Cognex Corporation
System and method for automatic generation of human-machine interface in a vision system

Abstract:

The invention provides a system and method that automatically generates a user interface (HMI) based on a selection of spreadsheet cells. The spreadsheet controls operations within the processor(s) of one or more vision system cameras. After selecting a range of cells in the spreadsheet, the user applies the system and method by pressing a button, or using a menu command that results in an automatically generated HMI with appropriate scaling of interface elements and a desired layout of such elements on the associated screen. Advantageously, the system and method essentially reduces the user's workflow to two steps, selecting spreadsheet cells and generating the HMI around them. The generated HMI runs in a web browser that can be instantiated on a user device, and communicates directly to a vision system processor(s). Data can pass directly between the user interface running in a web browser and the vision system processor(s).