Imaging systems, imaging device analysis systems, imaging device analysis methods, and light beam emission methods

• US 20060098096A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• 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: DiCarlo, Jeffrey M., Long, Michael, Gupta, Anurag
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/00 Spectrometry; Spectrophotometry; Monochromators; Measuring colours
• 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 1/48 Picture signal generators for halftone screening H04N1/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/484 with sequential colour illumination of the original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals

Abstract

Imaging systems, imaging device analysis systems, imaging device analysis methods, and light beam emission methods are described. According to one aspect, an imaging device analysis method includes receiving initial light comprising a plurality of wavelengths of light, filtering some of the wavelengths of the initial light forming a plurality of light beams comprising different wavelengths of light, after the filtering, optically communicating the light beams of the different wavelengths of light to an imaging device, receiving the light beams using the imaging device, and analyzing the imaging device using light, wherein the light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light are emitted beams after the receiving.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

an analysis system comprising a plurality of optical filters individually configured to filter different wavelengths of light to provide a plurality of light beams comprising different wavelengths of light, wherein the analysis system further comprises an emission interface configured to emit the plurality of light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light, wherein the light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light are emitted externally of the analysis system;

an imaging device optically coupled with the analysis system and configured to receive the plurality of light beams; and

wherein the imaging device is configured to capture images of the received light beams during analysis of the imaging device using the light beams.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the analysis system further comprises a light source configured to generate light of the light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the light source is configured to emit broadband light comprising wavelengths of light across substantially an entirety of the visible spectrum.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the timing of the emission of the light beams is synchronized with the capture of the images of the light beams by the imaging device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging device comprises a digital image sensor configured to generate digital image data responsive to the reception of the light beams.

6. An imaging device analysis system comprising:

a light source configured to emit initial light comprising a plurality of wavelengths of light;

a filter assembly optically coupled with the light source and configured to receive the initial light, wherein the filter assembly comprises a plurality of optical filters individually configured to filter some of the wavelengths of light from the initial light and to pass a respective light beam comprising at least one of the wavelengths of light, wherein the wavelengths of light of the light beams passed by the respective optical filters are different; and

an emission interface optically coupled with the filter assembly and configured to emit the light beams to analyze an imaging device configured to capture images responsive to received light.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the light source is configured to emit broadband light having wavelengths across substantially an entirety of the visible spectrum.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the optical filters are individually configured to pass a respective peak wavelength spectrally separated from a peak wavelength of at least one immediately spectrally adjacent optical filter by substantially the same spectral spacing.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the optical filters are individually configured to pass light of substantially a single peak wavelength.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the emission interface sequentially emits individual ones of the light beams.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein the emission interface simultaneously emits the light beams.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the emission interface emits the light beams having substantially the same intensity.

13. The system of claim 6 further comprising a homogenizer optically coupled with the filter assembly and configured to homogenize light from the light source.

14. The system of claim 6 further comprising a diffuser optically coupled with the filter assembly.

15. The system of claim 6 wherein the filter assembly comprises a plurality of trays configured to removably support the filters.

16. An imaging device analysis system comprising:

means for receiving initial light comprising a plurality of wavelengths of light and for filtering the initial light providing a plurality of light beams, wherein the means for filtering comprises means for, individual ones of the light beams, passing at least one different wavelength of the initial light providing the light beams comprising different wavelengths of light; and

means for optically communicating the plurality of light beams to analyze an imaging device configured to capture images of received light.

17. The system of claim 16 means for generating the initial light comprising the plurality of wavelengths of light.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for generating comprises means for generating the initial light comprising broadband light having wavelengths across substantially an entirety of the visible spectrum.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the means for filtering comprises means for simultaneously passing the light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light.

20. An imaging device analysis method comprising:

receiving initial light comprising a plurality of wavelengths of light;

filtering some of the wavelengths of the initial light forming a plurality of light beams comprising different wavelengths of light;

after the filtering, optically communicating the light beams of the different wavelengths of light to an imaging device;

receiving the light beams using the imaging device; and

analyzing the imaging device using the light beams after the receiving.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating the initial light.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising generating the initial light comprising broadband light having wavelengths across substantially an entirety of the visible spectrum.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the analyzing comprises determining a responsivity function of the imaging device which characterizes a response of the imaging device to received light.

24. A light beam emission method for analysis of an imaging device, the method comprising:

receiving initial light comprising light of a plurality of different wavelengths;

first filtering the initial light comprising removing a first wavelength of light from the initial light;

providing a first light beam responsive to the first filtering;

second filtering the initial light comprising removing a second wavelength of light from the initial light, wherein the second wavelength of light is different than the first wavelength of light;

providing a second light beam responsive to the second filtering, wherein the first and second light beams comprise different wavelengths of light; and

outputting the first and the second light beams to analyze an imaging device configured to capture images of received light.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising generating the initial light.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising generating the initial light comprising broadband light having wavelengths across substantially an entirety of the visible spectrum.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the outputting comprises sequentially outputting the first and the second light beams.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the outputting comprises simultaneously outputting the first and the second light beams.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the outputting comprises outputting the first and the second light beams having substantially the same intensity.

30. A light beam emission method for analysis of an imaging device, the method comprising:

receiving initial light comprising a plurality of different wavelengths using a filter assembly of an analysis system;

using a plurality of optical filters of the filter assembly, filtering the initial light providing a plurality of light beams comprising different wavelengths of light; and

optically communicating the light beams of the different wavelengths of light externally of the analysis system to analyze an imaging device configured to capture images of received light.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising generating the initial light.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising moving the optical filters during the filtering.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the moving comprises moving the optical filters to generate the light beams comprising the different wavelengths of light in a sequence.