METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE SHARPNESS OF A FIXED-FOCUS CAMERA, TEST DEVICE FOR TESTING THE SHARPNESS OF A FIXED-FOCUS CAMERA, FIXED-FOCUS CAMERA AS WELL AS METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A FIXED-FOCUS CAMERA

• US 20120176528A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Connaught Electronics Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Connaught Electronics Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Denny, Patrick Eogham, Lyons, Pat
• Application Number:
  US13/391,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176528A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/00 Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the validity of a measured sharpness of a fixed-focus camera (8), in which a first image of an object (13) is captured by the camera (8) and the sharpness of the image is determined, wherein an additional first optical element (15, 15′) is introduced into the optical path of the camera (8) and a second image of the object (13) is captured and the sharpness of the second image is determined, wherein depending on the comparison of the sharpnesses of at least the two images, the presence of an imaging error of the camera (8) is identified. The invention also relates to a device for testing the sharpness of a fixed-focus camera, a fixed-focus camera as well as the use of a test device for a fixed-focus camera in a vehicle and a method for assembling a fixed-focus camera.

Claims

1. A method for determining a sharpness of a fixed-focus camera, the method comprising:

capturing a first image of an object by the camera;

determining a sharpness of the first image;

introducing first optical element, separate from the camera, into an optical path of the camera;

capturing a second image of the object;

determining a sharpness of the second image; and

,

identifying presence of an imaging error of the camera depending on a comparison of the sharpness of the first and second images.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera has a camera lens, which has a characteristic sharpness curve with a sharpness maximum, wherein said sharpness curve comprises focus scores depending on a distance of the camera lens to an image capturing unit of the camera, wherein the method further comprises

identifying, depending on the comparison of the sharpness of the first and second images, on which side of the sharpness maximum the focus score of the first image is located.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

identifying, depending on a position of the focus score of the first image relative to the sharpness maximum which type of imaging error of the camera is present.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the type of imaging error comprises one selected from a group consisting of short-sightedness or long-sightedness of the camera.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first optical element is a bi-convex lens that is inserted the first optical element on a side of the camera lens facing away from the image capturing unit, and wherein short-sightedness of the camera is identified if a focus score of the second image is smaller than the focus score of the first image, and longsightedness of the camera is identified if the focus score of the second image is greater than the focus score of the first image.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first optical element is a bi-concave lens that is introduced on a side of the camera lens facing away from the image capturing unit, and wherein short-sightedness of the camera is identified if a focus score of the second image is greater than the focus score of the first image, and long-sightedness of the camera is identified if the focus score of the second image is smaller than the focus score of the first image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a distance of an additionally introduced optical element to the camera lens is varied, and wherein variation of the focus score is detected based on the varied distance.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the a second optical element, different from the first optical element with respect to a direction of light and separate from the camera, is introduced into the optical path of the camera, and wherein a third image of the object is captured and a sharpness of the third image is determined, wherein presence of an imaging error of the camera is identified based on a comparison of the sharpness of the first, second, and third images.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a bi-convex lens is introduced as the first optical element, and a biconcave lens is introduced as the second optical element.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein short-sightedness of the camera is identified if focus scores of the first and the third images are greater than the focus score of the second image, and longsightedness of the camera is identified if the focus scores of the first and the second images are greater than the focus score of the third image.

11. A test device for testing a sharpness of a fixed-focus camera, the camera comprising a camera lens, an image capturing unit, and at least one optical element separate from the camera and positioned in an optical path of the camera on a side of the camera lens facing away from the image capturing unit, the test device comprising:

an evaluating unit, wherein

a first image of an object is captured by the camera without the at least one optical element and a second image of the object is captured by the camera with the at least one optical element, and

the evaluating unit is is configured to determine;

a sharpness of the first and second images, and presence of an imaging error of the camera depending on a comparison of the sharpness of the first and second images.

12. A fixed-focus camera mountable on or in a motor vehicle for environmental detection of the motor vehicle, comprising:

a camera lens; and

an image capturing unit spaced from the camera lens,

wherein, upon assembly of the camera, a distance between said camera lens and said image capturing unit is adjusted such that a sharpness of the camera deviates in a defined manner from a sharpness required in at least one operational phase in the field of the camera with respect to temperature conditions, upon assembly, and wherein, due to temperature conditions existing in the at least one operational phase, the distance automatically varies such that a sharpness of the camera is within a tolerance interval of a sharpness maximum.

13. A method for assembling a fixed-focus camera, comprising:

adjusting, upon assembly of camera components, a distance between a camera lens and an image capturing unit such that a sharpness of the camera deviates in a defined manner from a sharpness required in at least one operational phase in the field of the camera with respect to temperature conditions, upon assembly, and due to temperature conditions existing in the at least one operational phase the distance automatically varies such that a sharpness of the camera is within a tolerance interval of a sharpness maximum.

14. The method according to claim 13, in which the camera is disposed on or in a motor vehicle in operation and the temperature conditions encompass a temperature interval between minus 400 C and plus 1050 C in operation.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the tolerance interval encompasses a range of values ±

10% of the sharpness maximum.