AcquireImage

The AcquireImage function specifies the parameters for capturing a digital image and transferring it to the In-Sight vision system's processing memory.

In-Sight vision systems capture all images using asynchronous reset and progressive scan. Greyscale vision systems produce 8-bit images, while color vision systems produce 24-bit images. The image acquisition process begins within approximately 250µs for all vision systems, and proceeds as follows:

  • The image sensor integrates light for the duration of time specified by the Exposure parameter.
  • The image accumulated in the image sensor is transferred, row-by-row, into a serial shift register.

  • For every row transfer, the sensor clocks the shift register, pixel-by-pixel, out of the image sensor through the following path:

    video amplifier -> Gain and Offset -> analog-to-digital converter -> vision processor memory

  • The transfer begins at the specified Start Row and proceeds for the specified Number of Rows.

The memory buffer containing the acquired image is represented in the spreadsheet as an Image data structure. The Image data structure returned by AcquireImage is in turn referenced by other In-Sight spreadsheet functions that process image regions. Any function that directly or indirectly depends on acquired image data is forced to update when a new image is acquired. This relationship between the input image and other functions in the spreadsheet is what drives the execution of vision tasks on In-Sight vision systems. For more information on dependencies and cell execution order, see Spreadsheet Cell Execution and Editing Reference.

Unlike other spreadsheet functions, AcquireImage exists permanently in cell A0 and cannot be cut, copied, or cleared from the spreadsheet. This enforcement guarantees that an image is always available in a predefined location. Most Vision Tool functions, as well as many other functions, take advantage of this by specifying an absolute reference to cell A0 as their default image source. For more information, see Cell References - Relative/Absolute.

Note:
  • The default AcquireImage parameter settings vary based on the vision system model. If a job is developed on one model and then loaded onto a different model, verify that the parameter settings are appropriately configured.
  • If the AcquireImage function's parameters are modified programmatically, when the function displays the result of the modified parameter depends on the selected Trigger parameter.
    • If the Trigger parameter is set to Camera, the AcquireImage function's parameters are loaded just after the acquisition. For example, if the function's Max Exposure value is programmatically adjusted, the change is not visible in the next image, but is available in the image after that.
    • For all other Trigger parameter modes, the parameter values are loaded when the acquire signal is received, so modifications are reflected in the next image.
  • When you open the AcquireImage property sheet, the vision system acquires a new image and it is displayed. If you click the Cancel button to exit the property sheet, the new image and any changes made in the property sheet are retained. If the previous image needs to be retained, save the image before you open the AcquireImage property sheet and then reload the image after opening the AcquireImage property sheet.
  • If you are connected to an In-Sight Emulator and want to view images from an In-Sight vision system that had acquired images with the partial acquisition parameters (Start Row and Number of Rows) enabled, set the Start Row and Number of Rows parameters of the Emulator to the same settings as those on the In-Sight vision system that acquired the images.
  • If a vision system running In-Sight 5.x.x firmware is power-cycled and no Ethernet connection is detected, it may result in missed triggers until the 30-second network timeout is complete and the vision system has fully restarted.
  • If using a color In-Sight vision system:
    • White Balancing is often employed as a method to equalize colors to compensate for differing lighting conditions. White balancing generates a histogram of the Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) channels of a 100x100 region in the center of the image. The peak response for each channel is found. The two channels with the lowest bin numbers are then divided into the highest bin number to get scale factors that are used to create color tables. These tables are referenced each time an image is acquired.
    • The white balance settings are stored with the job and take effect once the first image is acquired by that job (not upon job load). A white field image (such as a blank piece of paper) must be acquired before entering the AcquireImage property sheet. Also ensure that the lens aperture is adjusted so that the image is not approaching saturation where all bin values are 255). Pressing the White Balance button is the same as executing the WhiteBalance function in the spreadsheet.

AcquireImage Inputs

Syntax: AcquireImage(Trigger,Manual,Exposure,Auto Exposure.Mode,Auto Exposure.Max Exposure,Auto Exposure.Target Brightness,Auto Expose Region.X,Auto Expose Region.Y,Auto Expose Region.High,Auto Expose Region.Wide,Start Row,Number of Rows,Number of Lines,Light Control.Mode,Light Control.Light Enable 0,Light Control.Light Enable 1,Light Control.Unused,Light Control.Unused,Gain,Offset,Orientation,Network Trigger.Master,Network Trigger.Master Name,Network Trigger.Master Data,Buffer Mode,Delay,Focus Metric Region.X,Focus Metric Region.Y,Focus Metric Region.High,Focus Metric Region.Angle,Focus Metric Region.Curve,White Balance Region.X,White Balance Region.Y,White Balance Region.High,White Balance Region.Wide,Line Scan.Line Trigger Type,Line Scan.Line Period/Steps Per Line,Line Scan.Encoder Acquisition Timeout,Line Scan.Clip Mode,Line Scan.Acquisition Duration,Trigger Debounce,High Dynamic Range)

Parameter Description

Trigger

Specifies the source of the image acquisition trigger when the In-Sight vision system is Online.

Note: Do not change the Trigger programmatically while the sensor is Online. Doing so may put the sensor in an unpredictable state.

  • 0 = Camera (default): Enables image acquisition on a rising edge sensed at the vision system's dedicated acquisition trigger input.

    Note: The ERR: Missed Acquisition discrete output signal is only supported when the Trigger parameter is set to Camera.
  • 1 = Continuous: Enables "free running" (as fast as possible) image acquisitions.

  • 2 = External: Enables image acquisition on either a serial command (when Trigger On First Byte is selected in the DeviceNet Details dialog), on the rising edge applied to a discrete input line configured as an Acquisition Trigger, or from a PLC using an Industrial Ethernet protocol.

    Note:
    • Faster trigger rates can be achieved by using the vision system's built-in acquisition trigger input (by setting the AcquireImage function's Trigger parameter to Camera) versus triggering the vision system with a general-purpose input line configured as an Acquisition Trigger (by setting the AcquireImage function's Trigger parameter to External).
    • If the AcquireImage function's Trigger parameter is set to External and an acquisition is missed, the ERR: Missed Acquisition discrete output will not be sent from the vision system. The ERR: Missed Acquisition signal is only supported when the AcquireImage function's Trigger parameter is set to Camera.
  • 5 = Timestamp: Enables image acquisition when a timestamp trigger is sent to the vision system from a PLC over EtherNet/IP. The Timestamp option is only supported with the following vision systems:

      • In-Sight 5000 series vision systems with 128MB non-volatile flash memory and running firmware version 4.5.0 or later

        Note: The In-Sight 5605 vision system (Hardware Type 821-0032-1R), In-Sight 5705 vision system and In-Sight 5705C vision systems are not supported.
      • In-Sight 7000 Gen2 series vision systems
      • In-Sight 9000 series vision systems
    Note:
    • The vision system must have Use Time Synchronization checked in the Date/Time Settings dialog to use the Timestamp acquisition trigger.
    • If the vision system receives the timestamp trigger after the time has expired, or more than one hour in the future, a TimeTriggerFault will be set and the Eip.TimestampTriggerFaults count will be incremented.
    • If an acquisition is scheduled, but is not able to be execute due to another acquisition already in progress, the Missed Acquisition signal will be sent from the vision system.
    • The SetSystemConfig("Eip.TriggerTimestampInputOffset",0) command can be used to set the offset into the EtherNet/IP input assembly.

  • 6 = Industrial Ethernet: Enables image acquisition on triggers originating from an Industrial Ethernet protocol, such as EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK, PROFINET, SLMP Scanner or Modbus TCP Server.

    Note: Please verify the network settings are correctly enabled for the protocol (Industrial Ethernet Protocols group box in the Network Settings dialog).

    The following table shows how to trigger the vision system via each protocol. For more information, please click the links provided in the table.

    Protocol Firmware Version How to...
    EtherNet/IP 5.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Output Assemblies - Instance 22 (Byte 0). For more information, see I/O Assembly Data Attribute Format - Output Assemblies - Instance 22.
    4.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Output Assemblies - Instance 21 (Byte 0). For more information, see Input and Output Assembly Objects.
    POWERLINK 4.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Control Object. For more information, see POWERLINK Factory Interface.
    PROFINET 5.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Acquisition Control Module. For more information, see PROFINET IO Module Reference Table - In-Sight 5.x.x Firmware.
    4.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Acquisition Control Module. For more information, see PROFINET IO Module Reference Table - In-Sight 4.x.x Firmware.
    SLMP Scanner 5.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Vision Control Block (Byte 0). For more information, see Vision Control Block.
    4.x.x Toggle Bit 1 in the Vision Control Block (Byte 0). For more information, see SLMP Scanner Factory Interface - In-Sight 4.x.x Firmware.
    Modbus TCP Server 5.3.0 or later Toggle Bit 1 in the Vision Control Block (Byte 0). For more information, see Vision Control Block.
  • 32 = Manual: Enables image acquisition when pressing F5. For F5 to manually acquire an image, the spreadsheet must have focus.
  • 99 = Network: Enables image acquisition when the specified In-Sight "Master" system on the network is triggered. The Master checkbox must be OFF, and a valid Master Name must be specified.

Manual

Enables a manual image acquisition trigger when the In-Sight vision system is Offline.

  • 0 = OFF: Disables image acquisitions when the vision system is Offline. When Manual is OFF and the vision system is Offline, image acquisition cannot be initiated by any means.
  • 1 = ON (default): Enables image acquisitions when the vision system is Offline. When Manual is ON and the vision system is Offline, pressing F5 or clicking the Trigger button from the Job Display toolbar will initiate an image acquisition.

Exposure

Specifies the exposure time (in milliseconds). When the vision system receives a trigger signal, light is integrated in the image sensor array for the specified duration. Shorter durations are better for stopping motion but may require larger lens apertures or higher amplifier Gain to achieve sufficient image intensity.

Note:
  • Exposure is disabled if Automatic Exposure is enabled.
  • While the Exposure may technically be set to 0, the Exposure time is In-Sight vision system dependent, and an Exposure value of 0 will default to the minimum exposure time (in milliseconds or microseconds) for the selected vision system.
  • The Exposure time is rounded down to the next valid increment for the specified vision system.
  • If using a strobe with the In-Sight 8405 vision system, a minimum Exposure value of 72ms is recommended for a full frame image capture, to ensure that all pixel rows are exposed when the strobe is pulsed. For more information, see In-Sight 8405 Rolling Shutter Operation.
  • When connected to an In-Sight 5604, 5614 or 9902L line scan vision system, the exposure time is set in microseconds.
  • When calculating the exposure time, it may be necessary to add a small amount of time to the Exposure value to account for the warm-up time of the lights. For In-Sight 70xx - 74xx series vision systems using the internal LED light ring, it may be necessary to add an additional 0.4 ms - 0.5 ms to the Exposure time. For all other vision system models using external lights, please refer to the light manufacturer’s user manual for additional information about the warm-up time of the LED lights.

The exposure times for In-Sight vision system models are shown in the following table.

Note:
  • For the following vision systems/sensors, the resolution can be configured in the Image Settings dialog: In-Sight Micro 1500, In-Sight 2000-130, 2000-130C, 2000-230, 2000-230C, 2000-23M, 2001-230, 2001-230C, In-Sight 7500, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7900, 7900C, 7802, 7802C, 7902, 7902C.
  • For the 5604 and 5614 line scan vision systems, the Image Height can be configured in the LineScan Settings dialog.
  • For the 9902L line scan vision system, the 1K Resolution (Low Light Mode) and Max Image Height can be configured in the LineScan Settings dialog.
In-Sight Model Resolution Sensor Type Exposure Time (ms)
Micro 1020, 1050, 1100, 1110, 1100C, 1400, 1410, 1400C 640 x 480 CCD, global shutter

0.016 to 1000
Micro 1402, 1412 1280 x 1024 CMOS, global shutter 0.016 to 950
Micro 1403, 1413, 1403C 1600 x 1200 CCD, global shutter

0.052 to 1000

Micro 1500

 640 x 480 CMOS, global shutter 0.004 to 500
800 x 600 CMOS, global shutter 0.005 to 500

5100, 5110, 5100C, 5400, 5410, 5400C, 5600, 5610

 640 x 480 CCD, global shutter

0.016 to 1000

5403, 5413, 5603, 5613

 1600 x 1200 CCD, global shutter

0.027 to 1000

5604 & 5614 Line Scan

 1024 x 8192 CCD, global shutter

1.33 µsec to 1000 µsec
5605, 5615, 5705, 5715 2448 x 2048 CCD, global shutter 0.014 to 1000
5705C 2448 x 2048 CCD, global shutter 0.016 to 1000
7010, 7010C, 7020, 7050, 7200, 7210, 7230, 7200C, 7400, 7410, 7430, 7400C 800 x 600 CMOS, global shutter 0.016 to 950
7402, 7412, 7432, 7402C 1280 x 1024 CMOS, global shutter 0.016 to 950

7500, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7900, 7900C

 800 x 600 CMOS, global shutter 0.014 to 550
640 x 480 CMOS, global shutter 0.014 to 520
7501, 7801, 7801C, 7901, 7901C 1280 x 1024 CMOS, global shutter 0.017 to 750

7802, 7802C, 7902, 7902C

 1600 x 1200 CMOS, global shutter 0.020 to 940
800 x 600 (Low Light Mode) CMOS, global shutter 0.020 to 940
7902P 1920 x 1200 CMOS, global shutter 0.021 to 1000
7905, 7905C 2448 x 2048 CMOS, global shutter 0.021 to 1000
8200, 8200C, 8400, 8400C 640 x 480 CMOS, global shutter 0.014 to 520
8401, 8401C 1280 x 1024 CMOS, global shutter 0.0174 to 750
8402, 8402C 1600 x 1200 CMOS, global shutter 0.020 to 940
8405 2592 x 1944 CMOS, rolling shutter 0.032 to 1000

9902L Line Scan

 2048 x 16384 CMOS, global shutter 2.00 µsec to 1000 µsec
1024 x 16384
9912, 9912C 4096 x 3000 CMOS, global shutter 0.021 to 1000

Automatic Exposure

Specifies whether the exposure time is automatically determined or not. When enabled,  the exposure is automatically adjusted to compensate for different lighting conditions.

Note: If the vision system does not support this feature, the parameter is disabled.

Mode

Specifies how the automatic exposure is determined.

  • 0 = Disabled: Disables the Automatic Exposure option.

  • 1 = Continuous: Exposure time is automatically adjusted after each acquisition to compensate for different lighting conditions.

    Note: Time between acquisitions is increased while in Continuous mode.
  • 2 = Single-shot:
    • First Acquisition: If the vision system is Offline, the first acquisition is used to determine exposure and the exposure value is stored until Single-shot is disabled. If no acquisition has occurred while the vision system is Offline, when it is put Online, the first acquisition is used to determine exposure.

    • Subsequent Acquisitions: The vision system acquires the image using the exposure value calculated at the first acquisition.

    Note: Toggling the Single-shot checkbox or selecting a different Auto Exposure Mode resets the exposure value. The first acquisition after the exposure value has been reset is used to determine a new exposure value.

Max Exposure

Specifies the maximum exposure time used when determining the proper exposure.

Target Brightness

Specifies the desired brightness level (0 to 100; default = 10). The Target Brightness parameter governs the allowed percentage of saturated pixels (255). When Automatic Exposure is enabled, the Target Brightness setting adjusts the exposure value to return an image which has a "target brightness” of “x%” saturated pixels. For example, if the image has 10000 pixels and the Target Brightness parameter is set to 20, Automatic Exposure will adjust the exposure value to return an image containing approximately 2000 saturated pixels.

Auto Expose Region

Specifies the Region to use when automatically calculating the exposure time.

Note: If the vision system does not support this feature, the parameter is disabled.

X

 The x-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.

Y

The y-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.

High

The dimension along the region's x-axis.

Wide

The dimension along the region's y-axis.

Start Row

Specifies the first row to be transferred from the image sensor into memory on the In-Sight vision system:

Resolution Valid Start Row Values
640 x 480 0 to 479
800 x 600 0 to 599
1024 x 768 0 to 767
1280 x 1024 0 to 1023
1600 x 1200 0 to 1199
1920 x 1200 0 to 1199
2448 x 2048 0 to 2047
2592 x 1944 0 to 1943
4096 x 3000 0 to 2999
Note:
  • Due to Bayer Pattern constraints, the Start Row parameter value must be an even number for In-Sight color vision systems. If the Start Row parameter is not an even number, the software automatically converts this value to an even number. The AcquireImage property sheet displays the original odd number value, but the GetRow(A0) function returns the converted even number value. For more information, see Bayer Pattern.
  • Many of the In-Sight Vision Tool functions’ Region of Interest (ROI) calculate their algorithms four-pixel rows at a time, and the ROI automatically adjusts its size to be either divisible by four or on a four-pixel boundary, if not configured in this manner. When capturing images using partial acquisitions, if the ROI of the Vision Tool is not divisible by four or on a four-pixel boundary, the ROI automatically expands, which could cause the ROI to be outside the bounds of the image and result in a #ERR state.
  • The Start Row parameter is disabled when connected to an In-Sight 5604 or In-Sight 9902L line scan vision system.

Number of Rows

Specifies the number of image sensor rows to be transferred into memory on the In-Sight vision system.

Resolution Number of Rows Allowed
640 x 480 1 to 480
800 x 600 1 to 600
1024 x 768 1 to 768
1280 x 1024 1 to 1024
1600 x 1200 1 to 1200
1920 x 1200 1 to 1200
2448 x 2048 1 to 2048
2592 x 1944 1 to 1944
4096 x 3000 1 to 3000
Note:
  • Many of the In-Sight Vision Tool functions’ Region of Interest (ROI) calculate their algorithms four-pixel rows at a time, and the ROI automatically adjusts its size to be either divisible by four or on a four-pixel boundary, if not configured in this manner. When capturing images using partial acquisitions, if the ROI of the Vision Tool is not divisible by four or on a four-pixel boundary, the ROI automatically expands, which could cause the ROI to be outside the bounds of the image and result in a #ERR state.
  • The Number of Rows parameter is not supported for In-Sight 5604 or In-Sight 9902L line scan vision systems.

Number of Lines

(In-Sight 5604 and In-Sight 9902L only)

Specifies the number of lines to acquire, to construct an image from the line scan vision system.

  • By default, the In-Sight 5604 produces standard area images in 1024 x 2048 resolution. The width cannot be adjusted. The maximum image height can be adjusted by pressing the Encoder Setup button to launch the Line Scan Settings dialog. The Number of Lines parameter value can range from 1 to the Max Image Height.
  • By default, the In-Sight 9902L produces standard area images in 2048 x 4096 resolution. The width and maximum image height can be adjusted by pressing the Encoder Setup button to launch the Line Scan Settings dialog. If the 1K Resolution (Low Light Mode) check box is selected, the width is decreased to 1024, providing increased light sensitivity. The Number of Lines parameter value can range from 1 to the Max Image Height. For more information, see Line Scan Settings.
In-Sight Model Resolution Minimum Maximum Default
In-Sight 5604 1024 x 8192 1 8192 2048
In-Sight 9902L 2048 x 16384 1 16384 4096
1024 x 16384
Note:
  • If acquiring images of rotating targets, the Number of Lines value should be smaller than the number of rows between any two frame triggers to avoid missing image triggers.
  • While this parameter can technically be set to 1, any value below 8 results in an unsuccessful image acquisition.

Light Control

(In-Sight 5000 series and 70xx - 74xx series only)

The following parameters control LED light banks and rings.

Note: For the In-Sight 70xx - 74xx series vision systems with the M12 lens configuration, the Light Control parameter is used to configure the pre-installed internal LED ring light. If connecting an external strobe device to the vision system's Light cable, use the Light Settings dialog to configure the light settings.

Mode

(5000 series and 70xx - 74xx series)

Specifies whether the ring light on an In-Sight 5000 series or 70xx - 74xx series vision system is only ON for the duration of the specified Exposure or is constantly ON.

  • 0 = Exposure Controlled: Enables the ring light to be ON for the duration of the exposure.
  • 1 = Always ON: Enables the ring light to be always ON, reducing the strobe effect by keeping the LEDs lit at 50% intensity when not exposing an image.
  • 2 = Disabled: Disables the ring light (In-Sight 70xx - 74xx series only).

Light Enable

(5000 series only)

 Specifies whether up to four LED light channels are on or off. Any non-zero value (1 to 255) will turn on the light channel for the Exposure duration. If the parameter is zero, the light channel will remain off. The In-Sight 5000 series ring light (P/N 200-0187-1) is divided into two banks of LEDs: one horizontal and one vertical. Light Enable 0 controls the horizontal LED bank and Light Enable 1 controls the vertical LED bank.
Note:
  • Light Enable 0 and Light Enable 1 must be set to zero (0) when using an external strobe.
  • Increasing the value of the Light Power parameters will not increase the intensity of the LEDs.

Light Intensity

(70xx - 74xx series only)

 Controls the effective intensity of the LEDs [(0 to 100); default = 1; OFF = 0].

Gain

Specifies the gain of the amplifier stage that precedes the analog-to-digital converter.

In-Sight Model Gain Settings

Micro 1000 series (except the In-Sight Micro 1402, 1412 or 1500)

0 to 255; default = 128
Micro 1402, 1412, 1500 0 to 3; default = 0
5000 series

0 to 255; default = 128

Micro 1402 and 1412 and 70xx - 74xx series

 0 to 7; default = 0
7500, 7501, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7801, 7801C, 7802, 7802C , 7900, 7900C, 7901, 7901C, 7902, 7902C 0 to 6; default = 0
7902P, 7905, 7905C 0 to 240; default = 60
8200, 8200C, 8400, 8400C, 8401, 8401C, 8402, 8402C 0 to 6; default = 0
8405 0 to 159; default = 16
9902L 0 to 255; default = 0
9912, 9912C 0 to 240; default = 60
Note: For very fine Gain adjustments when connected to an In-Sight 5604 or 9902L line scan vision system, you can manually type the Gain value in 0.25 increments.

Offset

Specifies a DC level that is added or subtracted from the analog signal from the vision system before the analog-to-digital conversion. The Offset affects the image's brightness and darkness while maintaining the dynamic range within the image.

Note: If the In-Sight 7905 vision system's Offset or Orientation parameters are modified outside the AcquireImage property sheet (i.e., a job is loaded with different parameter values or the parameters values are changed programmatically), it may result in a missed acquisition for Camera or Timestamp Trigger types or delay the start of the next acquisition by approximately 9ms for other Trigger types. Subsequent acquisitions will not experience this delay.
In-Sight Model Offset Settings
Micro 1000 series

0 to 255. Default varies by type.
5000 series

0 to 255. Default varies by type.
70xx - 74xx series

0 to 255. Default varies by type.

7500, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7900 and 7900C (640 x 480)

0 to 90. Default varies by type.

7500, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7900 and 7900C (800 x 600)

0 to 128. Default varies by type.
7501, 7801, 7801C, 7802, 7802C, 7901, 7901C, 7902, 7902C

0 to 128. Default varies by type.
7902P, 7905, 7905C

0 to 255. Default varies by type.
8200, 8200C, 8400 and 8400C 0 to 90. Default varies by type.
8401, 8401C, 8402, 8402C, 8405

0 to 255. Default varies by type.
9902L 0 to 1023. Default varies by type.
9912, 9912C 0 to 255. Default varies by type.
Orientation

Specifies the orientation of the image.

  • 0 = Normal (default)
  • 1 = Mirrored horizontally
  • 2 = Flipped vertically
  • 3 = Rotated 180 degrees
Note:
  • If the vision system does not support this feature, the parameter is disabled.
  • If the In-Sight 7905 vision system's Offset or Orientation parameters are modified outside the AcquireImage property sheet (i.e., a job is loaded with different parameter values or the parameters values are changed programmatically), it may result in a missed acquisition for Camera or Timestamp Trigger types or delay the start of the next acquisition by approximately 9ms for other Trigger types. Subsequent acquisitions will not experience this delay.
  • The In-Sight 5604 and In-Sight 9902L line scan vision systems only support Normal and Mirrored horizontally Orientation settings.
  • Do not change the Orientation programmatically when the vision system is Online. Doing so may put the vision system in an unpredictable state.

Master

When this checkbox is selected, the active vision system is designated as a "master" vision system on a network of vision systems. As a master system, the active vision system can generate a Network acquisition trigger for other In-Sight vision systems ("slaves") on the network.

  • 0 = OFF (default): The active vision system cannot generate a Network trigger.
  • 1 = ON: The active vision system generates a Network trigger. Slave vision systems on the network configured for both Network Trigger and with the specified Master Name acquire an image whenever the master vision system acquires an image.
Note:
  • A vision system cannot simultaneously function as both a master and a slave on the network. In other words, it cannot receive a network trigger and then generate a network trigger. Therefore, when the Trigger parameter is set to Network, the Master checkbox should be unchecked.
  • It is possible to have more than one vision system acting as a master on a network. Every master and any slaves that reference that master must share a unique name in the Master Name parameter.
  • In-Sight Micro 1020 vision systems do not support the Master parameter.
  • Vision systems in the EasyBuilder view will only work as slaves in the master/slave configuration. The Master option is only available in the Spreadsheet view.

Master Name
  • When Trigger is not set to (99) Network and Master is selected (ON), the Master Name field specifies the name of the network trigger that the active vision system sends out to trigger its slaves.
  • When Trigger is set to (99) Network and Master is cleared (OFF), the Master Name field specifies the name of the network trigger that causes the active vision system to acquire.
Note:
  • The Master Name field on a slave vision system must match the Master Name field on the master vision system. Otherwise, the slave vision system will not be triggered.
  • Any slave vision systems that have a blank Master Name field will be triggered by all master vision systems on the network.
  • The Master Name is case-sensitive.

Master Data

When the active vision system is a master on the network, it can optionally send a string of alphanumeric data to the slaves that it triggers. To read the Master Data that it receives along with a network trigger, the slave must have a GetString function in its spreadsheet that references the AcquireImage function in cell A0.
Buffer Mode

Specifies the number of buffers used for image acquisition. The Buffer Mode parameter cannot be modified while the sensor is Online.

  • 0 = Overlapped (default): The number of image buffers specified in the Image Buffers dialog is used for image acquisition. For more information, see Image Buffers Dialog.

  • 1 = Single: Only a single buffer is used for image acquisition. This option is only supported when the Trigger parameter is set to Camera.

    Note: The In-Sight 2000 series vision sensor's Buffer Mode is always set to Single Buffer Mode in EasyBuilder-only jobs.
Delay
  • When the Trigger parameter is set to Camera or Network, it specifies the delay in milliseconds between the time the trigger is received and the time the vision system begins acquisition (0 to 10,000).
  • When the Trigger parameter is set to Continuous:
    • It specifies an interval, in milliseconds, between acquisitions (0 to 10,000; default = 500).
    • This delay is dependent on the amount of time the job takes to complete processing the image. For example, if the Delay parameter is set to 5,000 milliseconds, the vision system acquires an image every 5,000 milliseconds, provided the job completes its image processing within 5,000 milliseconds. If not, the In-Sight vision system acquires an image as soon as it completes processing the image.
  • When connected to an In-Sight 5604 or In-Sight 9902L line scan vision system and the Trigger parameter is set to Camera, it specifies the number of lines to delay after the camera trigger occurs before starting an acquisition.
Note:
  • The delay is accurate to the requested millisecond, plus or minus the maximum line exposure time.
  • If Acquisition Start or Strobe is the specified Type in the Discrete I/O Settings dialog, these outputs are also delayed by the specified time.
  • When connected to an In-Sight 5604 or 9902L line scan vision system and the Delay parameter is set to a non-zero value, if the vision system receives an image acquisition trigger during the Delay period, the trigger is not activated and the missed acquisition(s) are not reported until the period specified in the Delay parameter has completed.
  • When connected to an In-Sight 5604 or 9902L line scan vision system and the Delay parameter is set to a large period, the system does not start another image until the delay period is completed, regardless if the system is placed Online/Offline or the Encoder Acquisition Timeout is reached. If the vision system is reset through either the In-Sight Explorer Sensor menu Reset option or the Reset System Native Mode command, the vision system may become unresponsive and require a power cycle to restore the system. Wait until the Delay period has completed before sending a soft reset.

Focus Metric Region

Specifies the Region to use when automatically calculating the Focus Metric score while in Live Video mode.

Note: For the In-Sight 7000 series vision system, the Focus Metric Region is used to define the region for either calculating the autofocus of the lens or setting the focal position of the lens while in Live Video.
X

The x-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.
Y

The y-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.
High

The dimension along the region's x-axis.
Wide

The dimension along the region's y-axis.
Angle

The orientation, in fixture coordinates.
Curve

The angular deviation between the region's x-axis and the opposing boundary line.
White Balance Region

Specifies the Region to use when calculating the White Balance.

Note: The WhiteBalance function references the White Balance Region and uses the parameters of this region when calculating the white balance.

X

The x-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.
Y

The y-offset of the origin, in fixture coordinates.
High

The dimension along the region's x-axis.
Wide

The dimension along the region's y-axis.

Line Scan

(In-Sight 5604 and In-Sight 9902L only)

The Line Scan controls specify the settings of In-Sight 5604 and In-Sight 9902L line scan vision systems. The line scan vision system assembles an image row by row as the target object passes beneath it, which allows for the construction of full, "unwrapped" images of cylindrical objects or sliced, continuous images of a surface. When connected to a user-supplied hardware encoder, the line scan vision system provides high-precision images despite target speed variability.

Note:
  • To enable these controls:
    • You must be connected to an In-Sight 5604 or In-Sight 9902L line scan vision system or Emulator.
    • The line scan vision system must be Offline.
    • The user must have Full Access. For more information, see User Access Settings Dialog.
  • Exiting the AcquireImage property sheet by either pressing OK or Cancel results in the GUI losing synchronization between images. For example:
    • If you press the Cancel button to exit the property sheet, the GUI displays a newly acquired image. However, the Vision Tools perform their functions on the previously acquired image.
    • If you press the OK button, a new image is acquired and the Vision Tools operate on this image However, another new image will be acquired and displayed, but the Vision Tools will not operate on this image.

    After accessing the AcquireImage property sheet, always manually acquire an image, and save the currently displayed image prior to accessing AcquireImage if you need to return to that specific image.

 

Line Trigger Type

Specifies the type of encoder: Software Encoder or Hardware Encoder.

  • 0 = Hardware Encoder: Specifies that the Steps Per Line setting and an external hardware encoder will be used to drive the line triggers. A Hardware Encoder is a device that digitizes the position of the target object by providing a signal transition every time the target moves a specified direction or distance. The In-Sight 5604 and In-Sight 9902L support two different types of Hardware Encoders: Single or Quadrature. This can be specified by pressing the Encoder Setup button to launch the Line Scan Settings dialog. For more information, see Line Scan Settings.
  • 1 = Software Encoder (default): Specifies that the Line Period setting will be used as a clock to drive the line triggers at a defined interval. A Software Encoder is a software emulation of a hardware encoder and acquires lines at a defined rate. This method is primarily used for setup and troubleshooting, because it is vulnerable to changes in target speed (low-frequency acceleration and higher-frequency shake) that could result in vertical image artifacts.

Line Period/Steps Per Line

  • Line Period: When Line Trigger Type is set to Software Encoder, specifies the time, in microseconds, per image line (0.250 to 1000000 µsec; default = 40 µsec).

    In-Sight Model Line Period
    In-Sight 5604 21.000 to 1000000.000; default = 40.000
    In-Sight 9902L 21.000 to 1000000.000; default = 40.000
    In-Sight Emulator 10.000 to 1000000.000; default = 40.000
    Note:
    • For the 5604, to prevent missing line triggers, the Line Period/Steps Per Line value must be configured so the shortest time between any two lines is 21.47 µsec greater than the Exposure setting (at a minimum of 1.33 µsec).
    • For the 9902L, to prevent missing line triggers, the Line Period/Steps Per Line value must be configured so the shortest time between any two lines is 3 µsec greater than the Exposure setting or 15µs, whichever is greater.

  • Steps Per Line: When Line Trigger Type is set to Hardware Encoder, specifies the number of encoder steps per image line. A "step" is a complete cycle of the encoder signal, or signals, when a quadrature hardware encoder is used. For a single line hardware encoder, that is equivalent to two signal transitions and for a quadrature hardware encoder, that is equivalent to four signal transitions.

    In-Sight Model Steps Per Line
    In-Sight 5604 0.250 to 256; default = 40
    In-Sight 9902L 0.250 to 8191; default = 40
    Note: The Steps Per Line value should be incremented by 0.5 for single line hardware encoders, and 0.25 for quadrature hardware encoders.

    Steps Per Line Hardware Encoder Timing Diagram:

Encoder Acquisition Timeout

Specifies the maximum amount of time, in milliseconds, to acquire an image (0 to 300000; default = 0, disabling the timeout). If the image acquisition does not complete within the specified time, the acquisition is aborted and an Acquisition Error issued.

Note: Set the parameter to 0 to disable the timeout.

Clip Mode

Specifies an action if an image acquisition trigger is received, but the specified number of lines have not yet been acquired.

  • 0 = No Clipping (default): Specifies that the image trigger is ignored and an "Acquisition error" event generated.

  • 1 = Fill Black: Specifies the remaining lines are filled with black pixels, and a new image is immediately started. An "Acquisition error" event is not generated.

  • 2 = Reduce Image Lines: Specifies that the current image be reduced to the size of the number of rows currently acquired, and a new image is immediately started.

Note:
  • When either Fill Black or Reduce Image Lines is selected:
    • Set the Trigger type to Camera to clip images properly. With any other Trigger type, if the trigger arrives while an image is being acquired, the current image is not clipped and the trigger is missed.
    • If a Set Event Native Mode command is sent to trigger an acquisition and the trigger arrives while an image is being acquired, the current image is not clipped and the trigger is missed. For more information, see Set Event.
  • For time-critical applications, select the Reduce Image Lines option. Or, if using the Fill Black option, keep the fill under a few hundred lines.
    • For the 5604, the Fill Black option requires roughly 2 µsec per line of fill (e.g., 0.2 milliseconds for 100 lines).
    • For the 9902L, the Fill Black option requires roughly 3 µsec per line of fill (e.g. 0.3 milliseconds for 100 lines).
Acquisition Duration

Specifies when to end image acquisition when the Clip Mode parameter is set to Fill Black or Reduce Image lines. This parameter is only supported for the In-Sight 9902L vision system when Camera is the selected Trigger type.

  • 0 = Next Trigger (default): Image acquisition begins at the leading edge of the trigger pulse and ends at the beginning of the next trigger signal.
  • 1 = End of Trigger: Image acquisition begins at the leading edge of the trigger pulse and ends at the trailing edge of the trigger pulse. Image acquisition is complete when either:
    • The specified Number of Lines have been acquired, even if the trailing edge of the trigger pulse has not yet arrived.

    • The trailing edge of the pulse arrives and terminates acquisition before the specified Number of Lines have been acquired.

    Note: When End of Trigger is selected, the Delay parameter is disabled and no delay is applied to the acquisition.
Trigger Debounce

Specifies the amount of time, in microseconds, that the input trigger must remain active to be recognized as a valid trigger (0 to 65,536; default = 1). This setting delays the recognition of a valid trigger by the amount of time specified.

Note:
  • The Trigger parameter must be set to Camera to enable this control.
  • The Trigger Debounce option is available for the In-Sight Micro 1000 series, In-Sight 7000 series and In-Sight 8000 series vision systems. This option is also available for the In-Sight 5100 series, 5400 series, 5600, 5603 and 5605 vision systems with 128MB non-volatile flash memory or higher. Models can be identified by the Type number (821-xxxx-xx). The Type number is located on the label affixed to the vision system. For a complete list of models and supported firmware versions, see Firmware Versions.
High Dynamic Range

HDR (High Dynamic Range) provides better contrast and more brightness for darker regions of an image. This effect is completed in a single acquisition.

Note: HDR is supported only with In-Sight 7902P, 7905 and 9912 monochrome vision systems.

The following parameters determine the HDR method and kernel size.

HDR Mode

Defines the method of HDR to use.

  • Disabled (default): Do not use HDR.
  • HDR+: Adjusts each pixel greyscale value by considering neighboring pixels (depending on the kernel size setting). This provides more contrast in dark (underexposed) and light (overexposed) regions than HDR.
  • HDR: Adjusts each pixel greyscale value individually. This provides more contrast with dark (underexposed) regions on the input image.

HDR+ Kernel Size

Defines the number of pixels that are processed simultaneously with HDR+.

  • Small: 121 pixels (11x11 grid)
  • Large: 484 pixels (22x22 grid)

AcquireImage Outputs

The AcquireImage function returns an Image data structure. Different sensor models return different types of images.

Note:
  • For the following vision systems/sensors, the resolution can be configured in the Image Settings dialog: In-Sight Micro 1500, In-Sight 2000-130, 2000-130C, 2000-230, 2000-230C, 2000-23M, 2001-230, 2001-230C, In-Sight 7500, 7600, 7600C, 7800, 7800C, 7900, 7900C, 7802, 7802C, 7902, 7902C.
  • For the 5604 and 5614 line scan vision systems, the Image Height can be configured in the LineScan Settings dialog.
  • For the 9902L line scan vision system, the 1K Resolution (Low Light Mode) and Max Image Height can be configured in the LineScan Settings dialog.
  • Maximum frames per second is job-dependent, based on the minimum exposure for a full image frame capture using the dedicated acquisition trigger, and assumes there is no user interface connection to the vision system.
  • For the In-Sight 5604 and 9902L Line Scan models, acquisition is measured in frequency (KHz).
  • Functions that require an Image parameter must reference a spreadsheet cell that contains a valid Image data structure. The default Image parameter reference in all property sheets is cell A0, which contains the Image data structure returned by AcquireImage. But Image data structures returned by CompareImage, FindCircleDefects, NeighborFilter, and PointFilter are also valid references for Image Parameter values in property sheets.
In-Sight Model Resolution Greyscale/Color Bit depth Number of grey levels or colors FPS
Micro 1020, 1050, 1100, 1110, 1400, 1410 640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 60
Micro 1100C and 1400C 640 x 480 color 24-bit 16,777,216 58
Micro 1402 and 1412 1280 x 1024 greyscale 8-bit 256 60
Micro 1403 and 1413 1600 x 1200 greyscale 8-bit 256 14
Micro 1403C 1600 x 1200 color 24-bit 16,777,216 7

Micro 1500

 640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 213
800 x 600 greyscale 8-bit 256 157
5100, 5110, 5400, 5410, 5600 640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 60
5100C and 5400C 640 x 480 color 24-bit 16,777,216 60
5604 and 5614 Line Scan 1024 x 8192 greyscale 8-bit 256 44 KHz
5403, 5413, 5603 and 5613 1600 x 1200 greyscale 8-bit 256 14
5605, 5615, 5705 and 5715 48 x 2048 greyscale 8-bit 256 16
5705C 2448 x 2048 color 24-bit 16,777,216 14
7010, 7020, 7050, 7200, 7210, 7230, 7400, 7410, 7430 800 x 600 greyscale 8-bit 256 102
7010C, 7200C, 7400C
 800 x 600 color 24-bit 16,777,216 50
7402, 7412, 7432 1280 x 1024 greyscale 8-bit 256 60
7402C 1280 x 1024 color 24-bit 16,777,216 30

7500, 7600, 7800, 7900

 800 x 600 greyscale 8-bit 256 165
640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 217

7600C, 7800C, 7900C

 800 x 600 color 24-bit 16,777,216 100
640 x 480 color 24-bit 16,777,216 135
7501, 7801, 7901 1280 x 1024 greyscale 8-bit 256 76
7801C, 7901C 1280 x 1024 color 24-bit 16,777,216 45

7802, 7902

 1600 x 1200 greyscale 8-bit 256 53
800 x 600 (Low Light Mode) greyscale 8-bit 256 53

7802C, 7902C

 1600 x 1200 color 24-bit 16,777,216 33
800 x 600 (Low Light Mode) color 24-bit 16,777,216 45
7902P 1920 x 1200 greyscale 8-bit 256 55
7905 2448 x 2048 greyscale 8-bit 256 32
7905C 2448 x 2048 color 24-bit 16,777,216 17
8200 640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 217
8200C 640 x 480 color 24-bit 16,777,216 135
8400 640 x 480 greyscale 8-bit 256 217
8400C 640 x 480 color 24-bit 16,777,216 135
8401 1280 x 1024 greyscale 8-bit 256 76
8401C 1280 x 1024 color 24-bit 16,777,216 45
8402 1600 x 1200 greyscale 8-bit 256 53
8402C 1600 x 1200 color 24-bit 16,777,216 33
8405 2592 x 1944 greyscale 8-bit 256 13

9902L

 2048 x 16384 greyscale 8-bit 256 66 KHz
1024 x 16384
9912 4096 x 3000 greyscale 8-bit 256 14
9912C 4096 x 3000 color 24-bit 16,777,216 8

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In-Sight® Explorer Help  |  2019 October 02  |  Revision: 5.8.0.1