Using Camera Events in Third-party Applications

This application note lists some of the third-party software applications, commonly used with Teledyne FLIR GigE Vision and USB3 Vision cameras, which implement events. It also provides an image of the event configuration screen for the different software programs.

Preparing for Use

Before you use your camera, we recommend that you are aware of the following resources available from your product's webpage:

Getting Started Manual for the camera—provides information on installing components and software needed to run the camera.

Technical Reference for the camera—provides information on the camera’s specifications, features and operations, as well as imaging and acquisition controls.

Firmware updates—ensure you are using the most up-to-date firmware for the camera to take advantage of improvements and fixes.

Events

The GenICam standard describes an event as “a message that is sent to the host application to notify it of the occurrence of an internal event.” One common use is in an automated inspection system, where the camera’s “Exposure_End” event signals to the application that the camera has finished an exposure and is ready to acquire the next image. The application then sets up the next item for inspection by the camera.

Camera with Event Enabled 

cqm78928.jpg

Example of machine vision application with Exposure_End event enabled.

  1. Image is captured.
  2. Camera fires and sends Exposure_end event to PC.
  3. PC communicates to conveyor belt, and tells it to move.
  4. PC receives image from camera and inspects it.

Third-party Software Overview

Here are some third-party software programs, commonly used with GigE Vision and USB3 Vision cameras, which implement events. The details of the tested camera models are found in the separate section for each software program. Not all combinations listed as Supported were tested.

 

The FlyCapture2 software does not support Events. In some cases, polling the camera for information is sufficient. However, doing so consumes additional CPU resources.

 

Third-party Software GigE -- Blackfly
and Grasshopper3
USB3 -- Blackfly
and Grasshopper 3
National Instruments Supported Supported
Adaptive Vision Supported Not Tested
Matrox Imaging Supported Supported
MVTec Supported Supported
Pleora Technologies Not Tested Supported

Third-party Software Support

Adaptive Vision

Tested configurations
Software Adaptive Vision Studio 4.1.2.40231 (x64)
Operating System Windows 7 x64
Tested camera GS3-PGE-23S6C firmware 1.6.3.0

This is the event configuration screen for Adaptive Vision.

 

Matrox Imaging

Tested configurations  
Software MIL 10 (Build 2564) 64 bit
Example CameraEvents
Example Path C:\Users\Public\Documents\Matrox Imaging\MIL\Examples\BoardSpecific\CameraEvents
Operating System Windows 7 x64
Tested cameras GS3-U3-23S6M firmware 2.8.3.0
GS3-PGE-23S6C firmware 1.6.3.0
Related articles Getting Started with Matrox Imaging Library
Using USB3 Vision Cameras with Matrox Imaging Library

This is the event configuration screen for Matrox Imaging.

MVTec

Tested configuration
Software HALCON 12
Example ia_callback
Example path C:\Users\Public\Documents\MVTec\HALCON-12.0\examples\cpp\console\vs2005
Operating system Windows 7 x64
Tested cameras GS3-U3-23S6M firmware 2.10.3.0
GS3-PGE-23S6C firmware 1.6.3.0
Related articles Getting Started with MVTec HALCON
Using USB3 Vision Cameras with MVTec HALCON 11

This is the event configuration screen for MVTec.

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National Instruments

Tested configuration  
Software Measurement & Automation Explorer (NI-MAX) version 15.0.0f0
Operating System Windows 7 x64
Tested cameras GS3-PGE-23S6C firmware 1.6.3.0
Flea3-U3-13S2C firmware 2.16.3.0
Example Register Event vi
Related articles Getting Started with NI-MAX and LabVIEW
Using USB3 Vision Cameras with National Instruments Vision Acquisition Software

Note: In order to receive Events, you must use the drivers that come with NI-MAX version 15.0 or higher and you must turn off the Windows firewall.

To enable Event:

  1. Open NI-MAX (version 15.0 or higher).
  2. Under Devices and Interfaces, select the camera.
  3. In the Camera Attributes tab, expand Event Control drop-down.
  4. In Event Selector, select Expsoure End.
  5. In Event Notification, select On.

  6. Run Register Event vi.

Pleora

Tested configuration
Software eBUS Player version 4.0.6.3228
Operating System Windows 7 x64
Tested camera GS3-U3-23S6M firmware 2.10.3.0

This is the event configuration screen for Pleora.