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Abstract

When modifications in a process control system are made, the software modifications must be made in the camera linked to the system, too. Both a programmer skilled in the process control system and a programmer skilled in camera programming are needed. This can be avoided when a adaptation program (710) is made for a smart camera (71). This program is able to transform the tasks given by the programmable logic (11) to a language understood by the camera software as well as to send the task results to the programmable logic. The command tasks are transmitted from the programmable logic to the smart camera, and correspondingly, the test results are transmitted to the programmable logic in messages of a known field bus protocol (e.g. Modbus), wherein the adaptation program acts as an interpreter between the bus protocol used and the specific camera software. In addition to the adaptation program another program is made for the programmable logic; this program may include any tasks to be given to the camera image-processing program provided that the tasks are incorporated in the adaptation program. The logic (11) program can now be modified at any time on the condition mentioned above, it can be included new tasks or the parameters of the existing tasks can be modified without any need for modifications in the camera (71) software or in the adaptation program.

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First Claim