Patent ID: 8056009

Claim:
In a machine vision system having a plurality of distinct and separate vision processors (VPs), each VP being on a respective VP computing platform, and at least one distinct and separate machine vision user interface (UI), the at least one distinct and separate machine vision UI being on a respective distinct and separate machine vision UI computing platform, a method for instructing a machine vision UI in communication with a first distinct and separate VP to establish communication with a second distinct and separate VP, the method comprising: providing a first distinct and separate VP with a link function, the first distinct and separate VP being on a first respective distinct and separate VP computing platform connected to a network, the link function being a control function executable by the first distinct and separate VP, the link function being both for enabling a user to configure any second distinct and separate VP connected to the network using the at least one distinct and separate machine vision UI on a respective distinct and separate machine vision UI computing platform connected to the network, and for establishing communication via the network between the any second distinct and separate VP of the plurality of VPs and the at least one distinct and separate machine vision UI on the respective distinct and separate machine vision UI computing platform, the any second distinct and separate VP being on a second respective distinct and separate VP computing platform, the communication via the network established by the link function enabling a continually updated image display on the at least one distinct and separate machine vision UI representing a current state of the any second distinct and separate VP connected to the network; executing the link function so as to issue instructions via the network from the first distinct and separate VP to the distinct and separate machine vision UI to establish communication via the network with the any second distinct and separate VP; and performing at least part of a machine vision task configured by the at least one distinct and separate machine vision UI, using at least one of the first distinct and separate VP and the any second distinct and separate VP, in accordance with the instructions issued by the first distinct and separate VP upon execution of the link function.