Patents by Inventor Willard Foster
Willard Foster has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10775160Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Publication number: 20190265027Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Patent number: 10223589Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for guiding the workpieces to optimal positions to train an assembly system that is generally free of the use of a CMM or similar metrology device. The system and method expresses the image features of the workpieces, when they are in their respective stations, in a common coordinate system. This ability allows a user to visualize the result of assembling the workpieces without actually assembling them, in a “virtual assembly”. The virtual assembly assists guiding placement of workpieces in respective stations into a desired relative alignment. The system and method illustratively generates a composite image using the images from cameras used in guiding the workpieces that helps the user visualize how the part would appear following assembly. The user can reposition the images of workpieces in their respective stations until the composite image has a desired appearance.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: Guruprasad Shivaram, Willard Foster
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Patent number: 10041786Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Publication number: 20170299380Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Patent number: 9605950Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: COGNEX CORPORATIONInventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Publication number: 20170024613Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for guiding the workpieces to optimal positions to train an assembly system that is generally free of the use of a CMM or similar metrology device. The system and method expresses the image features of the workpieces, when they are in their respective stations, in a common coordinate system. This ability allows a user to visualize the result of assembling the workpieces without actually assembling them, in a “virtual assembly”. The virtual assembly assists guiding placement of workpieces in respective stations into a desired relative alignment. The system and method illustratively generates a composite image using the images from cameras used in guiding the workpieces that helps the user visualize how the part would appear following assembly. The user can reposition the images of workpieces in their respective stations until the composite image has a desired appearance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Guruprasad Shivaram, Willard Foster
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Publication number: 20140347473Abstract: This invention provides a system for measuring displacement of an object surface having a displacement sensor that projects a line on the object surface and receives light from the projected line at an imager in a manner defines a plurality of displacement values in a height direction. A vision system processor operates on rows of imager pixels to determine a laser line center in columns of imager pixels in each of a plurality of regions of interest. Each region of interest defines a plurality of rows that correspond with expected locations of the projected line on the object surface. A GUI can be used to establish the regions. In further embodiments, the system generates grayscale images with the imager. These grayscale images can be compared to a generated height image to compensate for contrast-induced false height readings. Imager pixels can be compared to a reference voltage to locate the line.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: Cognex CorporationInventors: Robert A. Wolff, Michael C. Moed, Mikhail Akopyan, Robert Tremblay, Willard Foster, Aaron S. Wallack
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Patent number: 8331673Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matt Hill, Willard Foster
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Patent number: 8265395Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2004Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matt Hill, Nigel J. Foster, Willard Foster
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Patent number: 8229222Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Cognex CorporationInventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matt Hill, Willard Foster, Adam Wagman