# US 7,609,372 B1 · System and method for measuring length of camera lens

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- Number: US 7,609,372 B1
- Document ID: US7609372B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 12/327,521
- Filed: 2008-12-03
- Published: 2009-11-12
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2008-05-06
- Assignees: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kun-Jung Tsai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609372B1

## CPC

- G03B 43/00: Testing correct operation of photographic apparatus or parts thereof
- G01M 11/0214: {Details of devices holding the object to be tested}
- G01M 11/0257: {by analyzing the image formed by the object to be tested}
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A system for measuring a total track length of a telescopic lens includes a testing chart, a light source, a processor, a display screen and a range finder. The lens and an image sensor are received in a holder. The testing chart has a frame pattern and a plurality of line pair patterns. The testing chart faces and aligns with the image sensor for allowing the image sensor to capture an image of the testing chart. The processor analyzes the image generated by the image sensor, so as to obtain a modulation transfer function value representative of a precision focal position of the lens. The range finder measures a first distance between the image sensor and the range finder, a second distance between the lens and the range finder, and calculates a distance difference between the first and second distances to obtain the total track length of the lens.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for measuring a total track length of a telescopic lens, the telescopic lens and an image sensor received in a holder, the telescopic lens being movable relative to the image sensor, the system comprising:
a testing chart having a frame pattern and a plurality of line pair patterns arranged in the frame pattern, each of the line pair patterns including a plurality of black and white line pairs, the testing chart facing the holder;
a light source for illuminating the testing chart; the testing chart being configured for facing and aligning with the image sensor for allowing the image sensor to capture an image of the line pair patterns of the testing chart;
a processor configured for analyzing the line pair patterns of the testing chart of the image generated by the image sensor, so as to obtain a modulation transfer function value representative of a precision focal position of the lens;
a display screen configured for displaying the image generated by the image sensor and the modulation transfer function value thereon; and
a range finder configured for measuring a first distance between the image sensor and the range finder, a second distance between the lens and the range finder, and calculating a distance difference between the first distance and the second distance to obtain the total track length of the lens.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system as described in claim 1, wherein a distance between the testing chart and the camera module is substantially equal to a minimum focus distance of the lens.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system as described in claim 1, wherein the range finder comprises an emitting and receiving unit, the emitting and receiving unit configured for emitting a laser beam to a sensing surface of the image sensor and receiving the laser beam reflected by the image sensor, so as to obtain the first distance therebetween, the emitting and receiving unit configured for emitting another laser beam to an exterior surface of the lens and receiving the laser light reflected by the lens, so as to obtain the second distance therebetween.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system as described in claim 1, wherein at least two of the line pair patterns are different from each other in spatial frequency.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system as described in claim 1, wherein the line pairs of adjacent line pair patterns are perpendicular to each other.

### Claim 6

A method for measuring a total track length of a telescopic lens, comprising:
providing a testing chart, the testing chart having a frame pattern and a plurality of line pair patterns arranged in the frame pattern, each of the line pair patterns including a plurality of black and white line pairs;
aligning the image sensor with the frame pattern of the testing chart;
providing a range finder;
measuring a first distance between the image sensor and the range finder using the range finder;
mounting a lens into the holder, the lens disposed between the image sensor and the testing chart;
analyzing an image of the line pair patterns of the testing chart while adjusting a distance between the lens and the image sensor, so as to cause the lens focusing on a precision focal position;
measuring a second distance between the lens and the range finder using the range finder;
calculating a distance difference between the first distance and the second distance, so as to obtain the total track length of the lens, and
displaying the total track length of the lens to a user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method as described in claim 6, wherein the frame pattern is highlighted relative to the line pair patterns.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method as described in claim 6, further comprising determining whether the frame pattern in the image of the testing chart is centrosymmetric about a center of the image sensing area of the image sensor, after mounting the lens into the holder, if not, moving the lens until the frame pattern in the image of the testing chart is centrosymmetric about the center of the image sensing area of the image sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method as described in claim 6, wherein a distance between the lens and the testing chart is substantially equal to a minimum focus distance of the lens.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method as described in claim 9, further comprising analyzing the image of the testing chart from the image sensor, so as to obtain a modulation transfer function value representative of a precision focal position of the lens.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method as described in claim 10, further comprising displaying the image of the testing chart from the image sensor and the modulation transfer function value from the processor thereon.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The method as described in claim 6, wherein at least two of the line pair patterns are different from each other in spatial frequency.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The method as described in claim 6, wherein the line pairs of adjacent line pair patterns are perpendicular to each other.
