DE2415974A1 - IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

Dr.-ing. DIwL-Ph «. OSKAR KON IG patent attorney

2415874

Deutsche Bank AG Stuttgart

Phone: (07H) BBBH 296461 account number 89/00300

Telegram: Koenigpat 7000 STUTTGART- !, Klüpfelstrafle 6 Postscheck Stgt. 84919

P.O. Box 51

Becton, Dickinson & Company Rutherford, New Jersey (USA)

Image display device

The invention relates to a device for displaying ingredients or the like (engl .: features), which have a predetermined parameter of an image appears within a particulate or individual field (engl .: Particular field).

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[retroactively

A differential count of white blood cells or corpuscles is currently performed by preparing a blood smear on a Obtain microscope slide or cover slip. The smear is dried and stained with one of the Romanowski dye groups and then dried again. Staining can be done manually or using an automatic slide staining instrument be made. A technologist then looks at the stained slide using a microscope and counts the different types of white blood cells. Then he calculates the percentage of each type of white blood cell.

The invention can be used to provide a differential count of white blood cells or cells - hereinafter blood cells called - but it can also be used for other purposes.

According to the invention, a device of the type mentioned is provided with a microscope for supplying an image an object, an opto-electrical converter for scanning a field appearing within said image, and one connected to the output of the opto-electrical converter Detector for the detection of components or the like that have a predetermined parameter occurring within said field, which is characterized by a memory, which is connected to the detector and the coordinates of the named components (if any) which are within them of the mentioned field are assigned, saves. Drive means coupled to the microscope for moving a support for an object, the image of which is represented by the microscope, and a control circuit connected to the output of the memory and the drive means and is adapted to cause the microscope to be sequentially represents a relatively enlarged image of each component detected by the detector.

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The optoelectronic converter or optoelectronic converter) is preferably a television camera,

During the initial work step when the coordinates the components / which have the predetermined parameter (state variable, identifier, characteristic variable or the like), are stored in the memory, the microscope can operate at a relatively low or no magnification at all.

When the apparatus of the invention is used to obtain a differential white blood cell count, is any ingredient that has a predetermined parameter is a white blood cell and the predetermined parameter is that The size or density of the blood cell.

The main time consuming steps of the conventional method, to get a differential white blood cell count is the time it takes the technologist to take Using the stage control of the microscope of blood cells to move on to blood cells. With the device according to the invention, these have so far been carried out manually Shifting steps carried out automatically.

The drive for the microscope can have stepper motors.

When the facility is used to make a differential count To obtain white blood cells, the technologist observes each displayed white blood cell and registers the Type of blood cell that was observed. It can be provided that the count of the types of blood cells is carried out the technologist is carried out by scanning information in counters and it can be provided here that the Keying such information into the counter, the control current

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circle causes to activate the drive means to the effect, that they bring the nearest white blood cell into the field of view.

An automatic white blood cell analyzer (analyzer) according to an embodiment of this invention will be described below described with reference to the drawing which is a simplified block diagram of the analyzer, wherein it will be understood that the invention can be embodied in numerous other embodiments.

In the device or arrangement according to the drawing, a microscope 1 generates an image of a slide onto which to be analyzed Blood applied ^ tSt. The ÖbjeTctträger is on an object table 2 of the microscope in X and Y directions at right angles to one another (orthogonal) is movable. The image delivered by the microscope is converted into video signals by means of a television camera 3. These video signals are amplified by a video amplifier 4 and then firstly to a detector 5. Demodulator or the like, which has an adjustable threshold value) supplied, which detects or determines components that have an amplitude, ^ drh. to which amplitudes are assigned, which exceed a threshold value (Schwellwerk ^, which can be set by means of a threshold control 36 attached to a front control panel (control panel) and second, the amplified video signals are supplied to a TV monitor (T.V. monitor) 21.

The co-ordinates, related to a reference point, of each component determined by the detector 5 are under control or

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Control of a load store control in a dynamic MOS memory 7 (MOS = metal-oxide-semiconductor) saved. The coordinates stored in the memory 7 become consecutive in the manner to be described sequentially read out by a read store control 8 to a logical stepper motor control 9. The logical stepper motor control 9 supplies step pulses to the stepper motors that the X-direction or Y-direction within a stepper motor drive 10 are assigned. These stepper motors are coupled to the stage 2 of the microscope and whenever possible coordinates a point stored in the dynamic MOS memory 7 is read into the logical stepper motor control 9 the stage 2 of the microscope is brought into the position in which this point in the center of the microscope 1 generated image is.

The magnification of the microscope 1 is achieved by means of a motorized revolver head (Turret) drive / set, which is controlled by a motorized turret control 12.

Appropriate scanning signals are supplied to the television camera 3, the video amplifier 4, the detector 5 and the TV monitor21 by a system control signal generator supplied, which in turn is controlled by ^ Jtaklisighale, which the clock generator (clock generator, English: master ~ elock) 14 supplies.

In use, a reference slide (comparison slide, Reference slide) under there. " Microscope brought and accurate ■ positioned on the microscope stage 2 by means of a

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Positioning mechanism, not shown, on the object table 2. This reference slide has a reference mark, for example a cross, which is in coincidence with a Marking in the optics of the microscope 1 is brought. The way in which this is done is that a manual movement control 15 of the stage an electric Generates a signal which is indicative of the requested movement of the object table 2. For this purpose it has the manual movement control 15 of the stage z. B. a tracker ball control (British tracker ball control, see for example Dr. W. Bindmann "solid body physics and" electronic Technology ", Brandstetter Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1972, page 496) or a lever control, which manual movements in a converts electrical signal. The output of the ^ stage manual motion control 15 is supplied to the logical stepper motor control 9, which controls the microscope stage 2 properly positioned by delivering the required number of pulses in the required direction to the X uncljr stepper motors located within the stepper motor drive 10.

When the reference marking on the slide coincides with the marking effected by the optics of the microscope 1, the surgeon presses a coordinate data storage pressure button 16 on the ontscha lttafsU? The ^Dr u ^ no ^ J ^ jt ^ e * - connected elTeiektronische with a Besfandteilkoordinaten storage / lJ 4engl .: feature coordinate store generator) ^ und__i5r8efolge of pressing the push button 16 is shipped ^ s ^ z ^ digital counter within the Sp ^ icKers ( Generator) 17 reset to predetermined count values which may or may not be 0.

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The reference slide on the microscope slide 2 is then replaced by a slide on which the to be analyzed dried blood is applied and a zone of interest of this slide is determined by the surgeon determined by observing the monitor 21 while the stage 2 is being moved using the manual stage movement control 15. During this activity, the microscope magnification is automatically set to Xl. The stepping motor pulses supplied by the logical stepping motor control 9 to the stepping motor drive IO are also to the component coordinate memory 17 which is continuously updated so that the Its electronic digital counter counts the coordinates of the point in the center of the microscope image in with respect to the reference point, which by pressing the Koordi- ^ data memory push button 16 has been defined.

When the operator has found an area of interest (zone), he actuates the threshold control 36 in order to reduce the Level C level) of a component which determined by the detector_5 ^ willB ^ target ^ and then presses the boost pressure button, which sends a signal to the loading enabling or enabling circuit 19 supplies. Die_jias_ Circuit 19, which enables charging, then supplies a signal the ^ accumulator load control ^ QÄd ^ -ijt ^ eiQige ^ of this enables the SpVicT &: i§ ^ dest control 6 that the coordinates of all interior ^^ - half of the relevant part ^ range determined by the detector 5 Components stored in the dynamic ^ i ^ r ^^ memory 7 will. Then the charging-enabled circuit 19 delivers a signal to the motorized turret control unit 12, which the motorized turret drive 11 causes> ^ äie. Increase the magnification, for example to X 40. ~~

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It should be noted that the dynamic MOS memory 7 is a "serial in / serial out" shift register (serial in / serial out shift register) is such that the coordinates of a point, which is present in a partial image (English: frame), from the memory exit in the same position into the following frame. Allowing the data is to revolve, any signal stored in memory will remain in the same relative position in the field, until it is read from the memory 7.

The analyzer then goes over to the reading sequence (reading sequence, reading sequence), which consists in the coordinates of each are successively read out of the point stored in the memory 7 are input from the MOS dynamic memory 7 and into the stepping motor logic controller 9. To this Purpose, a read enable circuit 20 of the memory read controller 8 allows the coordinates of the in the dynamic MOS memory stored first point to the logical stepping motor control 9 to run through. The logical stepper motor control calculated from these coordinates and the coordinates supplied by the memory 17 (i.e. the coordinates of the point in Center of the microscope image) the necessary X and Y adjustment of the microscope stage 2. Corresponding impulses are generated

Stepper motors in

through the logical stepper motor control 9 to the / stepper motor drive 10 delivered, which brings the microscope stage 2 into the appropriate position. The surgeon observes the image on the television monitor 21 or the microscope image and decides which type of blood cell is shown at this point in time. He then presses the associated pushbutton 22 on the front panel 7, which stores the count of an assigned counter in an accumulator 23 (buffer, accumulator register) increased by one. Alternatively, if the opera-

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If expensive does not recognize the type of blood cell, he pushes a blood cell reject button 24. In both cases a signal is provided to the read enable circuit 20 / which causes the coordinates of the next to be stored Point in the dynamic MOS memory 7 of the logical stepper motor control 9 are supplied. The component at this point is then shown on the television monitor 21 in mapped in a way that requires no explanation and the surgeon then performs the examination of this component in in the manner already described above.

If, while looking at a blood cell, the surgeon wishes to to look at it again later, he can press the save coordinate button 16, in which case the at this point in time in coordinates stored in the component coordinate memory 17 (these are the coordinates of the blood cell which is then stored on the monitor 21) are displayed on a visual display, not shown, which is on the front control panel 37 is arranged. Alternatively, these coordinates can be printed out by a printer, also not shown. After this When this is done, the surgeon presses either one of the buttons 22 or button 24, thereby causing the analyzer to open the next white blood cell is shown.

The count values stored in the accumulator 23 are made visible on a light-emitting diode display 34.

The X and Y coordinates can be changed at any time by operating suitable finger-operated wheels or rollers having switches 25 on the front of the control panel 37

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can be set. The carers are then at the front made visible on the control panel and correspond to external coordinates and if an "external coordinates push button" 26 is pressed, these coordinates are converted to an "outside

coordinates ⁿ memory 27 used from where they are to the lower den.

gischen stepping motor control 9 supplied / The logical stepping motor control 9 then brings the point having these coordinates into the center of the microscope image of the microscope 1, which provides an enlarged view.

It has already been explained that in each case the logical stepper motor control takes the required number of steps the stepper motors are calculated by subtracting the coordinates stored in memory (the coordinates of the one in the center of the shown image) from the coordinates supplied to it.

The images of the points whose coordinates are in-the dynamic MOS memories 7 are stored, are displayed in sequence until the number of images that have been counted is equal to a preset (preselected) number. To this end, each button 22 is also with one the grand total counting accumulator 28 connected and also a hand-operated Wheel 29 is provided on the front control panel 37 for manual setting of the number of blood cells to be analyzed. The output of the accumulator 28 is compared with the input into the digital compressor 30 by means of the wheel 29.

the digital comparator 3O

given number and if equality occurs disables / the read enable circuit 20, in order to prevent further coordinates from the memory 7 to the logical stepping motor control

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and also causes an indicator 31 to indicate that the analysis has been completed.

If no number is entered by the wheel 29 or, alternatively, the total number of points whose coordinates are in the dynamic MOS memory 7 are stored, smaller than the number set by the wheel 29, then if the image of the last point, the coordinates of which are stored in the memory 7, generates an end of the Analysis of blood cells in the field detector 32 connected to the memory 7 an output signal. This output signal causes coordinates of a new field of the image generator 33 to produce an output signal which firstly, the charge release circuit 19 inhibits (blocks) and secondly causes the logical stepper motor control 9 to Object table 2 is moved into a position in which microscope 1 provides an image of a new field. Of course prevented the signal supplied by the generator 33 to the charge release circuit 19, the supply of further signals from the Detector 5 to the memory 7 and also reduces the magnification until the button 18 is pressed again. Consequently effected the generator 33, when all blood cells in the first field have been analyzed, so that the slide is moved, that the analysis of a second field is made possible. This movement is preprogrammed in the generator 33 by means of Means which are not shown. When all the blood cells in the new field have been analyzed, the generator can 33 move the microscope stage 2 back into a different position if a third field, etc. is analyzed. This process of continuously analyzing new fields continues until the analyzer is stopped by either the number set by the wheel 29 or until the number of fields analyzed has reached a "fast end value", their Mechanism is not shown.

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The system control signal generator 13 is also provided for generating control signals for the charge release circuit 19 and the read enable circuit 20.

The analyzer has been described on the assumption that the components to be analyzed are white blood cells,
however, it should be understood that it is equally applicable to other objects. The threshold level which can be set by the controller 36 is of course suitably set to the type of object to be analyzed.

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Claims (18)

Claims Iy device for displaying components or the like, which have a predetermined parameter which is within a particular or individual field of an image appears, using a microscope to provide an image of an object, an opto-electrical converter for scanning a field appearing within said image, and one with the output of the opto-electric Transducer connected detector for detecting components or the like that have a predetermined Have parameters that appear within the specified field, identified by a Memory (7), which is connected to the detector (5) and the coordinates of the named components (if present) , which are assigned to them within said field, stores drive means (10) which with coupled to the microscope (1) for moving a support (2) for an object, the image of which is represented by the microscope (1) and a control circuit connected to the output of the memory (7) and the drive means (10) and is designed to cause the microscope (1) successively to be relatively enlarged Reproduces an image of each component detected by the detector (5). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opto-electronic converter is a television camera (3). - 14 - 409842/1044 3649 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that control means (11) for changing the magnification of the Microscope (1) are provided. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 - 3, characterized in that that the control circuit has manually operable means (15) which can cause the drive means (10) move the support (2) « 5. Device according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that that the control circuit has a second memory (17) for storing the actual coordinates of the image center having. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the control circuit has comparator and generator means (9), which are connected to one another in order to compare the coordinates of a component stored in the memory (7) with those stored in the second memory (17) and to generate output signals representative of the Are differences between the coordinates, and that the output of the comparator and generator means (9) with the drive means (10) is connected. 7. Device according to claim 5 and 6, characterized in that the output of the manually operable means (15) is connected to the comparator and generator means (9). 8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the output of the comparator and generator means (9) with is connected to the input of the second memory (17) in order to bring this memory (17) up to date. - 15 - 409842 / 1Ü 44 - 15 - 9. Device according to one of claims 6-8, characterized in that that the control circuit has a manually adjustable third memory (27) for storing the coordinates of a point, the output of which is connected to an input of the comparator and generator means (9), so there is a manual control (26) to cause the comparator and generator means to make a comparison that stored in the manually adjustable third memory (27) with those in the second memory (17) Execute coordinates. 10. Device according to one of claims 5-9, characterized in that that manually operable means (16) are provided for resetting the second memory (17). 11. Device according to one of claims 1-10, characterized in that that the drive means (1O) two stepper motors for moving the support (2) extending at right angles to each other Have directions. 12. Device according to one of claims 1-11, characterized by manually operable loading gate or gate means (load gating means, loading gate circuit) (6), through which the detector (5) is connected to the memory (7). 13. Device according to claim 3 and 12, characterized in that the loading gate means (6, 19) are connected to the control means are, so that after manual switching of the gate means (6, 19) through which c * ie coordinates of the components in the Memory (7) are stored, the magnification is increased. - 16 - 409842 / 1Ü44 '- ie - 2Al 5974 14. Device according to one of claims 1-13, characterized in that that the control circuit manually operable read gate or gate means (read gating means, reading gate circuit) (8, 20) through which the coordinates of a component for image display stored in the memory (7) of this component. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that a plurality of manually operable counters (23) are provided each of which is connected to the reading gate means (2O) so that in the wake of manual operation one of the counters to enlarge its content by one, the coordinates of the next component are output from the memory (7) will. 16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that display means (34) are connected to the counters (23). 17. Device according to claim 15 or 16, characterized by a counter (28) with the manually operable controls for the reading gate means (20) and the counters (23), and a comparator (30) connected to the counter (28) is connected, and then triggers a signal when the count value of the counter (28) is a manually adjustable number exceeds. 18. Device according to buckets of claims 1-17, characterized in that that a detector (32) is provided which is connected to the memory (7) to determine when the Memory (7) is empty. 409842/1044