Self calibrating camera device

Abstract

An illustrative example camera device includes a substrate and a sensor supported on the substrate. The sensor is configured to gather image information. A lens is situated near the sensor and an electroactive polymer selectively causes relative movement between the sensor and the lens.

1 . A camera device, comprising:
 a substrate;   a sensor disposed on a first side of the substrate, the sensor being configured to gather image information;   a lens near the sensor; and   an electroactive polymer that selectively causes relative movement between the sensor and the lens, the electroactive polymer comprising a plurality of pads disposed on the first side of the substrate at locations distal from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The camera device of  claim 1 , comprising a controller that is configured to control electrical energy applied to the electroactive polymer in an amount that causes the substrate and the sensor to move relative to the lens. 
     
     
         3 . The camera device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine when the camera device is in a calibrated state;   determine at least one characteristic of the electrical energy applied to the electroactive polymer when the camera device is in the calibrated state; and   maintain the at least one characteristic of the electrical energy to maintain the calibrated state of the camera device.   
     
     
         4 . The camera device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively adjust a position of at least one of the sensor or lens relative to the other of the lens or sensor to recalibrate the camera device. 
     
     
         5 . The camera device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the electroactive polymer is situated against the substrate; and   the substrate includes at least one conductive trace for providing electrical energy to the electroactive polymer.   
     
     
         6 . The camera device of  claim 1 , comprising a housing supporting the lens and the substrate, wherein:
 the electroactive polymer is situated between the substrate and a reaction surface of the housing that faces the first side of the substrate;   a space occupied by the electroactive polymer changes responsive to electrical energy;   the electroactive polymer reacts against the reaction surface as the space occupied by electroactive polymer changes; and   a position of the substrate relative to the housing changes as the electroactive polymer reacts against the reaction surface.   
     
     
         7 . The camera device of  claim 6 , comprising at least one resilient member associated with the substrate for allowing relative movement between the substrate and the reaction surface as the electroactive polymer reacts against the reaction surface. 
     
     
         8 . The camera device of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one resilient member biases the substrate toward the reaction surface. 
     
     
         9 . The camera device of  claim 7 , wherein
 the at least one resilient member comprises a plurality of members respectively associated with the plurality of pads of the electroactive polymer.   
     
     
         10 . The camera device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the housing includes a substrate support that supports the substrate at support locations on a second side of the substrate that is opposite the first side;   the support locations correspond to the plurality of pads of the electroactive polymer to cause the substrate to bias the plurality of pads of the electroactive polymer against the reaction surface of the housing;   at least one fastener is received through an opening in the substrate support;   the at least one fastener is secured to the housing; and   the at least one resilient member is associated with the at least one fastener and situated to allow relative movement between the substrate support and the reaction surface.   
     
     
         11 . The camera device of  claim 6 , wherein the lens is supported in a fixed position relative to the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The camera device of  claim 1 , wherein the relative movement includes at least one of a change in a distance between the sensor and the lens and a change in an angle of tilt between the sensor and the lens. 
     
     
         13 . The camera device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of pads of the electroactive polymer responds to an amount of electrical energy applied to it; and   different amounts of electrical energy applied to respective pads of the plurality of pads causes different relative movements between the sensor and the lens.   
     
     
         14 . A method of calibrating a camera device, the method comprising:
 providing electrical energy to an electroactive polymer comprising a plurality of pads disposed on a first side of a substrate at locations distal from one another to cause relative movement between a sensor, disposed on the first side of the sensor, and a lens of the camera device to achieve a first relative orientation between the sensor and the lens;   obtaining a first camera image of a reference when the sensor and the lens are in the first relative orientation; and   determining whether a correspondence between the first camera image and the reference indicates that the camera device is calibrated.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the correspondence between the first camera image and the reference indicates that the camera device is not calibrated; and   the method comprises:
 providing a different amount of electrical energy to the electroactive polymer to cause relative movement between the sensor and the lens to achieve a second, different relative orientation between the sensor and the lens; 
 obtaining a second camera image of a reference when the sensor and the lens are in the second relative orientation; and 
 determining whether a correspondence between the second camera image and the reference indicates that the camera device is calibrated. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 providing the electrical energy comprises providing electrical energy having a first characteristic to a first one of the plurality of pads and providing electrical energy having a second, different characteristic to a second one of the plurality of pads.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the relative movement between the sensor and the lens changes at least one of a distance between the sensor and the lens and an angle of the sensor relative to the lens. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the camera device is supported on a vehicle and the method comprises performing the providing, obtaining and determining a plurality of times during a service life of the camera device. 
     
     
         19 . A camera device, comprising:
 a substrate;   sensor means disposed on a first side of the substrate for gathering image information;   a lens near the sensor;   an electroactive polymer that includes a plurality of pads disposed on the first side of the substrate at locations distal from one another and that selectively causes relative movement between the sensor and the lens; and   control means for controlling electrical energy applied to respective pads of the plurality of pads of the electroactive polymer in an amount that causes the relative movement between the sensor and the lens.   
     
     
         20 . The camera device of  claim 19 , wherein the control means is configured to selectively adjust a position of at least one of the sensor or lens relative to the other of the lens or sensor for recalibrating the camera device.