Systems, devices, and methods for repeatable and quantifiable measurement of haze present in optical lenses

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for measuring lens haze values using a shading box housing a gantry, a light source, and a camera. The gantry includes an orientation to place the lens flat adjacent to the light source, the gantry being configured such that an edge of the lens faces the light source. The light source is configured to emit blue light to a lens edge of the lens. The camera is configured to be positioned toward the top surface of the lens, the camera being configured to measure blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens. A computing device coupled with the camera is used to calculate a haze value of the lens based on the measured blue light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Systems, apparatus, and methods for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the amount of haze present in an optical lens, such as by transmitting only blue light into the lens and / or measuring only blue light in the lens. Background Art

[0002] Haze may affect the overall clarity or visual acuity of a lens. Therefore, it may be desirable to measure the amount of haze or haze value of a lens. The amount of haze may depend on the amount of impurities in the lens or lens layer. The amount of haze may vary depending on the amount of additives (e.g., photochromic dyes, UV absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS), antioxidants, and release agents) mixed into the resin used to form the lens. In addition, the amount of haze may depend on the inherent transparency of the lens with or without these additives. Generally, the greater the amount of additives and / or the lower the inherent transparency of the lens, the greater the amount of haze. What is needed is the ability to quickly, inexpensively, and accurately measure the amount of haze or haze value of a lens (e.g., a lens blank or an optical lens) before the lens is installed in a frame or sold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the haze present in an optical lens.

[0004] Figure 2 is the image histogram of a high haze lens.

[0005] Figure 3 is the image histogram of a low haze lens.

[0006] Figure 4 A flow chart illustrating an operating environment or process flow for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the haze present in an optical lens.

[0007] Figure 5 is a block diagram of a computing device.

[0008] Throughout the specification, elements appearing in the drawings are designated by three-digit or four-digit reference numerals, wherein the two least significant digits are specific to the element and the one or two most significant digits are the number of the drawing in which the element is first introduced. Elements not described in conjunction with a drawing may be presumed to have the same properties and functions as previously described elements having the same reference numeral or the same two least significant digits. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The techniques described herein provide systems, devices, and methods for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the amount of haze present in an optical lens, such as by emitting only blue light into the lens and / or measuring only blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens. These techniques, individually and collectively referred to herein as "haze meters," were developed to address the deficiencies of existing commercially available haze measurement instruments and standard techniques in certain specific situations, such as for measuring, for example, Figure 1 The haze 155 of the lens 150 is shown. These techniques can quickly, inexpensively and accurately measure the amount of haze or haze value in a lens (e.g., a lens blank before manufacturing an optical lens, or an optical lens before the lens is installed in a frame or sold).

[0010] The lens may be an unprocessed blank, a final finished lens for installation in a frame, a sample of lens material, or a lens at any processing stage between the two. Haze affects the overall clarity or visual acuity of the lens. The measured amount of haze may be a haze amount or haze value known in the art. A haze meter may measure the amount of haze or haze value known in the art. The amount of haze 155 may depend on the amount of impurities in the lens or layer, and the damage (e.g., scratches) or contamination (e.g., fingerprints) present on the front surface. The amount of haze may depend on the amount of additives mixed into the resin lens, such as photochromic dyes, ultraviolet absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers, antioxidants, and release agents. In addition, the amount of haze may depend on the inherent transparency of the lens with or without these additives. Generally, the greater the amount of additives and / or the lower the inherent transparency of the lens, the greater the amount of haze. The amount of haze may also vary due to the edge quality of the lens. The edge of a lens with high surface roughness may increase the average apparent value by 10% to 12% of the haze.

[0011] Equipment Description

[0012] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 A block diagram of a system 100 for repeatably and quantifiably measuring haze 187 present in an optical lens 150 is shown. Descriptions herein of "configured to," "configured for," or "for" an operation may mean that a unit, component, or system is configured to and / or adapted to perform the operation, such as repeatably and quantifiably measuring a portion of haze present in an optical lens.

[0013] The system 100 includes a box 110 having a door 114, a stage 120, a light source 130, and a camera 140. A lens 150 can be mounted on the stage 120 to receive light 132 emitted by the light source 130 and to allow light 157 emitted from a top surface 154 of the lens 150 to be measured by the camera 140 as measured light 144. The lens 150 is selectable and can represent any one of a plurality of lenses, and the haze value 187 of the lens 150 is measured by the system 100 and / or the box 110. For example, the system 100 and / or the box 110 is a haze meter, which is used to measure the haze value 187 of a lens to be placed on the stage 120, for example, by emitting only blue light to the lens and / or measuring only blue light in the lens.

[0014] The box 110 is a light-shielding box, and the stand 120, the light source 130, and the camera 140 are installed in the box. The box 110 can be a shell whose outer surface is made of or includes various light-shielding materials. The box 110 includes a door 114 for taking out the lens 150, the stand 120, and other optional components in the box. When the door 114 is closed, light will not enter the box 110 from an external source or the surrounding environment. The door 114 allows a user to enter the box 110 to install and / or position the lens 150 on the stand 120 in the box 110 in the direction 156.

[0015] The stand 120 can be positioned in an orientation 124 to position the lens 150 flat, horizontally adjacent to the light source 130, and with the lens edge 152 facing the emitted light 132 of the light source 120. The stand 120 can include or can be a bracket having a flat top surface and a clamp or holding device for removably holding the lens 150 in a fixed position 156 relative to the light source 120 and the camera 140. The stand 120 is shown as a separate component, which can be part of the bottom surface of the box 110.

[0016] The light source 130 is used to emit blue light 132 into the lens edge 152. In some cases, the blue light 132 includes other colors of light within the human visual range. In other cases, the light source 130 only emits blue light 132 without emitting other colors of light. The light source 130 can be a light emitting diode (LED) with blue light, a laser, or other light sources.

[0017] The light source 130 can be used to emit blue light 132 from the lens edge 152 to the opposite edge 158 of the lens 150, for example using a collimated beam having a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. The circular cross-sectional diameter can be equal to or less than the thickness of the lens 150. The circular cross-sectional diameter can be less than the thickness of the lens 150. In other cases, the circular cross-sectional diameter can be greater than the thickness of the lens 150.

[0018] The lens 150 includes a top surface 154 facing the camera 140, an edge 152 facing the light source 130, and an edge 158 opposite the edge 152. These edges can be parallel. The edge 158 can be the portion or perimeter of the lens 150 farthest from the edge 152, or include the portion or perimeter of the lens 150 farthest from the edge 152. The lens has a circular cross-section and thickness when viewed from above. The bottom surface of the lens 150 can be placed on the stand 120. The haze 155 of the lens 150 or the haze 155 in the lens 150 can be measured as part of the light 157, from which the haze value 187 can be calculated.

[0019] Light 157 is emitted from lens 150 or from top surface 154. Light 157 may be a portion of light 132 emitted from surface 154. Light 157 may have the same color as light 132, except that light 157 may include or be modified by haze 155, which gives haze value 187. The color of emitted light 157 may also be altered by its interaction with the lens material and / or any dyes, pigments, or other additives within lens 150. These factors may affect the spectral characteristics and color composition of emitted light 157, which in turn contributes to haze 155 and measured haze value 187.

[0020] The lens 150 can have a variety of configurations depending on its intended use and design. The front surface of the lens can be considered a single vision surface, where it provides a consistent curvature across the entire surface. Alternatively, the front surface can be a complex surface that exhibits a continuously varying surface curvature. In addition, the front surface can accommodate a bifocal or multifocal lens design. The lens 150 includes one or more of the following: an optical material; a hard coating; a photochromic dye, a film; a polarizer dye, an optical material layer for a glass or optical lens; a polyurethane lens blank base layer with a second layer of a photochromic material, such as formed solid from a liquid; various base curvatures; and / or various optical grinds and / or optical prescriptions.

[0021] The camera 140 is positioned toward the top surface 154 of the lens 150. The camera 140 is configured to measure blue light 157 emitted from the top surface 154 as measured light 144. The measured light 144 may be image data of the emitted light 157. The camera 140 may include an imager facing the top surface 154 and for imaging the top surface 154. The camera 140 may have an orientation including having a viewing direction (e.g., an optical axis, a principal axis, or a principal ray of the camera) facing perpendicular to the top surface 154. Measuring the blue light 157 emitted from the top surface 154 may include measuring the blue light within or between the top surface 154 and the bottom surface of the lens.

[0022] The camera 140 can measure the emitted light 157 and the haze 155 of the image of the lens 150, for example, by generating a measured light 144 of the emitted light 157. The measured light 144 includes image data of the haze 155.

[0023] In some cases, blue light 157 includes light of other colors, such as when light 132 also includes light of other colors. In other cases, camera 140 measures only blue light 157 and does not measure light of other colors. In some cases, light source 120 emits only blue light 132, and camera 140 measures only blue light 157. In some cases, light source 120 emits only blue light 132, or camera 140 measures only blue light 157. The wavelength of blue light 132 and / or blue light 157 may only be between 430 nanometers and 485 nanometers, inclusive.

[0024] System 100 also includes a computing device 180 that is in data connection with case 110 via data connection 105. Device 180 receives light 144 for calculating a value 187. Device 180 is used to calculate a haze value 187 of a lens based on the measured blue light 144, as further described below.

[0025] The calculation of the haze value 187 may be performed by a calculator 186 of the device 180. The calculator 186 may be or include computer hardware, logic, and / or software instructions that cause the calculation to occur.

[0026] The value 187 of the haze amount 155 of the lens 150 can be the amount of light scattered by wide angles at angles greater than 2.5° from normal (ASTM D1003), or can be proportional to or include this value. In contrast, the clarity value can be the amount of light scattered by a narrow area at angles less than 2.5° from normal.

[0027] If light 152 and 157 is not just blue light, device 180 and / or calculator 186 can calculate value 187 using only the blue wavelengths of light 157 and / or 144, such as by filtering or processing only the blue wavelengths of light 157 to form light 144. In this case, light 152 and 157 can be or include white light or include blue light and other wavelengths of light emitted by the light source and measured by the camera. Hardware, digital, software processing and / or camera imaging can be used to image only blue light as light 144.

[0028] The device 180 and / or the calculator 186 may include non-transitory computer instructions that, when executed by the computing device 180, cause the device 180 and / or the calculator 186 to receive user input via the user input device 184 to control the light source 130 to emit only blue light 132 and / or to control the camera to measure only blue light 157. The instructions may also calculate a haze value 187 for the lens 150 based on the measured blue light 144.

[0029] The device 180 provides output to the user via a user output device 182 (e.g., a computer display) and receives user input via a user input device 184 (e.g., a mouse, a touch screen, and / or a keyboard). The user output device 182 and the user input device 184 enable the user 190 to control the system 100, the box 110, the source 130, and / or the camera 140. The input device 184 can receive user selections, light source instructions, and camera instructions, which are sent to the source 130 and the camera 140. In some cases, the input device 184 receives user input (instructions, commands) of user selections for repeatable and quantifiable measurement of the haze 155 as a haze value 187.

[0030] Connection 105 is a data connection located outside of case 110 and device 180 from computing device 180 to light source 130 and camera 140. Data connection 150 may be used by computing device 180 to send user selections, light source instructions, and camera instructions received at input device 184 to source 130 and camera 140. Data connection 105 may be used by case 110 and camera 140 in case 110 to send light measured 144 information (data) from camera 140 to device 180. Connection 105 may be a wired, wireless, Internet, or other data connection.

[0031] Box 110 also includes data connection 115 between connection 105 and source 310 and data connection 117 between connection 105 and camera, respectively. Data connections 115 and 117 may be used by computing devices 180 and / or 170 to send user selections, light source instructions, and camera instructions received at input device 184 to source 130 and camera 140, respectively. In some cases, connections 115 and 117 come from device 170, rather than from connection 105.

[0032] Data connections 105 , 115 , and 117 may be wired, wireless, Bluetooth, WIFI, USB, Ethernet, or other data connections between electronic devices and / or computing devices, and they may be point-to-point, broadcast, or multipoint connections.

[0033] There may be external power connections, such as from a wall outlet or other power supply to device 180, device 170, source 130, and camera 140. In some cases, these power connections may be part of connections 105, 115, and 117.

[0034] User 190 can control door 114, gantry 120, direction 124, position 156, direction of source 130, and / or direction of camera 140 via input 184. User 190 can control emission time and length of light 132 from source 130 and / or measurement of light 157 by camera 140. User 190 can control calculation of calculator 186 and / or haze value 187, for example based on a histogram and / or equation. User 190 can be a person and / or human. In other cases, user 190 can be represented as a computing device, artificial intelligence (AI), or a neural network.

[0035] Any one or more actions of the system, device, component and / or controlled by the user 190 can be automatically performed. Automatic can describe when an action occurs without user input to cause, guide or select the process, end or selection of the action. Any one or more actions can be repeatedly performed to obtain another haze value 187 of the same lens 150, or to obtain the haze value 187 of a different lens 150. Any one or more actions can be a quantifiable measurement of the haze value 187 present in the optical lens 150 by the device 180 or the calculator 186, or a part of the quantifiable measurement.

[0036] The case 110 may optionally include a computing device 170 that includes some or all of the components of the device 180 and / or is configured to perform some or all of the actions of the device 180. In this case, the components and actions of the device 180 may be distributed between the devices 170 and 180 in any number. The device 170 may include a user input device and a user output device that are similar to the user input device 184 and the user output device 182 of the computing device 180. The user 190 may receive output from the device 170 and / or 180 and input to the device 170 and / or 180. The device 170 may be part of the case 110 that is connected to and located between the connection 105 and the stage 120, the light source 130, and / or the camera 140.

[0037] The system 100, device 180, and / or calculator 186 that calculates the haze value 187 may include using the measured blue light 144 to calculate an average pixel value of the light 144 from the pixels of the surface 154 to obtain a histogram including N rectangular bins that depict the brightness of each pixel captured in the measured blue light 144 (e.g., light 157), where rectangular bin 0 represents a rectangular bin of completely dark light of the light 144 and rectangular bin N represents a rectangular bin of completely light / bright light 144. This average pixel value of the light 144 may be the haze value 187.

[0038] For example, rectangular bar 0 may represent a rectangular bar of completely dark light, defined as light of very low or undetectable intensity, such as light 157, where no haze 155 scatters or reflects blue light 132, so light 157 and light 144 are dark (e.g., there is no blue light 132 in light 157 and 144). In this case, rectangular bar N may represent a completely bright rectangular bar, where a large amount of haze blocks and / or reflects blue light 132 from becoming light 157, so light 157 and light 144 are completely bright (e.g., there is a large amount of blue light 132 in light 157 and 144).

[0039] Calculating the average pixel value (e.g., a haze value of 187) can be calculating the sum of the x-value of a rectangular bar (e.g., the brightness value of the rectangular bar number from 0 to N, such as rectangular bar 1 is 1 and rectangular bar 17 is 17) multiplied by the bar height at that rectangular bar position (e.g., rectangular bar 1 is 7% and rectangular bar 17 is 1%), where the bar height is the number of pixels present at that rectangular bar position (e.g., having a brightness from 0 to N), and then dividing the sum by the total number of pixels in the image (e.g., P) to obtain the average pixel value.

[0040] For example, Figure 2 2 is an image histogram 200 of a high haze lens version of lens 150. Histogram 200 shows a pixel data blue vertical line in which the brightness bar values ​​252 of bar 253 are plotted as a percentage (%) of the total pixel value 254. Histogram 200 shows an example where N is 256. Histogram 200 shows an exponentially decreasing curve of the values ​​252 of the 256 bars, from bar 0 representing completely dark data for light 144 to bar 256 representing completely bright data for light 144.

[0041] In this example, N is 256 rectangular bars (e.g., 6E6 pixels for the surface 154 of the lens), rectangular bar 0 represents completely dark, and rectangular bar 255 represents completely bright. The average pixel value can be calculated using the following formula:

[0042]

[0043] exist Figure 2In the example of , the average pixel value (eg, haze value 187) is shown as 19.15 at line 258. Histogram 200 may be calculated by device 180, device 170, and / or calculator 186 to calculate haze value 187 as average value 258.

[0044] In another example, Figure 3 300 is an image histogram of the low haze lens version of lens 150. Histogram 300 shows the pixel data blue vertical line. In the pixel data blue vertical line, the brightness rectangle bar value 352 of rectangle bar 253 is plotted as a percentage (%) of the total pixel value 254. Histogram 300 shows an example where N is 256. Histogram 300 shows a more linear and faster decreasing curve of the values ​​352 of the 256 rectangle bars, from rectangle bar 0 representing completely dark data for light 144 to rectangle bar 256 representing completely bright data for light 144. Figure 3 In the example of , the average pixel value (eg, haze value 187 ) is represented by line 358 as 4.96. Histogram 200 may be calculated by device 180 , device 170 , and / or calculator 186 to calculate haze value 187 as average value 358 .

[0045] The acceptable haze value threshold of the lens 150 is determined based on the desired level of visual clarity. The average pixel value (e.g., haze value 187) is used as a measure of the haze in the lens. Typically, the threshold is selected to ensure that the lens meets the required quality standards. In many cases, the threshold is set to a certain percentage below the full light value at the rectangular bar N, such as 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2%, or 1%. In some cases, the threshold is a value 187 below 10%. The threshold may be below 5%. It may be below 2%. By setting a threshold, the value 187 can be used to identify and not adopt lenses 150 with excessive haze 155 that is detectable or perceptible to the human eye. Different thresholds can be used according to specific quality requirements and industry standards.

[0046] For example, the threshold for not adopting lenses 150 may be any lens with an average pixel value below a threshold of 5% or 10%. In this case, Figure 2 of the lenses failed and were rejected, while Figure 3 The lenses are qualified and can be used. A threshold of 7%, 10% or 15% can be used.

[0047] When light 132 impinges on surface 152 of transparent lens 150, the following interactions occur: some of the light 132 is reflected from surface 152 of the material, some of the light 132 is refracted within the material (depending on the thickness) and reflected from edge 158 and / or a second surface 154, and / or some of the light 132 passes through lens 150 at an angle to light 157 (e.g., 90 degrees), which is determined by the refractive index of the material of lens 150, the angle of illumination of light 132, and the configuration of light source 130.

[0048] Light 157 passing through the transparent material of lens 150 may be affected by irregularities within the lens, including poorly dispersed particles, contaminants (i.e., dust particles), and / or air gaps. This causes light 132 to scatter in directions different from normal, with the degree of scattering related to the size and number of irregularities present. Small irregularities cause light 132 to scatter or diffuse in all directions, while large irregularities cause light to scatter forward in a narrow cone. These two types of scattering behaviors are referred to as wide-angle scattering, with wide-angle scattering causing haze due to a loss in transmission contrast, and narrow-angle scattering being a measure of material clarity or "see-through quality" based on reduced acuity.

[0049] Thus, these factors may be used to define the transmission characteristics of the transparent material of the lens 150, as shown below. Transmission may be the amount of light 132 that passes through the material of the lens 150 without being scattered. Haze 187 may be proportional to the amount of light 132 that is subject to wide angle scattering at angles greater than 2.5° from the normal to the light 132 in the lens 150 and / or include the amount of light 132 that is subject to wide angle scattering at angles greater than 2.5° from the normal to the light 132 in the lens 150. Clarity may be the amount of light 132 that is subject to narrow area scattering at angles less than 2.5° from the normal to the light.

[0050] Process Description

[0051] Figure 4 A flow chart of an operating environment or process flow 400 for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the haze present in an optical lens is shown. Flow 400 may be performed by one or more components of system 100. Flow 400 begins at step 410 and may end at step 490, but the process may also be cyclic, i.e., return to step 410 after step 490. For example, the process may return to step 410 to retest lens 150 or replace the lens with a different lens and test it. Flow 400 may be a method of detecting the haze value 187 of lens 150.

[0052] Step 410 is positioning the lens 150 to lie flat on the stand 120 adjacent to the light source 130, the stand 120 positioning the lens edge 152 of the lens 150 toward the light source 130. Step 410 may include positioning the lens 150 to have a top surface 154 facing the camera 140, an edge 152 facing the light source 130, and an edge 158 opposite the edge 152. Step 410 may include removably holding the lens 150 in a fixed position 156 relative to the light source 120 and the camera 140 using a clamp or holding device.

[0053] Step 420 is emitting blue light 132 from light source 130 to lens edge 152. Step 420 may include emitting blue light 132 without emitting light of other colors. Step 420 may include emitting blue light from a diode (LED), laser, or other light source having blue light. Step 420 may include emitting blue light 132 from lens edge 152 to opposite edge 158 of lens 150, for example using a collimated beam having a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. The circular cross-sectional diameter may be equal to or less than the thickness of lens 150. The circular cross-sectional diameter may be less than the thickness of lens 150. In other cases, the circular cross-sectional diameter may be greater than the thickness of lens 150.

[0054] Step 430 is to orient the camera 140 toward the top surface 154 of the lens 150. Step 430 may include orienting the camera 140 to measure blue light 157 emitted from the top surface 154 as measured light 144. Step 430 may include orienting the camera 140 to have an imager facing the top surface 154 and for imaging the top surface 154. Step 430 may include orienting the camera so that the viewing direction, optical axis, principal axis, or principal ray orientation of the camera is perpendicular to the top surface 154 of the lens 150. Step 430 may include measuring the blue light 157 emitted from the top surface 154 by measuring the blue light between or within the top surface 154 and the bottom surface of the lens.

[0055] Step 440 is imaging the lens 150 using the camera 140, wherein the camera 140 measures the blue light 157 emitted from the top surface 154 of the lens 150. Step 440 may include measuring the haze 155 of the lens 150 or the haze 155 in the lens 150 as a portion of the light 157 from which the haze value 187 may be calculated. Step 440 may include measuring the light 157 emitted from the lens 150 or the top surface 154. Step 440 may include measuring the emitted light 157 and the haze 155 of an image of the lens 150, for example, by producing the measured light 144 of the emitted light 157. Step 440 may include measuring the blue light 157 including other colors of light, such as when the light 132 emits a color other than blue. Step 430 may include measuring only the blue light 157 without measuring the other colors of light.

[0056] Step 420 may include emitting only blue light 132 and / or step 440 may include measuring only blue light 157. Step 420 may include emitting only blue light 132 and / or step 440 may include measuring only blue light 157 having a wavelength between 430 nanometers and 485 nanometers.

[0057] Step 450 calculates the haze value 187 of the lens 150 based on the measured blue light 144. Step 450 may include receiving the light 144 for calculating the value 187 and calculating the haze value 187 of the lens haze 155 based on the measured blue light 144. Step 450 may include the device 180 and / or the calculator 186 calculating the haze value 187.

[0058] Step 450 may include using the measured blue light 144 to calculate an average pixel value of light 144 from pixels of surface 154 to obtain a histogram having N rectangular bars depicting the brightness of each pixel captured in the measured blue light 144 (e.g., light 157), where rectangular bar 0 is a rectangular bar representing completely dark light of light 144 and rectangular bar N is a rectangular bar representing completely bright / bright light 144. The average pixel value of light 144 may be haze value 187. Step 450 may include Figures 1 to 3 description, for example using rectangular bars 0–N or rectangular bars 0–256.

[0059] Step 450 may include: N is 256 rectangular strips, and the average pixel value is calculated using the following formula:

[0060]

[0061] Steps 410 to 440 may be performed in box 110 including door 114. In some cases, steps 410 to 450 are performed in box 110. The actions listed in these steps may be distributed among different computing devices. The actions listed in these steps may be combined with the actions of other steps, and the actions of a single step may be distributed to other separate steps.

[0062] Figure 5 is a block diagram of a computing device 500. The computing device 500 may represent any of the devices 180, 170, 200 for calculating a histogram, 300 for calculating a histogram, and / or a device for performing one or more steps or partial steps of the process 400. The computing device 500 may be a desktop or laptop computer, a server computer, a cloud computer or network, a client computer, a network router, a network switch, a network node, a tablet computer, a smart phone, or other mobile device. The computing device 500 may include software and / or hardware for providing the functions and features of the units and / or steps described herein, such as for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the haze 155 or haze value 187 present in the optical lens 150. The computing device 500 may include one or more of the following: a logic array, a memory, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, software, firmware, and a processor. The hardware and firmware components of the computing device 500 may include various dedicated units, circuits, software, and interfaces for providing the functions and features of the units described herein.

[0063] The computing device 500 includes a processor 510, which is coupled to a memory 521, a storage 514, a network interface 516, and an I / O (Input / Output) interface 518. The processor 510 may be or include one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), and programmable logic arrays (PLAs).

[0064] The memory 521 may be or include RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory), DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory), and MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory), and may include firmware, such as static data or fixed instructions, BIOS (Basic Input Output System), system functions, configuration data, and other routines used during operation of the computing device 500 and the processor 510. The memory 521 also provides a storage area for data and instructions related to applications and data processed by the processor 510. As used herein, the term "memory" corresponds to the memory 521 and explicitly excludes transient media such as signals or waveforms.

[0065] Memory 514 provides non-volatile, bulk or long-term storage of data or instructions in computing device 500. Memory 514 may take the form of a magnetic or solid-state disk, magnetic tape, CD (compact disc), DVD (digital video disk), or other relatively high-capacity addressable or storage medium. Multiple storage devices may be provided or provided for computing device 500. Some of these storage devices may be located external to computing device 500, such as network storage or cloud-based storage. As used herein, the terms "memory" and "storage medium" correspond to memory 514 and explicitly exclude temporary media such as signals or waveforms. In some cases, such as those involving solid-state memory devices, memory 521 and memory 514 may be a single device.

[0066] Network interface 516 includes an interface to a network, such as a network that can be used to transmit network packets, network messages, text messages, phone calls, faxes, wireless signals, and / or wired power signals, as described herein. Network interface 516 can be wired and / or wireless.

[0067] I / O interface 518 connects processor 510 to peripheral devices (not shown), such as displays, video and still cameras, microphones, user input devices (e.g., touch screen, mouse, keyboard, etc.), and USB devices. In some cases, I / O interface 518 includes peripheral devices, such as displays, GUIs, and user input devices, that are accessed by a user to enter data, make selections, and view displays.

[0068] In some cases, memory 514 is a non-volatile or non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including all types of computer-readable media, including magnetic storage media, optical storage media, and solid-state storage media. It should be understood that the software can be installed within an application program of box 110, device 170, and / or device 180 and sold with it. Alternatively, the software can be obtained and loaded into box 110, device 170, and / or device 180, including obtaining the software through a storage medium or any form of network or distribution system, including obtaining the software from a server owned by the creator of the software or from a server that does not belong to the creator of the software but is used by the creator of the software. The software can be stored on a server for distribution over the Internet.

[0069] Embodiments of the systems, units, and processes herein for repeatably and quantifiably measuring the haze 155 or haze value 187 present in the optical lens 150 may be implemented by a machine-readable storage medium contained in a computing device or otherwise coupled or attached to a computing device. That is, the software may be stored in an electronic, machine-readable medium. These storage media include magnetic media (e.g., hard disks), optical media (e.g., optical disks (CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory, rewritable optical disks) and CD-RW (CD-Rewritable, rewritable optical disks)) and digital versatile disks (DVD and DVD±RW)); flash memory cards; and other storage media. As used herein, a storage device is a device that allows reading and / or writing of a storage medium. Storage devices include hard disk drives, DVD drives, flash memory devices, and the like.

[0070] The techniques and embodiments herein provide computer improvements in systems and units, and create dedicated computing devices as systems and units, such as by using the system 100, the box 110, the device 170 and / or the device 180 to repeatably and quantifiably measure the haze 155 or haze value 187 present in the optical lens 150. The system 100 and / or the box 110 can be a haze meter for measuring the haze value 187 of a lens oriented on the stand 120, for example, by emitting only blue light into the lens and / or measuring only blue light in the lens.

[0071] The lens can be an unprocessed blank, a final finished lens for installation in a frame, a sample of lens material, or a lens at any stage of processing between the two. The lens can be or include one or more optical materials, including: thermoplastic polycarbonate, hard resin thermosetting polymer, poly (urea-urethane), polythiourethane, episulfide, other sulfur-containing polymers with a refractive index greater than about 1.56, polystyrene, polyamide, optical grade nylon polymer, acrylic resin, polyacrylate and polymethacrylate. The lens can include a hard coating; a photochromic dye, film or layer; and / or a polarizer dye, film or layer. The lens can include multiple layers of these materials and / or other optical materials known for glass or optical lenses. The lens can include a polyurethane lens blank base layer and a second layer of photochromic material, for example formed from a liquid into a solid. The lens can have a variety of base curvatures. It can include a variety of optical grinds or be ground according to an optometry sheet.

[0072] Haze 155 may affect the overall clarity or visual acuity of the lens. The measured haze 187 may be a haze amount 155 or a haze value 187 known in the art. A haze meter may measure the amount of haze or haze value 187, which may be a portion of a standard or known optical quantity. The amount of haze may depend on the amount of impurities in the lens or layer. The amount of haze may depend on the amount of additives mixed into the lens resin, such as photochromic dyes, UV absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers, antioxidants, and mold release agents. In addition, the amount of haze may depend on the inherent transparency of the lens with or without these additives. Generally, the greater the amount of additives and / or the lower the inherent transparency of the lens, the greater the amount of haze. The amount of haze may also vary due to the edge quality of the lens edge 152. A lens edge with high surface roughness may increase the average apparent value by 10% to 12% haze.

[0073] Although certain embodiments and numbers are provided herein, it should be understood that the concepts described herein can have variations and different numbers. For example, although N=256 "rectangular bars" depicting the brightness of a single pixel are described, the number of rectangular bars N can vary, such as between 3 and 30,000. The number of rectangular bars can be between 20 and 500. In some cases, N is a fraction or multiple of 256 rectangular bars. In addition, various thresholds can be used to determine whether a lens passes or fails quality control. The examples presented are Figure 2 and Figure 3187, an average pixel value threshold for an acceptable haze value 187 for a lens 150 may be less than 20%, 15%, 10%, or 5%. In some cases, an acceptable threshold may be an average pixel value threshold below 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2%, or 1%. In some cases, an acceptable threshold may be a maximum brightness bar value below 100%, 85%, 68%, 51%, 34%, 17%, or 10%. Although the calculation of the average pixel value is shown as 187, another criterion may be used, such as a standard deviation, mean square, or other calculation.

[0074] The embodiment is designed to operate the box 110 at room temperature, which should not exceed 80°F (27°C) and should not change too quickly. Although certain temperatures are described, other applicable temperatures are also considered, such as not exceeding 70°F or 90°F. LEDs can be used as light sources 130. The light source can be specifically selected or adjusted to emit blue light. The light can be a collimated beam with a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, which diameter can be between 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, or 1.4 mm. The ideal target value for the diameter can be between 1.0 mm and 1.2 mm. In a preferred version of the haze meter, the diameter of the beam is between 1.0 mm and 1.2 mm.

[0075] The type of camera 140 can vary, but the camera can be specifically selected or adjusted to measure the blue channel or blue light emitted by the light. Although the camera and imaging system may preferably measure only blue light of a specific wavelength range, in some cases, the light source only emits the required wavelength range and the measurement is performed in a light control room. In some embodiments, the camera is a red green blue (RGB) camera in which the R (red) channel and the G (green) channel are disabled so that the camera only captures or reads the B (blue) color. The camera can be a camera that includes a set of colors (red, green, blue or other) in which only blue imaging is enabled. The camera can be a spectrometer or other electro-optical system for measuring light emitted from the top surface of the lens, such as a photodiode, an amplifier, and a signal measurement device. The optical system can measure only blue light. In some embodiments, the device can use multiple cameras, not just one camera. The device can capture color and haze using multiple cameras. In some cases, this can help speed up color capture or measure lens haze from different angles.

[0076] Preferably, the camera / imaging system 140 can measure only blue light of a specific wavelength range, such as blue light with a wavelength of 455 nanometers. In some cases, the light source only emits the desired wavelength range, such as blue light with a wavelength of 455 nanometers, and the measurement is performed in a light control room so that only light of this wavelength can be detected or measured. The camera or light source can be controlled to measure or emit blue light with a wavelength of 455 nanometers. It is also contemplated to control the wavelength range of both the emitted light and the measured light so that both are blue light with a wavelength of 455 nanometers.

[0077] For the camera 140 and / or the emitter (e.g., the light source 130), the wavelength of blue light of 455 nanometers can be varied. The wavelength 455 can be varied to be a wavelength or a range of wavelengths between 430 nanometers and 485 nanometers. For example, the light can be only 480 nanometers; or it can be in the range of 450 nanometers to 480 nanometers (including 450 nanometers, 480 nanometers). In one embodiment, a wavelength of light or any range of light varying in increments of plus or minus 5 nanometers within the wavelength range can be used instead of 455 nanometers. For example, a variation of plus or minus 10 nanometers allows the light to be only 440 nanometers; or it can be in the range of 445 nanometers to 465 nanometers (including 445 nanometers, 465 nanometers). In other embodiments, any variation of light in increments of plus or minus N nanometers within the range can be used instead of 455 nanometers, where N is between 1 and 20. For example, a change of plus 8 nanometers or minus 8 nanometers may allow the light to be only 447 nanometers; or it may be in the range of 447 nanometers to 463 nanometers (including 447 nanometers and 463 nanometers).

[0078] The computing devices 170, 180 and / or software for these devices can be used with the described haze meter method and / or to prompt a user to perform the operations of the described haze meter method. However, software may not be required, for example, except for storing image data and / or calculating the resulting haze value 187. For example, the camera 140 can be attached to a display that displays an image of the haze for the user to view, and the resulting haze is manually determined by a trained operator. In another case, the computing device and / or software calculates the resulting haze by calculating the average pixel value 187 from a histogram generated by the program. In some cases, the histogram generated by the program consists of 256 "rectangular bars" that depict the brightness of each pixel captured in the image. Rectangular bar 0 represents complete darkness and rectangular bar 255 represents complete brightness. The calculation method is to add the x value (rectangular bar) multiplied by the bar height at the rectangular bar position (the number of pixels at the rectangular bar position). Dividing it by the total number of pixels in the image gives the average pixel value 187:

[0079]

[0080] In some cases, a "seg" or "segment" portion of the lens is oriented parallel to the LED beam 132 and is an indentation or intentional feature on the surface of the lens that has a partial spherical or other curved shape as well as a straight line or line segment. From a top view, it may appear as a partial circle or partial ellipse bisected by a line to form a cup-like shape. A "seg" can be along the length of a straight line or the length of a line segment. The segment can be a portion or area of ​​a multifocal lens (e.g., a bifocal or trifocal lens) designed for reading or presbyopia correction.

[0081] Light beam 132 can be collimated. Light beam 132 can be directional and / or coherent. Light beam 132 can have a circular shape or have another cross-sectional shape in its emission direction. The light source can be an LED, a laser or other monochromatic source. It can be any light source capable of providing the wavelength of the emitted light described herein. In some cases, the wavelength of the light can be within 1 nanometer, 2 nanometers, 5 nanometers or 10 nanometers of the target wavelength.

[0082] The size of the platform, stage or gantry 120 may also vary. The lens may be placed with the convex or concave side facing up toward the camera 140. The height of the platform relative to the source 130 of the light 132 may vary and may depend on the thickness and / or curvature of the lens. The lens may be oriented so that the light 132 enters from above the midpoint of the lens height.

[0083] Proper alignment of the stage can be performed by various indexing methods, including by visual alignment. The lens is aligned on the stage so that light enters through the side of the lens at edge 152. While the lens 150 is on the stage 120, light can strike one side of the lens and pass through the middle of the lens toward the opposite side or edge 158 of the lens.

[0084] A single image or multiple images of the lens can be used for the calculation of haze. Each image can produce a measured light 144. The sample or series name does not need to be unique, for example, previous results have been recorded or not. Each measurement can be a single image or a single measured light 144. It can be multiple images, for example, between 2 and 10 images.

[0085] The direction of light 132 and / or the intensity of light 132 can vary between images and can potentially include more than a single LED or light source 130. The direction of light 132 can be varied between multiple images by changing the height at which the light enters the side of the lens edge 152 and / or changing the upward and / or lateral angle at which the light enters the side of the lens. The intensity of light 132 can be varied between multiple images by varying the increase in intensity or the decrease in intensity in predetermined, linear, exponential, or random increments across the image. More than a single LED or light source 130 can be used to provide the above-described variations. More than a single LED light source can be used to simultaneously provide multiple light emissions as described herein. Multiple emissions can include the above-described direction of light variations and / or intensity of light variations.

[0086] The test can be performed in a dark or dark environment or box 110. The only light can be the light of the meter's light source 130. In other cases, there can be some other light or ambient light in the environment, as long as it does not include the spectrum of the meter's light or source 130 and / or the spectrum sensed by the camera 140.

[0087] Additionally, various upper and / or lower limits for acceptable lenses for a series of images or data 144 may be used, such as + / - 2%, + / - 5%, + / - 8%, + / - 10%, + / - 12%, + / - 15%, or + / - 20% below the value 187. Calibration of the system 100 may be performed at various times prior to or during use of the haze meter or testing of lenses.

[0088] Conclusion

[0089] Throughout the description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as examples, rather than limitations on the disclosed or claimed devices and programs. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method actions or system elements, it should be understood that these actions and these elements can be combined in other ways to achieve the same goals. With respect to the flow chart, more and fewer steps can be taken, and the steps shown can be combined or further refined to achieve the methods described herein. The actions, elements, and features discussed only in relation to one embodiment are not intended to exclude similar effects in other embodiments.

[0090] As used herein, "plurality" or "quantity" means two or more. As used herein, a "group" of items may include one or more such items. As used herein, whether in a written description or in a claim, terms such as "include", "comprising", "carrying", "having", "containing", "involving", etc. should be understood as open-ended, that is, indicating including but not limited to. Only the transition phrases "consisting of..." and "consisting essentially of..." are closed or semi-closed transition phrases related to the claims, respectively. The use of ordinal numbers (such as "first", "second", "third", etc.) in the claims to modify claim elements does not itself indicate that one claim element has any priority, precedence or order relative to another claim element, nor does it indicate the time sequence of performing method actions, but is only used as a label to distinguish a claim element with a specific name from another element with the same name (but using ordinal numbers) to distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, "and / or" indicates that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.

Claims

1. A haze meter for measuring the haze value of a lens, characterized in that: The haze meter comprises: A light-shielding box for accommodating the stage, light source and camera; The stand is oriented so that the lens is positioned flat, adjacent to the light source, and with an edge of the lens facing the light source; The light source is configured to emit blue light to the lens edge of the lens; The camera is configured to be positioned toward a top surface of the lens, the camera being configured to measure blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens; and A computing device is used to calculate the haze value of the lens based on the measured blue light.

2. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The light source is configured to emit only the blue light, and the camera is configured to measure only the blue light.

3. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The light source is at least one of a light emitting diode or a laser; at least one of the light sources is configured to emit only the blue light, or the camera is configured to measure only the blue light.

4. The haze meter according to claim 3, characterized in that The light source is configured to emit only the blue light having a wavelength between 430 nanometers and 485 nanometers; and the camera is configured to measure only the blue light having a wavelength between 430 nanometers and 485 nanometers.

5. The haze meter according to claim 3, characterized in that The light source configured to emit the blue light is configured to emit the blue light from the edge of the lens to the opposite edge of the lens using a collimated light beam having a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm; the direction of the camera includes a viewing direction toward perpendicular to the top surface of the lens; and the configuration to measure the blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens includes being configured to measure the blue light between the top surface of the lens and the bottom surface of the lens.

6. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The calculation of the haze value includes using the measured blue light to calculate the average pixel value from a histogram including N rectangular bars, wherein the N rectangular bars are used to depict the brightness of each pixel captured in the measured blue light; wherein rectangular bar 0 represents complete darkness and rectangular bar N represents complete brightness; the calculation is to multiply the x value of the rectangular bar by the sum of the bar heights at the position of the rectangular bar, and then divide the sum by the total number of pixels in the image to obtain the average pixel value; the bar height is the number of pixels present at the position of the rectangular bar.

7. The haze meter according to claim 6, characterized in that The N is 256 rectangular bars, the rectangular bar 0 represents completely dark, and the rectangular bar 255 represents completely bright. The calculation of the average pixel value uses the following formula: The acceptable haze thresholds include thresholds of the average pixel value that are lower than 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2% or 1% of the fully bright value.

8. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The lens includes one or more of the following: optical material; hard coating; photochromic dye, film; polarizer dye, optical material layer for glass or optical lens; a second layer is a polyurethane lens blank base layer of photochromic material, for example, formed into a solid from a liquid; various base curvatures; and / or various optical grinds and / or optical prescriptions.

9. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The enclosure includes a door for mounting the lens on the stage, and external data connections from the computing device to the light source and the camera.

10. The haze meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The computing device includes a user input device and a display, the user input device being used to receive a user selection to perform a repeatable and quantifiable measurement of the haze, and the stand including a mount for holding the lens in a fixed position relative to the light source and the camera.

11. A system for measuring the haze value of a lens, characterized in that: The system comprises: A haze meter, comprising: a light source for emitting blue light only to the lens edge of the lens; a camera, the camera facing toward the top surface of the lens, the camera being used to measure the blue light emitted only from the top surface of the lens; a computing device including a user input device, a user output device, and a data connection coupled to said haze meter; The computing device includes non-transitory computer instructions; when the computing device executes the non-transitory computer instructions, the computing device performs operations, the operations including: causing the input received at the user input device to control the light source to emit only the blue light and control the camera to measure only the blue light; and The haze value of the lens is calculated based on the measured blue light.

12. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that The light source is configured to emit only the blue light, and the camera is configured to measure only the blue light.

13. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that The light source is at least one of a light emitting diode or a laser, at least one of the light sources is configured to emit only the blue light, or the camera is configured to measure only the blue light.

14. The system according to claim 12, characterized in that The light source configured to emit the blue light is configured to emit the blue light from the edge of the lens to the opposite edge of the lens using a collimated light beam having a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm; the direction of the camera includes having a viewing direction perpendicular to the top surface of the lens; measuring only the blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens includes measuring the blue light between the top surface of the lens and the bottom surface of the lens.

15. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that The calculation of the haze value includes using the measured blue light to calculate the average pixel value from a histogram including N rectangular bars, wherein the N rectangular bars are used to depict the brightness of each pixel captured in the measured blue light; wherein rectangular bar 0 represents complete darkness and rectangular bar N represents complete brightness; the calculation is to multiply the x value of the rectangular bar by the sum of the bar heights at the position of the rectangular bar, and then divide the sum by the total number of pixels in the image to obtain the average pixel value; the bar height is the number of pixels present at the position of the rectangular bar.

16. A method for detecting the haze value of a lens, characterized in that: include: placing the lens flat on a stand adjacent to a light source, the stand positioning the lens edge of the lens toward the light source; directing blue light from the light source into the edge of the lens; orienting a camera to face toward a top surface of the lens; imaging the lens using the camera, the camera measuring blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens; The haze value of the lens is calculated based on the measured blue light.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that Emitting the blue light includes emitting only the blue light, and measuring the blue light includes measuring only the blue light.

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that The emitting the blue light is emitting the blue light from at least one of a light emitting diode or a laser, the at least one emitting the blue light is emitting only the blue light, or the measuring the blue light is measuring only the blue light.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that Emitting the blue light includes emitting the blue light from the edge of the lens to the opposite edge of the lens using a collimated light beam having a circular cross-sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm; orienting the camera includes orienting the camera so that the camera has a viewing direction perpendicular to the top surface of the lens; measuring the blue light includes measuring the blue light emitted from the top surface of the lens, including measuring the blue light between the top surface of the lens and the bottom surface of the lens.

20. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that Calculating the haze value includes using the measured blue light to calculate the average pixel value from a histogram including N rectangular bars, wherein the N rectangular bars are used to depict the brightness of each pixel captured in the measured blue light; wherein rectangular bar 0 represents complete darkness and rectangular bar N represents complete brightness; the calculation is to multiply the x value of the rectangular bar by the sum of the bar heights at the position of the rectangular bar, and then divide the sum by the total number of pixels in the image to obtain the average pixel value; the bar height is the number of pixels present at the position of the rectangular bar.

Images