Light Control Feature Set#
The Light Control feature set is based on the SLP protocol that enables cameras and light devices to communicate directly with each other. A light device can be a third-party light or a light from the Basler Camera Light portfolio. If you want to use a third-party light, you need the Basler SLP Strobe Controller to enable the communication between the camera and the light. If you choose a Basler light, a separate controller is not required as the controller features are already included. Both options are plug-and-play.
Using the Feature#
Configuring the Basler Light / Light Controller#
- If you haven't done so yet, connect the controller and the light.
- Enable the Polling option in the pylon Viewer.
- Set the
BslLightControlMode
parameter toOn
.
TheBslLightControlSource
parameter will show which GPIO line of the camera is used to control the light features.
If you're connecting a new controller, it will automatically be assigned the next available light device ID. - Execute the
BslLightControlEnumerateDevices
command. - If you have several Basler lights or light controllers in your environment, set the
BslLightDeviceSelector
parameter to the device that you want to configure.
Make sure that there are no light device ID conflicts. -
Specify whether you want to control the light device using current or voltage via the
BslLightDeviceControlMode
parameter.Info
Note that every time you're switching from current to voltage or vice versa, there is a short initialization phase of the controller during which all connected lights light up. This can last for up to 15 s and is normal behavior.
-
Set the
BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent
parameter to the maximum current rating of your light.
This ensures that your light will not get damaged and that you can safely use the whole current range of your light using theBslLightDeviceBrightness
parameter.
You can only change theBslLightDeviceMaxCurrent
parameter value, when theBslLightDeviceOperationMode
parameter is set toOff
. - Set the
BslLightDeviceBrightness
parameter to the desired brightness.
This parameter can be set in a range from 0 to 100 %. 100 % corresponds to the current that you have specified with theBslLightDeviceMaxCurrent
parameter. 50 % will reduce the current by a factor of 2. The controller doesn't use pulse width modulation (PWM). - Set the
BslLightDeviceOperationMode
parameter to the desired mode:On
: This will make the light shine continuously.Strobe
: This will set the light to strobe mode. You can configure the strobe mode with theBslLightDeviceStrobeMode
andBslLightDeviceStrobeDuration
parameters.
Configuring the Strobe Mode#
One of the advantages of the strobe mode is that it can help to increase the life expectancy of your light. By not operating it continuously but like a flash when needed, less heat is generated in the LEDs. This slows down the aging process of the lights. The other advantage is that while in strobe mode you can overdrive the lights, i.e., increase the current supplied to a maximum of 10 A, which increases the brightness of your light. Before you do so, read the instructions in the Overdrive Mode section.
If you have set the BslLightDeviceOperationMode
parameter to Strobe
, use the BslLightControlTriggerMode
parameter to determine how to trigger the light. Depending on your camera model, different trigger modes are available:
ExposureActive
FlashWindow
(only available on camera models with rolling shutter mode)
Info
The implementation of the Flash Window signal in connection with the Light Control feature set is still under development. Especially with very short Flash Window signals, the results may not be satisfactory (some lines in the resulting images may be too bright while others are too dark).
To control the duration of the individual strobe pulses, you have to specify whether you want automatic or manual strobe operation using the BslLightDeviceStrobeMode
parameter.
Automatic
: The duration of the individual strobe pulses is controlled by theExposureTime
parameter. The strobe lasts for the duration of the exposure time that you have specified. If you're operating the camera at the upper end of its capabilities, overtriggering may occur. For more information, see the Troubleshooting section.Manual
: You can define the duration of the individual strobe pulses yourself using theBslLightDeviceStrobeDuration
parameter.
Info
If you're using the Trigger Width exposure mode, the Sequencer feature, or any of the camera's auto functions (e.g., Auto Exposure, Auto Gain) you have to use the Manual
strobe mode.
Info
The camera uses the same line for triggering the light and transmitting any changes of light control parameter settings. As parameter changes take precedence, during this time the line will not be available for the trigger signal and strobe operation will be disrupted. To avoid this, check the BslLightControlStatus
. If the value is Ready
, it means that the light device is ready to receive a trigger. Alternatively, only change parameter settings while the strobe mode is disabled.
Overdrive Mode#
Overdriving your light means that you can increase the current, resulting in a higher light intensity, while the light is in strobe mode.
NOTICE – Incorrect operation may damage your lights.
Carefully read the instructions in this section to avoid damaging the connected lights and to ensure that the lights don't age prematurely.
When using the overdrive mode, you have to consider the following aspects to avoid damaging your light:
- As the increased current flow will cause the LEDs to heat up more, you have to allow sufficient time between individual strobe pulses for the light to cool down again. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the intensity of the pulse, the more time you should leave between pulses.
- Be careful not to accidentally switch to continuous light operation. The overdrive current may damage your light immediately.
- Check with the manufacturer of your light if you're not sure what the maximum current is that your light can withstand in strobe mode. Normally, it's much less than the 10 A that the Basler SLP Strobe Controller can supply.
- Consider the exposure time as this affects the length and the duty cycle of the pulses.
Changing the Light Device ID#
To change the ID of a light:
- Set the
BslLightControlMode
parameter toOn
. - Set the
BslLightDeviceOperationMode
parameter toOff
. - Set the
BslLightDeviceSelector
parameter to the Basler light / controller whose ID you want to change. - Set the
BslLightDeviceChangeID
parameter to the desired value.
The ID will be changed immediately.
Info
Using More Than One Light Controller
When using more than one light controller, you have to make sure that their IDs are all different. Using controllers with identical IDs will cause communication errors. Duplicate IDs can occur, if you're connecting new controllers for the first time because all controllers are shipped with the light device ID set to 7. It can also occur when connecting existing controllers from another system as light device IDs are remembered by the controller once they have been set. The best way to prevent conflicts, is to connect controllers one after the other and always assign a new and unique ID after having connected a controller.
Troubleshooting#
Checking and Clearing Errors#
The light / light controller can detect errors that you can correct yourself. Check the BslLightDeviceLastError
parameter to find out which error has occurred. After you have corrected the error, you can clear it from the list.
Up to 25 errors can be stored. If a 26th error occurs, the oldest error will be overwritten and so on.
If you have several lights / light controllers connected, the BslLightControlErrorStatus
tells you which device is experiencing problems.
Checking and clearing errors is an iterative process, depending on how many errors have occurred.
To check and clear errors:
- To check the last error that has occurred, get the value of the
BslLightDeviceLastError
parameter. - Correct the corresponding error.
- To delete the last error from the list of errors, execute the
BslLightDeviceClearLastError
command. - Continue getting and deleting the last error until the
BslLightDeviceLastError
parameter showsNoError
.
Available Error Codes
Value | Meaning |
---|---|
No Error | The light / light controller hasn't detected any errors since the last time the error memory was cleared. |
Communication Error | A communication error occurs if the data transmission between the light / light controller and the camera is faulty. This can be caused by using cables that are too long or by too much noise on the line. |
Connection Error | A connection error occurs if the connection between the light / light controller and the camera is broken or if a communication error has already occurred. Other reasons may be loose connections or the controller being disconnected completely. |
Hardware Error | The light / light controller is experiencing a technical fault. Disconnecting and reconnecting the power supply may solve the issue. See Power-Cycling the Controller for more information. |
Overtriggering in Automatic Strobe Mode#
If you're operating the camera at the upper end of its capabilities, overtriggering of the light / light controller may occur. Overtriggering means that the light / light controller receives a trigger while it isn't ready for it, e.g., because it is still in the process of switching off the light. This would mean that the trigger is ignored and the light would not come on for the next exposure. To better understand this problem, consider the following example.
A camera that is capable of 100 fps is operated with the exposure time set to 50 ms, i.e., the camera would acquire 20 frames per second in quick succession without any pause between the exposures. This means that the trigger for the light / light controller would have to come exactly at the edge between two exposures. In practice, this is almost impossible because of an inherent jitter that causes the trigger to sometimes arrive while the light is still switching off. In those cases, the trigger will be ignored and the resulting image will be too dark.
Because the jitter is irregular, there is no precise method to prevent this happening. If you notice that some of your images are darker than the others, consider if operating the light in continuous mode is an option. You could also try adjusting the frame rate, e.g., using 19 fps instead of 20 fps.
Power-Cycling the Controller#
After power-cycling the controller, it can take up to five minutes for the controller to become available again. This is normal behavior. If you're using more than one controller, the other controllers need to be power-cycled as well even if they haven't experienced any faults.
First Image too Dark#
When setting the BslLightControlMode
to On
, there is a delay of up to 1 second until the light device is actually turned on. Because of this, the first image may be too dark. Either discard this image, or, if you need all images, only start image acquisition after a suitable delay, e.g., by using a timer.
Specifics#
Camera Model | Available Light Control Trigger Modes |
---|---|
a2A1920-51gcBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-51gcPRO | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-51gmBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-51gmPRO | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-160ucBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-160ucPRO | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-160umBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A1920-160umPRO | Feature not supported |
a2A3840-13gcBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A3840-13gmBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A3840-45ucBAS | Feature not supported |
a2A3840-45umBAS | Feature not supported |
acA640-90gc | Feature not supported |
acA640-90gm | Feature not supported |
acA640-90uc | Feature not supported |
acA640-90um | Feature not supported |
acA640-120gc | Feature not supported |
acA640-120gm | Feature not supported |
acA640-120uc | Feature not supported |
acA640-120um | Feature not supported |
acA640-121gm | Feature not supported |
acA640-300gc | Exposure Active |
acA640-300gm | Exposure Active |
acA640-750uc | Exposure Active |
acA640-750um | Exposure Active |
acA720-290gc | Exposure Active |
acA720-290gm | Exposure Active |
acA720-520uc | Exposure Active |
acA720-520um | Exposure Active |
acA780-75gc | Feature not supported |
acA780-75gm | Feature not supported |
acA800-200gc | Exposure Active |
acA800-200gm | Exposure Active |
acA800-510uc | Exposure Active |
acA800-510um | Exposure Active |
acA1280-60gc | Feature not supported |
acA1280-60gm | Feature not supported |
acA1300-22gc | Feature not supported |
acA1300-22gm | Feature not supported |
acA1300-30gc | Feature not supported |
acA1300-30gm | Feature not supported |
acA1300-30uc | Feature not supported |
acA1300-30um | Feature not supported |
acA1300-60gc | Feature not supported |
acA1300-60gm | Feature not supported |
acA1300-60gmNIR | Feature not supported |
acA1300-75gc | Exposure Active |
acA1300-75gm | Exposure Active |
acA1300-200uc | Exposure Active |
acA1300-200um | Exposure Active |
acA1440-73gc | Exposure Active |
acA1440-73gm | Exposure Active |
acA1440-220uc | Exposure Active |
acA1440-220um | Exposure Active |
acA1600-20gc | Feature not supported |
acA1600-20gm | Feature not supported |
acA1600-20uc | Feature not supported |
acA1600-20um | Feature not supported |
acA1600-60gc | Feature not supported |
acA1600-60gm | Feature not supported |
acA1920-25gc | Feature not supported |
acA1920-25gm | Feature not supported |
acA1920-25uc | Feature not supported |
acA1920-25um | Feature not supported |
acA1920-40gc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-40gm | Exposure Active |
acA1920-40uc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-40ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA1920-40um | Exposure Active |
acA1920-40umMED | Feature not supported |
acA1920-48gc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-48gm | Exposure Active |
acA1920-50gc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-50gm | Exposure Active |
acA1920-150uc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-150um | Exposure Active |
acA1920-155uc | Exposure Active |
acA1920-155ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA1920-155um | Exposure Active |
acA1920-155umMED | Feature not supported |
acA2000-50gc | Feature not supported |
acA2000-50gm | Feature not supported |
acA2000-50gmNIR | Feature not supported |
acA2000-165uc | Feature not supported |
acA2000-165um | Feature not supported |
acA2000-165umNIR | Feature not supported |
acA2040-25gc | Feature not supported |
acA2040-25gm | Feature not supported |
acA2040-25gmNIR | Feature not supported |
acA2040-35gc | Exposure Active |
acA2040-35gm | Exposure Active |
acA2040-55uc | Exposure Active |
acA2040-55um | Exposure Active |
acA2040-90uc | Feature not supported |
acA2040-90um | Feature not supported |
acA2040-90umNIR | Feature not supported |
acA2040-120uc | Exposure Active |
acA2040-120um | Exposure Active |
acA2440-20gc | Exposure Active |
acA2440-20gm | Exposure Active |
acA2440-35uc | Exposure Active |
acA2440-35ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA2440-35um | Exposure Active |
acA2440-35umMED | Feature not supported |
acA2440-75uc | Exposure Active |
acA2440-75ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA2440-75um | Exposure Active |
acA2440-75umMED | Feature not supported |
acA2500-14gc | Feature not supported |
acA2500-14gm | Feature not supported |
acA2500-14uc | Feature not supported |
acA2500-14um | Feature not supported |
acA2500-20gc | Exposure Active |
acA2500-20gcMED | Feature not supported |
acA2500-20gm | Exposure Active |
acA2500-20gmMED | Feature not supported |
acA2500-60uc | Exposure Active |
acA2500-60um | Exposure Active |
acA3088-16gc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA3088-16gm | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA3088-57uc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA3088-57um | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA3800-10gc | Feature not supported |
acA3800-10gm | Feature not supported |
acA3800-14uc | Feature not supported |
acA3800-14um | Feature not supported |
acA4024-8gc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA4024-8gm | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA4024-29uc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA4024-29um | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA4096-11gc | Exposure Active |
acA4096-11gm | Exposure Active |
acA4096-30uc | Exposure Active |
acA4096-30ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA4096-30um | Exposure Active |
acA4096-30umMED | Feature not supported |
acA4096-40uc | Exposure Active |
acA4096-40ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA4096-40um | Exposure Active |
acA4096-40umMED | Feature not supported |
acA4112-8gc | Exposure Active |
acA4112-8gm | Exposure Active |
acA4112-20uc | Exposure Active |
acA4112-20ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA4112-20um | Exposure Active |
acA4112-20umMED | Feature not supported |
acA4112-30uc | Exposure Active |
acA4112-30ucMED | Feature not supported |
acA4112-30um | Exposure Active |
acA4112-30umMED | Feature not supported |
acA4600-7gc | Feature not supported |
acA4600-10uc | Feature not supported |
acA5472-5gc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA5472-5gm | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA5472-17uc | Exposure Active Flash Window |
acA5472-17um | Exposure Active Flash Window |
boA4096-93cc | Feature not supported |
boA4096-93cm | Feature not supported |
boA4112-68cc | Feature not supported |
boA4112-68cm | Feature not supported |
daA1280-54lc | Feature not supported |
daA1280-54lm | Feature not supported |
daA1280-54uc | Feature not supported |
daA1280-54um | Feature not supported |
daA1600-60lc | Feature not supported |
daA1600-60lm | Feature not supported |
daA1600-60uc | Feature not supported |
daA1600-60um | Feature not supported |
daA1920-15um | Feature not supported |
daA1920-30uc | Feature not supported |
daA1920-30um | Feature not supported |
daA2500-14lc | Feature not supported |
daA2500-14lm | Feature not supported |
daA2500-14uc | Feature not supported |
daA2500-14um | Feature not supported |
daA2500-60mc | Feature not supported |
daA2500-60mci | Feature not supported |
daA4200-30mci | Feature not supported |
puA1280-54uc | Feature not supported |
puA1280-54um | Feature not supported |
puA1600-60uc | Feature not supported |
puA1600-60um | Feature not supported |
puA1920-30uc | Feature not supported |
puA1920-30um | Feature not supported |
puA2500-14uc | Feature not supported |
puA2500-14um | Feature not supported |
Sample Code#
// Enable the light control mode
camera.BslLightControlMode.SetValue(BslLightControlMode_On);
//Enumerate the light devices
camera.BslLightControlEnumerateDevices.Execute();
//Select light device 1
camera.BslLightDeviceSelector.SetValue(BslLightDeviceSelector_Device1);
//Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA
camera.BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent.SetValue(100.0);
//Set the brightness to 100 %
camera.BslLightDeviceBrightness.SetValue(100.0);
//Set the operation mode to continuous
camera.BslLightDeviceOperationMode.SetValue(BslLightDeviceOperationMode_On);
INodeMap& nodemap = camera.GetNodeMap();
// Enable the light control mode
CEnumerationPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightControlMode"))->FromString("On");
// Enumerate the light devices
CCommandPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightControlEnumerateDevices"))->Execute();
// Select light device 1
CEnumerationPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightDeviceSelector"))->FromString("Device1");
// Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA
CFloatPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent"))->SetValue(100.0);
// Set the brightness to 100 %
CFloatPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightDeviceBrightness"))->SetValue(100.0);
// Set the operation mode to continuous
CEnumerationPtr(nodemap.GetNode("BslLightDeviceOperationMode"))->FromString("On");
INodeMap& nodemap = camera.GetNodeMap();
// Enable the light control mode
CEnumParameter(nodemap, "BslLightControlMode").SetValue("On");
// Enumerate the light devices
CCommandParameter(nodemap, "BslLightControlEnumerateDevices").Execute();
// Select light device 1
CEnumParameter(nodemap, "BslLightDeviceSelector").SetValue("Device1");
// Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA
CFloatParameter(nodemap, "BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent").SetValue(100.0);
// Set the brightness to 100 %
CFloatParameter(nodemap, "BslLightDeviceBrightness").SetValue(100.0);
// Set the operation mode to continuous
CEnumParameter(nodemap, "BslLightDeviceOperationMode").SetValue("On");
// Enable the light control mode
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightControlMode].SetValue(PLCamera.BslLightControlMode.On);
// Enumerate the light devices
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightControlEnumerateDevices].Execute();
// Select light device 1
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightDeviceSelector].SetValue(PLCamera.BslLightDeviceSelector.Device1);
// Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent].SetValue(100.0);
// Set the brightness to 100 %
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightDeviceBrightness].SetValue(100.0);
// Set the operation mode to continuous
camera.Parameters[PLCamera.BslLightDeviceOperationMode].SetValue(PLCamera.BslLightDeviceOperationMode.On);
// Enable the light control mode
Pylon.DeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightControlMode", "On");
// Enumerate the light devices
Pylon.DeviceExecuteCommandFeature(hdev, "BslLightControlEnumerateDevices");
// Select light device 1
Pylon.DeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightDeviceSelector", "Device1");
// Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA
Pylon.DeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev, "BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent", 100.0);
// Set the brightness to 100 %
Pylon.DeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev, "BslLightDeviceBrightness", 100.0);
// Set the operation mode to continuous
Pylon.DeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightDeviceOperationMode", "On");
/* Macro to check for errors */
#define CHECK(errc) if (GENAPI_E_OK != errc) printErrorAndExit(errc)
GENAPIC_RESULT errRes = GENAPI_E_OK; /* Return value of pylon methods */
/* Enable the light control mode */
errRes = PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightControlMode", "On");
CHECK(errRes);
/* Enumerate the light devices */
errRes = PylonDeviceExecuteCommandFeature(hdev, "BslLightControlEnumerateDevices");
CHECK(errRes);
/* Select light device 1 */
errRes = PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightDeviceSelector", "Device1");
CHECK(errRes);
/* Set the maximum current of device 1 to 100 mA */
errRes = PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev, "BslLightDeviceMaxCurrent", 100.0);
CHECK(errRes);
/* Set the brightness to 100 % */
errRes = PylonDeviceSetFloatFeature(hdev, "BslLightDeviceBrightness", 100.0);
CHECK(errRes);
/* Set the operation mode to continuous */
errRes = PylonDeviceFeatureFromString(hdev, "BslLightDeviceOperationMode", "On");
CHECK(errRes);
You can also use the pylon Viewer to easily set the parameters.