EP1325376A2

EP1325376A2 - Microscope comprising multifunctional control elements

Info

Publication number: EP1325376A2
Application number: EP20010983522
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helge Herz; Steffen Leidenbach; Gunter MÖHLER; Frank Nolte; Rolf-Gero Rau; Georg Weiss
Original assignee: Jenoptik AG
Current assignee: Jenoptik AG
Priority date: 2000-10-13
Filing date: 2001-10-02
Publication date: 2003-07-09
Also published as: WO2002031572A3; WO2002031572A2; US20030090789A1; JP2004511817A; DE10051299A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a microscope comprising multifunctional control elements (11) for operating a plurality of electrically controlled microscope components such as lens turrets, filter turrets, diaphragms, focal points, illumination devices, etc. As the number of microscope functions to be controlled far exceeds the number of control elements to be ergonomically operated, each control element can be optionally associated with one of the available microscope functions. Furthermore, functions of externally connected appliances, such as cameras or manipulators, can also be associated with the control elements of the microscope.

Description

Microscope with multifunctional controls

The invention relates to a microscope, in particular a research microscope which can be equipped with a plurality of electrically controllable components such as focus drive, object table lens turret, various filters and screens, controllable lighting devices, external imaging systems as well as manipulators.

To operate the built-in microscope frame components, these microscopes are equipped with a variety of controls such as buttons or knobs. The manufacturers of microscopes try ergonomic as possible to arrange the tripod these controls. Here, a number of problems arise. Since the operation of the microscope to be made by the user while viewing the object through the eyepieces, should these controls be operated "blind". Therefore, make each other there is sufficient distance between the keys. On the other hand, the demand for ease of use results in the buttons and rotary knobs are disposed so that they can be actuated without movement of the arms preferably and is their number in the order of magnitude of the number of fingers or a maximum of 2 keys are provided for each finger. in a modern research microscope, the number of microscope functions exceeds the by the above claims limited number of controls but significant. External components, such as imaging systems, motor tables and object manipulators are usually equipped with their own control units, which in turn have the appropriate controls. Since these control units are installed separately from the microscope m SEN is their activity connected with considerable arm movements to the user. This applies in the same way, when the operating elements are located at the external components themselves, as these are usually mounted on or behind the microscope. It may also happen that the actuation of control elements of external components is complicated by other attached to the microscope components that cover these controls or are simply in the way.

To overcome the disadvantages mentioned are known a number of solutions. In US Patent 4 912388 it is proposed to operate the microscope to use an external control unit for the microscope functions which has to reduce the number of necessary controls on the possibility of using a Shift other keys assigned to several meanings depending on the position of the Shift key. Here, the disadvantages are maintained, that the control unit is arranged separately from the microscope, also the number of operable microscope functions remains limited for maintaining the operability. From DE-OS 196 37 756 a multi-functional control unit for a microscope is known, which has the shape of a computer mouse, the microscope functions are triggered by pressing the various buttons of the mouse. For a summary of the controls is achieved in a compact ergonomically shaped unit, but the problem of the limited number of controls not solved.

From EP 660 944 is known to associate other sensitive to-use features such as brightness adjustment or control of the aperture stop to the focus drive knob by key operation, each function is a key is permanently assigned. Furthermore microscopes known (Leica DMRXA and DMIRBE) are in which it is possible by a command from an external controller to reverse and to reverse the direction of the focus drive keys for focus and nosepiece between each one mounted on the right and left side of the microscope key. This solution allows the microscope to a very limited extent, be adapted to the user, but this does not simplify the operation of the microscope generally will.

The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to simplify the operation of electrically controllable or motorized microscopes.

The object is achieved in a microscope with multifunctional controls according to the preamble of the first claim by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Advantageous inventive embodiments are that the assignment of the control elements to the microscope functions in the control unit of the microscope is realized, however, this can be realized in analogous manner in an external control unit, which communicates with the microscope in a known manner data.

Here, the change in the assignment of control elements to the microscope functions defined by operations of the control elements or by the external control unit is realized.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to make the valid allocation of the operating elements visible to the user, this can by displaying on the controls itself, by displaying in the eyepiece visual field of the operator or by

done lettering on the microscope stand near the controls.

The interconnection of the controls with the controls for the

Microscope components may advantageously by a mapping table, which may be provided in the control unit of the microscope and in the external control unit.

In an inventive method for controlling the operating elements microscopes any electrically controllable functions of the microscope or peripheral devices are assigned.

It is particularly advantageous that a connected Biidaufnahmefunktion

assign an image pickup camera of the operating elements of the microscope.

The invention is explained in detail below.

Modern research microscopes are equipped with a variety of motor components such as revolver for lenses, reflectors, filters, screens, - continue condensers, valves, optical light path or shutter. These are controlled by one or more built in the microscope control computer whose program is stored in general as firmware on EPROM. The user controls the microscope via operating elements such as buttons or knobs, which are electrically connected with the control computer, there have hitherto functions keys, such as changing lenses, Auflichtbeieuchtung on / off etc associated fixed. These buttons or knobs can both cultivated or on the stand in external controllers (usually called a control panel) can be grouped together. The realization of the microscope functions by calling contained in the firmware of the control computer sub-programs (functions). In modern microscopes this control is realized by means of a connected personal computer, which is connected to the microscope, for example, via a serial data line, the controls are there usually only shown on the display and operated with a mouse or keyboard. Also, other peripheral devices such as cameras and manipulators are served either by special control panels or from the connected personal computer.

The inventive solution provides that the controls of the microscope a function from the supply of available in firmware microscope functions or the functions of the peripheral devices can be allocated. This assignment can be realized in a conventional manner, for example through an opening provided in the firmware jump table at which each operating element assigned number acts as an index and is entered, the entry point of the firmware of the selected function in the table entry. For assigning functions of external peripheral devices through the associated peripherals controller on. Data line, the actuation of the operating interrogated and the activation of the corresponding functions will be implemented in an analogous manner. Alternatively, it is also possible that the information on the actuation of a control is sent from the built in the microscope control computer to the associated peripheral equipment control unit without having this needs to query the information.

In the drawing an embodiment of a microscope according to the invention is shown.

At the microscope stand (1), a motorized objective turret (2) with (in this case only one) lens (3), ocular (4), a motorized reflector turret (12), a controllable lighting device (5) and a motor condenser (6) mounted , The stand has a plurality of photosensors outputs (7, 8, 9) whose light paths, not shown here motorized light path (mirrors, prisms) can be switched. Further, the stand has a focus drive knob (10) and a plurality of operation buttons (11) which are ergonomically disposed in the vicinity of the focus drive knob. By means of the focus drive knob (10) is actuated by motor via an unillustrated, in the microscope stand (1) built-in control computer of the focus drive (13). The microscope control computer equipped in a known manner via a computing unit, an EPROM, which contains the program for controlling the microscope and its components as well as a RAM, in which variable. Data for the control program are maintained. The control program (hereinafter referred to as firmware) contains the respective components associated for controlling the motor component program sections (subroutines) with defined entry points (A1 ... An). Each operating element is an index in the program (11 ... In) is assigned. a branch table contained in the RAM which associates the index of the operating element with the entry point of the respectively associated component is used to implement the arbitrary assignment of the control elements to the components. The ~ program flow can be greatly simplified form as:

1. operator presses button x

2. program determines index of key: Ix

3. Program investigated in the jump table standing in the place Ix jump address Ay fourth program performs at the point Ay-standing program to control the

Component y from the initialization of the step table, ie the allocation of the component functions to the buttons can thereby be realized in different ways. In general, a standard configuration of the keys will be stored in the firmware of the microscope control computer, which is loaded after switching the microscope as the initial state in the jump table. The change in the table, that the assignment of another function to a key or the focus drive knob may be effected for example by a connected control unit (z. B. Personal Computer), which sends the firmware of the microscope control computer appropriate firmware commands, such as "loading the x table entry with the entry address of the component y ". Alternatively, can be realized with the assignment of the control elements to the microscope functions by means of special effects is performed by key operation, a firmware.

When the microscope has a connected controller, the assignment of the control elements to the microscope functions in this control unit can be realized. The jump table is then located in the control device, the corresponding program flow can be greatly simplified be represented as:

1. operator presses button x

2. Firmware determined index key: Ix and sends it via the data line to the control unit

3. Program the control unit searches the jump table standing in the place Ix jump address Ay

4. program executes the standing at the point Ay program which sends the corresponding command to control the firmware component to the microscope y

5. Firmware the microscope interprets the command and controls the corresponding component

When connected to the microscope peripherals such as cameras and manipulators, it is common that these its own software to control the corresponding functions (image recording, etc.) have, which can be called by a higher-level program to initiate this function. If these functions are triggered with the controls of the microscope, the result of the following program sequence: 1. operator presses button x 2 firmware determines index of key: Ix and sends it via the data line to the control unit

4. program executes the standing at the position Ay program, which calls the appropriate function of the peripheral device

5. The software of the peripheral device executes the corresponding function. Especially advantageous is the solution if frequently recurring functions such as image recording camera can be triggered by a control button of the microscope connected to a.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiment, in particular also other ways to implement the assignment of control elements to the functions shown as the jump table are conceivable.

Claims

claims

1. microscope with multi-functional operating elements, comprising a microscope stand having electrically controllable microscope components such as the lens revolver, light source, condenser, which are electrically controlled by a control unit, as well as controls for these electrical Ansteuerungeh, characterized in that the control elements suitable by a interconnection between the controls and the drives any electrically controlled microscope particular function of these microscope components can be assigned.

2. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that this assignment is implemented in the control unit.

3. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that this assignment can be implemented in an external control unit, which communicates with the microscope control unit in a known manner data.

4. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that the change of the assignment of the control elements can be realized by means of defined operations of the operating elements.

5. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that the change of allocation of the operating elements by the external control unit can be realized.

6. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that the microscope functions may also include functions of externally connected components such as cameras, the object tables or manipulation means.

7. microscope with multifunctional controls according to claim 1, characterized in that the current allocation of the operating elements is visually apparent.

8. microscope with multifunktiόnalen controls according to claim 6, characterized in that the current allocation of the operating elements can be displayed on the control elements.

9. microscope with multifunctional operating elements according to claim 6, characterized in that the current allocation of the operating elements is faded into the field of vision of an operator.

10. microscope with multifunctional operating elements according to claim 6, characterized in that the current allocation of the operating elements can be displayed in the spatial vicinity of the operating elements on the microscope stand.

11. microscope with multifunctional controls according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circuit connection is realized by the control unit or the control unit existing mapping table which associates the control elements with the controls.

12. A method for controlling a microscope, preferably according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operating element of the microscope is an arbitrary function of an electrically controllable microscope component is assigned.

13. A method for controlling a microscope, preferably according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operating element of the microscope is assigned an arbitrary function of an electrically controllable external device, which is electrically connected to the microscope.

14. A method for controlling a microscope, preferably according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an operating element of the microscope is a function for image pickup of a connected image pickup camera is assigned.