System and method for correcting aberration of lenses through which images are projected

Claim 2

An aberration correcting method wherein after an image of a subject projected through a first lens is imaged by imaging means in which a photographic photosensitive material is loaded, aberration correction is performed with respect to image data obtained by projecting through a second lens the subject image recorded on the photographic photosensitive material by the imaging, and by reading of the subject image by image reading means, comprising the steps of: obtaining information on the aberration of said first lens and information on the aberration of said second lens; and with respect to the image data representing the subject image and obtained by reading with said image reading means, simultaneously correcting declines in image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which declines are due to the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, on the basis of the obtained information on the aberrations of said first and said second lenses.

Claim 3

An aberration correcting method according to claim 1 , wherein the information on the aberration of said lenses is any of information expressing the aberration of the lens, a correction parameter for correcting an aberration of the lens, and information expressing the type of said imaging means.

Claim 4

An aberration correcting method according to claim 1 , wherein an image of a predetermined image for inspection which is projected via said second lens is read by said image reading means, resulting in a distortion of said predetermined image for inspection, which distortion is caused by aberration of said second lens, is detected on the basis of the image data obtained by the reading, and the information on the aberration of said second lens is determined from the detected distortion of said predetermined image of the image for inspection.

Claim 5

The aberration correcting method according to claim 3 , wherein the image for inspection is an image in which a plurality of straight lines are respectively depicted in a plurality of predetermined directions.

Claim 6

The aberration correcting method according to claim 1 , wherein after information on the aberrations of various types of lenses is stored in advance for each item of lens identification information, lens identification information concerning said first lens and said second lens is obtained, and information on the aberrations of lenses corresponding to the identification information is obtained, thereby obtaining the information on the aberration of said first lens and the information on the aberration of said second lens.

Claim 7

The aberration correcting method according to claim 1 , wherein the information on the aberration of said first lens and the information on the aberration of said second lens are obtained through direct measurement.

Claim 8

An aberration correcting method wherein after an image of a subject projected through a first lens is imaged by imaging means in which a photographic photosensitive material is loaded, aberration correction is performed with respect to image data obtained by projecting through a second lens the subject image recorded on the photographic photosensitive material by the imaging, and by reading of the subject image by image reading means, comprising the steps of: obtaining information on the aberration of said first lens and information on the aberration of said second lens; determining whether or not an aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to a predetermined aberration amount; and if the aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to the predetermined aberration amount, with respect to the image data, simultaneously correcting declines in the image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which declines are due to the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, on the basis of the information on the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, and if the aberration amount of said first lens is less than the predetermined aberration amount, with respect to the image data, correcting the decline in the image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which decline is due to the aberration of said second lens, on the basis of the information on the aberration of said second lens.

Claim 9

An aberration correcting method wherein after an image of a subject projected through a first lens is imaged by imaging means in which a photographic photosensitive material is loaded, aberration correction is performed with respect to image data obtained by projecting through a second lens the subject image recorded on the photographic photosensitive material by the imaging, and by reading of the subject image by image reading means, comprising the steps of: obtaining information on the aberration of said first lens and information on the aberration of said second lens; determining whether or not an aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to a predetermined aberration amount; and if the aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to the predetermined aberration amount, with respect to the image data, simultaneously correcting declines in the image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which declines are due to the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, on the basis of the information on the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, and if the aberration amount of said first lens is less than the predetermined aberration amount, with respect to the image data, correcting the decline in the image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which decline is due to the aberration of said second lens, on the basis of the information on the aberration of said second lens.

Claim 10

An aberration correcting method according to claim 7 , wherein it is determined whether or not the aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to the predetermined aberration amount by determining whether said first lens corresponds to one of predetermined lenses whose aberrations are large.

Claim 11

An aberration correcting method according to claim 7 , wherein whether or not the aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to the predetermined aberration amount is determined on the basis of image data which is obtained by imaging an image of a reference subject projected via said first lens onto the photographic photosensitive material, and projecting via said second lens a reference subject image which is recorded on the photographic photosensitive material by the imaging, and reading the projected image by said image reading means so as to obtain the image data.

Claim 12

An aberration correcting method according to claim 7 , wherein optical characteristic information of said first lens is obtained, and whether or not the aberration amount of said first lens is greater than or equal to the predetermined aberration amount is determined on the basis of the obtained optical characteristic information.

Claim 13

The aberration correcting method according to claim 7 , wherein correction parameters are determined for correcting the declines in the image quality of the subject image caused by the respective aberrations of said first lens and said second lens, wherein correction parameters are determined for simultaneously correcting the declines in the image quality of the subject image represented by the image data, which declines are due to the aberrations of said first and said second lenses, by integrating the determined correction parameter concerning said first lens and the determined correction parameter concerning said second lens, and wherein correction is effected with respect to the image data obtained by the reading by said image reading means, in accordance with the correction parameters determined for simultaneous correction.

Claim 16

The system of claim 12 , wherein said image processing unit comprises: a storage unit configured to store aberration information of said imaging and scanning lenses; a correction-parameter calculating unit configured to calculate aberration correction parameters based on aberration information of said imaging and scanning lenses from said storage unit; an aberration correcting unit configured to correct said aberration of at least said scanning lens based on said aberration corection parameters from said correction-parameter calculating unit.

Claim 17

The system of claim 13 , wherein said image processing unit further comprises an aberration calculating unit configured to determine aberration information of said scanning lens.

Claim 18

The system of claim 14 , wherein said aberration calculating unit is configured to store said determined aberration information of said scanning lens into said storage unit.

Claim 19

The system of claim 14 , wherein said aberration calculating unit is configured to determine said aberration information of said scanning lens based on distortions of a reference image data projected through said scanning lens.

Claim 20

The system of claim 16 , wherein said storage unit is configured to store a reference image data.

Claim 21

The system of claim 13 , wherein: said storage unit is configured to store aberration information of predetermined lens types; and said scanning unit is configured to identify a lens type of said imaging lens recorded on said imaging material and to retrieve said aberation information of said imaging lens from said storage unit based on said lens type.

Claim 22

The system of claim 13 , wherein said aberration correction parameters include distortion correction parameters, and wherein said aberration correcting unit comprises a distortion correcting unit configured to correct for distortions based on said distortion correction parameters.

Claim 23

The system of claim 19 , wherein said aberration correction parameters further include chromatic magnification aberration parameters, and wherein said aberration correcting unit further comprises first and second color chromatic magnification aberration correcting units configured to correct for chromatic magnification aberrations of first and second colors based on said chromatic magnification aberration parameters.

Claim 24

The system of claim 20 , wherein said aberration correcting unit is configured to simultaneously correct for aberrations of both said imaging and scanning lenses.

Claim 25

The system of claim 20 , wherein said aberration correcting unit is a first aberration correcting unit and said image processing unit includes a second aberration correcting unit, wherein said first aberration correcting unit corrects for aberration of one of said imaging and scanning lenses, and said second aberration correcting unit corrects for aberration of the other of said imaging and scanning lenses.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23 , further comprising: retrieving aberration information of said imaging and scanning lenses from a storage unit; calculating aberration correction parameters based on aberration information of said imaging and scanning lenses; correcting said aberration of at least said scanning lens based on said aberration corection parameters.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 , further comprising determining aberration information of said scanning lens.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25 , further comprising storing said determined aberration information of said scanning lens into said storage unit.

Claim 31

The method of claim 25 , wherein said step of determining aberration information comprises: projecting a reference image data through said scanning lens; and determining said aberration information of said scanning lens based on distortions of said projected reference image data.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24 , wherein said storage unit is configured to store aberration information of predetermined lens types, and wherein said step of retrieving comprises: identifying a lens type of said imaging lens recorded on said imaging material; and retrieving said aberation information of said imaging lens from said storage unit based on said lens type.

Claim 33

The method of claim 24 , wherein said aberration correction parameters include distortion correction parameters, and wherein step of correcting comprises correcting for distortions based on said distortion correction parameters.

Claim 34

The method of claim 29 , wherein said aberration correction parameters further include chromatic magnification aberration parameters, and wherein said step of correcting further comprises correcting for chromatic magnification aberrations of first and second colors based on said chromatic magnification aberration parameters.

Claim 35

The method of claim 24 , further comprising: determining whether an aberration of said imaging lens is within a predefined tolerance level, wherein the correcting step comprises: correcting for aberration of said scanning lens only if said aberration of said imaging lens is within said predefined tolerance level; and correcting for aberrations of said imaging and scanning lenses if said aberration of said imaging lens is outside of said predefined tolerance level.