigns physical dimensions to the area of a pixel in an image.
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Glossary
spatial filters
Alter the intensity of a pixel relative to variations in intensities of its
enhancement, noise reduction, smoothing, and so forth.
spatial resolution
The number of pixels in an image, in terms of the number of rows and
columns in the image.
square function
See exponential function.
square root function
standard representation
See logarithmic function.
Contains the low-frequency information at the corners and high-frequency
information at the center of an FFT-transformed image.
structuring element
subpixel analysis
A binary mask used in most morphological operations. A structuring
element is used to determine which neighboring pixels contribute in the
operation.
Finds the location of the edge coordinates in terms of fractions of a pixel.
T
template
A color, shape, or pattern that you are trying to match in an image using the
color matching, shape matching, or pattern matching functions. A template
can be a region selected from an image or it can be an entire image.
threshold
Separates objects from the background by assigning all pixels with
intensities within a specified range to the object and the rest of the pixels to
the background. In the resulting binary image, objects are represented with
a pixel intensity of 255 and the background is set to 0.
threshold interval
TIFF
Two parameters, the lower threshold gray-level value and the upper
threshold gray-level value.
Tagged Image File Format. An image format commonly used for encoding
8-bit, 16-bit, and color images. TIFF images have the file extension TIF.
time-bounded
tools palette
Describes algorithms that are designed to support a lower and upper bound
on execution time.
A collection of tools that enable you to select regions of interest, zoom in
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Glossary
V
value
The grayscale intensity of a color pixel computed as the average of the
maximum and minimum red, green, and blue values of that pixel.
VI
Virtual Instrument.
(1) A combination of hardware and/or software elements, typically used
with a PC, that has the functionality of a classic stand-alone instrument.
(2) A LabVIEW software module (VI), which consists of a front panel user
interface and a block diagram program.
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Index
Numerics
1D barcodes, reading, 5-30
calibrating
2D arrays, converting to images, 2-5, 2-7
imaging systems, 2-2
defining templates, 6-2
saving calibration information, 6-10
using simple calibration, 6-9
calibration information
A
acquiring, images, 2-5
analyzing
components of color images, 3-7
particles, 4-1
attaching to images, 2-8
learning, 6-5
saving, 6-10
applications, creating Vision, 1-4
applying, LUTs, 2-10
applying to images, 2-10
to arrays, 2-13
calibration templates, defining, 6-2
calibrations, invalidating, 6-8
choosing, learning algorithms, 6-6
classifying, samples, 5-28
closing
particles, 4-4
tools palette, 3-6
attaching
calibration information, 6-10
calibration information to images, 2-8
attenuation
highpass, 2-13
lowpass, 2-12
defining color template images, 5-20
pattern matching, minimum contrast, 5-24
setting sensitivity, 5-23
using pattern matching to find points, 5-19
color distribution
learning in images, 3-10
learning with a single ROI, 3-10
learning with multiple ROIs, 3-11
color images
B
barcodes
reading 1D barcodes, 5-30
reading data matrix barcodes, 5-30
reading PDF417 barcodes, 5-31
binary images
creating, 4-1
improving, 4-2
analyzing components, 3-7
extracting planes, 3-8
ignoring learned colors, 3-13
processing, 3-7
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Index
color information
pattern matching tolerances, 5-17
reference coordinate systems, 6-3
regions of interest, 3-1
ROIs, 6-6
learning, 3-9
specifying, 3-9
color location, using to find points, 5-25
color representation sensitivity,
specifying, 3-12
color score weight, 5-24
comparing, color content in images, 3-9
computing
energy center of an image, 3-7
energy center of an ROI in an image, 3-7
configuring, tools palette, 3-6
converting
ROIs interactively, 3-1, 5-8
ROIs programmatically, 3-6, 5-9
search areas, 5-8, 5-16, 5-22
template images, 5-13
destination images, 2-4
detecting
circular edges, 5-10
edges, 5-9
edges along a contour, 5-11
edges along multiple contours, 5-12
rectangular edges, 5-10
determining, 2-8
2D arrays to images, 2-5, 2-7
images to frequency domains, 2-12
coordinates, 5-26
image quality, 2-8
planes of complex images to arrays, 2-13
convolution filter, 2-11
coordinate systems
diagnostic tools (NI resources), A-1
displaying
images, 2-7
defining using edge detection, 5-4
defining using pattern matching, 5-6
correction tables, learning, 6-8
counting, particles, 4-4
results, 5-31
tools palette, 3-6
documentation
conventions used in manual, ix
NI resources, A-1
creating
images, 2-2
related documentation, x
drivers
Vision applications, 1-4
NI resources, A-1
D
E
data matrix barcodes, reading, 5-30
defining
edge detection, 5-9
calibration templates, 6-2
color template images, 5-20
coordinate systems using edge
detection, 5-4
coordinate systems using pattern
matching, 5-6
detecting, 5-9
detecting along a contour, 5-11
detecting along multiple contours, 5-12
detecting circular edges, 5-10
eroding, particles, 4-3
erosion, 4-3
image masks, 3-6
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error maps, learning, 6-8
examples (NI resources), A-1
H
help, technical support, A-1
external windows, displaying images, 2-7
attenuation, 2-13
truncation, 2-13
F
Fast Fourier Transform, 2-12
features, finding in images, 5-13
FFT, 2-12
filtering
identifying, parts, 5-28
ignoring, learned colors, 3-13
image masks, defining, 3-6
image quality, 2-8
grayscale features of an image, 2-11
images, 2-10
filters
convolution, 2-11
highpass, 2-10
lowpass, 2-10
Nth order, 2-11
acquiring, 2-5
analyzing, 2-8
analyzing components, 3-7
applying LUTs, 2-10
attaching calibration information, 2-8
calibrating, 6-1
an image, 3-7
converting 2D arrays to images, 2-5, 2-7
creating, 2-2
finding
image features, 5-13
points using color location, 5-25
points using color pattern matching, 5-19
frequency domains, converting images, 2-12
function tree
IMAQ Machine Vision, 1-3
IMAQ Vision, 1-2
function types (table)
IMAQ Machine Vision, 1-3
IMAQ Vision, 1-2
creating binary images, 4-1
defining template images, 5-13
destination, 2-4
detecting edges, 5-9
displaying, 2-7
G
getting
extracting planes, 3-8
filtering, 2-10
filtering grayscale features, 2-11
finding features, 5-13
getting statistics, 3-7
center of energy for an image, 3-7
image statistics, 3-7
grayscale morphology, 2-11
grayscale statistics, measuring, 3-7
getting the center of energy, 3-7
ignoring learned colors, 3-13
improving, 2-9
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improving binary images, 4-2
improving sharpness of transitions, 2-10
inspecting, 2-8
learning color information, 3-9
learning the color distribution, 3-10
loading from file, 2-5
measuring light intensity, 3-7
modifying complex images, 2-13
processing components, 3-7
reading, 2-5
calibration information, 6-5
color information, 3-9
color spectrum, 3-10
correction tables, 6-8
error maps, 6-8
reading from file, 2-6
setting color sensitivity, 5-23
source, 2-4
taking color measurements, 3-1
taking grayscale measurements, 3-1
thresholding, 4-1
learning algorithms, choosing, 6-6
learning scores, using, 6-7
light intensity, measuring in images, 3-7
locating, 5-2
measurement points, 5-9
lowpass
imaging systems
calibrating, 2-2
setting up, 2-1
attenuation, 2-12
IMAQ Machine Vision
function tree, 1-3
truncation, 2-13
LUTs, 2-10
function types (table), 1-3
IMAQ Vision
function tree, 1-2
function types (table), 1-2
improving
machine vision tasks, 5-1
measurement points, locating, 5-9
analytic geometry, 5-27
distance measurements, 5-26
instrument reader, 5-27
measuring
binary images, 4-2
images, 2-9
sharpness of transitions, 2-10
inspecting
images, 2-8
objects, 5-2
light intensity in images, 3-7
particles, 4-4
inspection tasks, performing, 5-1
instrument drivers, xi
NI resources, A-1
interpreting, pattern matching results, 5-19
invalidating, calibrations, 6-8
modifying, complex images, 2-13
moving, tools palette, 3-6
multiple ROIs, learning color
distribution, 3-11
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training the pattern matching
algorithm, 5-15
PDF417 barcodes, reading, 5-31
performing
particle analysis, 4-1
pixel coordinates, converting to real-world
coordinates, 5-26
N
National Instruments support and
services, A-1
NI Vision Assistant, x
NI-IMAQ, xi
Nth order filter, 2-11
points, finding using color location, 5-25
O
objects, 5-2
inspecting, 5-2
locating, 5-2
open operation, 4-3
opening, particles, 4-3
1D barcodes, 5-30
characters, 5-29
data matrix barcodes, 5-30
images, 2-5
P
particle analysis, performing, 4-1
particles, 4-1
images from file, 2-6
PDF417 barcodes, 5-31
reference coordinate systems, defining, 6-3
removing, unwanted particles, 4-3
results, displaying, 5-31
analyzing, 4-1
closing, 4-4
counting, 4-4
eroding, 4-3
filling holes, 4-3
measuring, 4-4
opening, 4-3
removing unwanted particles, 4-3
separating touching particles, 4-3
smoothing boundaries, 4-3
parts, identifying, 5-28
pattern matching
defining, 3-1, 6-6
defining interactively, 3-1, 5-8
defining programmatically, 3-6, 5-9
rotating, 5-2
shifting, 5-2
color score weight, 5-24
defining tolerances, 5-17
minimum contrast, 5-18, 5-24
mode, 5-17
S
samples, classifying, 5-28
orientation, 5-17
saving, calibration information, 6-10
scaling factors, specifying, 6-6
scaling methods, setting, 6-8
selecting search strategies, 5-23
training color pattern matching
algorithm, 5-21
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Index
search algorithm, testing, 5-18, 5-25
search areas, 5-10
templates, defining template images, 5-13
testing, search algorithm, 5-18, 5-25
thresholding, images, 4-1
tolerances
defining for pattern matching, 5-17
setting for pattern matching, 5-23
defining, 5-16, 5-22
ROIs, defining search areas, 5-8
matching, 5-23
selecting, pattern matching search
strategies, 5-23
closing, 3-6
separating, touching particles, 4-3
setting
configuring, 3-6
displaying, 3-6
color sensitivity, 5-23
moving, 3-6
pattern matching tolerances, 5-23
scaling methods, 6-8
Tools palette functions, 3-2
training
setting up, imaging systems, 2-1
shifting, ROIs, 5-2
single ROI, learning color distribution, 3-10
smoothing, boundaries of particles, 4-3
software (NI resources), A-1
source images, 2-4
color pattern matching algorithm, 5-21
pattern matching algorithm, 5-15
training and certification (NI resources), A-1
troubleshooting (NI resources), A-1
truncation
specifying
color information to learn, 3-9
color representation sensitivity, 3-12
support, technical, A-1
learning scores, 6-7
simple calibration, 6-9
T
taking
color measurements, 3-1
grayscale measurements, 3-1
technical support, A-1
template images
Vision applications, creating, 1-4
background information, 5-15, 5-21
color information, 5-20
defining color template images, 5-20
feature detail, 5-14, 5-20
positional information, 5-15
symmetry, 5-14, 5-20
Web resources, A-1
windows, displaying images in external
windows, 2-7
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