Patent ID: 7627162

Claim:
A method for operating a video tool to determine video tool parameters used by the video tool, wherein: the video tool comprises video tool operations performed to analyze features in a workpiece image, the video tool operations comprise at least one image analysis operation, and at least some of the video tool operations are controlled based on the video tool parameters; the video tool further comprises a video tool graphical user interface (GUI) including a plurality of displayable parameter indicators corresponding to video tool parameters, wherein at least some of the parameter indicators may be added to modify a display of the video tool GUI, and at least some of the parameter indicators may be adjusted in the display of the video tool GUI, and at least some of the parameter indicators may be anchored in the display of the video tool GUI; and the video tool is included in a machine vision inspection system, the machine vision inspection system comprising a camera portion usable to provide the workpiece image, a control system portion that includes the video tool, and a display portion usable to display the workpiece image and the video tool GUI overlaying the workpiece image, the method comprising: (a) displaying the video tool GUI and a cursor overlaying a workpiece image after a user selects the video tool, wherein the user may position the cursor at a desired position; (b) determining a plurality of video tool parameters that are controlled by the user placing a plurality of respective placed points at respective desired positions while the video tool GUI is displayed, and (c) for at least one respective time when the user places a respective placed point, performing video tool operations comprising automatically linking and displaying at least one newly-linked parameter indicator that is dynamically adjusted based on the cursor position as the cursor is moved away from that respective placed point.