Glossary
Last modified by Lev Andronov on 2024/10/31 15:35
This page contains most often used terms and concepts in our knowledge base. At the bottom of the page there is 3rd party software list with links to download.
Glossary
| Term | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| GPIO | Auxiliary I/O signals, also known as GPIO signals, are non-video digital signals that support various functions, such as trigger input or timer output. | |
| Bandwidth | Bandwidth refers to the capacity to transfer data. Higher bandwidth is required for faster transfer rates and can be increased by using a wider bus or raising the clock frequency of an interface or processing core. | |
| CXP | CoaXPress is an asymmetric high-speed communication standard primarily used for video and image data transfer. It supports the transmission of video data, control signals, triggers, and power over a single coaxial line. | |
| Exposure time | Refers to the period during which the image sensor of a video source is exposed to light. As the length of this period increases, so does the image brightness. | |
| Frame | A single image grabbed from a video source (typically the camera or camera simulator). | |
| Image acquisition | To acquire an image from a video source using the frame grabber (typically the camera or camera simulator). | |
| Latency | The time from when a command is sent to when its operation is started. | |
| PCIe | Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) is the standard for the computer bus that interfaces hardware devices, such as the frame grabber, with the computer. | |
| Payload | The data size transmitted per packet over the PCIe bus. Common payload sizes include 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, and 4096 bytes. | |
| PoCXP | Power-over-CoaXPress is the term for power transmitted to a video source over a coaxial cable using the CoaXPress standard. Power can be provided to a video source, at up to 13W per cable, at a nominal voltage of 24V. | |
| Analog Gain | Amplification of the analog pixel intensity signal to modify pixel values. Ideal analog gain would multiply the pixel intensity by a constant without adding noise, although in practice, analog gain introduces random noise. | |
| Aperture (Lens) | The opening, often of adjustable diameter, through which light enters into the camera. | |
| Area Scan | A method of image acquisition using a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements or a photosensitive surface. | |
| Binary | The base 2 numbering system used by most computers and digital circuits. | |
| Bit | The smallest, fundamental unit of binary data. | |
| Bits per Pixel | Number of bits assigned to represent intensity or color information in a single pixel. For example, 8 bits per pixel yields 256 distinct grey levels. | |
| Buffer or 'Frame Buffer' | An image buffer dedicated to receive video frames from a camera at video rate or for sending frames to a display device at display rate. | |
| C-Mount Lens | A lens specification where mounting threads are 1-inch diameter with 32 threads per inch, and 17.526 mm from the back mounting flange to the image sensor. | |
| Flat Field Correction (FFC) | Corrects an image for the effects of a sensor or camera's photo response non-uniformity and/or fixed pattern noise. | |
| Interrupt | Technique used to determine when a device requires attention by altering processor execution in a controlled manner, as opposed to polling. | |
| Line Scan | A video acquisition method using a one-dimensional array of photosensitive elements. A two-dimensional image is created by moving the sensor relative to the object being imaged. | |
| LVTTL | Single-ended signaling format for binary data using levels of 0.0 and +3.3 volts. Also referred to as 3.3V TTL. | |
| Mapping | A correspondence between one set of objects to another, often used to convert measured units to real-world units. | |
| Monochrome | An image representation using shades of a single color, typically black, white, and grey. | |
| M.2 | A specification for expansion cards and connectors, with the M-Key variation supporting the PCIe x4 Gen 2 interface. | |
| Pixel | The fundamental unit of digital imaging, representing intensity and color. Sometimes used to refer to the light-sensitive cells in imaging sensors. | |
| Binning | The process of combining pixel values to create a smaller image. Binning by a factor of ×2 yields an image with ¼ the number of pixels. | |
| ROI | Region of Interest, an area of an image subject to modification or analysis. | |
| Rolling Shutter | A mechanism within some CCD or CMOS sensors where each line or column of photosites are exposed at different or overlapping times. Best used for stationary or slowly moving objects. | |
| White Balance | Adjustments to a color image or video to ensure a whitish object appears white, accounting for the illumination’s color temperature. | |
| YCrCb | A color space where the Y component represents brightness and Cr and Cb represent color differences. | |
| RGB | A color space composed of red, green, and blue components, commonly used in video hardware. RGB color intensity varies across different hardware. |
3rd party soft
Tera Term
Tera Term is a free and open-source terminal emulator software that supports various communication protocols to access hardware devices, like routers, switches, and microcontrollers, as well as for remote access to servers and network equipment over SSH or Telnet.
CP210x USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers - Silicon Labs (silabs.com)
StreamPix
Norpix StreamPix is a high-speed digital recording software for machine vision and scientific cameras. It allows users to capture from multiple cameras and supports 100+ cameras and frame grabbers from top manufacturers.