Press Release

23.08.07“Pump Up Your Pike” - AVT Pike Performance Update

Allied Vision Technologies updates its top model by adding new smart camera functions for improved image quality, optimized performance, and easier, faster development of image processing systems.

(Picture and text downloads below)

One year after its market launch, the Pike camera family from Allied Vision Technologies has established itself successfully in the market in the “double speed” class. This top model of the leading camera manufacturer is intended for applications that require a camera with a data rate between 33 and 64 Mbytes/Sec. Now the fast IEEE 1394b camera has additional functions that improve picture quality, optimize speed and the reactivity of the applications, and facilitate the integration of the camera in the image processing system during the development phase.
 
Improved picture quality: Anti-smear and 8x binning
With the performance update, the Pike receives an anti-smear function and an unprecedented degree of sensitivity, thanks to new 4x and 8x binning modes.

Short exposure times and plenty of light are important requirements for many applications. These are often precisely the factors that place the greatest challenges on an image sensor. With these settings, CCD sensors tend to have an annoying effect called “smearing”, where vertical lines appear on the picture. The Pike’s new anti-smear function reduces the smear effect significantly, thus creating a better basis for an error-free image analysis.

Thanks to 4x and 8x binning, remarkably high sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratios can be achieved with the updated Pike for applications that require a degree of sensitivity which cannot be achieved using a regular image capture mode. “Binning” is a function where the camera adds together the values of neighboring pixels. Combining two pixels halves the resolution of the picture, but doubles the sensitivity – in other words, brightness and exposure control – and increases the signal-to-noise ratio by 41%. Thanks to the performance update, from now on even four or eight neighboring pixels per axis can be combined with the Pike, with spectacular results for the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio values:

Speed: Optimized data rate and faster switching of settings
The digital FireWire standard (IEEE 1394), developed in 1995, was conceived and improved for image data of 8 and 16 bits per pixel. With this standard, reserves that unnecessarily limit the transmission rate remain unused for images with 10, 12, or 14 bits per second. With the Pike performance update, Allied Vision Technologies uses these reserves by integrating a “packed 12 bit” mode, which increases the transmission rate by up to 33%.

Another decisive factor for performing automated inspection is the speed with which a camera can deliver a sequence of frames with different settings. In this regard the new Sequence mode of the AVT Pike is establishing new standards: via a list saved inside the camera memory, more than 30 different sets of parameters can be stored ahead of time in the Pike. All that is then needed during the automated inspection process is the trigger in order to work off the camera’s list – re-parameterization is no longer necessary. Since the list can be controlled via an input port of the camera in addition to the trigger, event-controlled use of the camera is still possible.

Retrieval of predefined sets of parameters in the Sequence mode requires that these sets are known beforehand, which is the case in typical automation applications. However, there are also many applications where the camera settings have to be adjusted intuitively and depending on the specific situation – for each new picture to boot. For these instances Allied Vision Technologies is expanding the Pike with “Quick Format Change” modes, where the values transmitted to the camera automatically trigger the next desired picture setting.

Secure image signature: A valuable aid in system development
The new SIS function (Secure Image Signature) simplifies the control and handling of many data, and in addition monitors the trigger modules of the image processing system, opening up new possibilities during the development and debugging phase. This function stamps important data and camera settings that applied at the time of exposure onto the picture, to be transferred in machine-readable form. The PC therefore permanently stores into the picture answers to such questions as when the picture was taken, with which camera, what the exposure and the area of interest were, etc.

SIS gives developers the chance to make their system generally error-free and at the same time to reduce complexity and costs.

Available in mid-August
“With the performance update, the Pike camera for sophisticated image processing applications will become even more powerful,” says Ingo Lewerendt, product manager of Allied Vision Technologies. The highlight: the new functions can also be easily and conveniently retrofitted for already installed Pike cameras via firmware update and the FireWire interface. As part of this Pike model update, a 15 fps version of the Pike F-145 with 1.4-megapixel resolution will complement the product family for applications with specific requirements for the highest possible image quality where high frame rate is not a top priority.

The Pike performance update will be available in mid-August 2007.