Patent Application
20120169886
1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to aperture testing technologies, and particularly to a system and method for testing an aperture of an image capturing device.
2. Description of Related Art
In an optics system or an image capturing device, such as a camera, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels through. The aperture determines how many incoming rays are actually admitted and thus how much light reaches images captured by the image capturing device. Exposure for the images captured by the image capturing device is determined by the aperture. Since the image capturing device may not capture high quality images when the aperture cannot work normally, it is needed to test the aperture after the aperture is installed on the image capturing device.
The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
The storage system 12 stores one or more programs, such as programs of a firmware or other applications of the image capturing device 1, and executed by the processor 10 to provide functions of the image capturing device 1. In one embodiment, the storage system 12 may be a random access memory (RAM) for temporary storage of information, and/or a read only memory (ROM) for permanent storage of information. In other embodiments, the storage system 22 may also be an external storage device, such as a flash memory, a storage card, or a data storage medium.
The testing system 10 may include a plurality of software programs in the form of one or more computerized instructions stored in the storage system 12, and executed by a processor 10, to perform operations of the image capturing device 1. In the embodiment, the testing system 10 includes a division module 20, a calculation module 22, a control module 24, a determination module 26, and an output module 28. In general, the word “module”, as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, Java, C, or Assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as in an EPROM. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device. Some non-limiting examples of non-transitory computer-readable medium include CDs, DVDs, BLU-RAY, flash memory, and hard disk drives.
The division module 20 divides a brightness value range “0 to 255” of images into a plurality of range intervals, such as three range intervals which are [0, 85], [86, 170], and [171, 255]. When the brightness value range is divided, the division module 20 determines one of the range intervals for testing the aperture 14, such as a first range interval [0, 85] for testing the aperture 14.
The calculation module 22 calculates a brightness value of a current image captured by the image capturing device 1, and determines whether the brightness value is within the determined range interval. In one example, the calculation module 22 may obtain a brightness value of each of pixels of the current image, and then calculates an average brightness value of the pixels as the brightness value of the current image.
The control module 24 controls a diameter of the aperture 14 to increase or decrease, to change the brightness value of the current image to be within the determined range interval, if the brightness value is not within the determined range interval. In one embodiment, the control module 24 may control the diameter of the aperture 14 to increase or decrease using a particular drive circuit of the image capturing device 1 that is designed for the aperture 14.
The determination module 26 determines whether the brightness value of the current image is changed during a predetermined time period, such as three seconds, or five seconds. If the brightness value of the current image is not changed during the predetermined time period, another range interval is determined for testing the aperture until all of the range intervals are tested. If the brightness value of the current image is changed during the predetermined time period, the determination module 26 determines the aperture 14 does not work normally. In one embodiment, if the brightness value of the current image is within the determined range interval during the predetermined time period, the brightness may be regarded as not be changed.
The output module 28 generates test information of the aperture 14 after the aperture 14 is tested based on all of the range intervals, and stores the test information of the aperture 14 into the storage system 12. In addition, if the image capturing device 1 is connected to a computer or other computing device, the output module 28 may output the test information to the computer or the computing device, and display the test information on a display screen of the computer or the computing device. In one embodiment, the test information includes, for example, the range intervals, the calculated brightness value of the current image, and a test result (e.g., “pass” or “fail”) indicating whether the aperture 14 works normally.
In block S2, the division module 20 divides a brightness value range “0 to 255” of images into a plurality of range intervals, such as three range intervals which are [0, 85], [86, 170], and [171, 255].
In block S4, the division module 20 determines one of the range intervals for testing the aperture 14, such as a first range interval [0, 85] for testing the aperture 14.
In block S6, the calculation module 22 calculates a brightness value of a current image captured by the image capturing device 1. In one example, the calculation module 22 may obtain a brightness value of each of pixels of the current image, and then calculates an average brightness value of the pixels as the brightness value of the current image.
In block S8, the calculation module 22 determines whether the brightness value of the current image is within the determined range interval. If the brightness value of the current image is within the determined range interval, block S12 is implemented. If the brightness value of the current image is not within the determined range interval, block S10 is implemented.
In block S10, the control module 24 controls the diameter of the aperture 14 to increase or decrease, to change the brightness value of the current image to be within the determined range interval. In one embodiment, the control module 24 may control the diameter of the aperture 14 to increase or decrease using a particular drive circuit of the image capturing device 1 that is designed for the aperture 14.
In block S12, the determination module 26 determines whether the brightness value of the current image is changed during a predetermined time period, such as three seconds, or five seconds. If the brightness value of the current image has not been changed during the predetermined time period, block S16 is implemented. If the brightness value of the current image is changed during the predetermined time period, in block S14, the determination module 26 determines that the aperture 14 does work normally.
In block S16, the determination module 26 determines whether the aperture 14 has been tested based on all of the range intervals. If the aperture 14 has been tested based on all of the range intervals, in block S18, the determination module 26 determines that the aperture 14 works normally. If the aperture 14 has not been tested based on all of the range intervals, block S4 is repeated to determine another range interval for testing the aperture 14.
When the aperture 14 is tested based on all of the range intervals, the output module 28 generates test information of the aperture 14, and stores the test information of the aperture 14 into the storage system 12. In addition, if the image capturing device 1 is connected to a computer or other computing device, the output module 28 may output the test information to the computer or the computing device, and display the test information on a display screen of the computer or the computing device. In one embodiment, the test information includes, for example, the range intervals, the calculated brightness value of the current image, and a test result (e.g., “pass” or “fail”) that indicating whether the aperture 14 works normally.
Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201010616892.X | Dec 2010 | CN | national |
