Automation Technology MCS 1280 Series, User Manual

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46 MCS Manual Rev. 1.4
Advanced AOI Functions
Automation Technology´s cameras feature an area CMOS sensor, whose frame rate depends on
the number of pixels to readout. By defining a sensor Area of Interest (AOI) the frame rate and
hence the profile speed will be significantly increased due to the smaller number of pixels to
readout.
In some cases, the AOI position may not be constant and it should follow the image of laser line
on the camera sensor. The camera features functions for performing an automatic AOI positioning
(AOI-Search) as well as line tracking (AOI-Tracking).
AOI-Search
The AOI-Search mode can be used in 2D mode as well as in 3D mode and has the benefit to adjust
the AOI at the start of the acquisition to the optimal position of the laser line. In that case the
laser line is automatically centered to the AOI.
The user must only define the minimum required AOI-Height (number of required sensor rows)
for the expected laser line and afterwards the camera will adjust the vertical AOI-Offset
(AoiOffsetY) value to the best position.
AOI-Tracking
The automatic AOI-Tracking is the dynamic version of the static AOI-Search mode. While the AOI-
Search is only working at the beginning of each 3D acquisition, the AOI-Tracking mode is working
continuously during 3D image acquisition.
Thus, 3D profile acquisition with AOI-Tracking is able to cover the complete image/sensor size
although the defined AOI size could be much smaller. This is very useful in case of applications
involving continuous profile measurements with variable distances to the surface.
A detailed description of these functions can be found in a separate
application note.