Patent ID: 8271895
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A method for programming step and repeat operations of a machine vision inspection system, the machine vision inspection system including an imaging portion, a stage for holding one or more workpieces in a field of view (FOV) of the imaging portion, a control portion, and a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising: operating the machine vision inspection system to define a set of inspection operations to be performed on a first configuration of workpiece features; operating the GUI to display a step and repeat dialog box, the step and repeat dialog box comprising a first plurality of parameters defining a set of default step and repeat locations for performing the set of inspection operations on corresponding instances of the first configuration of workpiece features; operating the GUI to define the first plurality of parameters in the displayed step and repeat dialog box in order to define the set of default step and repeat locations, to thereby display a graphical representation of the members of the defined set of default step and repeat locations in the GUI; operating the GUI to define a set of inspection step and repeat locations which is a subset of the set of default step and repeat locations; and recording the set of inspection step and repeat locations in a part program to be used for inspecting a plurality of instances of the first configuration of workpiece features; wherein operating the GUI to define a set of inspection step and repeat locations further comprises: wherein the members of the set of default step and repeat locations and the members of the set of inspection step and repeat locations are represented by individual widgets in their graphical displays, and the excluded members are represented by one of altered widgets and empty spaces.