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Using Matrox Iris GTR with MIL


To use Matrox Iris GTR, you must allocate it as a MIL Iris GTR system (M_SYSTEM_IRIS_GTR), using MsysAlloc(). This allocation opens communication with Matrox Iris GTR and allows MIL to use its resources. To grab images from your Matrox Iris GTR, you must allocate a single digitizer, using MdigAlloc() with M_DEV0. You can allocate a MIL Iris GTR system for your board in multiple processes (executables). However, only one digitizer can be allocated at a time for your Matrox Iris GTR's image sensor (across all processes).

To set up grabbing with triggers, use MdigControl() with M_GRAB_TRIGGER....

Refer to the Matrox Iris GTR release notes for any additions/modifications to the MIL Hardware-specific Notes in this chapter and in the MIL Reference.

To display only the Matrox Iris GTR information in this help file, go to the Customize MIL Help section of Chapter 0: About MIL help. Select the Matrox Iris GTR option from the MIL Systems drop-down list. Unselect all others. Select the Non-Matrox computer option from the Computer drop-down list.

Matrox Iris GTR with MIL is preinstalled with the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise operating system, and a runtime license for MIL. The runtime license includes the Industrial and Robot Communication module (Mcom). This might change over time; contact your Matrox representative for more information. This license also allows for Distributed MIL configurations.

Using the Advanced I/O Engine with Matrox Iris GTR

Matrox Iris GTR has an Advanced I/O Engine that controls the auxiliary I/O interface. The Advanced I/O Engine includes 7 auxiliary signals (4 inputs and 3 outputs), 1 analog intensity control signal, 8 general timers, 1 exposure timer, 1 strobe timer, 1 quadrature decoder, and 1 I/O command list (with 2 reference latches). For more information on some of these features, refer to Chapter 41: I/O signals and communicating with external devices.

Note, to program the exposure timer, use MdigControl() with M_EXPOSURE...; whereas, to control the strobe timer, use MdigControl() with M_TIMER... + M_TIMER_STROBE.

Using the analog intensity control signal with Matrox Iris GTR

Matrox Iris GTR has an analog intensity control signal that provides a slow changing analog intensity (dimming) control signal from 0-10 VDC. This control signal can be used to set the intensity for a light controller (such as, an Advanced Illumination inline control system, a Smart Vision Lights brick light, or similar device). This signal should not be used to draw any current or drive power; it should only be used as a reference voltage for dimming control. To set the intensity of the light controller, connect the lighting controller's intensity pin directly to the analog intensity control pin and use MdigControl() with M_LIGHTING_BRIGHT_FIELD. To see an example of how to connect your light controller to the analog intensity control signal, refer to the Matrox Iris GTR Hardware and Installation manual.

Performing Bayer color conversion in hardware

Matrox Iris GTR color smart cameras use a sensor with a Bayer color filter (as specified by the DCF); when grabbing, the cameras perform Bayer color conversion in hardware before saving the images. If the images require white balancing, Matrox Iris GTR can perform this automatically in hardware if white balancing is enabled using MdigControl() with M_WHITE_BALANCE set to M_ENABLE. If performing white balancing, you can use the default white balance coefficients, automatically have them calculated (using MdigControl() with M_WHITE_BALANCE set to M_CALCULATE), or set explicit coefficients (M_BAYER_COEFFICIENTS_ID). For information on Bayer color conversion, refer to the Using images acquired with a Bayer color filter section of Chapter 21: Data buffers.

If you don't want to perform Bayer color conversion in hardware, disable it using MdigControl() with M_BAYER_CONVERSION set to M_ENABLE.

The M_BAYER... control types can only be used when grabbing from a color version of Matrox Iris GTR; otherwise, an error will be generated.