Basler ace USER’S MANUAL FOR CAMERA LINK CAMERAS Document Number: AW000985 Version: 03 Language: 000 (English) Release Date: 6 June 2011 Preliminary The information in this document is preliminary and all content is subject to change. Applies to prototype cameras only.
For customers in the U.S.A. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Contacting Basler Support Worldwide Europe: Basler AG An der Strusbek 60 - 62 22926 Ahrensburg Germany Tel.: +49-4102-463-515 Fax.: +49-4102-463-599 bc.support.europe@baslerweb.com Americas: Basler, Inc. 855 Springdale Drive, Suite 203 Exton, PA 19341 U.S.A. Tel.: +1-610-280-0171 Fax.: +1-610-280-7608 bc.support.usa@baslerweb.com Asia: Basler Asia Pte. Ltd 8 Boon Lay Way # 03 - 03 Tradehub 21 Singapore 609964 Tel.: +65-6425-0472 Fax.: +65-6425-0473 bc.support.asia@baslerweb.com www.baslerweb.
Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 General Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.3 Spectral Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table of Contents 5.7 General Purpose I/O (GPIO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7.2 Operation as an Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7.2.1 Voltage Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7.2.2 Electrical Characteristics . . .
Table of Contents 7.2.5 Using a Hardware Acquisition Start Trigger Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2.5.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2.5.2 Acquisition Start Trigger Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2.5.3 Setting the Parameters Related to Hardware Acquisition Start Triggering and Applying a Hardware Trigger Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 73 73 74 7.3 The Frame Start Trigger . . .
Table of Contents 9 Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds . . . 139 9.1 Sensor Bit Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 9.2 Pixel Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 9.3 Camera Link Tap Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.3.1 Overview . . . . . . . . .
Table of Contents 10.11 Test Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 10.11.1 Test Image Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 10.12 Device Information Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 10.13 User Defined Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1 Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions This chapter lists the camera models covered by the manual. It provides the general specifications for those models and the basic requirements for using them. This chapter also includes specific precautions that you should keep in mind when using the cameras. We strongly recommend that you read and follow the precautions. 1.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.2 General Specifications Specification acA2000-140km acA2000-140kc acA2000-340km aca2000-340kc Sensor Resolution ( H x V pixels) 2048 x 1088 2046 x 1086 2048 x 1088 2046 x 1086 Sensor Type CMOSIS CMV 2000 Progressive scan CMOS Optical Size 2/3" Pixel Size 5.5 µm x 5.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions Specification acA2040-70km acA2040-70kc acA2040-180km aca2040-180kc Sensor Resolution ( H x V pixels) 2048 x 2048 2046 x 2046 2048 x 2048 2046 x 2046 Sensor Type CMOSIS CMV 4000 Progressive scan CMOS Optical Size 1" Pixel Size 5.5 µm x 5.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.3 Spectral Response 1.3.1 Monochrome Cameras The following graph shows the spectral response for all monochrome cameras. The spectral response curve excludes lens characteristics and light source characteristics. 70 Quantum Efficiency 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Wave Length (nm) Fig.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.3.2 Color Cameras The following graph shows the spectral response for all color cameras. The spectral response curves excludes lens characteristics, light source characteristics, and IR cut filter characteristics. To obtain best performance from color models of the camera, use of a dielectric IR cut filter is recommended. The filter should transmit in a range from 400 nm to 700 ... 720 nm, and it should cut off from 700 ... 720 nm to 1100 nm.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.4 Mechanical Specifications The camera housing conforms to protection class IP30 assuming that the lens mount is covered by a lens or by the protective plastic seal that is shipped with the camera. 1.4.1 Camera Dimensions and Mounting Points The camera dimensions in millimeters are as shown in Figure 3. Camera housings are equipped with mounting holes on the bottom as shown in the drawings. 23.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.4.2 Maximum Allowed Lens Thread Length The C-mount lens mount on all cameras is normally equipped with a plastic filter holder. As shown in Figure 4, the length of the threads on any lens you use with the camera can be a maximum of 9.6 mm, and the lens can intrude into the camera body a maximum of 10.8 mm. If either of these limits is exceeded, the lens mount or the filter holder will be damaged or destroyed and the camera will no longer operate properly.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.5 Avoiding EMI and ESD Problems The cameras are frequently installed in industrial environments. These environments often include devices that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI) and they are prone to electrostatic discharge (ESD). Excessive EMI and ESD can cause problems with your camera such as false triggering or can cause the camera to suddenly stop capturing images.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.6 Environmental Requirements 1.6.1 Temperature and Humidity Housing temperature during operation: 0 °C ... +50 °C (+32 °F ... +122 °F) Humidity during operation: 20 % ... 80 %, relative, non-condensing Storage temperature: -20 °C ... +80 °C (-4 °F ... +176 °F) Storage humidity: 20 % ... 80 %, relative, non-condensing 1.6.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions 1.7 Precautions NOTICE Avoid dust on the sensor. The camera is shipped with a protective plastic seal on the lens mount. To avoid collecting dust on the camera’s IR cut filter (color cameras) or sensor (mono cameras), make sure that you always put the protective seal in place when there is no lens mounted on the camera. NOTICE On all cameras, the lens thread length is limited.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions NOTICE Making or breaking Camera Link connections incorrectly can severely damage the camera. 1. If you are supplying power to the camera via the Camera Link connection (PoCL), be sure that the power to the frame grabber is switched off before you connect or disconnect the Camera Link cables. 2. If you are supplying power to the camera via the 4-pin M5 connector, switch off the power to the connector before you connect or disconnect the Camera Link cables.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions NOTICE Inappropriate code may cause unexpected camera behavior. 1. The code snippets provided in this manual are included as sample code only. Inappropriate code may cause your camera to function differently than expected and may compromise your application. 2. To ensure that the snippets will work properly in your application, you must adjust them to meet your specific needs and must test them thoroughly prior to use. 3.
Specifications, Requirements, and Precautions Warranty Precautions To ensure that your warranty remains in force: Do not remove the camera’s serial number label If the label is removed and the serial number can’t be read from the camera’s registers, the warranty is void. Do not open the camera housing Do not open the housing. Touching internal components may damage them. Keep foreign matter outside of the camera Be careful not to allow liquid, flammable, or metallic material inside of the camera housing.
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Installation 2 Installation The information you will need to do a quick, simple installation of the camera is included in the Installation and Setup Guide for Ace Camera Link Cameras (AW000996xx000). You can download the Quick Installation Guide from the Downloads section of our website: www.baslerweb.
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Camera Drivers and Tools for Changing Camera Parameters 3 Camera Drivers and Tools for Changing Camera Parameters This chapter provides an overview of the camera drivers and the options available for changing the camera’s parameters. The options available with the Basler pylon Driver Package let you change parameters and control the camera by using a stand-alone GUI (known as the pylon Viewer) or by accessing the camera from within your software application using the driver API.
Camera Drivers and Tools for Changing Camera Parameters The pylon package includes several tools that you can use to change the parameters on your camera, including the pylon Viewer and the pylon API. The remaining sections in this chapter provide an introduction to these tools. 3.1.1 The pylon Viewer The pylon Viewer is included in Basler’s pylon Driver Package. The Viewer is a standalone application that lets you view and change most of the camera’s parameter settings via a GUI based interface.
Camera Drivers and Tools for Changing Camera Parameters 3.2 The Basler Binary Protocol Library Basler ace Camera Link cameras have blocks of mapped memory space known as registers. By reading values from the registers, you can determine basic information about the camera and information about the camera’s current settings. By writing values to the registers, you can control how the camera’s features will operate.
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Camera Functional Description 4 Camera Functional Description This chapter provides an overview of the camera’s functionality from a system perspective. The overview will aid your understanding when you read the more detailed information included in the later chapters of the user’s manual. 4.1 Overview Each camera provides features such as a full frame shutter and electronic exposure time control.
Camera Functional Description CMOSIS Sensor Pixel Array Analog Front End LVDS Block Digitized Pixel Data Fig. 5: CMOSIS Sensor Architecture Camera GPIO (1) I/O PC Sensor FPGA Image Data Camera Link Interface Image Data CC1 CC2 CC3 Frame Grabber Serial Port Control Control: AOI, Gain, Black Level MicroController Control Data Fig.
Physical Interface 5 Physical Interface This chapter provides detailed information, such as pinouts and voltage requirements, for the physical interface on the camera. This information will be especially useful during your initial design-in process. 5.1 General Description of the Camera Connections The camera is interfaced to external circuity via connectors located on the back of the housing: Two 26-pin, 0.
Physical Interface 5.2 Camera Connector Pin Assignments and Numbering 5.2.1 4-Pin Receptacle The 4-pin receptacle is used to supply power to the camera and to access the camera’s GPIO line. The pin assignments and pin numbering for the receptacle are as shown in Table 1.
Physical Interface 5.2.2 26-Pin SDR Connectors Two 26-pin, 0.03” pin spacing, Shrunk Delta Ribbon (SDR) female connectors are used to transmit video data, control signals, and configuration commands. The pin assignments and pin numbering for the base Camera Link SDR connector are as shown in Table 2 for the medium Camera Link SDR connector are as shown in Table 3 on page 26. Pin Number Signal Name Direction Level Function 1, 26 * Cam Pow.
Physical Interface Pin Number Signal Name Direction Level Function 1, 26 * Cam Pow. In +12 VDC Camera power, +12 VDC (±10%, < 1% ripple) 13, 14 ** Power Ret.
Physical Interface 5.3 Camera Connector Types 5.3.1 4-Pin Receptacle The 4-pin connector on the camera is a Binder M5 receptacle (part number 09-3111-86-04) or the equivalent. A recommended mating connector is the Binder M5 plug (part number 79-3108-52-04) or the equivalent. Several other mating connectors in a variety of different form factors are also available from Binder. 5.3.2 26-Pin SDR Connectors The 26-pin connectors on the camera are female, 0.
Physical Interface 5.4 Cabling Requirements 5.4.1 Camera Link Cables The Camera Link cables must meet the Mini Camera Link cable specifications specified in Appendix D of the Camera Link Standard. 5.4.2 Standard Power and I/O Cable The standard power and I/O cable is intended for use when the camera is not connected to a PLC device. If the camera is connected to a PLC device, we recommend using a PLC power and I/O cable rather than the standard power and I/O cable.
Physical Interface Binder 4-pin Plug Standard Power and I/O Cable +12 VDC Cam Pwr GPIO DC Power Supply Cam Pwr Gnd GPIO Gnd 1 2 3 4 Fig. 8: Standard Power and I/O Cable 5.4.3 PLC Power and I/O Cable We recommend using a PLC power and I/O cable when the camera is connected to a PLC device. If the GPIO is set to function as an input and power is supplied to the input at 24 VDC, you can use a PLC power and I/O cable even if the camera is not connected to a PLC device.
Physical Interface 5.5 Camera Power Power can be supplied to the camera in either one of two ways: Via the Camera Link cables. This is commonly known as Power over Camera Link or PoCL. Via the 4-pin M5 connector. 5.5.1 Supplying Power Over Camera Link Power can be supplied to the camera via the Camera Link cables as specified in Appendix E of the Camera Link standard. This method of supplying power to the camera is known as Power over Camera Link or PoCL.
Physical Interface 5.5.2 Supplying Power Via the 4-Pin M5 Connector Power can be supplied to the camera via the 4-pin M5 connector on the back of the camera. Nominal operating voltage is +12 VDC (± 10%) with less than one percent ripple. Power consumption is as shown in the specification tables in Section 1 of this manual. Close proximity to strong magnetic fields should be avoided. See Section 5.2.1 on page 24 for a description of the connector pinouts. See Section 5.4.
Physical Interface 5.6 LED Indicator The LED indicator on the back of the camera signals whether power is present and also provides some basic error indications for the camera. For more information, see Section 10.10 on page 206.
Physical Interface 5.7 General Purpose I/O (GPIO) 5.7.1 Introduction The camera has one GPIO line that is accessed via pins 2 and 4 in the 4-pin M5 connector on the back of the camera. The GPIO line can be set to operate as an input to the camera or to operate as a camera output. The GPIO line is designated as line 1. The next sections describe the differences in the GPIO electrical functionality when the line is set to operate as an input and when it is set to operate as an output.
Physical Interface Voltage Levels When the Standard Power and I/O Cable is Used The following voltage requirements apply to the camera’s GPIO line when the line is set to act as an input and a standard power and I/O cable is used: Voltage Significance +0 to +20 VDC Recommended signal voltage. +0 to +1.4 VDC The voltage indicates a logical 0. > +1.4 to +2.2 VDC Region where the transition threshold occurs; the logical state is not defined in this region. > +2.
Physical Interface 5.7.2.2 Electrical Characteristics As shown in Figure 9, when the GPIO line is set to operate as an input, the line is opto-isolated. See the previous section for input voltages and their significances. The absolute maximum input voltage is +24.0 VDC. The current draw for each input line is between 5 mA and 15 mA. 4-Pin Receptacle Camera GPIO_In 1 2 3 4 D BAS 16XV2T1 GPIO_Gnd 3.3 V Q BF545C 100 nF Gnd 180 Ω 1k GPIO_In_Ctrl (to FPGA) 49.9 Ω Gnd U TLP281 GPIO_Gnd Fig.
Physical Interface Figure 10 shows an example of a typical circuit you can use to input a signal into the camera. Your Gnd 4-Pin Receptacle Camera GPIO_In Input Voltage +24 VDC Absolute Max. 1 2 3 4 D BAS 16XV2T1 GPIO_Gnd Your Gnd 3.3 V Q BF545C 100 nF Gnd 180 Ω 1k GPIO_In_Ctrl (to FPGA) 49.9 Ω Gnd U TLP281 GPIO_Gnd Fig. 10: Typical Input Circuit For more information about GPIO pin assignments and pin numbering, see Section 5.2 on page 24.
Physical Interface 5.7.2.3 Response Time The response times for the GPIO line on the camera when the line is set to operate as an input are as shown in Figure 11. Not to Scale Voltage Applied to the Camera’s Input Line 2.2 V (10.4 V with PLC cable) 1.4 V (8.4 V with PLC cable) Time TDF TDR Level of Camera’s Internal Input Circuit Fig. 11: GPIO Line Input Response Times Time Delay Rise (TDR) = 1.3 µs to 1.
Physical Interface 5.7.3 Selecting the Input as the Source Signal for a Camera Function When the GPIO line is set to operate as an input, you can select the input to act as the source signal for the following camera functions: the acquisition start trigger the frame start trigger Note that when the input has been selected as the source signal for a camera function, you must apply an electrical signal to the input that is appropriately timed for the function.
Physical Interface 5.7.4 Operation as an Output This section describes the electrical operation of the GPIO line when the line has been set to operate as an output. 5.7.4.1 Voltage Requirements The following voltage requirements apply to the camera’s GPIO line when it is set to opertae as an output: Voltage Significance < +3.3 VDC The output may operate erratically. +3.3 to +24 VDC Recommended operating voltage. +30.
Physical Interface Camera 4-Pin Receptacle GPIO_Out_Ctrl 120 Ω (from FPGA) 4.7k U TLP281 1 2 3 GPIO_Out 4 Q1 BC846W Gnd 390 Ω GPIO_Gnd Gnd I/O_Gnd Fig. 12: Schematic with GPIO Set as an Output Figure 13 shows a typical circuit you can use to monitor the output line with a voltage signal. Your Gnd Camera GPIO_Out_Ctrl 120 Ω (from FPGA) +3.3 to +24 VDC 4-Pin Receptacle U TLP281 1k Ω 1 GPIO_Out Voltage Output Signal to You 2 3 4.
Physical Interface Figure 14 shows a typical circuit you can use to monitor the output line with an LED or an optocoupler. In this example, the voltage for the external circuit is +24 VDC. Current in the circuit is limited by an external resistor. Your Gnd +24 VDC LED Output to You Camera 4-Pin Receptacle GPIO_Out_Ctrl 120 Ω (from FPGA) 4.7k Gnd U TLP281 2.2k 1 GPIO_Out 2 3 4 Q1 BC846W Your Gnd 390 Ω GPIO_Gnd Gnd I/O_Gnd Fig.
Physical Interface 5.7.4.3 Response Time The information in this section assumes that the output circuit on your camera is designed as in the typical voltage output circuit shown in Section 5.7.4.2. The response times for the output lines on your camera will typically fall into the ranges specified below. The exact response time for your specific application will depend on the external resistor and the applied voltage you use.
Physical Interface 5.7.4.4 Selecting a Source Signal for the Output Line When the GPIO line is configured to act as an output line, you must select a source signal for the line to make the line useful. The camera has several standard output signals available and any one of them can be selected to act as the source signal for the output line. For more information about selecting a source signal for the output line, see Section 6.2.3 on page 53.
Physical Interface 5.8 I/O in the Camera Link Interface 5.8.1 Inputs The camera is also equipped with three input lines built into the Camera Link interface. These lines are designated as CC1, CC2, and CC3 as specified in the Camera Link standard. Typically, input signals are applied to these lines by the frame grabber board attached to the camera. The frame grabber board can typically be configured to supply different types of signals to these inputs as required by the camera user.
Physical Interface The CL Spare data bit is not available when the camera is set for the 1X8-1Y or the 1X10-1Y tap geometry. The CL Spare data bit is not directly accessible by the camera user. The data bit must be accessed via the frame grabber attached to the camera. Not all frame grabbers provide users with direct access to this bit. Consult your frame grabber supplier for more information.
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I/O Control 6 I/O Control This section describes how to set the camera’s input and output lines. It also provides information about monitoring the state of the input and output lines. 6.1 Input Lines 6.1.1 Available Input Lines The camera is equipped with one GPIO line designated as line 1. The GPIO line can be accessed through the four pin connector on the back of the camera as described in the "Physical Interface" chapter.
I/O Control Setting the Line Mode Using Basler Pylon You can set the Line Mode parameter value from within your application software by using the pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the line mode: // Configure the GPIO line as an input Camera.LineSelector.SetValue( LineSelector_Line1 ); Camera.LineMode.SetValue( LineMode_Input ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters.
I/O Control 6.1.4 Input Line Debouncer When the GPIO line is set to operate as an input, it is equipped with a debouncer feature on the line. CC1, CC2, and CC3 are also equipped with debouncers. The debouncer feature aids in discriminating between valid and invalid input signals and only lets valid signals pass to the camera. The debouncer value specifies the minimum time that an input signal must remain high or remain low in order to be considered a valid input signal.
I/O Control Setting the Debouncer Using Basler Pylon The debouncer value is determined by the value of the Line Debouncer Time Abs parameter. The parameter is set in microseconds and can be set in a range from 0 to approximately 1 s. To set the debouncer: Use the Line Selector to select CC1, CC2, CC3, or Line1 (Line1 designates the GPIO line). Set the value of the Line Debouncer Time Abs parameter.
I/O Control 6.1.5 Setting an Input Line for Invert You can set CC1, CC2, CC3, and the GPIO line to invert or not to invert the incoming electrical signal. Setting an Input Line for Invert Using Basler Pylon To set the invert function on an input line: Use the Line Selector to select CC1, CC2, CC3, or Line1 (Line1 designates the GPIO line). Set the value of the Line Inverter parameter to true to enable inversion on the selected line or to false to disable inversion.
I/O Control 6.2 Output Lines 6.2.1 Available Output Lines The camera is equipped with one GPIO line designated as line 1. The GPIO line can be accessed through the four pin connector on the back of the camera as described in the "Physical Interface" chapter. The GPIO line can be set to operate as either as an input line or an output line. This section describes using the GPIO when it is set to operate as an output line.
I/O Control Setting the Line Mode Using Basler Pylon You can set the Line Mode parameter value from within your application software by using the pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the line mode: // Configure the GPIO line as an output Camera.LineSelector.SetValue( LineSelector_Line1 ); Camera.LineMode.SetValue( LineMode_Output ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters.
I/O Control Selecting the Source Signal Using Basler Pylon To select a camera output signal as the source signal for the GPIO line (assuming it is set as an output) or for the CL Spare line, or to designate a line as user settable: Use the Line Selector to select the line. Set the value of the Line Source Parameter to one of the available output signals or to user settable. This will set the source signal for the output line.
I/O Control 6.2.4 Setting the State of a User Settable Output Line As mentioned in the previous section, the GPIO line (assuming it is set as an output) or the CL Spare line can each be designated as "user settable". If you have designated a line as user settable, you can use camera parameters to set the state of the line. Setting the State Using Basler Pylon To set the state of a user settable output line: Use the User Output Selector to select the GPIO line or the CL Spare line.
I/O Control Setting the State Using Direct Register Access To set the state of a user settable output line via direct register access: For the GPIO line, set the value of the User Output Line 1 register to 1 (true) or 0 (false) as desired. For the CL Spare line, set the value of the User Output CL Spare register to 1 (true) or 0 (false) as desired. For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19.
I/O Control 6.2.5 Setting an Output Line for Invert You can set the output lines to not invert or to invert. For the GPIO Line If the GPIO line is not set to invert: A low output signal from the camera results in a non-conducting Q1 transistor in the output circuit (see Figure 17). A high output signal from the camera results in a conducting Q1 transistor in the output circuit.
I/O Control Setting an Output Line for Invert Using Pylon To set the invert function on an output line: Use the Line Selector to select the GPIO line or the CL Spare line. Set the value of the Line Inverter parameter to true to enable inversion on the selected line or to false to disable inversion. You can set the Line Selector and the Line Inverter parameter value from within your application software by using the pylon API.
I/O Control 6.3 Checking the State of the I/O Lines 6.3.1 Checking the State of a Single Line Checking the State Using Basler Pylon You can determine the current state of each I/O line using Basler Pylon: Use the Line Selector parameter to select a line. Read the value of the Line Status parameter to determine the current state of the line. A value of true means the line’s state is currently high and a value of false means the line’s state is currently low.
I/O Control 6.3.2 Checking the State of All Lines Checking the State Using Basler Pylon You can determine the current state of all input and output lines by reading the value of the Line Status All parameter. You can read the Line Status All parameter value from within your application software by using the pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to read the parameter value: int64_t lineState = Camera.LineStatusAll.GetValue( ); The Line Status All parameter is a 32 bit value.
I/O Control 6.4 Checking the Line Logic Checking the Line Logic Using Basler Pylon You can determine the type of line logic for each I/O line using Basler Pylon: Use the Line Selector parameter to select a line. Read the value of the Line Logic parameter to determine the type of line logic used by the line. The parameter will indicate whether the logic is positive or negative.
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Image Acquisition Control 7 Image Acquisition Control This chapter provides detailed information about controlling image acquisition. You will find information about triggering image acquisition, about setting the exposure time for acquired images, about controlling the camera’s image acquisition rate, and about how the camera’s maximum allowed image acquisition rate can vary depending on the current camera settings. 7.
Image Acquisition Control acquisition start trigger" acquisition status and will remain in that status until a new acquisition start trigger signal is applied. As an example, assume that the Acquisition Frame Count parameter is set to three and that the camera is in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status.
Image Acquisition Control = camera is waiting for an acquisition start trigger signal = camera is waiting for a frame start trigger signal = frame exposure and readout = frame transmission = a frame start trigger signal that will be ignored because the camera is not in a "waiting for frame start trigger" status Acquisition Frame Count parameter setting = 3 Acquisition Start Trigger Signal Frame Start Trigger Signal Time Fig.
Image Acquisition Control The Trigger Selector (This Only Applies When You Are Using Basler pylon) If you are using the Basler pylon API to parameterize the camera, the concept of the "trigger selector" is very important to understand when working with the acquisition start and frame start triggers.
Image Acquisition Control 7.2 The Acquisition Start Trigger (When reading this section, it is helpful to refer to Figure 19 on page 65.) The acquisition start trigger is used in conjunction with the frame start trigger to control the acquisition of frames. In essence, the acquisition start trigger is used as an enabler for the frame start trigger. Acquisition start trigger signals can be generated within the camera or may be applied externally as software or hardware acquisition start trigger signals.
Image Acquisition Control Frame Count parameter setting. The camera will then return to the "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status. In order to acquire more frames, you must apply a new acquisition start trigger signal to the camera to exit it from the "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status. When the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on, you must select a source signal to act as the acquisition start trigger.
Image Acquisition Control 7.2.2 Acquisition Frame Count When the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on, you must set the value of the camera’s Acquisition Frame Count parameter. The value of the Acquisition Frame Count can range from 1 to 255. With acquisition start triggering on, the camera will initially be in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status. When in this acquisition status, the camera cannot react to frame start trigger signals.
Image Acquisition Control Camera.LineSelector.SetValue( LineSelector_Line1 ); Camera.LineMode.SetValue( LineMode_Input ); // Set the source for the selected trigger to line 1 Camera.TriggerSource.SetValue ( TriggerSource_Line1 ); // Set the activation mode for the selected trigger to rising edge Camera.TriggerActivation.SetValue( TriggerActivation_RisingEdge ); // Set the acquisition frame count Camera.AcquisitionFrameCount.
Image Acquisition Control 7.2.4 7.2.4.1 Using a Software Acquisition Start Trigger Signal Introduction If the camera’s Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Source parameter is set to software, you must apply a software acquisition start trigger signal to the camera before you can begin frame acquisition. The camera will initially be in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status.
Image Acquisition Control You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Setting the Parameters and Applying the Signal Using Direct Register Access To set the parameters needed to perform software acquisition start triggering via direct register access: Set the value of the Trigger Mode Acquisition Start register to On.
Image Acquisition Control 7.2.5 7.2.5.1 Using a Hardware Acquisition Start Trigger Signal Introduction If the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Source parameter is set to line 1, CC1, CC2, or CC3, an externally generated electrical signal injected into the selected source will be will act as the acquisition start trigger signal for the camera.
Image Acquisition Control The acquisition start trigger delay will not operate if the Acquisition Start Trigger Mode parameter is set to off or if you are using a software acquisition start trigger. 7.2.5.
Image Acquisition Control Setting the Parameters Using Direct Register Access and Applying a Signal To set the parameters needed to perform hardware acquisition start triggering via direct register access: Set the value of the Trigger Mode Acquisition Start register to On. Set the value of the Trigger Source Acquisition Start register to Line 1, CC1, CC2, or CC3.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3 The Frame Start Trigger The frame start trigger is used to begin frame acquisition. Assuming that the camera is in a "waiting for frame start trigger" acquisition status, it will begin a frame acquisition each time it receives a frame start trigger signal. (For a quick overview of acquisition start triggering and frame start triggering, see Section 7.1 on page 63.
Image Acquisition Control Exposure Time Control with the Frame Start Trigger Off When the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to off, the exposure time for each frame acquisition is determined by: the value of the camera’s Exposure Time Abs parameter if you are parameterizing the camera using Basler pylon. the value in the camera’s Exposure Time Raw register if you are parameterizing the camera using direct register access.
Image Acquisition Control Typically, a frame grabber is used to supply an electrical frame start signal to CC1, CC2, or CC3. For more detailed information about the camera’s GPIO line, see Section 5.7 on page 33. For more information about using a software trigger to control frame acquisition start, see Section 7.3.2 on page 81. For more information about using a hardware trigger to control frame acquisition start, see Section 7.3.3 on page 84.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.1.3 Setting the Frame Start Trigger Mode and Related Parameters Setting the Parameters Using Basler pylon You can set the Trigger Mode and related parameter values from within your application software by using the pylon API. If your settings make it necessary, you can also set the Trigger Source parameter.
Image Acquisition Control Setting the Parameters Using Direct Register Access To set the trigger mode for the frame start trigger to on and to select a trigger source via direct register access: Set the value of the Trigger Mode Frame Start register to On. Set the value of the Trigger Source Frame Start register to Software, Line 1, CC1, CC2, or CC3. If the trigger source is set to Line 1, set the GPIO line to operate as an input by setting the value of the Line Mode Line 1 register to Input.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.2 7.3.2.1 Using a Software Frame Start Trigger Signal Introduction If the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Source parameter is set to software, you must apply a software frame start trigger signal to the camera to begin each frame acquisition. Assuming that the camera is in a "waiting for frame start trigger" acquisition status, frame exposure will start when the software frame start trigger signal is received by the camera.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.2.2 Setting the Parameters Related to Software Frame Start Triggering and Applying a Software Trigger Signal Setting the Parameters and Applying the Signal Using Basler pylon You can set all of the parameters needed to perform software frame start triggering from within your application software by using the Basler pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the parameter values and execute the commands related to software frame start triggering.
Image Acquisition Control You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Setting the Parameters and Applying the Signal Using Direct Register Access To set the parameters needed to perform software frame start triggering via direct register access (with the acquisition start trigger mode set to off): Set the value of the Trigger Mode Acquisition Start register to Off.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.3 7.3.3.1 Using a Hardware Frame Start Trigger Signal Introduction If the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Source parameter is set to line 1, CC1, CC2, or CC3, an externally generated electrical signal injected into the selected source will act as the frame start trigger signal for the camera.
Image Acquisition Control If you are triggering frame acquisition with an ExFSTrig signal and you attempt to acquire frames at too high a rate, some of the frame trigger signals that you apply will be received by the camera when it is not in a "waiting for frame start trigger" acquisition status. The camera will ignore any frame start trigger signals that it receives when it is not "waiting for frame start trigger". (This situation is commonly referred to as "overtriggering" the camera.
Image Acquisition Control If the camera is set for rising edge triggering, the exposure time starts when the ExFSTrig signal rises. If the camera is set for falling edge triggering, the exposure time starts when the ExFSTrig signal falls. Figure 21 illustrates timed exposure with the camera set for rising edge triggering. ExFSTrig Signal Period ExFSTrig Signal Exposure (duration determined by the exposure time parameter) Fig.
Image Acquisition Control Trigger Width Exposure Mode When trigger width exposure mode is selected, the length of the exposure for each frame acquisition will be directly controlled by the ExFSTrig signal. If the camera is set for rising edge triggering, the exposure time begins when the ExFSTrig signal rises and continues until the ExFSTrig signal falls. If the camera is set for falling edge triggering, the exposure time begins when the ExFSTrig signal falls and continues until the ExFSTrig signal rises.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.3.3 Frame Start Trigger Delay The frame start trigger delay feature lets you specify a delay (in microseconds) that will be applied between the receipt of each hardware frame start trigger signal and when the trigger signal will become effective. The frame start trigger delay may be specified in the range from 0 to 10000000 µs (equivalent to 10 s). When the delay is set to 0 µs, no delay will be applied.
Image Acquisition Control 7.3.3.4 Setting the Parameters Related to Hardware Frame Start Triggering and Applying a Hardware Trigger Signal Setting the Parameters Using Basler pylon and Applying the Signal You can set all of the parameters needed to perform hardware frame start triggering from within your application software by using the pylon API.
Image Acquisition Control // internal frame rate control and allow you to control the frame rate with // external frame start signals) Camera.AcquisitionFrameRateEnable.SetValue( false ); // Select the frame start trigger Camera.TriggerSelector.SetValue( TriggerSelector_FrameStart ); // Set the mode for the selected trigger Camera.TriggerMode.SetValue( TriggerMode_On ); // Configure the GPIO line as an input Camera.LineSelector.SetValue( LineSelector_Line1 ); Camera.LineMode.
Image Acquisition Control A value in a raw register is simply an integer value with no units. To determine what the actual setting will be, you must multiply the value in the raw register by the camera’s time base. The time base on ace cameras is 1 µs. For example, if you set the Exposure Time Raw register to 1000, the exposure time would be 1000 µs (1000 x 1 µs = 1000 µs). Apply the appropriate externally generated electrical signal (ExFSTrig signal) to the selected trigger source.
Image Acquisition Control 7.4 Setting the Exposure Time This section (Section 7.4) describes how the exposure time can be adjusted "manually", i.e., by setting the value of the exposure time parameter. The camera also has an Exposure Auto function that can automatically adjust the exposure time. Manual adjustment of the exposure time parameter will only work correctly if the Exposure Auto function is disabled. For more information about auto functions in general, see Section 10.9 on page 187.
Image Acquisition Control To set the exposure time via direct register access: Set the value of the Exposure Time Raw register. A value in a raw register is simply an integer value with no units. To determine what the actual exposure time will be, you must multiply the value in the raw register by the camera’s time base. The time base on ace cameras is 1 µs. For example, if you set the Exposure Time Raw register to 1000, the exposure time would be 1000 µs (1000 x 1 µs = 1000 µs).
Image Acquisition Control 7.5 Overlapping Exposure with Sensor Readout The frame acquisition process on the camera includes two distinct parts. The first part is the exposure of the pixels in the imaging sensor. Once exposure is complete, the second part of the process – readout of the pixel values from the sensor – takes place. In regard to this frame acquisition process, there are two common ways for the camera to operate: with “non-overlapped” exposure and with “overlapped” exposure.
Image Acquisition Control Determining whether your camera is operating with overlapped or non-overlapped exposure and readout is not a matter of issuing a command or switching a setting on or off. Rather the way that you operate the camera will determine whether the exposures and readouts are overlapped or not.
Image Acquisition Control You can avoid violating this guideline by using the camera’s Frame Trigger Wait signal to determine when exposure can safely begin and by properly setting the camera’s Exposure Overlap Time Max Abs parameter. For more information about the Frame Trigger Wait signal and the Exposure Overlap Time Max Abs parameter, see Section 7.6.2.2 on page 102. For more information about trigger width exposure, see Section 7.3.3.2 on page 85.
Image Acquisition Control 7.6 Acquisition Monitoring Tools 7.6.1 Acquisition Status Indicator If a camera receives a software acquisition start trigger signal when it is not in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status, it will simply ignore the trigger signal and will generate an overtrigger error.
Image Acquisition Control bool IsWaitingForFrameTrigger = Camera.AcquisitionStatus.GetValue(); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Checking the Acquisition Status Using Direct Register Access To determine the acquisition start trigger status via the direct register access: Read the value of the Status Acquisition Trigger Wait register.
Image Acquisition Control 7.6.2 Trigger Wait Signals If a camera receives a hardware acquisition start trigger signal when it is not in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status, it will simply ignore the trigger signal and will generate an overtrigger error. If a camera receives a hardware frame start trigger signal when it is not in a "waiting for frame start trigger" acquisition status, it will simply ignore the trigger signal and will generate anovertrigger error.
Image Acquisition Control Acq. Trigger Wait Signal ExASTrig Signal Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Frame Acquisition Exp. Readout Time = Camera is in a "waiting for acquisition start trigger" status Fig. 27: Acquisition Trigger Wait Signal The acquisition trigger wait signal will only be available when hardware acquisition start triggering is enabled.
Image Acquisition Control Selecting the Acquisition Trigger Wait Signal as the Source Signal for an Output Line Using Basler Pylon You can select the acquisition trigger wait signal as the source signal for the camera’s GPIO line (assuming it is set as an output) or the CL Spare output line. Selecting a source signal for the output line is a three step process: Configure the GPIO line as an output (if you want to use the GPIO line). Use the Line Selector to the desired line.
Image Acquisition Control 7.6.2.2 Frame Trigger Wait Signal Overview As you are acquiring frames, the camera automatically monitors the frame start trigger status and supplies a signal that indicates the current status. The Frame Trigger Wait signal will go high whenever the camera enters a "waiting for frame start trigger" status. The signal will go low when an external frame start trigger (ExFSTrig) signal is applied to the camera and the camera exits the "waiting for frame start trigger status".
Image Acquisition Control Frame Trigger Wait Signal Details When the camera is set for the timed exposure mode, the rise of the Frame Trigger Wait signal is based on the current exposure time parameter setting and on when readout of the current frame will end. This functionality is illustrated in Figure 29. If you are operating the camera in the timed exposure mode, you can avoid overtriggering by always making sure that the Frame Trigger Wait signal is high before you trigger the start of frame capture.
Image Acquisition Control When the camera is set for the trigger width exposure mode, the rise of the Frame Trigger Wait signal is based on the Exposure Overlap Time Max parameter setting and on when readout of the current frame will end. This functionality is illustrated in Figure 30.
Image Acquisition Control Setting the Exposure Overlap Time Max Using Basler Pylon You can use the Basler pylon API to set the Exposure Overlap Time Max Abs parameter value from within your application software by using the the Basler pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the parameter value: // Set the Exposure Overlap Time Max to 3000 µs Camera.ExposureOverlapTimeMaxAbs.SetValue( 3000 ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters.
Image Acquisition Control //Set the source for the selected line Camera.LineSource.SetValue( LineSource_FrameTriggerWait ); //Select the CL Spare line Camera.LineSelector.SetValue( LineSelector_ClSpare ); //Set the source for the selected line Camera.LineSource.SetValue( LineSource_FrameTriggerWait ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17.
Image Acquisition Control 7.6.3 Exposure Active Signal The camera can provide an "exposure active" (ExpAc) output signal. The signal goes high when the exposure time for each frame acquisition begins and goes low when the exposure time ends as shown in Figure 31. (In this example,the camera is operating in the timed exposure mode.) This signal can be used as a flash trigger and is also useful when you are operating a system where either the camera or the object being imaged is movable.
Image Acquisition Control Selecting the Exposure Active Signal as the Source Signal for an Output Line Using Basler Pylon You can select the exposure active signal as the source signal for the GPIO line (assuming it is set as an output) or the CL Spare output line. Selecting a source signal for the output line is a three step process: Configure the GPIO line as an output (if you want to use the GPIO line). Use the Line Selector to select the desired line.
Image Acquisition Control For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19. For more detailed information about the camera’s GPIO line, see Section 5.7 on page 33.
Image Acquisition Control 7.6.4 Frame Cycle Signal The camera can provide a "Frame Cycle" (FrmCyc) output signal. The signal goes high when the camera enters a waiting for frame trigger condition and goes low when the exposure time for the next triggered image ends as shown in Figure 32. (In this example, the camera is operating in the timed exposure mode.) The intention of this signal is to let you monitor these two important points in the acquisition process with a single output signal..
Image Acquisition Control Selecting the Frame Cycle Signal as the Source Signal for an Output Line Using Basler Pylon You can select the frame cycle signal as the source signal for the camera’s GPIO line (assuming it is set as an output) or the CL Spare output line. Selecting a source signal for the output line is a three step process: Configure the GPIO line as an output (if you want to use the GPIO line). Use the Line Selector to select the desired line.
Image Acquisition Control For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19. For more detailed information about the camera’s GPIO line, see Section 5.7 on page 33.
Image Acquisition Control 7.7 Acquisition Timing Chart Figure 33 shows a timing chart for frame acquisition and transmission. The chart assumes that exposure is triggered by an externally generated frame start trigger (ExFSTrig) signal with rising edge activation and that the camera is set for the timed exposure mode. As Figure 33 shows, there is a slight delay between the rise of the ExFSTrig signal and the start of exposure.
Image Acquisition Control Determining the Frame Readout Time Using Basler Pylon You can determine the frame readout time by reading the value of the Readout Time Abs parameter. The parameter indicates what the readout time will be in microseconds given the camera’s current settings. You can read the Readout Time Abs parameter value from within your application software by using the Basler pylon API.
Image Acquisition Control 7.8 Maximum Allowed Frame Acquisition Rate The maximum allowed frame acquisition rate for your camera is not static. It can vary depending on how certain camera features are set. In general, the following factors can affect the maximum allowed frame rate: The Camera Link pixel clock speed and the Camera Link tap geometry settings.
Image Acquisition Control For more information about selectable pixel clock speeds, see Section 10.1 on page 155. For more information about the sensor bit depth, see Section 10.1 on page 155. For more information about Camera Link tap geometries, see Section 9.3 on page 144. Using Basler pylon to Check the Maximum Allowed Frame Rate You can use the Basler pylon API to read the current value of the Resulting Frame Rate Abs parameter from within your application software using the Basler pylon API.
Image Acquisition Control 7.8.1 Increasing the Maximum Allowed Frame Rate You may find that you would like to acquire frames at a rate higher than the maximum allowed with the camera’s current settings. In this case, you must adjust one or more of the factors that can influence the maximum allowed rate and then check to see if the maximum allowed rate has increased: If you have the Camera Link pixel clock speed on your camera set to a low value, consider setting it to a higher value.
Image Acquisition Control An important thing to keep in mind is a common mistake new camera users frequently make when they are working with exposure time. They will often use a very long exposure time without realizing that this can severely limit the camera’s maximum allowed frame rate. As an example, assume that your camera is set to use a 1/2 second exposure time.
Image Acquisition Control 7.9 Use Case Descriptions and Diagrams The following pages contain a series of use case descriptions and diagrams. The descriptions and diagrams are designed to illustrate how acquisition start triggering and frame start triggering work in some common situations and with some common combinations of parameter settings. These use cases do not represent every possible combination of the parameters associated with acquisition start and frame start triggering.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case: "Free Run" (Acquisition Start Trigger Off and Frame Start Trigger Off) The acquisition start trigger is off. The camera will generate acquisition start trigger signals internally with no action by the user. The frame start trigger is off. The camera will generate frame start trigger signals internally with no action by the user.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case 2 - Acquisition Start Trigger Off - Frame Start Trigger On Use case two is illustrated on page 122. In this use case, the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to off and the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to on. Because the acquisition start trigger is set to off, the user does not need to apply acquisition start trigger signals to the camera.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case: Acquisition Start Trigger Off and Frame Start Trigger On The acquisition start trigger is off. The camera will generate acquisition start trigger signals internally with no action by the user. The frame start trigger is on, and the frame start trigger source is set to line 1. The user must apply a frame start trigger signal to line 1 to start each frame exposure.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case 3 - Acquisition Start Trigger On - Frame Start Trigger Off Use case three is illustrated on page 124. In this use case, the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to off. Because the acquisition start trigger mode is set to on, the user must apply an acquisition start trigger signal to the camera.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case: Acquisition Start Trigger On and Frame Start Trigger Off The acquisition start trigger is on, and the acquisition start trigger source is set to line 1. The user must apply an acquisition start trigger signal to line 1 to make the camera exit the "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case 4 - Acquisition Start and Frame Start Triggers On Use case four is illustrated on page 126. In this use case, the Trigger Mode parameter for the acquisition start trigger is set to on and the Trigger Mode parameter for the frame start trigger is set to on. Because the acquisition start trigger mode is set to on, the user must apply an acquisition start trigger signal to the camera.
Image Acquisition Control Use Case: Acquisition Start Trigger On and Frame Start Trigger On The acquisition start trigger is on, and the acquisition start trigger source is set to software. The user must execute an acquisition start trigger software command to make the camera exit the "waiting for acquisition start trigger" acquisition status.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8 Color Creation and Enhancement This chapter provides information about how color images are created on color camera models and about the features available for adjusting the appearance of the colors. 8.1 Color Creation The sensor used in the cameras is equipped with an additive color separation filter known as a Bayer filter.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8.1.1 Bayer Color Filter Alignment On all color camera models, the alignment of the filter to the pixels in the acquired images is Bayer GB. Bayer GB alignment means that pixel one and pixel two of the first line in each image transmitted will be green and blue respectively. And for the second line transmitted, pixel one and pixel two will be red and green respectively.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8.2 Integrated IR Cut Filter (All Color Models) All color camera models are equipped with an IR-cut filter as standard equipment. The filter is mounted in a filter holder located in the lens mount. Monochrome cameras include a filter holder in the lens mount, but the holder is not populated with an IR-cut filter. NOTICE On all cameras, the lens thread length is limited. All cameras (mono and color) are equipped with a plastic filter holder located in the lens mount.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8.3 Color Enhancement Features 8.3.1 White Balance This section (Section 8.3) describes how a color camera’s white balance can be adjusted "manually", i.e., by setting the value of the Balance Ratio Abs parameters for red, green, and blue. The camera also has a White Balance Auto function that can automatically adjust the white balance.
Color Creation and Enhancement Camera.BalanceRatioSelector.SetValue( BalanceRatioSelector_Red ); Camera.BalanceRatioAbs.SetValue( 1.20 ); // Set the green balance ratio Camera.BalanceRatioSelector.SetValue( BalanceRatioSelector_Green ); Camera.BalanceRatioAbs.SetValue( 1.20 ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17.
Color Creation and Enhancement The formula uses uncorrected and corrected pixel brightnesses that are normalized by the maximum pixel brightness. The maximum pixel brightness equals 255 for 8 bit output, 1023 for 10 bit output, and 4095 for 12 bit output. The gamma correction value can be set in a range from 0 to 3.99998. When the gamma correction value is set to 1, the output pixel brightness will not be corrected.
Color Creation and Enhancement Enabling and Setting Gamma Correction Using Direct Register Access To enable gamma correction and to set the gamma value via direct register access: Set the value of the Gamma Enable register to Enabled. Set the value of the Gamma Selector register to SRGB or User. If the Gamma Selector is set to User, eet the value in the Gamma register to the desired gamma value. For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8.3.3 Matrix Color Transformation With the matrix type of color transformation, a vector consisting of the R, G, or B component for each pixel in the image is multiplied by a matrix containing a set of correction values.
Color Creation and Enhancement Setting Matrix Color Transformation Using Basler Pylon You can set the Color Transformation Selector and Light Source Selector parameters from within your application software by using the Basler pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the parameter values: // Select the color transformation type Camera.ColorTransformationSelector.
Color Creation and Enhancement 8.3.3.1 "Custom" Light Source Setting The "Custom" setting for the Light Source Selector parameter is intended for use by someone who is thoroughly familiar with matrix color transformations. It is nearly impossible to enter correct values in the conversion matrix by trial and error. The RGB to RGB color matrix conversion for each pixel is performed by multiplying a 1 x 3 matrix containing R, G, and B color values with a 3 x 3 matrix containing correction values.
Color Creation and Enhancement Setting Custom Matrix Values Using Basler Pylon You can set the Color Transformation Value Selector, Color Transformation Value, and Color Transformation Value Raw parameters from within your application software by using the Basler pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the values in the matrix. Note that the values in this example are just randomly selected numbers and do not represent values that you should actually use.
Color Creation and Enhancement 138 Basler ace Camera Link
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9 Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds This chapter provides information about the sensor bit depths, pixel formats, Camera Link tap geometries and pixel clock speeds available on the camera.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.1 Sensor Bit Depth As mentioned in the "Functional Description" section of this manual, the camera’s imaging sensor can be set to acquire image data at either 10 bit or 12 bit depth. When the sensor is operating at 10 bit depth, it operates significantly faster than at 12 bit depth. So when the sensor is set for 10 bit acquisition, the camera can be operated at a higher maximum frame rate.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.2 Pixel Formats Pixel Formats for Monochrome Cameras The choice of a pixel format determines the bit depth of the data transmitted from the camera for each pixel in the acquired frames. The pixel formats available on the mono cameras depend on the current setting of the Camera Link Geometry parameter as shown in Table 7.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds The pixels output from the color camera are not interpolated in any way; they are output as "raw" data. This means that for each pixel, there is only one color value (i.e., for each red pixel there is only a red value, for each green pixel there is only a green value, and for each blue pixel there is only a blue value).
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds Setting the Pixel Format Using Basler Pylon You can use the pylon API to set the Pixel Format parameter value from within your application. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the parameter value: Mono cameras // Set pixel format to Mono 8 Camera.PixelFormat.SetValue( PixelFormat_Mono8 ); // Set pixel format to Mono 10 Camera.PixelFormat.SetValue( PixelFormat_Mono10 ); // Set pixel format to Mono 12 Camera.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3 Camera Link Tap Geometry 9.3.1 Overview The Camera Link tap geometry determines how the data that is read out of the imaging sensor will be transmitted from the camera to the frame grabber in your host PC via the Camera Link interface.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds The tap geometries available vary by model as shown in Table 11. Tap Geometry Setting Camera Model acA2000-140km/kc acA2000-340km/kc acA2040-70km/kc acA2040-180km/kc 1X2-1Y • • • • 1X3-1Y • • • • 1X4-1Y • • • • 1X6-1Y • • 1X8-1Y • • 1X10-1Y • • Table 11: Available Tap Geometries by Model (• = geometry available) For more information about the camera’s maximum allowed frame rate, see Section 7.8 on page 115.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.2 1X2-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X2-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for two pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as a "two tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.3 1X3-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X3-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for three pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as a "three tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.4 1X4-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X4-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for four pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as a "four tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.5 1X6-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X6-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for six pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as a "six tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.6 1X8-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X8-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for eight pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as an "eight tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.7 1X10-1Y Tap Geometry Description The characteristics of the 1X10-1Y tap geometry are: On each cycle of the Camera Link pixel clock, the data for ten pixels are transmitted via the Camera Link interface. This is commonly referred to as an "ten tap" Camera Link configuration. The camera will begin transmitting data from line one.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.3.8 Setting the Tap Geometry Setting the Tap Geometry Using Basler Pylon You can use the pylon API to set the Camera Link tap geometry from within your application software. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the tap geometry: // Set the tap geometry to 1X2-1Y Camera.ClTapGeometry.SetValue( ClTapGeometry_Geometry1X2_1Y ); // Set the tap geometry to 1X3-1Y Camera.ClTapGeometry.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds 9.4 Camera Link Pixel Clock Speed The camera features selectable Camera Link pixel clock speeds. The pixel clock speed determines the rate at which pixel data will be transmitted from the camera to the frame grabber in your PC via the Camera Link interface. The four available pixel clock speeds are: 32.5 MHz, 48 MHz, 65 MHz, and 82 MHz. The default clock speed is 82 MHz.
Sensor Bit Depth, Pixel Formats, Tap Geometries, and Clock Speeds You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Setting the Camera Link Pixel Clock Using Direct Register Access To set the Camera Link pixel clock speed via direct register access: Set the value of the CL Pixel Clock register to 32.5 MHz, 48 MHz, 65 MHz, or 82 MHz.
Features 10 Features This chapter provides detailed information about the standard features available on each camera. It also includes an explanation of their operation and the parameters associated with each feature. 10.1 Gain This section (Section 10.1) describes the basic theory of gain and how gain can be adjusted "manually", i.e., by setting the value of the gain raw parameter. The camera also has a Gain Auto function that can automatically adjust the gain.
Features The camera’s gain is determined by the value of the Gain Raw parameter. Raw gain is adjusted on an integer scale. The minimum setting is 33 and the maximum setting is 511. If you know the current setting for the Gain Raw parameter, you can calculate the camera’s gain in dB using the following formula: Gain in dB = 20 log10 (Gain Raw Setting / 32) For example, if the current Gain Raw setting is 128, then: Gain in dB = 20 log10 (128 / 32) Gain in dB = 12.
Features 10.2 Black Level Adjusting the camera’s black level will result in an offset to the pixel values output by the camera. Increasing the black level setting will result in a positive offset in the digital values output for the pixels. Decreasing the black level setting will result in a negative offset in the digital values output for the pixels. The black level can be set on an integer scale ranging from 0 to 255.
Features 10.3 Image Area of Interest (AOI) The image area of interest (Image AOI or AOI for short) feature lets you specify a portion of the sensor array and after each image is acquired, only the pixel information from the specified portion of the array will be read out of the sensor and transmitted from the camera. The area of interest is referenced to the top left corner of the sensor array. The top left corner is designated as column 0 and row 0 as shown in Figure 47.
Features setting). When Center Y is enabled, the camera will automatically center the AOI along the sensor’s Y axis (and will disable the Offset Y setting). For more information about how changing the AOI size affects the maximum allowed frame rate, see Section 7.8 on page 115. 10.3.1 Setting the Image AOI By default, the AOI is set to use the full resolution of the camera’s sensor.
Features Your frame grabber may place additional restrictions on how the AOI size must be set. Check the documentation included with your frame grabber to determine its AOI requirements. Normally the X Offset, Y Offset, Width, and Height parameter settings refer to the physical columns and lines in the sensor. But if binning is enabled, these parameters are set in terms of "virtual" columns and lines. For more information about binning, see Section 10.8 on page 182.
Features Setting the Image AOI Using Direct Register Access To set the AOI Offset X, Offset Y, Width, and Height parameters via direct register access: Set the value of the Offset X register. Set the value of the Offset Y register. Set the value of the Width register. Set the value of the Height register. To enable Center X and Center Y via direct register access: Set the value of the Center X register. Set the value of the Center Y register.
Features 10.4 Stacked Zone Imaging The stacked zone imaging feature lets you define up to eight zones on the sensor array. When an image is acquired, only the pixel information from the areas within the defined zones will be read out of the sensor. The lines read out of the zones will then be stacked together and will be transmitted from the camera as a single image. The Stacked Zone Imaging Enable parameter is used to enable or disable stacked zone imaging.
Features 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 0 1 2 Zone 1 Offset Y 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Zone 1 Height Zone 0 10 11 12 Zone 2 Offset Y 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Zone 2 Height 22 23 24 Zone 1 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Zone 3 33 Offset Y 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Zone 3 41 Height 42 Zone 2 43 44 45 46 47 48 Offset X Width Fig.
Features There are several things to keep in mind when setting up zoned imaging: You are not required to enable the zones in sequence. For example, you can enable zones 2, 4, and 6 and not enable zones 1, 3, and 5. You do not need to order the zones from top to bottom on the sensor. For example, you could place zone 1 near the bottom of the sensor, zone 3 near the top, and zone 2 in the middle.
Features 10.4.1 Setting Stacked Zone Imaging Guidelines When you are setting the stacked zones, you must follow these guidelines: On all camera models: The sum of the Offset X setting plus the Width setting must not exceed the width of the camera’s sensor. For example, on the acA2000-140gm, the sum of the Offset X setting plus the Width setting must not exceed 2048.
Features Setting Stacked Zone ImagingUsing Basler pylon You can set the parameter values associated with stacked zone imaging from within your application software by using the Basler pylon API. The following code snippets illustrate using the API to set up two zones. // Enable stacked zone imaging Camera.StackedZoneImagingEnable.SetValue( true ); // Set the width and offset X for the zones Camera.Width.SetValue( 200 ); Camera.OffsetX.SetValue( 100 ); // Set zone 1 // Select the zone Camera.
Features Setting Stacked Zone Imaging Using Direct Register Access To enable stacked zone imaging via direct register access: Set the value of the Stacked Zone Imaging Enable register to 1 (true). To set the Offset X and Width, parameters for the zones: Set the value of the Offset X register. Set the value of the Width register. To set up zone 1: Enable zone 1 by setting the value of the Stacked Zone Imaging Zone 1 Enable register to 1 (true).
Features 10.5 Sequencer Overview During normal operation, the camera is controlled by a set of configuration parameters that reside in the camera’s volatile memory. This set of parameters is known as the "active parameter set". When you use the pylon API or direct register access to make a change to a camera parameter such as the Gain, you are making a change to the active parameter set.
Features The four sequence sets are stored in the camera’s memory and they do not actively control the operation of the camera. They are simply sets of stored parameter values that are available for use by the sequencer feature. The four sequence parameter sets are designated as Sequence Set 0, Set 1, Set 2, and Set 3.
Features After each image is acquired, the camera checks the state of Control A and Control B: If there has been no change in the state, the camera will take no action regarding the active set. If the state has changed, the camera will determine which sequence parameter set is now being pointed to and will immediately replace the sequenceable parameter values in the active set with the values from that sequence set.
Features Populating the Sequence Parameter Sets Before you begin using the sequencer feature, you must populate the sequence parameter sets with values that will be useful for your particular situation. You should use the following procedure to populate the sequence parameter sets: Make sure that the sequencer feature is disabled. Set up your first acquisition scenario (i.e., lighting, object positioning, etc.
Features Setting the Sequencer Using Basler Pylon You can use the pylon API to set the parameters associated with the sequencer feature from within your application software. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to populate sequence parameter set 0 and sequence parameter set 1 by storing the sequenceable parameter values from the active set in the sequence sets: // Disable the sequencer feature Camera.SequenceEnable.
Features // Load the sequenceable parameters from the sequence set into the active set Camera.SequenceSetLoad.Execute( ); The following code snippet illustrates using the API to enable the sequencer feature: // Enable the sequencer feature Camera.SequenceEnable.SetValue( true ); You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17.
Features 10.6 Binning The binning feature is only available on the monochrome cameras. Binning increases the camera’s response to light by summing the charges from adjacent pixels into one pixel. Two types of binning are available: vertical binning and horizontal binning. With vertical binning, adjacent pixels from 2 lines, 3 lines, or a maximum of 4 lines in the imaging sensor array are summed and are reported out of the camera as a single pixel. Figure 50 illustrates vertical binning.
Features You can combine vertical and horizontal binning. This, however, may cause objects to appear distorted in the image. For more information on possible image distortion due to combined vertical and horizontal binning, see the next section. Setting Binning Using Basler pylon You can enable vertical binning by setting the Binning Vertical parameter. Setting the parameter’s value to 2, 3, or 4 enables vertical binning by 2, vertical binning by 3, or vertical binning by 4 respectively.
Features 10.6.1 Considerations When Using Binning Increased Response to Light Using binning can greatly increase the camera’s response to light. When binning is enabled, acquired images may look overexposed. If this is the case, you can reduce the lens aperture, reduce the intensity of your illumination, reduce the camera’s exposure time setting, or reduce the camera’s gain setting. Reduced Resolution Using binning effectively reduces the resolution of the camera’s imaging sensor.
Features 10.7 Mirror Imaging The camera’s reverse X and reverse Y functions let you flip the captured images horizontally and/ or vertically before they are transmitted from the camera. Note that the reverse X and reverse Y functions may both be enabled at the same time if so desired. 10.7.1 Reverse X The reverse X feature is a horizontal mirror image feature. When the reverse X feature is enabled, the pixel values for each line in a captured image will be swapped end-for-end about the line’s center.
Features The Effect of Reverse X on the Auto Function AOIs If you are using the camera’s auto functions, you should be aware of the effect that using the reverse X feature will have on the auto function AOIs. When reverse X is used, the position of the auto function AOIs relative to the sensor remains the same. As a consequence, each auto function AOI will include a different portion of the captured image depending on whether or not the reverse X feature is enabled.
Features 10.7.2 Reverse Y The reverse Y feature is a vertical mirror image feature. When the reverse Y feature is enabled, the lines in a captured image will be swapped top-to-bottom. This means that the top line in the image will be swapped with the bottom line, the next-to-top line will be swapped with the next-to-bottom line, and so on. Figure 52 shows a normal image on the left and an image captured with reverse Y enabled on the right. Normal Image Reverse Y Mirror Image Fig.
Features The Effect of Reverse Y on the Auto Function AOIs If you are using the camera’s auto functions, you should be aware of the effect that using the reverse Y feature will have on the auto function AOIs. When reverse Y is used, the position of the auto function AOIs relative to the sensor remains the same. As a consequence, each auto function AOI will include a different portion of the captured image depending on whether or not the reverse Y feature is enabled.
Features 10.7.3 Enabling Reverse X and Reverse Y Enabling Reverse X and Y Using Basler Pylon You can enable the reverse X and reverse Y features by setting the Reverse X and the Reverse Y parameter values. You can use the pylon API to set the parameter values from within your application software. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to set the parameter values: // Enable reverse X Camera.ReverseX.SetValue(true); // Enable reverse Y Camera.ReverseY.
Features 10.8 Luminance Lookup Table The type of electronics used on the camera allows the camera’s sensor to acquire pixel values at a 12 bit depth. Normally, when a camera is set for a 12 bit pixel data format, the camera transmits the actual 12 bit pixel values reported by the sensor. The luminance lookup table feature lets you create a custom 12 bit to 12 bit lookup table that maps the actual 12 bit values output from the sensor to substitute 12 bit values of your choice.
Features If the imaging sensor bit depth is set to 10 bits, the sensor will only capture pixel data at 10 bit depth. In this case, the pixel values output from the sensor wil be converted to 12 bit depth by padding the 10 bit values with two zeros as least significant bits. These converted 12 bit values will then be used as input to the lookup table. There is only one lookup table. When the lookup table is enabled on color cameras, the single table is used for red, green, and blue pixel values.
Features 4095 Substitute 12 Bit Value 3072 2048 1024 0 0 1024 2048 3072 4095 Actual 12 Bit Sensor Value Fig. 57: Lookup Table with Values Mapped for Higher Camera Output at Low Sensor Readings Using the Luminance Lookup Table to Get 10 Bit or 8 Bit Output As mentioned above, when the camera is set for a 12 bit pixel data format, the lookup table can be used to perform a 12 bit to 12 bit substitution. The lookup table can also be used in 12 bit to 10 bit or 12 bit to 8 bit fashion.
Features 10.8.1 Entering LUT Values and Enabling the LUT Entering Values and Enabling the LUT Using Basler pylon You can enter values into the luminance lookup table (LUT) and enable the use of the lookup table by doing the following: Use the LUT Selector to select a lookup table. (Currently there is only one lookup table available, i.e., the "luminance" lookup table described above.) Use the LUT Index parameter to select an index number.
Features Once the LUT register has been populated, you can enable the use of the lookup table by setting the value of the LUT Enable register to 1 (enabled). For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19.
Features 10.9 Auto Functions Auto functions control image properties and are the "automatic" counterparts of certain features, such as the gain feature or the white balance feature, which normally require "manually" setting the related parameter values. Auto functions are particularly useful when an image property must be adjusted quickly to achieve a specific target value and when a specific target value must be kept constant in a series of images.
Features 10.9.1 Auto Function Operating Modes The following auto function modes of operation are available: All auto functions provide the "once" mode of operation. When the "once" mode of operation is selected, the parameter values are automatically adjusted until the related image property reaches the target value. After the automatic parameter value adjustment is complete, the auto function will automatically be set to "off" and the new parameter value will be applied to the following images.
Features 10.9.2 Auto Function AOIs Each auto function uses the pixel data from an Auto Function AOI for automatically adjusting a parameter value, and accordingly, for controlling the related image property. Some auto functions always share an Auto Function AOI and some auto functions can use their own individual Auto Function AOIs. Within these limitations, auto functions can be assigned to Auto Function AOIs as desired.
Features 10.9.2.1 Assignment of an Auto Function to an Auto Function AOI By default, the Gain Auto and the Exposure Auto auto functions are assigned to Auto Function AOI 1 and the Balance White Auto auto function is assigned to Auto Function AOI 2. The assignments can, however, be set as desired. For example, the Balance White Auto auto function can be assigned to Auto Function AOI 1 or all auto functions can be assigned to the same Auto Function AOI.
Features You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameters. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Assigning an Auto Function to an Auto Function AOI Using Direct Register Access To assign an auto function to Auto Function AOI 1 via direct register access: Set the value of the Auto AOI 1 Usage register.
Features 10.9.2.2 Relative Positioning of an Auto Function AOI The size and position of an Auto Function AOI can be, but need not be, identical to the size and position of the Image AOI. Note that the overlap between an Auto Function AOI and the Image AOI determines whether and to what extent the auto function will control the related image property.
Features Auto Function AOI Image AOI (a) Auto Function AOI Image AOI (b) Auto Function AOI Image AOI (c) Auto Function AOI Image AOI (d) Fig.
Features 10.9.2.3 Setting an Auto Function AOI Position and Size Setting an Auto Function AOI position and size is a two-step process: You must first select the Auto Function AOI related to the auto function that you want to use and then set the position and the size of the Auto Function AOI. By default, an Auto Function AOI is set to the full resolution of the camera’s sensor.
Features Setting an Auto Function AOI Position and Size Using Basler pylon You can select an Auto Function AOI and set the X Offset, Y Offset, Width, and Height parameter values for the Auto Function AOI from within your application software by using the pylon API. The following code snippet illustrates using the API to select Auto Function AOI one and to get the maximum allowed settings for the Width and Height parameters.
Features 10.9.3 Using an Auto Function To use an auto function, carry out the following steps: 1. Select an Auto Function AOI. 2. Assign the auto function you want to use to the selected Auto Function AOI. 3. Unassign the auto function you want to use from the other Auto Function AOI. 4. Set the position and size of the Auto Function AOI. 5. If necessary, set the lower and upper limits for the auto functions’s parameter value. 6. If necessary, set the target value. 7.
Features 10.9.4 Gain Auto Gain Auto is the "automatic" counterpart to manually setting the Gain Raw parameter. When the gain auto function is operational, the camera will automatically adjust the Gain Raw parameter value within set limits until a target average gray value for the pixel data from the related Auto Function AOI is reached. The gain auto function can be operated in the "once" and continuous" modes of operation.
Features Setting the Gain Auto Function Using Basler pylon Setting the gain auto functionality using Basler pylon is a several step process: Select the Auto Function AOI to which the Gain Auto function is assigned. Set the value of the Offset X, Offset Y, Width, and Height parameters for the AOI. Set the Gain Selector to All. Set the value of the Auto Gain Raw Lower Limit and Auto Gain Raw Upper Limit parameters. Set the value of the Auto Target Value parameter.
Features Setting the Gain Auto Function Using Direct Register Access Setting the gain auto functionality via direct register access is a several step process: Set the position and size of Auto Function AOI 1 by setting the value of the Auto AOI 1 Left register, the value of the Auto AOI 1 Top register, the value of the Auto AOI 1 Width register, and the value of the Auto AOI 1 Height register. (Note: This step assumes that the Gain Auto function is assigned to Auto Function AOI 1.
Features 10.9.5 Exposure Auto The exposure auto function will not work if the camera’s exposure mode is set to trigger width. For more information about the trigger width exposure mode, see Section 7.3.3.2 on page 85. Exposure Auto is the "automatic" counterpart to manually setting the Exposure Time Abs parameter. The exposure auto function automatically adjusts the Exposure Time Abs parameter.
Features Setting the Exposure Auto Function Using Basler pylon Setting the exposure auto functionality using Basler pylon is a several step process: Select the Auto Function AOI to which the Exposure Auto function is assigned. Set the value of the Offset X, Offset Y, Width, and Height parameters for the AOI. Set the value of the Auto Exposure Time Abs Lower Limit and Auto Exposure Time Abs Upper Limit parameters. Set the value of the Auto Target Value parameter.
Features Setting the Exposure Auto Function Using Direct Register Access Setting the exposure auto functionality via direct register access is a several step process: Set the position and size of Auto Function AOI 1 by setting the value of the Auto AOI 1 Left register, the value of the Auto AOI 1 Top register, the value of the Auto AOI 1 Width register, and the value of the Auto AOI 1 Height register. (Note: This step assumes that the Exposure Auto function has been assigned to Auto Function AOI 1.
Features 10.9.6 Auto Function Profile If you want to use the gain auto function and the exposure auto function at the same time, the auto function profile feature also takes effect. The auto function profile specifies whether the gain or the exposure time will be kept as low as possible when the camera is making automatic adjustments to achieve a target average gray value for the pixel data from the Auto Function AOI that was related to the gain auto and the exposure auto function.
Features 10.9.7 Balance White Auto Balance White Auto is the "automatic" counterpart to manually setting the white balance. The balance white auto function is only available on color models. Automatic white balancing is a two-step process. First, the Balance Ratio Abs parameter values for red, green, and blue are each set to 1.0. Next, the Balance Ratio Abs parameter values are automatically adjusted such that the average values for the "red", "green", and "blue" pixels are all the same.
Features For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Setting the Balance White Auto Function Using Direct Register Access Setting the balance white auto functionality via direct register access is a several step process: Set the position and size of Auto Function AOI 2 by setting the value of the Auto AOI 2 Left register, the value of the Auto AOI 2 Top register, the value of the Auto AOI 2 Width register, and the value of the Auto AOI 2 Height register.
Features 10.10 Error Detection 10.10.1 LED Indicator The LED indicator on the back of the camera includes both a small red LED and a small green LED. The LED indicator signals the camera’s current condition as shown in Table 13. LED State Status Indication Red and Greeen Both Off No power to the camera Continuous Green / Red Off The camera has booted up successfully and is OK.
Features 10.10.2 Error Codes The camera can detect several user correctable errors. If one of these errors is present, the camera will set an error code and will flash both the red and green LEDs in the LED indicator. The following table indicates the available error codes: Code Condition Meaning 0 No Error The camera has not detetcted any errors since the last time that the error memory was cleared. 1 Overtrigger An overtrigger has occurred.
Features You can also use the Basler pylon Viewer application to easily set the parameter and execute the command. For more information about the pylon API and the pylon Viewer, see Section 3.1 on page 17. Reading and Clearing the Error Codes Using Direct Register Access To get the value of the last error code in the memory via direct register access: Read the value of the Last User Error register.
Features 10.11 Test Images All cameras include the ability to generate test images. Test images are used to check the camera’s basic functionality and its ability to transmit an image to the host PC. Test images can be used for service purposes and for failure diagnostics. For test images, the image is generated internally by the camera’s logic and does not use the optics, the imaging sensor, or the ADCs. Five test images are available.
Features 10.11.1 Test Image Descriptions Test Image 1 - Fixed Diagonal Gray Gradient (8 bit) The 8 bit fixed diagonal gray gradient test image is best suited for use when the camera is set for monochrome 8 bit output. The test image consists of fixed diagonal gray gradients ranging from 0 to 255. If the camera is set for 8 bit output and is operating at full resolution, test image one will look similar to Figure 60.
Features Test Image 3 - Moving Diagonal Gray Gradient (12 bit) The 12 bit moving diagonal gray gradient test image is similar to test image 2, but it is a 12 bit pattern. The image moves by one pixel from right to left whenever a new image acquisition is initiated. The test pattern uses a counter that increments by one for each new image acquisition.
Features 10.12 Device Information Parameters Each camera includes a set of "device information" parameters. These parameters provide some basic information about the camera. The device information parameters include: Device Vendor Name (read only) - contains the name of the camera’s vendor. This string will always indicate Basler as the vendor. Device Model Name (read only) - contains the model name of the camera, for example, acA2000-140km.
Features // Read the Firmware Version parameter Pylon::String_t firmwareVersion = Camera.DeviceFirmwareVersion.GetValue(); // Read the Device ID parameter Pylon::String_t deviceID = Camera.DeviceFirmwareVersion.GetValue(); // Write and read the Device User ID Camera.DeviceUserID = "custom name"; Pylon::String_t deviceUserID = Camera.DeviceUserID.GetValue(); // Read the Sensor Width parameter int64_t sensorWidth = Camera.SensorWidth.
Features 10.13 User Defined Values The camera can store five "user defined values". These five values are 32 bit signed integer values that you can set and read as desired. They simply serve as convenient storage locations for the camera user and have no impact on the operation of the camera. The five values are designated as Value 1, Value 2, Value 3, Value 4, and Value 5.
Features 10.14 Configuration Sets A configuration set is a group of values that contains all of the parameter settings needed to control the camera. There are three basic types of configuration sets: the active set, the default set, and user sets. The Active Set The active set contains the camera’s current parameter settings and thus determines the camera’s performance, that is, what your image currently looks like.
Features User Sets As mentioned above, the active configuration set is stored in the camera’s volatile memory and the settings are lost if the camera is reset or if power is switched off. The camera can save most of the settings from the current active set to a reserved area in the camera’s non-volatile memory. A configuration set that has been saved in the non-volatile memory is not lost when the camera is reset or switched off.
Features 10.14.1 Selecting a Factory Setup as the Default Set When the camera is delivered, the Auto Functions Factory Setup will be selected as the default set. You can, however, select any one of the three factory setups to serve as the default set. Selecting which factory setup will serve as the default set is only allowed when the camera is idle, i.e. when it is not acquiring images continuously or does not have a single image acquisition pending.
Features 10.14.2 Saving User Sets You can save the current parameter set being used by the camera (i.e., the "active" set in the camera’s volatile memory) to user set 1, user set 2, or user set 3. The user sets are stored in the camera’s non-volatile memory and will be retained when the camera power is switched off or the camera is reset. When you save the active set to a user set, any parameter data already in that user set will be overwritten.
Features 10.14.3 Loading a Saved User Set or the Default Set into the Active Set If you have saved a configuration set into one of the user sets in the camera’s non-volatile memory, you can load the saved user set into the camera’s active set. When you do this, the parameters stored in the user set overwrite the parameters in the active set. Since the settings in the active set control the current operation of the camera, the settings from the loaded user set will now be controlling the camera.
Features Loading a Set Using Direct Register Access To load a saved user set or the default set from the camera’s non-volatile memory into the active set via direct register access: Set the value of the User Set Selector register to User Set 1, 2, or 3, or to the Default set as desired. Set the value of the User Set Load register to 1. For more information about direct register access, see Section 3.2 on page 19.
Features 10.14.4 Selecting a "Startup" Set You can select the default set or one of the user sets stored in the camera’s non-volatile memory to be the "startup" set. The configuration set that you select as the startup set will be loaded into the active set whenever the camera starts up at power on or after a reset.
Features 222 Basler ace Camera Link
Technical Support 11 Technical Support This chapter outlines the resources available to you if you need help working with your camera. 11.1 Technical Support Resources If you need advice about your camera or if you need assistance troubleshooting a problem with your camera, you can contact the Basler technical support team for your area. Basler technical support contact information is located in the front pages of this manual.
Technical Support 11.3 Before Contacting Basler Technical Support To help you as quickly and efficiently as possible when you have a problem with a Basler camera, it is important that you collect several pieces of information before you contact Basler technical support. Copy the form that appears on the next two pages, fill it out, and fax the pages to your local dealer or to your nearest Basler support center.
Technical Support 1. The camera’s product ID: 2. The camera’s serial number: 3. Your operating system: 4. Frame grabber that you use with the camera: 5. Describe the problem in as much detail as possible: (If you need more space, use an extra sheet of paper.) 6. If known, what’s the cause of the problem? 7. When did/does the problem occur? At startup. While running. After a certain action (e.g., a change of parameters): 8. How often did/does the problem occur? Once. Every time.
Technical Support 9. How severe is the problem? Camera can still be used. Camera can be used after I take this action: Camera can no longer be used. 10. Did your application ever run without problems? 11. Parameter set Yes No It is very important for Basler technical Support to get a copy of the exact camera parameters that you were using when the problem occurred. To make note of the parameters, use Basler’s pylon Viewer tool.
Revision History Revision History Doc. ID Number Date Changes AW00098501000 16 Feb 2011 Preliminary release of this document. Applies to prototype cameras only. AW00098502000 1 Apr 2011 Second preliminary release. Added information for the acA2000-340km/kc, acA2040-70km/kc, and acA2040-180km/kc models. Added information for the new stacked zone imaging, sequencer, and error detection features. Applies to prototype cameras only. AW00098503000 6 Jun 2011 Third preliminary release.
Revision History 228 Basler ace Camera Link
Index Index Numerics 1X10-1Y tap geometry ...........................151 1X2-1Y tap geometry .............................146 1X3-1Y tap geometry .............................147 1X4-1Y tap geometry .............................148 1X6-1Y tap geometry .............................149 1X8-1Y tap geometry .............................150 A acquisition frame count parameter .....69, 71 acquisition start trigger details.................................................67 introduction...........................
Index electrostatic discharge ...............................8 EMI.............................................................8 environmental requirements ...................... 9 error detection ........................................206 ESD............................................................8 exposure active signal ...........................107 exposure auto ........................................200 exposure modes timed ..................................................85 trigger width .....
Index O optical size, sensor.................................2, 3 output line electrical characteristics .....................39 invert ..................................................57 response time.....................................42 selecting a source signal....................53 voltage requirements..........................39 overlapped exposure................................94 overtrigger error..................................97, 99 overtriggering ...........................................
Index U use case diagrams .................................119 user configuration set.............................216 user defined values ................................ 214 user output selector .................................55 user output value parameter .................... 55 V ventilation ...................................................9 vertical binning .......................................174 viewer.......................................................18 W weight..........................
