Imaging device analysis systems and imaging device analysis methods

• US 20050219363A1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Stoecker, Steven D., Kohler, Timothy L., Dispoto, Gary J., DiCarlo, Jeffrey M., Miller, Casey L., Gehman, Les, Montgomery, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/187
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/401 Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head H04N1/403 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/484 with sequential colour illumination of the original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras

Abstract

Imaging device analysis systems and imaging device analysis methods are described. According to one embodiment, an imaging device analysis system includes a light source configured to output light for use in analyzing at least one imaging component of an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to generate images responsive to received light, and processing circuitry coupled with the light source and configured to control the light source to optically communicate the light to the imaging device, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to access image data generated by the imaging device responsive to the reception, by the imaging device, of the light from the light source and to process the image data to analyze an operational status of the at least one imaging component.

Claims

1. An imaging device analysis system comprising:

a light source configured to output light for use in analyzing at least one imaging component of an imaging device, wherein the imaging device is configured to generate images responsive to received light; and

processing circuitry coupled with the light source and configured to control the light source to optically communicate the light to the imaging device, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to access image data generated by the imaging device responsive to the reception, by the imaging device, of the light from the light source and to process the image data to analyze an operational status of the at least one imaging component.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is configured to output the light comprising infrared light for use in testing the at least one imaging component comprising an infrared cutoff filter configured to filter infrared light.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a first wavelength to lock a focus of a lens of the imaging device and to emit light of a second wavelength with the focus of the lens locked, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to utilize image data generated responsive to reception of the light of the second wavelength to determine the operational status comprising distortion of the at least one imaging component comprising a lens.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a mask which is selectively moveable to a position intermediate the light source and the imaging device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control movement of the mask with respect to the position.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is configured to output the light comprising a plurality of light beams located at different spatial locations, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to process the image data generated at a plurality of pixel locations of an image sensor of the imaging device corresponding to the different spatial locations to determine the operational status comprising distortion of the at least one imaging component comprising a lens of the imaging device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is configured to output the light comprising a plurality of light beams, and wherein individual ones of the light beams and are outputted for a duration less than an exposure time of the imaging device, and the processing circuitry is configured to process the image data to determine the operational status comprising shutter speed of the at least one imaging component comprising a shutter of the imaging device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the operational status of the at least one component comprising an image sensor, and to determine at least one correction factor for use in modification of image data generated using the image sensor.

9. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

outputting infrared light for communication to an imaging device configured to generate images responsive to received light, wherein the imaging device is configured to filter infrared light;

accessing image data generated by the imaging device responsive to the infrared light communicated to the imaging device;

processing the image data to analyze operability of infrared filtering by the imaging device; and

indicating the operability of the infrared filtering responsive to the processing.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising communicating light having a wavelength less than infrared light to the imaging device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the outputting infrared light comprises outputting infrared light comprising a plurality of different wavelengths of infrared light.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing comprises comparing the image data with respect to a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the image data of a plurality of pixel locations, the processing comprises averaging the image data of the pixel locations, and the comparing comprises comparing a result of the averaging with respect to the threshold.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the accessing comprises searching a plurality of pixel locations to determine whether respective pixels of an image sensor of the imaging device received the infrared light.

15. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

fixing focus of a lens of an imaging device configured to generate images responsive to received light;

outputting a light beam;

receiving the light beam using the imaging device after the fixing;

generating image data using the imaging device responsive to the receiving the light beam; and

analyzing the image data to identify a presence of a chromatic aberration of the lens of the imaging device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the outputting the light beam comprises outputting a first light beam of a first wavelength, and wherein the fixing comprises:

outputting a second light beam of a second wavelength different than the first wavelength;

receiving the second light beam using the imaging device; and

locking the focus of the lens during the receiving and using the second light beam.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing a mask comprising a pinhole;

passing the light beam through the pinhole; and

wherein the receiving comprises receiving after the passing.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the receiving the light beam comprises receiving using an image sensor of the imaging device, and wherein the analyzing comprises:

identifying a number of pixel locations of the image sensor which received the light beam; and

comparing the number of pixel locations with respect to a threshold.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the outputting the light beam comprises outputting light of a plurality of wavelengths and mixing the light of the plurality of wavelengths.

20. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

outputting a light beam for communication to an imaging device configured to generate images responsive to received light;

focusing the light beam using a lens of the imaging device;

after the focusing, receiving the light beam using an image sensor of the imaging device;

generating image data using the image sensor of the imaging device responsive to the receiving the light beam;

processing the image data corresponding to a plurality of pixel locations of the image sensor; and

indicating results of the focusing by the lens responsive to the processing.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the outputting comprises outputting a plurality of light beams spatially separated from one another, and wherein the processing comprises processing the image data at the pixel locations spatially separated from one another and corresponding to spatial locations of the light beams.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the light beams are spatially separated from others of the light beams along two dimensions within a field of view of the lens of the imaging device.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the outputting comprises outputting a plurality of light beams and passing the light beams through a mask.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the processing comprises identifying a number of pixel locations which received light of the light beam and comparing the number of pixel locations with respect to a threshold.

25. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

outputting a plurality of light beams for communication to an imaging device configured to generate images responsive to received light;

accessing image data generated by the imaging device responsive to the light beams communicated to the imaging device;

processing the image data; and

providing information regarding distortion of optics of the imaging device responsive to the processing.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the outputting comprises outputting the plurality of light beams in a pattern, and the processing comprises identifying a plurality of pixel locations of the imaging device which received the light beams, and comparing the pixel locations to the pattern.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the pattern provides the light beams arranged in a plurality of straight lines, and the processing comprises identifying a plurality of pixel locations of the imaging device which received the light beams and analyzing alignment of the pixel locations with respect to the straight lines.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the pattern comprises the light beams arranged in a plurality of straight lines comprising rows and columns of a grid.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the providing information comprises providing information regarding pin cushion distortion.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the providing information comprises providing information regarding barrel distortion.

31. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

outputting a plurality of light beams for communication to an imaging device configured to generate images responsive to received light;

accessing image data generated by the imaging device responsive to the light beams communicated to the imaging device;

processing the image data; and

providing information regarding an exposure speed of the imaging device responsive to the processing.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the imaging device comprises a shutter configured to selectively open for a period of time and the outputting comprises outputting individual ones of the light beams for a duration less than the period of time.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the imaging device comprises an image sensor configured to receive light for a period of time to expose an image and the outputting comprises outputting individual ones of the light beams for a duration less than the period of time.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the outputting comprises outputting the light beams spatially separated from one another.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the outputting comprises sequentially outputting the light beams.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the outputting comprises outputting individual ones of the light beams for known periods of time.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the processing comprises counting the number of the light beams received by an image sensor of the imaging device and wherein the number is indicative of the speed of a shutter of the imaging device.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the sequentially outputting comprises outputting the light beams comprising first light beams, and further comprising outputting a plurality of second light beams during the outputting of the first light beams and indicative of locations of the first light beams.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the first and the second light beams are emitted from a plurality of parallel lines.

40. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

defining a plurality of sections of an image sensor of an imaging device, wherein the sections individually comprise at least one pixel of the image sensor;

accessing image data generated by the pixels of the sections of the image sensor responsive to received light;

analyzing the image data of respective ones of the sections; and

determining a correction factor for one of the sections responsive to the analyzing, wherein the correction factor corresponds to a relationship of intensity of the light received at the pixel of the one section with respect to intensity of the light received at the pixel of an other of the sections.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising emitting the light comprising substantially neutral light.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising emitting the light comprising substantially neutral light of a substantially constant intensity.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the analyzing comprises identifying the other section as providing image data of the greatest intensity, and the determining comprises determining the correction factor comprising a ratio of the intensities of the image data of the one of the sections and the other of the sections.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising separating the image data by respective colors, and wherein the determining comprises determining using the image data after the separating.

45. The method of claim 40 further comprising storing the correction factor using the imaging device for use in adjusting image data provided by the other of the sections during subsequent generation of images.

46. The method of claim 40 further comprising determining a plurality of correction factors for the one of the sections and individually corresponding to image data of a respective intensity range.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising emitting the light comprising a plurality of light beams of different intensities, and the determining comprises determining individual ones of the correction factors using light of respective ones of the light beams.