Fault detection and method of detecting faults in digital imaging systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016119617-A1
Application number	US-201414521751-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2014
Priority date	Oct 23, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of analyzing a digital camera includes generating first image data using an image sensor in the camera. A first analysis is performed on at least one portion of the first image data. Second image data is generated using the image sensor and a second analysis is performed on the at least one portion of the second image data. The results of the first analysis are compared to the results of the second analysis. A signal indicating a fault with the digital camera is generated in response to the first analysis differing from the second analysis by a predetermined amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of analyzing a digital camera, the digital camera comprising an image sensor having a plurality of pixels that generate image data, the method comprising:
generating first image data using the image sensor; performing a first analysis on at least one portion of the first image data; generating second image data using the image sensor; performing a second analysis on the at least one portion of the second image data; comparing results of the first analysis to results of the second analysis; and generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the first analysis differing from the second analysis by a predetermined amount.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one portion of the first image data corresponds to intensity of light incident to at least one pixel located on the image sensor;
performing a first analysis comprises analyzing the first image data corresponding to the intensity of light on the at least one pixel;
performing a second analysis comprises analyzing the second image data corresponding to the intensity of light on the at least one pixel;
generating comprises generating a signal indicating a fault in response to the result of the first analysis being substantially the same as the result of the second analysis.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one portion of the first image data corresponds to intensity of light incident to at least one pixel located on the image sensor; the at least one portion of the second image data corresponds to intensity of light incident to the at least one pixel located on the image sensor; the first image data and the second image data have maximum values; performing a first analysis comprises determining if the at least one portion of the first image data is substantially the maximum value; performing a second analysis comprises determining if the at least one portion of the second image data is substantially the maximum value; and wherein the generating comprises generating a signal indicating a fault in response to the at least one portion of the first image data being substantially at the maximum value and the at least one portion of the second image data being substantially at the maximum value.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one portion of the first image data corresponds to intensity of light incident to at least one pixel located on the image sensor; the at least one portion of the second image data corresponds to intensity of light incident to the at least one pixel located on the image sensor; the first image data and the second image data have minimum values; performing a first analysis comprises determining if the at least one portion of the first image data is substantially the minimum value; performing a second analysis comprises determining if the at least one portion of the second image data is substantially the minimum value; and wherein the generating comprises generating a signal indicating a fault in response to the at least one portion of the first image data being substantially at the minimum value and the at least one portion of the second image data being substantially at the minimum value.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera further comprises a light source; wherein light emitted by the light source is incident to the image sensor; wherein generating the first image data comprises generating the first image data with the light source illuminated; and wherein generating the second image data comprises generating the second image data with the light source illuminated.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first image data and the second image data represent the color of the light source.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the camera further comprises an iris for controlling the amount of external light that is incident on the image sensor, and wherein generating the first and second image data further comprises closing the iris.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera further comprises an iris for controlling the amount of external light that is incident on the image sensor, and wherein generating the first and second image data further comprises closing the iris.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
performing a first analysis comprises calculating an average pixel value from the first image data; performing a second analysis comprises calculating an average pixel value from the second image data; and generating a signal indicating a fault comprises generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the average pixel value from the first image data being within a predetermined amount of the average pixel value from the second image data.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
performing a first analysis comprises calculating an average pixel value from the first image data; performing a second analysis comprises calculating an average pixel value from the second image data; and generating a signal indicating a fault comprises generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the difference of the average pixel value from the first image data and the average pixel value from the second image data being greater than a predetermined amount.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
performing a first analysis comprises calculating a first dynamic range of the image sensor; performing a second analysis comprises calculating a second dynamic range of the image sensor; and generating a signal indicating a fault comprises generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the difference between the first dynamic range and the second dynamic range being greater than a predetermined amount.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
monitoring control data transmitted to the image sensor; and
generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the data transmitted to the image sensor not corresponding to data to correct at least one error between an image represented by the first image data and an image represented by the second image data.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image data is generated substantially near the time of manufacture of the camera.

14 . A method of analyzing a digital camera, the camera comprising a processor that transmits instructions, the method comprising:
monitoring a first instruction transmitted to at least one part of the camera; generating first image data in response to the first instruction; monitoring a second instruction transmitted to the at least one part of the camera; generating second image data in response to the second instruction; performing a first analysis on the at least one portion of the first image data; performing a second analysis on the at least one portion of the second image data; generating a signal indicating a fault with the digital camera in response to the first analysis and the second analysis indicating a change that does not correlate with changes in the first instruction and the second instruction.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the camera comprises an image sensor and wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are gain of the image sensor.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the camera comprises an image sensor and wherein the first instruction and the second instruction are exposure time of the image sensor.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the camera comprises an iris and wherein the first

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Sagar Rajat

Classifications

• H04N23/75

  by influencing optical camera components · CPC title

• H04N23/64

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N17/002 Primary

  for television cameras · CPC title

• H04N5/238

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23222

  Electricity · mapped topic