Indicating the performance of a spectacle lens by displaying an index in a visually understandable mode

Abstract: There is provided a method and an apparatus for evaluating and indicating the image forming performance of a spectacle lens in wearing it. A performance index indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens is defined and derived and the scale of the performance index is indicated in a visually understandable display mode. For instance, it indicates a performance index distribution image, which is created by giving a value of monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB colour luminosity to each pixel, which is determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of the object point in the view visual field corresponding to that pixel.

Description: Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for indicating the performance of a spectacle lens in a directly appreciable way. Prior Art As a spectacle lens performance index indicating method, there have been known such methods of deriving an average refractive power and astigmatism of the surface of the lens and of indicating their distribution by contour lines on the surface of the lens. However, the average refractive power and the astigmatism of the surface of the lens normally indicate only the performance of curved surface of the lens and it is unable to directly indicate the performance of the lens in observing the outside world through the lens. The inventors et. al. have then proposed an ocular optical system simulating method for simulating how things can be seen in observing the outside world through a spectacle lens as a method in which the performance of the lens in observing the outside world through the lens by the visual acuity of a person wearing the spectacle has been taken into consideration. This method is a method of creating and using, not an optical image projected to the retinal surface of the eyes but a rotation-based retinal image, which is defined as an image obtained by splicing images caught by the fovea of the eyeball rotated towards all object points within a visual field; as an image perceived by the eyes through the spectacle lens. The rotation-based retinal image and its video image can represent fluctuation distortion and blur which can be perceived in viewing the outside world through the spectacle lens. However, the rotation-based retinal image is a result in which the lens imaging performance is reflected on the image in viewing each object point within the image and does not directly indicate the imaging performance itself. For instance, the rotation-based retinal image indicates the same result even if PSF (point spread function) is different at part of the image where changes of brightness are small. Then, it is unable to perfectly reflect PSF whose extension is small in case of an original image having less number of pixels. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spectacle lens performance indicating method and apparatus which can directly represent the performance in observing the outside world through a spectacle lens. This is solved by claims 1, 12. Improved embodiments result from the subclaims. As means for solving the above-mentioned object, first means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating method characterized by the steps of defining and calculating a performance index indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens and of indicating the scale of the performance index in a visually understandable display mode. Second means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating method characterized by the steps of defining and deriving a performance index indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens and of creating and displaying a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity which is determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of the object point in the visual field, to each corresponding pixel of a original image or a distorted original image which is an image of a visual field seen through the spectacle lens. Third means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method of the first or second means, characterized in that the step of creating the performance index distribution image comprises: an original image creating step of creating an image within a specific range of visual field which is observed by an eye having a specific center of rotation as an original image and of calculating the distance from all object points each corresponding to a pixel to the center of rotation; a distorted original image creating step of deriving distortion of the visual field when seen through the spectacle lens by using a ray tracing method to create a distorted original image which is an image containing that distortion, and of calculating the spectacle lens passing position of the ray emitted from the object point corresponding to each pixel of the original image or distorted original image; a spectacle frame position obtaining step of creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on said original image or said distorted original image by using the data of the spectacle lens passing position of the ray from the object point obtained in said distorted original image creating step; a performance index deriving step of deriving the performance index to all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in an optical system comprising said spectacle lens and an ocular model; and an imaging step of creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index derived in the performance index deriving step to the corresponding pixel of the original image or the distorted original image and of combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created in the spectacle frame position obtaining step. Fourth means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method as described in any one of the second through third means, characterized in that the step of creating the performance index distribution image comprises: an original image creating step of creating and placing virtual objects made by computer graphics in a virtual 3-D space, placing a center of rotation at specific position within the virtual 3-D space to create an image of the virtual objects within a visual field which is a range within a specific pyramid, whose apex is located at said center of rotation and whose central axis is along a specific direction of sight line, measuring objective distances that are distances from all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image to said center of rotation; a distorted original image creating step of tracing the center principal ray which is a principal ray emitted from the object point at the center of visual field and passing through the specific position of the spectacle lens, and the center ocular rotational direction which is the ocular rotational direction thereof by a ray tracing method, wherein a ray emitted from the object point and heading toward the center of rotation is defined as the principal ray and the exit direction of the principal ray from the rear surface of the spectacle lens is defined as the ocular rotational direction, deriving positions of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image in an after-lens visual field having its central axis to be the said central ocular rotational direction as the ocular rotational direction to each object point by the ray tracing method, creating a distorted original image which is an image in the after-lens visual field, an image containing distortion to each of said object point; and deriving the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray to each of said object point; a spectacle frame position obtaining step of creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on the original image or the distorted original image by using the data of spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray calculated in the distorted original image creating step; a performance index deriving step of introducing an accommodation-dependent ocular optical system model as said ocular model and setting a power of accommodation of said ocular optical system model to the object point corresponding to each pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in accordance to the distance to the object point calculated in said original image creating step and the power of the spectacle lens at the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray traced in said distorted original image creating step to derive the spectacle lens performance index in the combined optical system of said spectacle lens and the ocular optical system model turned according to the ocular turning direction to said object point; and an imaging step of creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of said spectacle lens to each corresponding pixel of said original image or said distorted original image and of combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created in said spectacle frame position obtaining step. Fifth means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method related to any one of the first through fourth means, characterized in that a residual average power error in seeing each object point is defined as the performance index. Sixth means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method related to any one of first through fourth means, characterized in that a residual astigmatism in seeing each object point is defined as the performance index. Seventh means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method related to any one of the first through fourth means, characterized in that a clearness index indicating the degree of blur in seeing each object point is defined as the performance index. Eighth means pertains to the spectacle lens performance indicating method related to the seventh means, characterized by the steps of deriving a shape of a small circle centered at the object point viewed through the spectacle lens, approximating it to an ellipse, and of defining a scale factor or the ratio of major and minor axes of said approximate ellipse as the deformation index. Ninth means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating method related to any one of the first through fourth means, characterized in that a clearness index indicating the degree of blur in seeing each object point is defined as the performance index. Tenth means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating method related to the ninth means, characterized by the steps of deriving PSF (Point spread function) on a retina in seeing each object point, deriving an approcimate ellipse, which indicates the spreading range of PSF, and of defining a half of diagonal length of a circumscribed rectangle of said approximate ellipse as the clearness index. Eleventh means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating method for indicating the performance of a spectacle lens in observing the outside world through the spectacle lens, characterized by the steps of creating and placing virtual objects created by computer graphics within a virtual 3-D space, creating a story of changes of the position of the eye, the direction of central sight line, the lens system passing point, the deformation of virtual objects and the displacement of virtual objects in a time-series manner, creating the spectacle lens performance index distribution image by using the spectacle lens performance indicating method described in any one of the second through tenth means at each point of time in accordance to that story and editing each spectacle lens performance index distribution image to create and display video image of the spectacle lens performance index distribution image. Twelfth means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating apparatus for indicating the performance of a spectacle lens in observing the outside world through the spectacle lens, comprising: Original image creating means for creating and placing virtual objects made by computer graphics in a virtual 3-D space and for creating an image of specific angle range of visual field in which the virtual objects are observed by an eye having its center of rotation at a specific position and having specific direction of central sight line as an original image, and for calculating objective distances that are distances from all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image to the center of rotation of the eye; distorted original image creating means for tracing the center principal ray, which is a principal ray emitted from the object point at the center of visual field and passing through a specific position of the spectacle lens, and the center ocular rotational direction which is the ocular rotational direction thereof by racing, wherein a ray emitted from an object point, passing through a certain position of the spectacle lens, and heading toward the center of rotation is defined as a principal ray and the exit direction of the principal ray from the rear surface of the spectacle lens is defined as the ocular rotational direction, and for deriving positions of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image in the after-lens visual field having its central axis to be the said central ocular rotational direction, as the ocular rotational direction to each object point by ray tracing, and for creating a distorted original image which is an image containing distortion to each of said object point, and for deriving the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray to each of said object point; spectacle frame position obtaining means for creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on said original image or said distorted original image by using the data of spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray calculated by said distorted original image creating means; performance index deriving means for introducing an accommodation - dependent ocular optical system model as said ocular model and for setting a power of accommodation of said ocular optical system model to the object point corresponding to each pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in accordance to the distance to the object point calculated by said original image creating means and the power of the spectacle lens at the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray traced by said distorted original image creating means so as to derive the spectacle lens performance index in the combined optical system of said spectacle lens and the ocular optical system model turned according to the ocular rotational direction to said object point; and imaging means for creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of said spectacle lens to each corresponding pixel of said original image or said distorted original image and for combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created by said spectacle frame position obtaining means; Thirteenth means pertains to a spectacle lens performance indicating apparatus for indicating the performance of a spectacle lens in observing the outside world through the spectacle lens, comprising means for creating and placing virtual objects created by computer graphics within a virtual 3-D space, and for creating a story of changes of the position of said eye, the direction of central sight line, the lens system passing point, the deformation of virtual objects and the displacement of virtual objects in a time-series manner, and for creating a spectacle lens performance index distribution image by using the spectacle lens performance indicating apparatus related to the twelfth claim at each point of time in accordance to that story and for editing each spectacle lens performance index distribution image so as to create and display a video image of the spectacle lens performance index distribution image. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the creation of a performance index distribution image. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the creation of an average power error and a residual astigmatism distribution image; FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the creation of a deformation index distribution image; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the creation of a clearness index distribution image; FIG. 5 shows a coordinate system of visual field of naked eye; FIG. 6 shows a coordinate system of visual field while wearing a spectacle lens; FIG. 7 is diagram for explaining deformation ellipse; Fig.8 is a table showing optical parameters (accommodation free) of Navarro's eye model; Fig.9 is a table showing dependence of optical parameters of Navarro model eye on accommodation power A; Fig.10 is a diagram for explaining PSF; Fig. 11 is a diagram for showing a spectacle plus ocular optical system while watching an object point; Fig.12 is a diagram showing methods for dividing the entrance pupil; Fig.13 is an original image according to a first embodiment; Fig.14 is an APE (Average Power Error) image according to the first embodiment: Fig.15 is a residual astigmatism image according to a first embodiment; Fig.16 is a deformation index image according to a first embodiment; Fig.17 is a clearness index image according to a first embodiment; Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the creation of a motion image of a performance index image; and Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing the structure of an apparatus for implementing the spectacle lens performance deriving and displaying method of the present invention. A spectacle lens performance indicating method according to the first embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. The spectacle lens performance index indicating method of the present embodiment relates to a method of creating and displaying a distribution of spectacle lens performance index when 3-D objects created by computer graphics are seen through the lens as a still image. The creation of the distribution of the spectacle lens performance index of the first embodiment is roughly composed of (1) original image creating step, (2) distorted original image creating step, (3) spectacle frame position obtaining step, (4) performance index deriving step, and (5) imaging step. (1) Original Image Creating Step: This is a step of creating and placing virtual objects within a virtual 3-D space by computer graphics, of creating an image of virtual objects within a visual field having specific angle range observed by an eye whose center of rotation is positioned at a specific position and which has a specific central visual line direction as an original image and of measuring objective distances that are distances from all object points, each corresponding to a pixel of the original image, to the center of rotation of the eye. This will be explained below. 1) Creating virtual objects which are the basis of the original image: At first, virtual 3-D objects are created and placed in a virtual 3-D space by the known computer graphic technique. For example, a room within which a desk, a chair, furniture and the like are placed or an outdoor space in which flower bed, trees, signs and the like are placed is created 2) Creating an original image: The image of the virtual objects created as described above within a specific visual field is created as an original image. The specific visual field is a specific angle range within a pyramid whose apex is the center of rotation of the eye located at a specific position and whose central axis is a sight line with a specific direction. That is, the pyramid A 1 A 2 A 3 A 4 , whose apex is the center of rotation O and whose central axis is the direction of sight line OA, is set as the visual field and an image within that range is created as shown in Fig.5. The coordinate of the original image of an arbitrary object point P(x,y,z) within the pyramid of visual field in the coordinate system whose origin is 0 and whose x-axis is AO is set as U = tanβ = y/x, V = tanγ = z/x. Here, B and y are azimuth angles of P(x,y,z). Because an arbitrary straight line in the space is projected as a straight line on the U-V plane, projection is achieved without distortion. The image representing each object point by this projecting method will be set as the original image. 3) Calculating an object point distance: The distance from the coordinate value of P(x,y,z) to the center of rotation is also measured in the original image creating step. (2) Distorted Original Image Creating Step: An image containing distortion caused by the spectacle lens is created and the lens passing position of the principal ray of each object point is found in this step. Here, the ray that emits from an object point and heads toward the center of rotation after passing through the spectacle lens is defined as the principal ray. Because the output direction of the principal ray from the rear surface of the spectacle lens is the direction in which the eyeball heads to see the object point, it is defined as an ocular rotational direction. Specifically, the principal ray from the object point at the center of visual field is defined as a central principal ray and the ocular rotational direction is defined as a central ocular rotational direction. The distorted original image is an image representing the position of the object point corresponding to each pixel of the original image in the after-lens visual field, which is the visual field whose central axis is the central ocular rotational direction. The central principal ray and the central ocular rotational direction may be found by using a ray tracing method so that the principal ray which passes through a point on the spectacle lens is set in advance. The position of each object point in the after-lens visual field may be represented by the relative position of its ocular rotational direction to the central ocular rotational direction. The principal ray to each object point, its spectacle lens passing position and the ocular rotational direction may be found by the ray tracing method. That is, when a spectacle lens L is placed between the center of rotation O and the object point A at the center of visual field in Fig.5 as shown in Fig.6, the eyeball must be turned not to the OA direction but to the direction of the lens passing point B in order to see A. The ray ABO is the central principal ray and the direction of BO, the central ocular rotational direction, should be the central axis of the after-lens visual field. The position of the arbitrary object point in the image in the after-lens visual field may be found as follows. At first, x'-y'-z' coordinate system whose original point is O and whose x'-axis is the BO direction is set. The principal ray PQO from an arbitrary object point P(x,y,z) is found by the ray tracing method. The azimuth angles of the lens passing position Q(x',y',z') in x'-y'-z' coordinate system are β' and γ', the coordinates in the image of the visual field after passing the spectacle lens are U'=tanβ'= y'/x', V'=tanγ'= z'/x'. When all object points within the visual field is projected to the U'-V' plane, the image of the after-lens visual field will be created. On this image an arbitrary straight line within the space is not always projected as a straight line. It turns out to be an image containing distortion caused by the lens. The image of the after-lens visual field is thus called a distorted original image. The lens passing positions of all principal rays each corresponding to an object point are also found in this distorted original image creating step. Although the ray tracing calculation must be carried out to all object points within the visual field to find their ocular rotational directions and passing positions on the spectacle lens, it is possible to obtain these data with less amount of calculation while their calculative errors are controlled within a certain range by using a mathematical method called spline interpolation. (3) Spectacle Frame Position Obtaining Step: This step is a step of creating a spectacle frame mark image by creating an original image of the edge of the spectacle frame, a hidden mark and the like or its position on the distorted original image by using information of the spectacle lens passing position found in the distorted original image creating step. It is possible to accurately grasp that the object on the image is seen through which position of the lens by comparing the image of the spectacle frame mark and the original image or the distorted original image. (4) Performance Index Deriving Step: This is a step of deriving the imaging performance index of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of the original image. For each object point, the imaging performance index is derived in an optical system which is the spectacle lens linked with an ocular model, which is rotated along the after-lens direction of the principal ray. An accommodation-dependent ocular model is introduced as an ocular optical system and its power of accommodation is set in accordance to the object point distance calculated in the original image creating step and the corrective power of the spectacle lens at the passing point of the principal ray traced in the distorted original image creating step. The imaging performance index includes residual average power error, residual astigmatism, deformation index indicating degree of deformation, clearness index indicating the degree of blur, and the like. An example of the clearness index is a half diagonal length of circumscribing rectangular of an ellipse when the spreading range of PSF (Point spread function) is approximated to the ellipse. 1) Residual average power error and residual astigmatism deriving step: The ray emitted from an arbitrary object point P is refracted at point Q of the lens and heads toward the center of rotation O as shown in Fig.11. The lens refractive effect in seeing the point P may be represented by the shape of the wave front, which is originated from the point P as a spherical wave or a plane wave (when P locates at infinity) and propagated along the principal ray, at point R, the intersection of the ray and the rear apex sphere (the sphere centering on the center of rotation O and passing through the lens rear apex C). The shape of the wave front near the point R may be expressed by the following expression in general in a local coordinate system whose original point is the point R and the x-axis is the RO direction: x D = 1 2 D yy y 2 + D yz yz + 1 2 D yy z 2 D yy , D yz and D zz may be found by using the ray tracing method. Further, the following expression turns out when the y-z axis is rotated by a certain angle by fixing the x-axis: The first item of the right side of the above expression is the component of spherical wave and the second item is the component of astigmatism wave. Here, D max. is the maximum curvature and D min is the minimum curvature: The average curvature is: D ave = 1 2 ( D max + D min ) = 1 2 ( D yy + D zz ). The component of astigmatism is defined as follows: Meanwhile, the refractive state of eye with astigmatism can also be expressed by the shape of corrective wave front at the point R. When the far corrective wave front including astigmatic power and direction is expressed by the following expression: x c = 1 2 C yy y 2 + C yz yz + 1 2 C zz z 2 , the far average corrective power of eye turns out as: C ave = 1 2 ( C yy + C zz ) and the astigmatic corrective power turns out as: The wave front of accommodation power may be also defined in the same manner. Although it is conceivable that the astigmatic power and/or its direction may change according to the accommodative power, only the case of no astigmatic variation is explained here. Thus the wave front of the accommodative power at point R may be expressed as follows. Here, A is the power of accommodation. Now, the wave front of the spectacle lens correcting effect in seeing the object point P may be expressed by the following expression: x = x C - x A - x D When it is arranged as the spherical wave component and the astigmatic component by substituting and adjusting each expression described above and by performing rotation of the coordinate, it turns out as follows: x = 1 2 Δ D ( y " 2 + z " 2 ) + 1 4 Δ D ds ( y " 2 - z " 2 ) Here, Δ D = C ave + A - D ave ΔD is defined as the residual average power error and ΔD as is defined as the residual astigmatism. A takes the value between 0 and the maximum accommodative power A max to let the absolute value of ΔD be the minimum. When ΔD is positive, it is called as insufficient correction and when ΔD is negative, it is called as over-correction. The residual average power error and residual astigmatism deriving step is a step of deriving the residual average power error and residual astigmatism for all object points each corresponding to a pixel of the original image or the distorted original image with the above-mentioned method. Although it seems to be a great amount of calculation to calculate for all object points, it is possible to obtain these data with less amount of calculation while their calculative errors are controlled within a certain range by using a mathematical method called spline interpolation. The distribution images of residual average power error and residual astigmatism are created along a flow shown in Fig.2. 2) Deformation index deriving step: This step is a step of deriving a deformation index indicating degree of deformation with viewing an arbitrary object point through an arbitrary position on the spectacle lens. In this invention the deformation is considered how a small circle centered at the object point changes its shape through the spectacle lens. In most cases the shape can be considered to be an ellipse, so the deformation index can be defined using the parameters of that ellipse. The deformed ellipse is derived by tracing nearby rays of the principal ray from the object point. As shown in Fig.7, tracing each principal ray from each point ( dr ,) on a small circle orbit of radius dr centered at object point P, its position in after-lens space ( dr ',') can be obtained and its locus, i.e. the deformed ellipse can be obtained. Here dr dose not mean a length in the space, it means the tangent of the differential angle from OP. Practically, it is not necessary to trace all principal rays from points on the circle. If the value of the partial derived function of the differential angle in the after-lens space to differential angle in object space ∂µ' / ∂ u , ∂µ' / ∂ v ,, ∂ v ' / ∂ u , ∂ v ' / ∂ v , or reversely the partial derived function of the differential angle in the object space to differential angle in after-lens space ∂µ / ∂ u ', ∂µ / ∂ v ', ∂ v / ∂ u ', ∂ v / ∂ v ', is obtained, the deformed ellipse can be fixed. Following is the explanation to the latter case within which the partial derived functions are rewritten as ∂µ / ∂ u ' = A , ∂µ / ∂ v ' = B , ∂v / ∂u ' = C , ∂ v / ∂ v ' = D : Therefore dr ' dr 2 = p 1 + e cos 2('-α) . Here p = 2 A 2 + B 2 + C 2 + D 2 e = ( A 2 - B 2 + C 2 - D 2 ) 2 + 4( AB + CD ) 2 A 2 + B 2 + C 2 + D 2 = ( A 2 + B 2 + C 2 + D 2 ) 2 - 4( AD - BC ) 2 A 2 + B 2 + C 2 + D 2 tan α2 = AB + CD A 2 - B 2 + C 2 - D 2 It is obvious that p > 0, 0 ≤ e ≤ 1. So the relationship between the magnifying power dr ' / dr and the azimuth ' should be an ellipse. It is called a deformation ellipse. The maximum and minimum magnifying power, i.e. the major and minor axis of the deformation ellipse are respectively a = p 1- e , b = p 1+ e . In this invention, a scale factor ab , a ratio of major axis to minor axis a / b and a combination of the two values are defined as deformation index indicating degree of deformation. Here, a = p 1- e 2 = ... = 1 | AD - BC | , a b = 1+ e 1- e . The deformation index-deriving step is a step of deriving the deformation indexes for all object points each corresponding to a pixel of the original image or the distorted original image with the above-mentioned method. Although it seems to be a great amount of calculation to calculate for all object points, it is possible to obtain these data with less amount of calculation while their calculative errors are controlled within a certain range by using a mathematical method called spline interpolation. The distribution images of deformation index are created along a flow shown in Fig.3. Besides tracing the nearby principal rays, ∂µ / ∂ u ', ∂µ / ∂ v ', ∂ v / ∂ u ', ∂ v / ∂ v ' can also be obtained by calculate the values of partial derived function of a spline interpolation function of principal ray data obtained previously. 3) PSF deriving step: This step is a step of deriving PSF (Point spread function) of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of the original image. For each object point a combined optical system is set introducing an accommodation-dependent model. The optical system is the spectacle lens linked with the ocular accommodation-dependent model, which is turned to the after-lens direction of the principal ray of the object point traced in the original image creating step and whose power of accomodation is set according to the objective distance and the corrective power of the spectacle lens at the passing point of the principal ray traced in the distorted original image creating step. The PSF indicates luminous distribution on the retina of the accommodation-dependent ocular model, which is derived by tracing rays emitted from the object point, pass through the combined optical system and reach the retina. a) Introducing accommodation-dependent ocular model: It is necessary to introduce an ocular optical system in order to derive PSF on the retina. In this case, accommodation must be taken into account in order to see objects with different distances. In the present embodiment, the accommodation-dependent ocular model of R. Navarro et al. is used. It is said that not only a paraxial value, but also spherical aberration and color aberration are adjusted to the measurements of the eye in the Navarro model. It has a simple four-surface structure and among them, three surfaces are aspheric surfaces of axially symmetrical quadratic surface. Because the crystalline lens has not refractive index distributed structure, its tracing calculation is simple. Radius, thickness and aspheric degree vary in proportional to the logarithm of the power of accomodation. Fig.8 shows optical parameters of the ocular model of Navarro et al. in the accommodation free state and Fig.9 shows dependent formulas of the accommodation-dependent parameters. The aspheric surface is expressed as y 2 +z 2 +(1+Q)x 2 -2Rx=0. Q denotes the degree of asphericity. b) Calculation of PSF A) Meaning of PSF: As shown in Fig.10, PSF is a function representing the state of a cluster of spots where rays irradiated from one point of a substantial object are condensed on the image plane and may be represented by a number of spots per unit area. Although all spots are condensed to the image forming point as PSF and their distribution turns out to be a vertical straight line if the optical system is perfect, it normally takes a form similar to two-dimensional normal distribution. B) PSF deriving method: Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between tracing rays and an entrance pupil in an optical system for deriving PSF when the object point P is seen through point Q on the lens. The ray from the object point P is refracted at the point Q on the surface of the lens and its direction is bended toward center of rotation O. It seems to the eye that the object point P is located on the extension of the exit ray QO. Thus the optical axis of the eyeball is turned in the direction QO at first. Then the accommodative power is determined in accordance to the distance from P to O and the refractive power of the spectacle lens at the point Q. At this time, the optical system is fixed and it becomes possible to derive PSF. As described above, PSF is the density of spots on the image plane of the rays emitted from the object point and passing through the center of a large number of small areas equally dividing the whole entrance pupil. Strictly speaking, the position of the entrance pupil is the conjugative point on the object side of the iris. However, the iris changes its position while the eye rotates and accommodates. Meanwhile, the center of rotation is usually a fixed point and the distance from the conjugate point of the iris is very small as compared to the distance to the object. Therefore, it is reasonable to put the entrance pupil at the center of rotation in the case of naked eye. In the case of wearing a spectacle lens, the entrance pupil of the whole optical system, which is the conjugative point to the spectacle lens of the center of rotation, locates at a point O' on the extent of straight line PQ. Although the length PO' varies slightly while changing the position Q as the corrective power varies, it is simply assumed that PO=PO'. It is important to divide the entrance pupil into a large number of equally distributed small areas to derive PSF accurately. There are two kinds of dividing methods of grid division and spiral division as shown in Fig.12. Although the grid division allows a good uniformity to be obtained, it allows to trace only about 70 % of predetermined rays because it has wasteful parts at four corners. Meanwhile, the spiral division causes no wasteful ray tracing while keeping the uniformity. Then, the spiral division is adopted in the present embodiment. Thus, PSF may be derived by tracing a large number of rays emitted from the object point and passing through the uniformly divided points of the entrance pupil and by calculating the density of the spots on the retina. Although rays emitted from all object points and pass through all divided points of the entrance pupil must be traced to derive PSF with the method described above, the use of mathematical technique of spline interpolation allows the position of the spots on the retina to be calculated with less amount of calculation within a certain error range and PSF which is the density of spots on the surface of retina, to be derived. PSF derived with the above-mentioned method can be used to express accurately how blurred a visual field should be wearing a spectacle lens by a convolution operation with the distorted original image. However, it is inconvenient to use the PSF in this mode for quantitative analysis of the image forming performance of lens because its calculation time is long. The quantitative analysis may be carried out readily by approximating the PSF to a certain kinds of function and by using parameters of that function. A method of approximating the PSF to two-dimensional normal distribution function will be described below. Here, µ and v are deviations in the vertical and horizontal directions on the retina, respectively, and µ , σ v and ρ are parameters of the normal distribution. These parameters have the following quality: -1< ρ <1 σ µ > 0 σ v > 0 The locus of the point where the exponential part of the above expression is -1/2 is an ellipse represented by the following expression: µ 2 σ µ 2 + v 2 σ v 2 - 2ρ µ v σ µ σ v = 1 - ρ 2 . This ellipse can be used to indicate the spreading range of PSF. The ratio of lengths of the major and minor axes of the ellipse and the direction of the major axis are closely related with the size and direction of astigmatism. To obtain the parameters σ µ , σ v and ρ of the two-dimensional normal distribution function from the ray data, it is thinkable to substitute statistic values of spots on retina (each spot corresponds to a divisional point on the entrance pupil) for them. That is, Here, N is a number of rays and ( µ i , v i ) is the coordinate of spot. When σ µ 0 , σ v0 and ρ are set as parameters of approximate normal distribution, there may be a big difference between the two-dimensional normal function and the actual PSF in some case of distribution. In such a case, it is necessary to determine an appropriate proportional constant k to regulate the parameters and let σ µ =k σ µ 0 and σ v = k σ v0 in order to fit the actual PSF. The parameters of the approximate two-dimensional normal distribution function of the PSF corresponding to an object point may be derived as mentioned above. Although it is necessary to carry out the ray tracing and statistic calculation to obtain σ µ , σ v and ρ for all object points, the amount of calculation can be reduced while the calculative error can be controlled within a certain range using a mathematical method of spline interpolation. c) Calculation of clearness index from PSF The clearness index indicates the scale of spreading range of PSF (Point Spread Function). The smaller it is, the finer the image quality is and the visually clearer it is. The spreading range of a PSF, approximated by the two-dimensional normal distribution function, may be represented by an ellipse as mentioned above. So the clearness index of that PSF may be defined as a value that indicates the size of the ellipse. There are several sizes to be selected like the area, σ µ +σ v , σ µ σ v , (σ µ 2 +σ v 2 ) 1/2 etc. If the area of the ellipse is defined as clearness index, the clearness index is zeroed when the ellipse is degenerated to a line segment. That means the image quality in good no mater how big the residual astigmatism is. So it is not appropriate to define the area of the ellipse as clearness index. Also it should be assured that the clearness index remains constant while rotating the ellipse without changing its shape. Then σ µ +σ v and σ µ σ v are not appropriate to be defined as clearness index. In the present embodiment (σ µ 2 +σ v 2 ) 1/2 , which means half diagonal length of a circumscribed rectangle, is defined as clearness. A clearness index distribution image is created in accordance to a flow shown in Fig.4. (5) Imaging Step: This step is a step of creating a performance index distribution image and combining it with the lens frame mark image created in the frame position obtaining step. The performance index distribution image is based on the original image or distorted original image. For each pixel a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity is given in accordance to the value of performance index of the object point corresponding to the pixel derived in the performance index obtaining step. Fig.13 is a drawing showing the original image according to the first embodiment. A print is placed on a desk and a white board is placed about 80 cm ahead. There is also a wall 2.5 m ahead. Fig.14 is an average power error distribution image when this visual field is seen through a spectacle progressive lens (HOYALUX SUMMIT: the name of a product of Hoya Co., Ltd.) of 0.00D ADD2.50D for right eye. The visual field is 96° x 80°. The spectacle frame has 40 mm of vertical size and 50 mm in width. Datum lines and a ring for measuring far and near powers are indicated on the frame. The change of color from blue, cyan, green to yellow means over-correction (Δ D is of plus value) is increasing. The change of color from blue to magenta means insufficient-correction (Δ D is of minus value) is increasing. In Fig.14 average power error corresponding to each pixel is reassigned to be the nearest value of the discrete value sequence of ... -0.75D, -0.5D, -0.25D, 0.0D, 0.25D, 0.5D, ... etc. Fig.15 is a residual astigmatism distribution image of the same visual field. The change of color from blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange to red means residual astigmatism is increasing. In Fig.15 residual astigmatism corresponding to each pixel is reassigned to be the nearest value of the discrete value sequence of 0.00D, 0.25D, 0.5D, 0.75D, 1.00D... etc. Fig.16 is a deformation index distribution image of the same visual field. Hear the deformation index means a ratio of the major axis to the minor axis a / b of the deformation ellipse. The change of color from blue to magenta means deformation index is increasing. Here the value of monochromatic luminosity N for each pixel is an integer calculated by N = a b -1 / 1.2-1 • 255 and if N>255 then N=255. Further, the RGB value is given by Fig.17 is a clearness index distribution image of the same visual field. Here the clearness index means half the diagonal length of a circumscribed rectangle of the ellipse representing the PSF range. The meaning of the clearness index, however, is not the length on the retina. It is the tangent of a relative visual angle. The change of color from blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange to red means that the clearness index is increasing. Here the value of monochromatic luminosity N for each pixel is an integer calculated by N = 4.0 × 10 -3 × P where P is the clearness index. If N>255 then N=255. Further, the RGB value is given by It can be seen that the above-mentioned performance index distribution images faithfully reproduce the image forming performance of the spectacle lens. The present embodiment allows the lens image forming performance when seen through the spectacle lens to be indicated in combination with an image seen in the state when the lens is used and allows the lens performance in use to be evaluated (Second Embodiment) This embodiment is a case of obtaining video image by creating a large number of still images of the performance index distribution image in the first embodiment in time-series manner by changing the position of the eye and the direction of sight line. Accordingly, because the present embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment except of adding steps of creating a story how to change the position of the eye, the direction of sight line, the displacement and deformation of the virtual objects in the time-series manner and of editing the respective still images at all points of time of the story into a video image, its overall flow will be shown in Fig.18 and its detailed explanation will be omitted here. It is noted that it is needless to say that a story at the lens passing point is required in the story. As a method for creating the story, the adoption of the spline interpolation allows a smooth motion of the line of sight to be realized without defining the position of the eye, the direction of line of sight and the lens passing point at all points of time. The second embodiment described above allows the video image to be obtained in reproducing the case of changing the position of the eye, moving the line of sight and changing the passing position of line of sight on the lens, which is the performance in seeing the outside world through the progressive lens. Accordingly, it becomes possible to evaluate the image forming performance of the spectacle lens in the mode very close to the actual use. Further, it becomes possible to evaluate it while confirming the move of line of sight on the lens by indicating the lens frame mark on the video image indicating screen. Next, an apparatus for embodying the methods described in the above-mentioned embodiments will be briefly explained. Fig.19 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the apparatus for embodying the methods of the embodiments. As shown in Fig.19, the apparatus comprises a processor 61, a read-only memory (ROM) 62, a main memory 63, a graphic control circuit 64, a display 65, a mouse 66, a keyboard 67, a hard disk drive (HDD) 68, an external storage (FDD) 69, a printer 70, a magnetic tape unit 71 and the like. These components are connected via a data bus 72. The processor 61 generally controls the whole apparatus. Programs necessary in starting are stored in the read-only memory 62. Programs for creating and displaying the performance index distribution image are stored in the main memory 63. The graphic control circuit 64 contains a video memory and converts obtained image data into display signals to be displayed on the display 65. The mouse 66 is a pointing device for selecting various icons and menu on the display. A system program and programs for creating and displaying the performance index distribution image are stored in the hard disk drive 68 and are loaded to the main memory 63 after the apparatus is turned on. It also stores data such as the performance index distribution image temporarily. The external storage 69 inputs required data such as original image data through an external storage media 69a or saves it to the external storage media 69a as necessary. The printer 70 is used in printing out the performance index distribution image and the like. The magnetic tape unit 71 is used in saving programs and data to a magnetic tape as necessary. It is noted that the apparatus having the basic structure described above may be constructed by using a high-performance personal computer or a conventional general-purpose computer. [Effect of the Invention] As described in detail above, the inventive spectacle lens performance indicating method and apparatus are characterized by defining and deriving the performance index indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens and in indicating the scale of the performance index in the visually understandable display mode. Thereby, it allows the performance of the spectacle lens in wearing it to be evaluated visually in the manner very close to the state of actual use.

Claims: A method for indicating a spectacle lens performance, wherein a performance index is defined and calculated, indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens, and a scale of the performance index is displayed in a visually understandable mode. A method according to claim 1, with the steps of: defining and deriving a performance index indicating the performance of the spectacle lens to all object points within a visual field when the outside world is observed through the spectacle lens and creating and displaying a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity which is determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of the object point in the visual field, to each corresponding pixel of an original image or a distorted original image which is an image of a visual field seen through said spectacle lens. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of creating said performance index distribution image comprises: an original image creating step of creating an image within a specific range of visual field which is observed by an eye having a specific center of rotation as an original image and of calculating distances from all object points each corresponding to a pixel to said center of rotation; a distorted original image creating step of deriving distortion of the visual field when seen through said spectacle lens by using a ray tracing method to create a distorted original image which is an image containing that distortion and of calculating the spectacle lens passing position of the ray emitted from the object point corresponding to each pixel of the original image or distorted original image; a spectacle frame position obtaining step of creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on said original image or said distorted original image by using the data of the spectacle lens passing position of the ray from the object point calculated in said distorted original image creating step; a performance index deriving step of deriving the performance index to all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in an optical system comprising said spectacle lens and ocular model; and an imaging step of creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of performance index derived in said performance index deriving step to each corresponding pixel of said original image or said distorted original image and of combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created in said spectacle frame position obtaining step. A method according to anyone of claims 1 through 3, wherein the step of creating said performance index distribution image comprises: an original image creating step of creating and placing virtual objects made by computer graphics in a virtual 3-D space, placing a center of rotation at a specific position within the virtual 3-D space to create an image of those virtual objects within a visual field which is a range within a specific pyramid, whose apex is located at said center of rotation and whose central axis is along a specific direction of sight line, as an original image and of measuring objective distances that are distances from all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image to said center of rotation; a distorted original image creating step of tracing the central principal ray, which is a principal ray emitted from the object point at the center of visual field and passing through a specific position of the spectacle lens, and the central ocular rotational direction which is the ocular rotational direction thereof by a ray tracing method, wherein a ray emitted from an object point, passing through a certain position of the spectacle lens and heading toward the center of rotation is defined as a principal ray and the exit direction of the principal ray from the rear surface of the spectacle lens is defined as the ocular rotational direction; deriving positions of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image in the after-lens visual field having its central axis to be the said central ocular rotational direction, as the ocular rotational direction to each object point by the ray tracing method; creating a distorted original image which is an image in the after-lens visual field, that is, an image containing distortion to each of said object point; calculating the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray to each of said object point; a spectacle frame position obtaining step of creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on said original image or said distorted original image by using the data of spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray traced in said distorted original image creating step; a performance index deriving step of introducing an accommodation dependent ocular optical system model as said ocular model and setting a power of accommodation of said ocular optical system model to the object point corresponding to each pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in accordance to the distance to the object point calculated in said original image creating step and the power of the spectacle lens at the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray traced in said distorted original image creating step to derive the spectacle lens performance index in the combined optical system of said spectacle lens and the ocular optical system model turned according to the ocular rotational direction to said object point; and an imaging step of creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of said spectacle lens to each corresponding pixel of said original image or said distorted original image and of combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created in said spectacle frame position obtaining step. A method according to anyone of claims 1 through 4, wherein a residual average power error in seeing each object point is defined as said performance index. A method according to anyone of claims 1 through 4, wherein a residual astigmatism in seeing each object point is defined as said performance index. A method according to anyone of claims 1 through 4, wherein a deformation index indicating the degree of deformation in seeing each object point is defined as said performance index. A method according to claim 7, wherein there are steps of deriving a shape of a small circle centered at the object point viewed through the spectacle lens, approximating it to an ellipse, and of defining a scale factor or the ratio of major and minor axes of said approximate ellipse as the deformation index. A method according to anyone of claims 1 through 4, wherein a clearness index indicating the degree of blur in seeing each object point is defined as said performance index. A method according to claim 9, wherein there is a step of deriving a point spread function (PSF) on a retina in seeing each object point, deriving an approximate ellipse, which indicates the spreading range of a point spread function (PSF), and of defining a half of diagonal length of a circumscribed rectangle of said approximate ellipse as the clearness index. A method according to anyone of claims 1 to 10, wherein there are steps of creating and placing virtual objects created by computer graphics within a virtual 3-D space, creating a story of changes of the position of said eye, the direction of central sight line, the lens system passing point, the deformation of virtual objects and the displacement of virtual objects in a time-series manner, creating a spectacle lens performance index distribution image at each point of time in accordance to that story and editing each spectacle lens performance index distribution image to create and display a video image of the spectacle lens performance index distribution image. An apparatus for indicating the performance of a spectacle lens in observing the outside world through the spectacle lens, which comprises: original image creating means for creating and placing virtual objects made by computer graphics in a virtual 3-D space, and for creating an image of specific angle range of visual field in which the virtual objects are observed by an eye having its center of rotation (O) at a specific position and having a specific direction of a central sight line as an original image, and for calculating objective distances that are distances from all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image to the center of rotation (O) of the eye; distorted original image creating means for tracing the center principal ray, which is a principal ray emitted from the object point at the center of visual field and passing through a specific position of the spectacle lens (L), and the center ocular rotational direction which is the ocular rotational direction thereof by ray tracing, wherein a ray emitted from an object point, passing through a certain position of the spectacle lens (L), and heading toward the center of rotation (O) is defined as a principal ray and the exit direction of the principal ray from the rear surface of the spectacle lens (L) is defined as the ocular rotational direction, and for deriving positions of all object points each corresponding to a pixel of said original image in an after-lens visual field having its central axis to be the said central ocular rotational direction, as the ocular rotational direction to each object point by said ray tracing and for creating a distorted original image which is an image containing distortion to each of said object point, and for calculating the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray to each of said object point; spectacle frame position obtaining means for creating a spectacle frame mark image indicating the position of the spectacle frame on said original image or a distorted original image by using the data of spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray calculated with the creation of the distorted original image; performance index deriving means for introducing an accommodation dependent ocular optical system model as an ocular model and for setting a power of accommodation of said ocular optical system model to the object point corresponding to each pixel of said original image or said distorted original image in accordance to the distance to the object point calculated by said original image creation and the power of the spectacle lens (L) at the spectacle lens passing position of the principal ray traced by said distorted original image creation to derive the spectacle lens performance index in the combined optical system of said spectacle lens (L) and the ocular optical system model turned according to the ocular rotational direction to said object point; and imaging means for creating a performance index distribution image by giving a monochromatic luminosity or a set of RGB primary color luminosity determined in correspondence to the value of the performance index of said spectacle lens (L) to each corresponding pixel of said original image or said distorted original image and for combining it with the spectacle frame mark image created by said spectacle frame position obtaining means. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for creating and placing virtual objects created by computer graphics within a virtual 3-D space are formed for creating a story of changes of the position of an eye, the direction of central sight line, the lens system passing point, the deformation of virtual objects and the displacement of virtual objects in a time-series manner, and for creating a spectacle lens performance index distribution image at each point of time in accordance to that story and for editing each spectacle lens performance index distribution image so as to create and display a video image of the spectacle lens performance index distribution image.

Inventors: QI HUA DR, QI, HUA, DR.
Applicants: HOYA CORP, HOYA CORPORATION
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G01M11
IPC codes: G01M11