Optics: measuring and testing – Miscellaneous
Patent
1998-06-04
1999-09-14
Rosenberger, Richard A.
Optics: measuring and testing
Miscellaneous
A61B 3024
Patent
active
059531177
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to both a visual measuring method and a visual measuring device, in particular for determining the visual prominence of a target object within an image. The invention can be carried out both with purely optical techniques and with all kinds of combinations of optoelectronic techniques. The invention is explained below in particular, but not restrictively, with reference to exemplary embodiments on the basis of purely optical techniques.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There has long been a desire to determine as objectively as possible the visual prominence of a target object, for example a traffic sign, within an image, for example a street scene. The object of the invention is to provide both a method and a device by means of which that desire can be fulfilled.
On the one hand, the invention is based on the realization that the objective measure used for visual prominence can be the extent to which a target object situated in an image is moved towards the periphery of the field of vision of an eye while the operative is still just capable of perceiving the target object in the periphery of his field of vision. On the other hand, the invention is based on the idea that the reliability of the objective measurements increases when the image, with the target object therein in each case, is presented for a relatively short time to the operative. It is expected that disturbing subjective value judgments will be filtered out as well as possible in this way. The invention is also based on the idea that the extent of a contrast reduction in the image sector presented to the eye can be a secondary measure of determining the visual prominence of a target object within an image.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of non-restrictive exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically an optical measuring device according to a first embodiment of the invention, in which only the main parts are shown;
FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a second variant of an embodiment of an optical measuring device according to the invention, illustrating a target object, and in which only the main parts are shown; and
FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a third variant of an embodiment of the measuring device according to the present invention, including an illustration of its housing, and showing only the main parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The measuring device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises essentially two mirrors 2, 3 and three lenses 4, 5 and 6. A diaphragm 7 with an adjustable diaphragm aperture is also present. The light path from the image (not shown) to the eye 9 is indicated diagrammatically by the dashed-and-dotted line 8. An image can be viewed with the eye 9 in a fixed position, for example assisted in this by an eye fixation point which is accommodated in, for example, the image plane of the lens 6. By means of the tilting mirror 3, the image can be viewed at two different angles, so that the target object is projected at two different points onto the retina of the eye 9. With the diaphragm 7 it is also possible to present the whole image to the eye 9 (diaphragm 7 opened fully), or to present just a detail of that image (diaphragm 7 opened only slightly). It is now ensured that with the eye 9 in the reference position the detail in the image, with essentially only the target object, is projected onto or essentially onto the fovea of the retina, so that the detail of the image is situated in a "center forward" position in front of the eye 9. If the mirror 3 is now tilted through a predetermined angle and the diaphragm 7 is opened fully at the same time, the full image is presented to the eye 9, but with the target object shifted towards the periphery of the field of vision of the eye 9. The operative now decides whether in that situation, with his eye 9 still directed at the reference point, he can or cannot perceive the target object in the periphery
REFERENCES:
patent: 1854724 (1932-04-01), Tillyer
patent: 5024519 (1991-06-01), Howard et al.
patent: 5061060 (1991-10-01), Aulhorn et al.
patent: 5202711 (1993-04-01), Klingbeil
Kooi Frank Leonard
Moddemeijer Kees
Wertheim Alexander Hans
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk On
Rosenberger Richard A.
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