An automatic coupling device and an automatic coupling method

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides an automatic coupling device and an automatic coupling method, relates to the technical field of optical communication, and is used for reducing manual operation procedures of devices with optical channels in a coupling packaging process and improving the problem of low production efficiency. The automatic coupling device comprises a first object table, a second object table, a first camera and a control device. The first object table is used for carrying a first coupling device with a first optical channel and the pose of the first coupling device is adjustable. The second object table is used for carrying a second coupling device with a second optical channel. The first camera is used for photographing the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, and the focusing position is adjustable in the photographing direction. The control device is configured to adjust the pose of the first object table according to the image photographed by the first camera, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the first optical channel is coupled and aligned with the second optical channel. The device can be used for automatic coupling of the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an automatic coupling device and an automatic coupling method. Background Technology

[0002] In optical applications such as optical communication and optical sensing, there are many situations where optical devices need to be coupled and packaged with fiber arrays (FAs) and planar lightwave circuits (PLCs). In related technologies, the coupling alignment of the fiber array and the planar lightwave circuit typically requires actively detecting the optical power loss value to determine if the coupling status meets the requirements. However, some steps in the entire active coupling process, such as manual fiber stripping and splicing, still rely on manual operation.

[0003] The manual operation required in the above-mentioned active coupling packaging method leads to low overall production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an automatic coupling device and method to reduce manual operation steps in the coupling and packaging process of devices with optical channels, thereby improving the problem of low production efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an automatic coupling device, which includes a first stage, a second stage, a first camera, and a control device; wherein, the first stage is used to carry a first coupling device and its pose is adjustable; the first coupling device includes a first optical channel; the second stage is used to carry a second coupling device, and the second coupling device includes a second optical channel.

[0007] The first camera is located above the first stage and the second stage, and is used to take pictures of the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device. The focus position is adjustable in the shooting direction. The control device is electrically connected to both the first stage and the first camera. It is configured to control the first camera to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focus positions, and to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the captured image, so that the first coupling device moves to the position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coupled and aligned.

[0008] In the automatic coupling device provided in this application embodiment, multiple images are obtained by controlling a first camera to capture images of the first and second coupling devices at different focusing positions. Analysis of these images yields the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second optical channels, which have a coupling correspondence. Based on this three-dimensional coordinate information, the pose of the first stage can be adjusted, causing the first coupling device to move to the position where the first and second optical channels are coupled and aligned; thus achieving automatic coupling alignment. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual operation, resulting in high production efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first camera includes a camera body, a lens, and a focus adjustment device; at least one of the camera body and the lens is mounted on the focus adjustment device, which is used to change the focus position of the first camera by adjusting the distance between the camera body and the lens, or by adjusting the distance between the lens and a first coupling device and a second coupling device. This design, while enabling the first camera to adjust its focus position, also improves design flexibility and helps reduce the cost of the first camera.

[0010] In some embodiments, the magnification of the first camera is greater than or equal to 10x. This design allows for magnified imaging of the target positions of the first and second coupling devices, which is beneficial for obtaining more accurate three-dimensional coordinate information.

[0011] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a second camera electrically connected to the control device; the second camera is located above the first stage and the second stage, and is used to take pictures of the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; the magnification of the second camera is less than that of the first camera.

[0012] The control device is configured to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the image captured by the second camera, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet preset conditions; the preset conditions include that both the first coupling device and the second coupling device are in the field of view of the first camera.

[0013] This design allows the second camera to adjust the position of the first stage, ensuring that the first and second coupling devices are within the field of view of the first camera before it takes a picture.

[0014] In some embodiments, the shooting directions of both the first and second cameras are parallel to the vertical direction. This design facilitates the calculation of coordinate information and the amount of pose adjustment of the first stage.

[0015] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a support frame and a camera motion device. The camera motion device is mounted on the support frame, and the first camera and the second camera are mounted on the camera motion device. The camera motion device is used to drive the first camera and the second camera to move above the first stage and the second stage. By setting up the camera motion device, it is beneficial to adjust the shooting areas of the first camera and the second camera, so that the first camera and the second camera can meet different shooting needs; and by controlling the shooting areas, the requirements on the shooting range of the first camera and the second camera can also be reduced.

[0016] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a third camera electrically connected to a control device; the third camera is located on one side of the first stage and the second stage, and is used to capture images of the sides of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; the control device is configured to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the image captured by the third camera, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coarsely aligned in the height direction. This design allows for coarse alignment of the first optical channel and the second optical channel in the height direction using the third camera, thereby reducing the alignment difficulty of coupling alignment using the first camera.

[0017] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a coupling fixing device electrically connected to a control device, wherein the control device is configured to control the coupling fixing device to couple and fix the first coupling device and the second coupling device. This design enables automatic coupling and fixing of the first and second coupling devices, which is beneficial for improving production efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the coupling fixing component is a laser welding device. Laser welding devices offer the advantage of high coupling speed, thus further improving production efficiency.

[0019] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a third stage for supporting a third coupling device, and the third coupling device is adjustable in position; the third coupling device includes a third optical channel, and the second coupling device also has a fourth optical channel.

[0020] The first camera is also used to photograph the top of the second and third coupling devices, and the focus position is adjustable in the shooting direction.

[0021] The control device is electrically connected to the third stage and is configured to control the first camera to take pictures of the third and second coupling devices at different focusing positions, and to adjust the position and orientation of the third stage according to the pictures.

[0022] The automatic coupling device provided in this application embodiment can also be applied to the automatic coupling of the first coupling device, the second coupling device and the third coupling device. It has good adaptability and can meet the needs of different scenarios.

[0023] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide an automatic coupling method, which is applied to the automatic coupling device of any one of the first aspects; the automatic coupling method includes:

[0024] The relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device are controlled to meet preset conditions; the preset conditions include that both the first coupling device and the second coupling device are located within the field of view of the first camera.

[0025] The first camera is controlled to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is calculated based on the captured images; wherein, the first positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the first optical channel, and the second positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the second optical channel.

[0026] Based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features, the pose adjustment amount for the first stage is obtained, and the pose of the first stage is adjusted according to the pose adjustment amount.

[0027] In some embodiments, controlling the first camera to capture images of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature based on the captured images, includes:

[0028] The first camera is controlled to capture a first image at an initial focus position, and a first target region and a second target region are selected in the first image; wherein the first target region and the second target region are local regions in the first image, the first target region includes at least one portion of a first optical channel, and the second target region includes at least one portion of a second optical channel;

[0029] A first positioning feature is selected on the first optical channel in the first target area, and a second positioning feature is selected on the second optical channel in the second target area; and the first coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated; wherein, the reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the first camera;

[0030] The focus position of the first camera is controlled to move in the shooting direction, and a picture is taken during the movement; the second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction is calculated based on the shooting result; wherein, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the first camera;

[0031] Based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is obtained.

[0032] In some embodiments, controlling the first camera to capture images of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature based on the captured images, includes:

[0033] The focus position of the first camera is controlled to move in the shooting direction, and multiple images are captured on the first coupling device and the second coupling device during the movement.

[0034] A first target region and a second target region are selected in multiple images. A first positioning feature is selected on the first optical channel of the first target region, and a second positioning feature is selected on the second optical channel of the second target region. The first target region and the second target region are local regions in the images. The first target region includes at least one part of the first optical channel, and the second target region includes at least one part of the second optical channel.

[0035] The second coordinate information of the first and second positioning features in the reference coordinate direction is calculated based on multiple images; wherein, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the first camera;

[0036] The first coordinate information of the first positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated based on the image focused on the first positioning feature from multiple images; the first coordinate information of the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated based on the image focused on the second positioning feature from multiple images; wherein, the reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the first camera;

[0037] Based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is obtained.

[0038] In some embodiments, after adjusting the pose of the first stage based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, the automatic coupling method further includes:

[0039] The first camera is controlled again to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is calculated based on the captured images;

[0040] When it is determined, based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features, that the positions of the first and second coupling devices do not meet the coupling alignment conditions, the pose adjustment amount for the first stage is calculated based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features. The pose of the first stage is adjusted according to the pose adjustment amount, and the above steps are repeated until the coupling alignment conditions are met.

[0041] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a second camera electrically connected to the control device; the second camera is located above the first stage and the second stage, and is used to capture images of the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; the field of view of the second camera is larger than that of the first camera.

[0042] In the automatic coupling method, controlling the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device to satisfy preset conditions includes:

[0043] Control the second camera to capture and form a second image; wherein the second image is a top image of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, including part or all of the outline of the first coupling device and the second coupling device;

[0044] Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the second image so that the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet the preset conditions.

[0045] In some embodiments, the preset conditions also include that the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coarsely aligned in the channel width direction.

[0046] In some embodiments, the preset conditions further include that the first coupling device and the second optical channel are in a state of coarse alignment in the height direction.

[0047] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device further includes a third camera electrically connected to the control device;

[0048] The third camera is located on one side of the first stage and the second stage, and is used to take pictures of the sides of the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

[0049] In the automatic coupling method, controlling the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device to meet preset conditions includes:

[0050] Control the third camera to capture and form a third image; wherein the third image is a side view of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, including part or all of the outline of the first coupling device and the second coupling device;

[0051] Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the third image, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are roughly aligned in the height direction. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fiber optic array provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of an optical fiber provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of an automatic coupling device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of the control device in an automatic coupling device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an automatic coupling method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the first and second coupling devices provided in the embodiments of this application when they meet preset conditions;

[0058] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A flowchart of step S10 in one embodiment;

[0059] Figure 8 Another schematic diagram showing the first and second coupling devices provided in the embodiments of this application satisfying preset conditions;

[0060] Figure 9 for Figure 5 A flowchart of step S10 in another embodiment;

[0061] Figure 10 for Figure 5 A flowchart of step S20 in one embodiment;

[0062] Figure 11 A schematic diagram illustrating feature selection in a second image, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 12 This application provides a schematic diagram of selecting a positioning reference point in an optical fiber array.

[0064] Figure 13 Another schematic diagram illustrating feature selection in a second image provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 14 for Figure 5 A flowchart of step S20 in another embodiment;

[0066] Figure 15 A schematic diagram illustrating the coupling between a PLC optical splitter and its input fiber array and output fiber array, provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of another automatic coupling device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0068] In optical applications such as optical communication and optical sensing, there are many optical channel devices with optical channels, and many scenarios require coupling and encapsulating two optical channel devices to achieve optical channel alignment and connectivity. In this paper, the two optical channel devices that need to be coupled and aligned are referred to as the first coupling device and the second coupling device, respectively. The optical channel in the first coupling device that needs to be coupled and aligned is referred to as the first optical channel, and the optical channel in the second coupling device that needs to be coupled and aligned is referred to as the second optical channel.

[0069] The first coupling device and the second coupling device are coupled at their ends. The first coupling device includes a first coupling end face that abuts with the second coupling device, and the second coupling device includes a second coupling end face that abuts with the first coupling device. The end face of the first optical channel in the first coupling device is on the first coupling end face, and the end face of the second optical channel in the second coupling device is on the second coupling end face. When the first coupling end face and the second coupling end face are coupled and connected, the end faces of the first optical channel and the second optical channel are aligned and connected.

[0070] The number of first optical channels in the first coupling device is related to the type of the first coupling device; for example, it can be one, two, or more. The number and arrangement of second optical channels in the second coupling device are the same as those of the first optical channels.

[0071] The first and second coupling devices can be either optical waveguides or fiber arrays (FAs); both can be optical waveguides; or both can be fiber arrays. The optical waveguide is a device fabricated using optical waveguide technology, such as an optical splitter or an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) fabricated using planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology. The AWG can be based on silicon nitride or silicon-on-insulator (SOI). In these optical waveguide devices, the optical channel is the structure or transmission medium that guides light transmission, such as the fiber core in an FA or the waveguide in a PLC optical splitter.

[0072] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fiber optic array 1 includes optical fibers 3, a base plate 4, and a cover plate 2. Each optical fiber 3 includes a core 31 and a cladding 32, with the cladding 32 covering the outer periphery of the core 31. The core 31 is located at the center of the optical fiber 3. The number of optical fibers 3 in the fiber optic array 1 depends on the application scenario; for example, it can be one, two, or more fibers. The following description will use multiple optical fibers 3 as an example to illustrate the structure of the fiber optic array 1.

[0073] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 1The base plate 4 is provided with limiting grooves 5 for positioning the optical fibers 3. These limiting grooves 5 are typically V-shaped or trapezoidal grooves with an opening that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The number of limiting grooves 5 in the base plate 4 is at least equal to the number of optical fibers 3. During assembly, one optical fiber 3 is placed in one limiting groove 5, and multiple optical fibers 3 are placed in different limiting grooves 5. A cover plate 2 is fastened to the top of the base plate 4 to press and fix the optical fibers 3 located in the limiting grooves 5. In the aforementioned optical fiber array 1, the optical channel is the fiber core 31 of the optical fiber 3.

[0074] In related technologies, the coupling of the first and second coupling devices typically requires active detection to determine whether the alignment meets the coupling alignment requirements. Specifically, a light source is connected to the first coupling device to provide detection light input to the first optical channel. An optical power detection device is connected to the second coupling device to detect the optical power of the detection light output from the second optical channel. During the coupling alignment process of the first and second coupling devices, the optical power value detected by the optical power detection device is used to determine whether the coupling insertion loss of the first and second coupling devices meets the requirements.

[0075] During the above coupling process, it is usually necessary to manually connect the light source and the optical power meter, which makes the coupling operation cumbersome. In particular, when coupling the fiber array 1, it is necessary to manually strip the fiber 3 to connect the light source or optical power detection device, which will further reduce production efficiency.

[0076] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide an automatic coupling device and an automatic coupling method to improve the above-mentioned problems.

[0077] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them.

[0078] In the following embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive convenience only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, "upper", "lower", "left" and "right" are not limited to the orientation of the components in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms can be relative concepts, used for relative description and clarification, and can change accordingly depending on the orientation of the components in the accompanying drawings.

[0080] In the embodiments of this application, unless the context otherwise requires, the term "comprising" is interpreted as open and encompassing throughout the specification and claims, meaning "including, but not limited to." In the description of the specification, terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiment," "exemplarily," or "some examples" are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic associated with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics mentioned may be included in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0081] As used herein, “about,” “approximately,” or “approximately” includes the stated value and the average value within an acceptable range of deviation from the given value, wherein the acceptable range of deviation is determined by a person skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of the given quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0082] As used herein, “parallel,” “perpendicular,” and “equal” include the described situation and situations that are similar to the described situation, within an acceptable range of deviation, which is determined by those skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, “parallel” includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, where an acceptable range of deviation for approximate parallelism may be, for example, within 5°; “perpendicular” includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, where an acceptable range of deviation for approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, within 5°; “equal” includes absolute equality and approximate equality, where an acceptable range of deviation for approximate equality may be, for example, a difference between the two equals being less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0083] It should be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can mean that the layer or element is directly on the other layer or substrate, or that there is an intermediate layer between the layer or element and the other layer or substrate.

[0084] Exemplary embodiments are described in this application with reference to cross-sectional views and / or plan views and / or equivalent circuit diagrams, which are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions is enlarged for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings are contemplated due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Thus, exemplary embodiments should not be construed as being limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing processes. For example, etched regions shown as rectangular would typically have curved features. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to show the actual shapes of the regions of the device, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0085] This application provides an automatic coupling device that can be used to automatically couple a first coupling device and a second coupling device; the first coupling device and the second coupling device can be referred to the description above, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] like Figure 3 As shown, the automatic coupling device 6 includes a mounting platform 9, a first stage 7, a second stage 8, a support frame 13, a second camera 10, a first camera 11, a third camera 16, a coupling fixing device 12, and a control device. Figure 3 (Not shown in the image). The mounting platform 9 is an optical platform that provides a mounting base for the first stage 7, the second stage 8, and the support frame 13, and has a horizontally extending mounting plane. The first stage 7, the second stage 8, and the support frame 13 are all disposed on this mounting plane.

[0087] For ease of description, this document will use the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z as references to describe the automatic coupling device 6 and the automatic coupling method provided in the embodiments of this application. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are mutually perpendicular; the first direction X and the second direction Y are both horizontal, and the third direction Z is vertical. That is, the first direction X and the second direction Y are both parallel to the mounting plane, and the third direction Z is perpendicular to the mounting plane.

[0088] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 The first stage 7 and the second stage 8 are both mounted on the mounting platform 9 and are spaced apart in the first direction X. The first stage 7 has a first bearing surface parallel to the mounting plane on its top, away from the mounting platform 9. This first bearing surface supports the first coupling device 14. After the first coupling device 14 is loaded onto the first stage 7, the channel length direction of the first optical channel is parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the first coupling end face is located on the side of the first direction X closer to the second stage 8.

[0089] The first stage 7 is an adjustable stage. By adjusting its position, the first coupling device 14 can be moved in multiple dimensions, thereby changing its position. In this embodiment, the first stage 7 is an electrically driven six-axis displacement stage, which can translate along the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z, and can also rotate around an axis parallel to the first direction X, an axis parallel to the second direction Y, and an axis parallel to the third direction Z. By controlling the above-mentioned six-axis movement of the first stage 7, the position of the first stage 7 can be adjusted, thereby changing the position of the first coupling device 14.

[0090] The second stage 8 has a second bearing surface at its top, away from the mounting platform 9, and is used to support the second coupling device 15. The first bearing surface and the second bearing surface are at the same or substantially the same height relative to the mounting plane. After the second coupling device 15 is loaded onto the second stage 8, the channel length direction of the second optical channel is parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the second coupling end face is located on the side of the first direction X closer to the first stage 7. That is, after the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are loaded, the channel length directions of both the first and second optical channels are parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the first and second coupling end faces are in a position close to each other.

[0091] The second stage 8 can be a stage with a fixed posture, a stage with an electrically adjustable posture, or a stage with a manually adjustable posture; for example, it can be the same electric six-axis displacement stage as the first stage 7.

[0092] In addition, the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application embodiment also includes a clamp or other fixing device for fixing the first coupling device 14 on the first stage 7, and a clamp or other fixing device for fixing the second coupling device 15 on the second stage 8; this design can ensure that the first coupling device 14 has a fixed positional relationship with the first stage 7 and the second coupling device 15 has a fixed positional relationship with the second stage 8 during the coupling process.

[0093] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 The support frame 13 is mounted on the mounting platform 9 and includes a support beam located above the first platform 7 and the second platform 8, extending along a first direction X; it also includes two uprights arranged opposite each other in the first direction X, with the bottom ends of the two uprights mounted on the mounting platform 9 and the top ends connected to the two ends of the support beam respectively. The first camera 11, the second camera 10, the third camera 16, and the coupling fixing device 12 are all mounted on the support beam.

[0094] The second camera 10 is located above the first stage 7 and the second stage 8, and is used to capture images of the tops of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. The shooting direction of the second camera 10 can be parallel to the third direction Z, or it can be tilted relative to the third direction Z (the angle is less than 90 degrees). The shooting direction of the second camera 10 refers to the direction that the second camera 10 faces when shooting, and it is parallel to the optical axis of the lens in the second camera 10. In this embodiment, the shooting direction of the second camera 10 is parallel to the third direction Z.

[0095] In the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application embodiment, the field of view of the second camera 10 should meet the requirement that when the second camera 10 takes a picture of the top of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, it can capture part or all of the outer contours of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. Based on this, the second camera 10 is selected from a camera body and lens combination with a large field of view, for example, a field of view greater than 5mm × 5mm.

[0096] For example, the second camera 10 can be an industrial CCD (Charge-coupled Device) camera or an industrial CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera.

[0097] The third camera 16 is mounted on the supporting crossbeam and located on one side of the first stage 7 and the second stage 8. The third camera 16 is used to photograph the sides of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. Its shooting direction can be parallel to the second direction Y, or it can be tilted relative to the second direction Y (the included angle is less than 90 degrees). The shooting direction of the third camera 16 refers to the direction that the third camera 16 faces when shooting, and it is parallel to the optical axis of the lens in the third camera 16.

[0098] In the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application embodiment, the field of view of the third camera 16 should meet the requirement that when the third camera 16 takes pictures of the sides of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, it can capture part or all of the outer contours of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. Based on this, the third camera 16 is also selected as a combination of camera body and lens with a large field of view.

[0099] For example, the third camera 16 can be an industrial CCD camera or an industrial CMOS camera.

[0100] The first camera 11 is also positioned above the first stage 7 and the second stage 8, for capturing images of the tops of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. The shooting direction of the first camera 11 can be parallel to the third direction Z, or it can be tilted relative to the third direction Z (the angle is less than 90 degrees). The shooting direction of the first camera 11 refers to the direction that the first camera 11 faces during shooting, and it is parallel to the optical axis of the lens in the first camera 11. In this embodiment, the shooting direction of the first camera 11 is parallel to the third direction Z, that is, the shooting directions of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 are parallel.

[0101] In the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application embodiment, the first camera 11 is a high-magnification camera with an adjustable focus position in the shooting direction, and its minimum magnification is greater than that of the second camera 10. In some embodiments, the magnification of the first camera 11 can be greater than or equal to 10 times. For example, the magnification of the first camera 11 can be from 10 times to 60 times. Through the first camera 11, the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 can be magnified and photographed, thereby obtaining a clear image including the first optical channel and the second optical channel. According to the influence relationship between magnification and field of view, the field of view of the first camera 11 is smaller than that of the second camera 10.

[0102] Furthermore, the electronic adjustment of the focus position of the first camera 11 in the shooting direction can be achieved through a lens integrating an electric focusing module, or by mounting the lens on a separately configured focus adjustment device. For example, the first camera 11 includes a camera body, a lens, and a focus adjustment device; wherein the camera body and the lens are separately configured in the direction of the lens optical axis, and at least one is mounted on the focus adjustment device. The focus adjustment device is used to change the focus position of the first camera 11 in the shooting direction by changing the distance between the camera body and the lens in the direction of the lens optical axis. The focus adjustment device can also change the focus position of the first camera 11 in the shooting direction by changing the distance between the lens and the first stage 7 and the second stage 8 in the direction of the lens optical axis.

[0103] For example, the first camera 11 can be an industrial CCD camera or an industrial CMOS camera.

[0104] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device 6 includes a camera motion device mounted on a support beam, on which one of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 may be mounted. Taking the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 mounted on the camera motion device as an example, the camera motion device can drive the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 to move in the area above the first stage 7 and the second stage 8, thereby changing the shooting position of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10.

[0105] For example, during the operation of the automatic coupling device 6, the second camera 10 can be moved to the target position by the camera movement device to take a picture, and then the first camera 11 can be moved to the target position by the camera movement device to take a picture. As another example, during the operation of the automatic coupling device 6, the second camera 10 and / or the first camera 11 can be moved to the first target position by the camera movement device to take a picture, and then the second camera 10 and / or the first camera 11 can be moved to the second target position by the camera movement device to take a picture.

[0106] It can be seen that by setting up a camera movement device, it is beneficial to adjust the shooting areas of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10, so that the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 can meet different shooting needs; and by controlling the shooting area, the requirements for the shooting range of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 can also be reduced.

[0107] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 3 The automatic coupling device 6 also includes a coupling fixing device 12, which can be mounted on the support beam and is used to couple and fix the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 that meet the coupling alignment requirements. The coupling fixing device 12 can be a dispensing curing device or a laser welding device. In this embodiment, the coupling fixing device 12 is a laser welding device, which has the advantage of rapid fixing, thereby shortening the process time and improving efficiency.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the automatic coupling device 6 also includes a control device 17, which is electrically connected to the first camera 11, the second camera 10, the third camera 16, the first stage 7, and the coupling fixing device 12. The control device 17 is configured to control the movement of the first stage 7 based on the images captured by the first camera 11, the second camera 10, and the third camera 16, thereby controlling the coupling alignment of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. The control device 17 is also configured to control the coupling fixing device 12 to couple and fix the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, thereby achieving fully automatic coupling of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15.

[0109] In the above embodiments, the first camera 11, the second camera 10, the third camera 16, and the coupling fixing device 12 are all mounted on the support beam of the support frame 13. However, the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application embodiment is not limited to this. For example, at least one of the first camera 11, the second camera 10, the third camera 16, and the coupling fixing device 12 can be mounted on the mounting platform 9; or, for example, at least one of the first camera 11, the second camera 10, the third camera 16, and the coupling fixing device 12 can be mounted on the mounting platform 9 by a separately provided support structure; and so on.

[0110] In the above embodiments, the automatic coupling device 6 includes a first camera 11, a second camera 10, and a third camera 16. However, the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this application is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the third camera 16 may be omitted, and the control device 17 is configured to control the movement of the first stage 7 based on the images captured by the first camera 11 and the second camera 10, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the coupling alignment of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15. In other embodiments, the second camera and the third camera 16 may be omitted, and the control device 17 is configured to control the movement of the first stage 7 based on the images captured by the first camera 11, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the coupling alignment of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15.

[0111] This application also provides an automatic coupling method, which is applied to the automatic coupling device 6 in the above embodiments. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the automatic coupling method 100 includes:

[0112] Step S10: Control the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device to meet the preset conditions.

[0113] After the first coupling device 14 is loaded onto the first stage 7 and the second coupling device 15 is loaded onto the second stage 8, the distance between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 is usually large. Since the first camera 11 is a high-magnification camera with a small field of view, directly using the first camera 11 to take pictures in this situation may not be able to obtain images including the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, resulting in the automatic coupling device 6 being unable to achieve automatic coupling.

[0114] Based on this, in step S10, as Figure 6 As shown, the preset conditions include that both the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are within the field of view of the first camera 11. Figure 6(The area enclosed by the rectangular dashed frame). By controlling the relative positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 to meet preset conditions, it can be ensured that the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are both within the field of view of the first camera 11 before the first camera 11 takes pictures of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15.

[0115] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 The preset conditions include the field of view of the first camera 11 ( Figure 6 Within the area enclosed by the rectangular dashed frame, the ratio of the spacing between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X to the length of the field of view in the same direction is less than 1 / 2; for example, this ratio can be 1 / 5, 1 / 4, or 1 / 3, etc. This design ensures that both the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are within the field of view of the first camera 11, while also increasing the proportion of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the field of view. This is beneficial for subsequent steps in calculating the position information of the first optical channel in the first coupling device 14 and the position information of the second optical channel in the second coupling device 15 from the image captured by the first camera 11 (this part can be referred to in the description of step S20 below).

[0116] There are many ways to control the relative position of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 to meet the above-mentioned preset conditions. For example, the material can be loaded directly according to the standard that meets the preset conditions during loading; the relative position of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 can be manually adjusted after loading to meet the preset conditions; or the first stage 7 can be controlled to adjust its posture after loading by means of pressure detection, vision detection, etc., and the first coupling device 14 can be automatically moved to the position that meets the above-mentioned preset conditions.

[0117] In the case where the automatic coupling device 6 has a second camera 10, such as Figure 7 As shown, step S10 may include:

[0118] Step S101: Control the second camera to capture and form a second image.

[0119] As can be seen from the above description of the second camera 10, such as Figure 6 As shown, the second image formed by the second camera 10 is a top image of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, including part or all of the outer contours of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15.

[0120] Step S102: Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the second image so that the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet the preset conditions.

[0121] After obtaining the second image through step S101, the control device 17 can calculate the position information representing the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the reference coordinate plane through image processing of the second image. In this text, the reference coordinate plane is a plane perpendicular to the camera's shooting direction. For example, for an image captured by the first camera 11, its reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the first camera 11; similarly, for an image captured by the second camera 10, its reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the second camera 10. Since in this embodiment, the shooting directions of both the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 are parallel to the third direction Z, i.e., both are vertical, the reference coordinate plane is parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0122] Based on the calculated position information, the control device 17 can output a pose adjustment signal to control the first stage 7 to adjust its pose. Under the control of this pose adjustment signal, the first stage 7 drives the first coupling device 14 to move, and moves to a position where the relative position of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 meets the preset conditions.

[0123] In some embodiments, for the automatic coupling device 6 with the second camera 10, the preset condition further includes that the first and second optical channels, which have a coupling correspondence, are in a state of coarse alignment in the channel width direction, where the channel width direction is perpendicular to the channel length direction and parallel to the horizontal plane. For example... Figure 8 As shown in section (a), when the first coupling device 14 has at least two first optical channels 19 and the second coupling device 15 has at least two second optical channels 18, the first optical channels 19 and second optical channels 18 with a coupling correspondence refer to the first optical channels 19 and second optical channels 18 that are ordered identically from top to bottom; during coupling alignment, the first optical channels 19 and second optical channels 18 with the same order are coupled and aligned. The first optical channels 19 and second optical channels 18 with a coupling correspondence are in a state of coarse alignment in the channel width direction, which means that the positional deviation Δd of the first optical channels 19 and second optical channels 18 in the channel width direction is less than half of the distance d between two adjacent first optical channels 19 (or two adjacent second optical channels 18).

[0124] like Figure 8 As shown in section (b), when the first coupling device 14 has one first optical channel 19 and the second coupling device 15 has one second optical channel 18, the first optical channel 19 and the second optical channel 18 with a coupling correspondence are in a state of coarse alignment in the channel width direction, which means that the positional deviation Δd of the first optical channel 19 and the second optical channel 18 in the channel width direction is less than twice the channel width L of the first optical channel 19 (or the second optical channel 18).

[0125] In other words, in step S102, the position to which the first stage 7 moves the first coupling device 14 not only ensures that the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are within the field of view of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10, but also ensures that the first optical channel 19 and the second optical channel 18, which have a coupling relationship, are coarsely aligned in the channel width direction. This design reduces the difficulty of subsequent coupling alignment through early coarse alignment.

[0126] When the automatic coupling device 6 has a second camera 10 and a third camera 16, the preset conditions also include that the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are in a coarse alignment state in the height direction. Here, the coarse alignment state means that the height difference between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 is less than half of the depth of field of the first camera 11.

[0127] Correspondingly, such as Figure 9 As shown, step S10 may include:

[0128] Step S103: Control the second camera to capture a second image, and control the third camera to capture a third image.

[0129] For the second image, please refer to the description of S101 above.

[0130] As can be seen from the above description of the third camera 16, the third image formed by the third camera 16 is a side view of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, including part or all of the outer contour of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 on the side.

[0131] Step S104: Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the second and third images so that the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet the preset conditions.

[0132] After obtaining the second image in step S103, the control device 17 can calculate the position information representing the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the reference coordinate plane by image processing of the second image. After obtaining the third image in step S103, the control device 17 can calculate the position information representing the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the height direction by image processing of the third image.

[0133] Based on the calculated position information, the control device 17 can output a pose adjustment signal to control the first stage 7 to adjust its pose. Under the control of the pose adjustment signal, the position to which the first stage 7 moves the first coupling device 14 not only ensures that the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are within the field of view of the first camera 11 and the second camera 10, but also ensures that the first optical channel and the second optical channel with a coupling relationship are coarsely aligned in the channel width direction, and that the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are coarsely aligned in the height direction. This design reduces the difficulty of subsequent coupling alignment through early coarse alignment.

[0134] Step S20: Control the first camera to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature based on the captured images.

[0135] like Figure 10 As shown, step S20 may include:

[0136] Step S201: Control the first camera to take a picture at the initial focus position to form a first image, and select a first target area and a second target area in the first image.

[0137] The initial focus position of the first camera 11 is the focus position at the start of operation. The first camera 11 is controlled to capture the first image at the initial focus position. Figure 11As shown, the first image is the top image of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, including the gap between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 and the end portions located on both sides of the gap. Since the magnification of the first camera 11 is greater than that of the second camera 10, the first image can present a relatively clear first optical channel 19 and second optical channel 18. Through image processing of the first image, the first optical channel 19 in the first coupling device 14 and the second optical channel 18 in the second coupling device 15 can be identified. Based on the identification results of the first optical channel 19 and the second optical channel 18, a first target region (ROI) ROI1 and a second target region ROI2 can be selected in the first image for subsequent image processing. The first target region ROI1 is a local region in the first image and contains at least one portion of the image of the first optical channel 19; the second target region ROI2 is a local region in the first image and contains at least one portion of the image of the second optical channel 18. Compared to processing the entire first image, by selecting a first target region ROI1 and a second target region ROI2, and then processing the image portions within the first target region ROI1 and the second target region ROI2, the efficiency of image processing can be improved while achieving the same function.

[0138] In some embodiments, the region of the first coupling device 14 that is close to the second coupling device 15 is selected as the first target region ROI1, and the region of the second coupling device 15 that is close to the first coupling device 14 is selected as the second target region ROI2. With this design, the three-dimensional coordinate information can be solved in the region closer to the coupling position through subsequent steps, which is more conducive to controlling the accuracy of coupling alignment.

[0139] Specifically, when the first coupling device 14 has two or more first optical channels 19, and the second coupling device 15 has the same number of second optical channels 18 as the first optical channels 19, the first target region ROI1 may include portions of at least two first optical channels 19 near the second coupling device 15, and the second target region ROI2 may include portions of the second optical channels 18 that correspond to the first optical channels 19 in the first target region ROI1 near the first coupling device 14. For example, as... Figure 11 As shown in part (a), the first target region ROI1 includes two adjacent first optical channels 19 near the second coupling device 15, and the second target region ROI2 includes two adjacent second optical channels 18 near the first coupling device 14. The two first optical channels 19 in the first target region ROI1 and the two second optical channels 18 in the second target region ROI2 have a coupling relationship.

[0140] When the first coupling device 14 has one first optical channel 19 and the second coupling device 15 has one second optical channel 18, such as Figure 11 As shown in section (b), the first target region ROI1 may include the portion of the first optical channel 19 near the second coupling device 15, and the second target region ROI1 may include the portion of the second optical channel 18 near the first coupling device 14.

[0141] Step S202: Select a first positioning feature on the first optical channel in the first target area, and select a second positioning feature on the second optical channel in the second target area; and calculate the first coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane.

[0142] The first positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the first optical channel 19 in the first target area ROI1. This positioning geometric feature may include at least two positioning reference points distributed along the channel length direction of the first optical channel 19. These positioning reference points may be located on the side edge line of the first optical channel 19, or on the center line of the first optical channel 19, or on the top edge line of the first optical channel 19, or on a structure with a fixed positional relationship to the first optical channel 19, etc. Taking fiber array 1 as an example, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the positioning reference point ( Figure 12 (Using a fork shape) It can be located at the center of the fiber core 31 of the optical fiber 3, or at the left or right edge, or the top or bottom edge of the cladding 32, or at the top or bottom edge of the upper limit groove 5 of the base plate 4; etc.

[0143] In this embodiment, as Figure 11 As shown, the first positioning feature includes two positioning reference points located on the center line of the first optical channel 19. One positioning reference point is located close to the second coupling device 15, and the other positioning reference point is located away from the second coupling device 15. Furthermore, the distances (in the first direction X) between the two positioning reference points and the edge of the top of the first coupling device 14 near the edge of the second coupling device 15 can be two fixed values. For example, one positioning reference point can be 50 μm away from the edge of the top of the first coupling device 14 near the edge of the second coupling device 15, and the other positioning reference point can be 0.1 mm away. This design facilitates the calculation of the spacing between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X.

[0144] After selecting the first localization feature, the first coordinate information of the first localization feature in the reference coordinate plane can be obtained by image processing of the first target region ROI1. A description of the reference coordinate plane can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0145] The second positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the second optical channel 18 in the second target region ROI2. This positioning geometric feature may include at least two positioning reference points distributed along the channel length direction of the second optical channel 18. These positioning reference points may be located on the side edge line of the second optical channel 18, or on the center line of the second optical channel 18, or on the top edge line of the second optical channel 18, etc. In this embodiment, as... Figure 11 As shown, the second positioning feature includes two positioning reference points located on the center line of the second optical channel 18. One positioning reference point is located close to the first coupling device 14, and the other positioning reference point is located away from the first coupling device 14. Furthermore, the distances (in the first direction X) between the two positioning reference points and the edge of the top of the second coupling device 15 near the edge of the first coupling device 14 can be two fixed values. For example, one positioning reference point can be 50 μm away from the edge of the top of the second coupling device 15 near the edge of the first coupling device 14, and the other positioning reference point can be 0.1 mm away. This design facilitates the calculation of the spacing between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X.

[0146] After selecting the second localization feature, the first coordinate information of the second localization feature in the reference coordinate plane can be obtained by image processing of the second target region ROI2.

[0147] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 As shown, a positioning reference region can be used instead of the aforementioned positioning reference point as the positioning geometric feature. The edge of the positioning reference region in the channel width direction can coincide with the optical channel. In this embodiment, when determining the first coordinate information of the positioning reference region in the reference coordinate plane, the first coordinate information of the center point of the positioning reference region can be used, or the first coordinate information of a feature point in the same orientation of the positioning reference region can be used.

[0148] Step S203: Control the focus position of the first camera to move in the shooting direction and take pictures during the movement; calculate the second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction based on the shooting results.

[0149] In this embodiment, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the camera's shooting direction, i.e., perpendicular to the reference coordinate plane. For example, for an image captured by the first camera 11, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the first camera 11, i.e., perpendicular to the reference coordinate plane of the first camera 11; similarly, for an image captured by the second camera 10, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the second camera 10, i.e., perpendicular to the reference coordinate plane of the second camera 10. Since the shooting directions of both the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 in this embodiment are parallel to the third direction Z, i.e., both are vertical, the reference coordinate directions are both vertical.

[0150] To obtain the second coordinate information of the first and second positioning features in the reference coordinate direction, the first camera 11 can be controlled to change its focus position within a certain range along the shooting direction, starting from the initial focus position, and taking pictures during the focus position change process to obtain multiple images taken at different focus positions. Among the obtained images, the same first target region ROI1, second target region ROI2, first positioning feature, and second positioning feature as in step S202 are selected. Through analysis and processing of the above multiple images, based on the shooting parameters such as the focus position corresponding to the multiple images, the position information of each positioning geometric feature in the reference coordinate direction can be calculated. A description of the reference coordinate direction can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0151] When the positioning geometric feature is a positioning reference point, the second coordinate information of the positioning geometric feature in the reference coordinate direction is the second coordinate information of the positioning reference point. When the positioning geometric feature is a positioning reference area, the second coordinate information of the positioning geometric feature in the reference coordinate direction can be the average of the second coordinate information of the positioning reference area, or it can be the second coordinate information of a certain feature point in the positioning reference area.

[0152] After calculating the second coordinate information of each positioning geometric feature in the reference coordinate direction, the second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction can be obtained.

[0153] Since the positional differences of the positioning geometric features in the first and second positioning features along the reference coordinate direction are usually small, the focus positions corresponding to different target images differ little in the shooting direction. Based on this, target images of all positioning geometric features can be obtained within a small range of focus position variation. Furthermore, since the range of focus position variation expands from the initial focus position, setting the initial focus position is crucial in order to capture target images of all positioning geometric features within a small range of focus position variation. For example, the initial focus position should be able to focus on the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15.

[0154] The initial focus position can be determined based on the actual coupling scenario. For example, it can be determined by referring to the size parameters of the first coupling device 14, the first optical channel 19, the second coupling device 15, and the second optical channel 18, empirical values ​​from previous similar coupling tasks, and images captured by the second camera 10. The initial focus position may differ in different application scenarios.

[0155] Step S204: Obtain the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information.

[0156] Step S202 can obtain the first coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane, and step S203 can obtain the second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction. Based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature can be obtained. In the three-dimensional coordinates corresponding to the three-dimensional coordinate information, the directions of two coordinate axes are parallel to the reference coordinate plane, and the direction of the other coordinate axis is parallel to the reference coordinate direction.

[0157] In this embodiment, the reference coordinate plane is horizontal, and the reference coordinate direction is vertical. A three-dimensional coordinate system formed by the first, second, and third coordinate axes is used as the reference for calculating the three-dimensional coordinate information. Specifically, the first coordinate axis is parallel to the first direction X, the second coordinate axis is parallel to the second direction Y, and the third direction Z is parallel to the third direction Z. This design aligns the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features with the pose adjustment degrees of freedom of the first stage 7, thereby facilitating the calculation of the pose adjustment amount of the first stage 7.

[0158] It can be seen that the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature can be obtained through steps S201 to S204.

[0159] In other embodiments, such as Figure 14 As shown, step S20 may include:

[0160] Step S205: Control the focus position of the first camera to move in the shooting direction, and take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device during the movement to obtain multiple images.

[0161] Step S206: Select a first target region and a second target region in multiple images, and select a first positioning feature on the first optical channel in the first target region and a second positioning feature on the second optical channel in the second target region.

[0162] Step S207: Calculate the second coordinate information of the first and second positioning features in the reference coordinate plane based on multiple images.

[0163] Step S208: Calculate the first coordinate information of the first positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction based on the image focused on the first positioning feature in multiple images, and calculate the first coordinate information of the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction based on the image focused on the second positioning feature in multiple images.

[0164] Step S209: Obtain the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information.

[0165] Compared to steps S201 to S204, the three-dimensional coordinate information calculation method provided in steps S205 to S209 involves first capturing multiple images at different focus positions, then selecting a target image from these images that focuses on the first and second positioning features, and finally calculating the first coordinate information of the first and second positioning features in the target image. This design improves the accuracy of the first coordinate information calculation, thereby facilitating more accurate coupling alignment. It should be noted that among the captured images, there may not be an image that is precisely focused on the positioning geometric feature. In this case, the image whose focus position is closest to the location of the positioning geometric feature can be selected as the target image.

[0166] Step S30: Based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, obtain the pose adjustment amount for the first stage, and adjust the pose of the first stage according to the pose adjustment amount.

[0167] After obtaining the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature through the above steps, the control device 17 can determine the pose adjustment amount for the first stage 7 based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of both. After determining the pose adjustment amount for the first stage 7, the control device 17 can send a pose adjustment signal corresponding to the pose adjustment amount to the first stage 7. Under the control of the pose adjustment signal, the first stage 7 can achieve the pose adjustment corresponding to the pose adjustment amount. After the first stage 7 achieves the pose adjustment corresponding to the pose adjustment amount, it can drive the first coupling device 14 to move to a position where the relative position with the second coupling device 15 meets the coupling alignment conditions.

[0168] The pose adjustment of the first stage 7 includes three displacements in the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z, as well as three rotations about an axis parallel to the first direction X, an axis parallel to the second direction Y, and an axis parallel to the third direction Z. The three rotations and the two displacements in the second direction Y and the third direction Z can be obtained from the positional geometric relationship between the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, that is, from the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature.

[0169] Regarding the displacement in the first direction X of the pose adjustment, it needs to be determined based on the distance between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X; this distance can be obtained through image detection. For example, if the first target region ROI1 includes the edge of the first coupling device 14 near the second coupling device 15, and the second target region ROI2 includes the edge of the second coupling device 15 near the first coupling device 14, the distance between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X can be obtained by calculating the positions of the two edges. As another example, if the distance between the positioning geometry feature in the first positioning feature and the edge of the first coupling device 14 near the second coupling device 15 is known, and the distance between the positioning geometry feature in the second positioning feature and the edge of the second coupling device 15 near the first coupling device 14 is known, the distance between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X can be calculated based on these known distances.

[0170] Alternatively, instead of calculating the distance between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X, the first stage 7 can be controlled to adjust its pose based on the five parameters of the pose adjustment amount that can be obtained above. During the pose adjustment process, the first stage 7 is controlled to move along the first direction X towards the side closer to the second stage 8. The contact force between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 is detected by the force sensor. Based on the contact force, the position of the second coupling device 15 in the first direction X that satisfies the coupling alignment condition is determined.

[0171] It can be seen that by adopting the above-mentioned automatic coupling method 100, the automatic coupling alignment of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 can be achieved, thus eliminating the need for manual operation and improving coupling accuracy and production efficiency.

[0172] In addition, the automatic coupling method 100 also includes a step of using a coupling fixing device 12 to couple and fix the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, thereby realizing automatic coupling and fixing; thus realizing fully automatic coupling of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, which is beneficial to further improve coupling accuracy and production efficiency.

[0173] Although the goal of adjusting the pose of the first stage 7 in step S30 is to move the first coupling device 14 to a position where its phase position relationship with the second coupling device 15 satisfies the coupling alignment condition, this goal may not be well achieved due to issues such as the motion accuracy of the first stage 7. Therefore, in some embodiments, after the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 are initially coupled and aligned through steps S10 to S30, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features can be calculated again using the method described in step S20. Based on the recalculated three-dimensional coordinate information, it can be determined whether the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 satisfy the coupling alignment condition. For example, the coordinate difference between the first and second positioning features can be obtained based on the calculated three-dimensional coordinate information; and a coordinate difference threshold is set to characterize whether the coupling alignment condition is satisfied; when the coordinate difference between the first and second positioning features is less than the coordinate difference threshold, it can be considered that the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 satisfy the coupling alignment condition. When the coordinate difference between the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is equal to or greater than a coordinate difference threshold, it can be determined that the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 do not meet the coupling alignment conditions. For example, based on the calculated three-dimensional coordinate information, the pose adjustment amount for the first stage 7 can be obtained, and a pose adjustment amount threshold can be set to characterize whether the coupling alignment conditions are met. When the pose adjustment amount is less than the pose adjustment amount threshold, it can be determined that the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 meet the coupling alignment conditions. When the pose adjustment amount is equal to or greater than the pose adjustment amount threshold, it can be determined that the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 do not meet the coupling alignment conditions.

[0174] When it is determined that the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 do not meet the coupling alignment conditions, re-coupling alignment can be performed through step S30 based on the newly obtained three-dimensional coordinate information. After the re-coupling alignment is completed, the above steps of recalculating the three-dimensional coordinate information and determining whether the coupling alignment conditions are met can be repeated until the positions of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 meet the coupling alignment conditions. This design can improve the accuracy of coupling alignment through repeated iterations.

[0175] In some scenarios, there is a situation where one optical channel device is coupled to two optical channel devices simultaneously. In this paper, the three optical channel devices requiring coupling are referred to as the first coupling device, the second coupling device, and the third coupling device; wherein, the second coupling device is coupled to both the first and third coupling devices. In this paper, the optical channel in the first coupling device that needs to be connected during coupling is called the first optical channel; the optical channel in the third coupling device that needs to be connected during coupling is called the third optical channel; the optical channel in the second coupling device that needs to be connected to the first optical channel during coupling is called the second optical channel; and the optical channel in the second coupling device that needs to be connected to the third optical channel during coupling is called the fourth optical channel.

[0176] The first coupling device and the second coupling device are coupled at their ends. The first coupling device includes a first coupling end face that abuts with the second coupling device, and the second coupling device includes a second coupling end face that abuts with the first coupling device. The end face of the first optical channel in the first coupling device is on the first coupling end face, and the end face of the second optical channel in the second coupling device is on the second coupling end face. When the first coupling end face and the second coupling end face are coupled and connected, the first optical channel and the second optical channel are aligned and connected.

[0177] The third coupling device and the second coupling device are coupled at their ends. The third coupling device includes a third coupling end face that mates with the second coupling device, and the second coupling device also includes a fourth coupling end face that mates with the third coupling device. The end face of the third optical channel in the third coupling device is on the third coupling end face, and the end face of the fourth optical channel in the second coupling device is on the fourth coupling end face. When the third and fourth coupling end faces are coupled and mated, the third and fourth optical channels are aligned and connected.

[0178] The first and second optical channels have the same number, which can be one, two, or more; and they have the same arrangement in the corresponding coupling end faces. The third and fourth optical channels have the same number, which can be one, two, or more; and they have the same arrangement in the corresponding coupling end faces.

[0179] The first coupling device, the second coupling device, and the third coupling device can be optical waveguide devices or fiber arrays.

[0180] For example, such as Figure 15 As shown, the second coupling device is a PLC optical splitter 20, the first coupling device is an input fiber array 26, and the second coupling device is an output fiber array 21. The PLC optical splitter 20 is used to split a single input optical signal into multiple output optical signals, including opposing input and output end faces, an input waveguide channel 23, and multiple output waveguide channels 24; wherein the end face of the input waveguide channel 23 is on the input end face, and the end face of the output waveguide channel 24 is on the output end face.

[0181] The input fiber array 26 includes one input fiber 22. When coupled to the PLC optical splitter 20, the input fiber array 26 is aligned with the input end face of the PLC optical splitter 20, and the input fiber 22 is aligned with the input waveguide channel 23. The output fiber array 21 includes multiple output fibers 25, and each output fiber 25 corresponds one-to-one with a corresponding output waveguide channel 24 in the PLC optical splitter 20. When coupled to the PLC optical splitter 20, the output fiber array 21 is aligned with the output end face of the PLC optical splitter 20, and the output fibers 25 are aligned with their corresponding output waveguide channels 24.

[0182] In the example above, the core of the input optical fiber 22 is the first optical channel, the input waveguide channel 23 of the PLC optical splitter 20 is the second optical channel, and the output waveguide channel 24 is the fourth optical channel. The core of the output optical fiber 25 is the third optical channel.

[0183] This application also provides another automatic coupling device 6, which can be used for the automatic coupling of the first coupling device 14, the second coupling device 15, and the third coupling device 28. For example... Figure 16 As shown, the automatic coupling device 6 includes a mounting platform 9, a first stage 7, a second stage 8, a third stage 27, a support frame 13, a second camera 10, a first camera 11, a third camera 16, a coupling fixing device 12, and a control device. Figure 16 (Not shown in the text). The descriptions of the mounting platform 9, the first platform 7, the second platform 8, and the support frame 13 can be found above and will not be repeated here.

[0184] In this automatic coupling device 6, the third stage 27 is mounted on the mounting platform 9 and spaced apart from the second stage 8. The arrangement direction of the third stage 27 and the second stage 8 on the mounting platform 9 can be determined according to the actual coupling scenario. For example, in... Figure 15 In the coupled scenario shown, the first stage 7, the second stage 8, and the third stage 27 are arranged on the same straight line, that is, on the first direction X.

[0185] The following section will use the example of the first stage 7, the second stage 8, and the third stage 27 being arranged at intervals in the first direction X to illustrate the scheme.

[0186] After the second coupling device 15 is loaded onto the second stage 8, the channel length direction of the fourth optical channel is parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the fourth coupling end face is located on the side of the first direction X close to the third stage 27.

[0187] The third stage 27 has a third bearing surface parallel to the mounting plane at its top, away from the mounting platform 9. This third bearing surface supports the third coupling device 28. The third bearing surface and the second bearing surface are at the same or substantially the same height relative to the mounting plane. After the third coupling device 28 is loaded onto the third stage 27, the channel length direction of the third optical channel is parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the third coupling end face is located on the side of the first direction X closest to the second stage 8. In other words, after the third coupling device 28 and the second coupling device 15 are loaded, the channel length directions of both the third and fourth optical channels are parallel or substantially parallel to the first direction X, and the third and fourth coupling end faces are in a position close to each other.

[0188] The third stage 27 is an electrically adjustable stage, and its position can be changed by adjusting its posture. In this embodiment, the third stage 27 is an electrically driven six-axis displacement stage, which can translate along the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z, and can also rotate around an axis parallel to the first direction X, an axis parallel to the second direction Y, and an axis parallel to the second direction Y. By controlling the above-mentioned movements of the third stage 27, the posture of the third stage 27 can be adjusted, thereby causing the third coupling device 28 to change its position.

[0189] In the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this embodiment, both the first camera 11 and the second camera 10 are used to capture images of the tops of the first coupling device 14, the second coupling device 15, and the third coupling device 28. In this embodiment, two first cameras 11 are provided: one first camera 11 is used to capture images of the coupling position of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, and the other first camera 11 is used to capture images of the coupling position of the second coupling device 15 and the third coupling device 28.

[0190] In some embodiments, the automatic coupling device 6 includes a camera movement device and a first camera 11. The first camera 11 is mounted on the camera movement device, which drives the first camera 11 to move in the area above the first stage 7, the second stage 8, and the third stage 27. Driven by the camera movement device, the first camera 11 can capture images of the coupling position between the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, or the coupling position between the second coupling device 15 and the third coupling device 28.

[0191] In this embodiment, two coupling fixing devices 12 are provided. One coupling fixing device 12 is used for coupling fixing of the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15, and the other coupling fixing device 12 is used for coupling fixing of the second coupling device 15 and the third coupling device 28, thereby improving production efficiency. In some embodiments, only one coupling fixing device 12 may be provided, similar to the arrangement of the first camera 11.

[0192] In the automatic coupling device 6 provided in this embodiment, the control device 17 is electrically connected to the second camera 10, the first camera 11, the first stage 7 and the third stage 27, and controls the movement of the first stage 7 and the third stage 27 according to the images captured by the first camera 11 and the second camera 10, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the first coupling device 14 and the second coupling device 15 to perform coupling alignment, and to achieve the purpose of controlling the third coupling device 28 and the second coupling device 15 to perform coupling alignment.

[0193] The automatic coupling method of the automatic coupling device 6 described above can be adapted by referring to the automatic coupling method in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0194] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic coupling device, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device includes: A first stage is used to support a first coupling device, and its position is adjustable; the first coupling device includes a first optical channel. A second stage is used to support a second coupling device, the second coupling device including a second optical channel; A first camera, positioned above the first stage and the second stage, is used to photograph the tops of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, and its focus position is adjustable in the shooting direction; and The control device is electrically connected to both the first stage and the first camera, and is configured to control the first camera to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the captured images, so that the first coupling device moves to the position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coupled and aligned.

2. The automatic coupling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first camera includes a camera body, a lens, and a focus adjustment device; at least one of the camera body and the lens is mounted on the focus adjustment device, which is used to change the focus position of the first camera by adjusting the distance between the camera body and the lens, or by adjusting the distance between the lens and the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

3. The automatic coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The magnification of the first camera is greater than or equal to 10 times.

4. The automatic coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a second camera electrically connected to the control device; The second camera is located above the first stage and the second stage, and is used to capture images of the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; the magnification of the second camera is less than that of the first camera; The control device is configured to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the image captured by the second camera, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet preset conditions; the preset conditions include that both the first coupling device and the second coupling device are within the field of view of the first camera.

5. The automatic coupling device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The shooting directions of both the first camera and the second camera are parallel to the vertical direction.

6. The automatic coupling device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a support frame and a camera movement device, wherein the camera movement device is mounted on the support frame, and the first camera and the second camera are mounted on the camera movement device; The camera motion device is used to move the first camera and the second camera above the first platform and the second platform.

7. The automatic coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a third camera electrically connected to the control device; The third camera is located on one side of the first stage and the second stage, and is used to take pictures of the sides of the first coupling device and the second coupling device. The control device is configured to adjust the pose of the first stage according to the image captured by the third camera, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coarsely aligned in the height direction.

8. The automatic coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device further includes a coupling fixing device electrically connected to the control device, the control device being configured to control the coupling fixing device to couple and fix the first coupling device and the second coupling device.

9. The automatic coupling device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The coupling and fixing component is a laser welding device.

10. The automatic coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a third stage, which is used to support the third coupling device and has an adjustable position. The third coupling device includes a third optical channel, and the second coupling device also has a fourth optical channel; The first camera is also used to photograph the top of the second coupling device and the third coupling device, and the focus position is adjustable in the shooting direction; The control device is electrically connected to the third stage and is configured to control the first camera to take pictures of the third coupling device and the second coupling device at different focusing positions, and to adjust the position and orientation of the third stage according to the captured images.

11. An automatic coupling method, characterized in that, Applied to the automatic coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 10; The automatic coupling method includes: The relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device are controlled to meet preset conditions; the preset conditions include that both the first coupling device and the second coupling device are located within the field of view of the first camera; The first camera is controlled to capture images of the first and second coupling devices at different focusing positions, and the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features is calculated based on the captured images; wherein, the first positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the first optical channel, and the second positioning feature is a positioning geometric feature used to characterize the position of the second optical channel. Based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, the pose adjustment amount for the first stage is obtained, and the pose of the first stage is adjusted according to the pose adjustment amount.

12. The automatic coupling method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The process of controlling the first camera to capture images of the first and second coupling devices at different focusing positions, and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features based on the captured images, includes: The first camera is controlled to capture a first image at an initial focus position, and a first target region and a second target region are selected in the first image; wherein the first target region and the second target region are local regions in the first image, the first target region includes a portion of at least one first optical channel, and the second target region includes a portion of at least one second optical channel; The first positioning feature is selected on the first optical channel in the first target area, and the second positioning feature is selected on the second optical channel in the second target area; and the first coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated; wherein, the reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the first camera; The focus position of the first camera is controlled to move in the shooting direction, and a picture is taken during the movement; the second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction is calculated based on the shooting result; wherein, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the first camera; Based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is obtained.

13. The automatic coupling method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The process of controlling the first camera to capture images of the first and second coupling devices at different focusing positions, and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first and second positioning features based on the captured images, includes: The focus position of the first camera is controlled to move in the shooting direction, and multiple images are captured on the first coupling device and the second coupling device during the movement. In each of the multiple images, a first target region and a second target region are selected. The first positioning feature is selected on the first optical channel in the first target region, and the second positioning feature is selected on the second optical channel in the second target region. The first target region and the second target region are local regions in the image. The first target region includes at least one part of the first optical channel, and the second target region includes at least one part of the second optical channel. The second coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate direction is calculated based on the multiple images; wherein, the reference coordinate direction is parallel to the shooting direction of the first camera; The first coordinate information of the first positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated based on the image of the first positioning feature that is focused on from the plurality of images; the first coordinate information of the second positioning feature in the reference coordinate plane is calculated based on the image of the second positioning feature that is focused on from the plurality of images; wherein, the reference coordinate plane is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the first camera; Based on the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is obtained.

14. The automatic coupling method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that, After adjusting the pose of the first stage based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, the automatic coupling method further includes: The first camera is controlled again to take pictures of the first coupling device and the second coupling device at different focus positions, and the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature is calculated based on the captured images. When it is determined, based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, that the positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device do not meet the coupling alignment conditions, the pose adjustment amount for the first stage is obtained based on the three-dimensional coordinate information of the first positioning feature and the second positioning feature, and the pose of the first stage is adjusted according to the pose adjustment amount; and the above steps are repeated until the coupling alignment conditions are met.

15. The automatic coupling method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a second camera electrically connected to the control device; The second camera is located above the first stage and the second stage, and is used to capture images of the top of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; the field of view of the second camera is larger than that of the first camera. In the automatic coupling method, controlling the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device to satisfy preset conditions includes: The second camera is controlled to capture a second image; wherein the second image is a top image of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, including part or all of the outline of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the second image so that the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device meet the preset conditions.

16. The automatic coupling method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The preset conditions also include that the first optical channel and the second optical channel are coarsely aligned in the channel width direction.

17. The automatic coupling method according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that, The preset conditions also include that the first coupling device and the second optical channel are in a state of coarse alignment in the height direction.

18. The automatic coupling method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The automatic coupling device also includes a third camera electrically connected to the control device; The third camera is located on one side of the first stage and the second stage, and is used to take pictures of the sides of the first coupling device and the second coupling device. In the automatic coupling method, controlling the relative positions of the first coupling device and the second coupling device to satisfy preset conditions includes: The third camera is controlled to capture a third image; wherein the third image is a side view of the first coupling device and the second coupling device, including part or all of the outline of the first coupling device and the second coupling device; Adjust the pose of the first stage according to the third image, so that the first coupling device moves to a position where the first optical channel and the second optical channel are roughly aligned in the height direction.

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