Term

Definition of Term

Computing Device

A device performing the actual processing of input and intermediate data and/or aggregation of prior results.

Light

Refers to visible light, infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, radar, ultrasonic, virtual imaging, etc. it is used as a catch-all term for all current and future imaging techniques used to gather data in a machine vision context.

Display Unit

A device enabling the computing unit to show information to a human operator.

Physical Interface

An interface other than the named components (e.g., Fieldbus, Digital IO).

Image Sensor

A sensor that converts an optical signal into an electrical signal (VDI 2632).

Frame Grabber

A hardware component to connect an image source to a computer (VDI 2632).

Lens

An imaging optical system, usually implemented as a combination of several optical elements (lens elements, aperture, among others) in an enclosure (VDI 2632). The optics referred to in this specification is in line with the definition of light mentioned here.

Lens Controller

A device allowing to control specific parameters of the lens to adapt the image sensor to changing acquisition situations.

Optical Filter

A device used to limit/modify light before it reaches the image sensor or after it leaves the lamp.

Other Optical Equipment

Devices other than the named ones mentioned in this table, in the path of light between lamp and image sensor.

Object of Interest

The object being inspected in the scene sensed by the image sensor. The whole scene itself could also be the object of interest.

Way Encoder

A device providing distance or movement information of an object of interest.

Trigger Sensor

A device providing information on the presence of an object of interest to the image sensor.

Lamp

The source of light that is used by the image sensor to create an image of an object of interest. This definition is in line with the definition of light mentioned above.

Lighting Controller

A device allowing to control parameters of light created by a lamp.

Pattern Generator

A device allowing to create specific patterns (spatial distributions) of light.

Calibration Target

An object with well-known properties needed to calibrate aspects of the system

Acquisition Background

The scene around the object of interest as seen by the image sensor.

Surrounding Environment

Parameters of the environment around the vision system (brightness of ambient light, ambient temperature etc.).

Housing

A housing / casing / fencing around the vision system / image sensor

Motion Device

A motion device has as least one axis and is a multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks. Examples are an industrial robot, positioner, or mobile platform (OPC 40010-1).

Power Supply

A device supplying power to other components (electrical, hydraulic etc.)

Climate Controller

A device maintaining the climate of the vision system i.e., it might be used for cooling/heating other components or providing cooled/heated flow of media (air, water etc.), maintaining the humidity of the system etc.

License

A non-physical entity – which may have a physical anchor – controlling access to software functionality.

Software

A non-physical entity. A collection of instructions that are executed by a computing device.

Network Device

An infrastructure device providing data communication paths to interconnected devices (at the time of writing this specification, this definition encapsulates all types of communication).

Vision Item (or just Item)

An identifiable component or machine that is part of the machine vision system