JP2002267945A - Photomicroscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photomicroscopic apparatus which can improve the operability. SOLUTION: The photomicroscopic apparatus performs a specific operation by various units such as an SW panel 509 which uses a camera head 3 for photographing an observation image of a microscope 1 and is selectively connected according to various operation modes including a photographic mode, a liquid crystal monitor 506, a PC 9; and a connection detecting means 510 detects the connection state of those units and determines an operation mode which is initially set when the power source is turned on by referring to a table containing the priority levels of operation modes initially set when the power source is turned on by the units.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscope photographing apparatus for photographing and recording observation images of a microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a peripheral device attached to a microscope, a microscope photographing device such as a microscope digital camera for photographing and recording an observation image of the microscope has been used.

In such a microscope photographing apparatus, it is important that a predetermined function be started up without malfunction, and such a concept is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-189700. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an autofocus apparatus that detects a focus position by calculating a contrast from a signal of a video camera that is obtained.

In this autofocus apparatus, the presence or absence of a video camera signal is detected when the power is turned on, and if a video camera is connected, initialization is performed and autofocus is performed as usual. , And an autofocus operation is not performed thereafter. This allows
Even if the power is turned on when the video camera is not connected by mistake and the microscope is operated, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the specimen or the microscope main body is damaged due to the malfunction of the autofocus.

[0005]

However, with respect to a microscope photographing apparatus such as the above-mentioned digital camera for microscope,
A photographing mode for photographing an observation image (hereinafter, REC mode),
It has functions such as a playback mode (hereafter, PLAY mode) for checking recorded images, and a communication mode (hereafter, PC communication mode) for connecting to a PC by connecting a PC cable. In this case, the photographing operation cannot be performed unless the camera head is connected. However, the PLAY mode and the PC communication mode need to be able to operate regardless of the connection of the camera head.

[0006] This is because, in the case of a conventional autofocus apparatus which does not perform initialization unless a video camera is connected, an error occurs because a necessary signal for the PLAY mode or the PC communication mode cannot be obtained. Therefore, there is a problem that operation in these modes cannot be performed.

On the other hand, there is a microscope photographing apparatus such as a microscope digital camera which automatically returns to a selected mode when the power is turned off for convenience.
However, if the mode selected at the previous power-off is initialized at the same time when the power is turned on, for example, even if the camera head is not connected, it starts up in the REC mode or connects the PC communication cable. When the user wants to set the PC communication mode, the user starts up in the PLAY mode. If the desired mode cannot be started, it is necessary to switch the mode to set the desired mode, which may be inconvenient. In particular, in the case of starting up in the PLAY mode, image reading from the medium starts and mode switching cannot be accepted until the reading is completed. Therefore, there is no problem when the image to be read is a small-sized file. When a non-compressed image is read by a digital camera of the class of 10,000 pixels, it takes tens of seconds to several minutes, so that it takes time to switch modes, and the operability may be significantly impaired.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a microscope photographing apparatus capable of improving operability.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In a microscope photographing apparatus that executes various operation modes including a photographing mode for photographing an observation image of a microscope according to various connection states selectively connected, a connection state of the various units to the microscope photographing apparatus is detected. Connection detecting means, a table for associating the connection state of the various units with an operation mode that is initially set when the power of the microscope imaging apparatus is turned on, and a connection detection means that is detected by the connection detection means when the power of the microscope imaging apparatus is turned on. And a control means for determining the operation mode to be initialized by referring to the connection state of the various units and the table.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the various units include an input operation unit, a display unit, and an external control unit, and the control unit controls the display by the connection detection unit. When the disconnection of any of the means and the input operation means or the connection of the external control means is detected, a communication mode with the external control means is determined as a mode initialized at power-on. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the various units include photographing means for photographing an observation image of a microscope, and the control means is configured to control the photographing means by the connection detecting means. When the disconnection is detected, the reproduction mode is determined as a mode initialized when the power is turned on.

As a result, according to the present invention, it is possible to detect the connection state of each unit and automatically perform the initial setting according to the optimum operation mode according to a table prepared in advance according to the connection state of these units. it can.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows an overall configuration of a microscope digital camera as a microscope photographing apparatus applied to the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a microscope operated by an observer for observing a sample, and a microscope digital camera 2 is connected to the microscope 1. The microscope digital camera 2 has a camera head 3 as a photographing unit attached to a camera port of the microscope 1, and a control box 5 as a control unit connected to the camera head 3 via a camera head cable 4. . The control box 5 is a REC mode for capturing an observation image,
It is used to set operation modes such as a PLAY mode for checking a recorded image, a PC communication mode for communicating with a personal computer, and perform image shooting, a check of a shot image, and camera settings. An external TV monitor 7 is connected to the control box 5 via a video cable 6 and a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC) 9 as an external control means via a PC communication cable 8. Display the observed image on the external TV monitor 7,
It can be downloaded to C9.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of such a microscope digital camera 2.

In this case, the camera head 3 includes a CCD 301 as an image pickup device for photographing an image observed by the microscope 1, a timing generator 302 for generating a drive pulse for the CCD 301, and an analog / digital output from the CCD 301.
An A / D converter 303 for digital conversion is integrally provided.

A control box 5 connected to the camera head 3 is provided with an A / D converter 3 of the camera head 3.
And a RAM for temporarily storing digital image data received via the camera head I / F 501.
502, a memory controller 503 that manages data write / read addresses of the RAM 502, RA
Recording medium 5 for recording image data stored in M502
04, a D / A converter 505 for converting the digital image data stored in the RAM 502 into analog data that can be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 506 or the external TV monitor 7,
An external video I / F to which a liquid crystal monitor 506 and a video cable 6 to an external TV monitor 7 are connected as display means for displaying the image data converted by the / A converter 505
507, a PC communication cable 8 to the PC 9 is connected, and a PC for reading data recorded on the recording medium 504 to the PC 9 and performing camera control data communication from the PC 9;
A CI / F 508, a switch panel (hereinafter, referred to as a SW panel) 509 as an input operation means for an observer to perform various operations and settings of the microscope digital camera 2, a camera head 3, a liquid crystal monitor 506, and an external video I / F 50.
7 (video cable 6), PCI / F 508 (PC communication cable 8), etc., connection detecting means 510 for detecting the connection state of each unit, and the microscope digital camera 2 based on the connection state detection signal from the connection detection means 510. The operation mode is initially set to a predetermined mode, and a control device 511 for instructing control of the entire apparatus is integrally provided. The control device 511 has a storage unit that stores a table in which the priorities of operation modes that are initialized when the power is turned on, described later, are stored in association with the connection states of the units.

Here, as a specific method of detecting the connection state of each unit by the connection detecting means 510, the camera head 3
Is detected by a method of monitoring the output of a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an image signal from the camera head 3 and the voltage of a terminal whose voltage level is determined by the connection of the camera head 3. The detection of the SW panel 509 uses a method of monitoring the voltage of a terminal whose voltage level is determined by connecting these units. Here, the liquid crystal monitor 506 can be stored, and whether or not the liquid crystal monitor 506 is stored (such as the SW panel
9 when the liquid crystal monitor 506 is stored in a form that covers the liquid crystal monitor 506, the output of an optical or magnetic sensor for detecting the state in which the liquid crystal monitor 506 is stored, or a part of the liquid crystal monitor 506 is mechanically detected. A method of monitoring the output by pressing a switch is used. External video I / F 507, PC
The detection of the I / F 508 uses a connector having a built-in switch circuit for detecting insertion of the video cable 6 and the PC communication cable 8, and changes in the impedance of the line due to the connection of the video cable 6 and the PC communication cable 8. Is used.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the SW panel 509. Mode switches 509a and control panel 50 are used as switches related to the operation of the present embodiment.
9b, an EXPOSE switch 509c, a menu switch 509d, a cross switch 509e, and a SET / OK switch 509f.

To perform a shooting operation using the SW panel 509, first, the observer operates a power switch (not shown) to turn on the power. Next, the REC mode or the PLAY mode is selected by operating the mode switch 509a. In this case, the REC mode includes a manual REC mode in which the exposure time of the camera head 3 can be manually set and an auto REC mode in which the exposure time is automatically set. The observer further sets the mode switch 509a. Operate to set one REC mode. The setting mode at this time is displayed on the control panel 509b with an arrow indicating the mode.

In this state, an observation image of the sample obtained through the camera head 3 is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 506, and the microscope 1 is operated while viewing the image, and the framing and focusing of the photographed image are performed by operating a switch (not shown). I do. Then, when photographing becomes possible, the EXPOSE switch 509c is operated. Thus, photographing is performed by the camera head 3, and the photographed observation image is temporarily stored in the RAM 502 shown in FIG. 2 and then recorded on the recording medium 504. In this case, the recording image quality mode, time setting,
The settings such as ISO are determined by operating the cross switch 509e and the SET / OK switch 509f on the menu displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 506 by operating the menu switch 509d. When the user wants to check the captured image, the user operates the mode switch 509a to select the PLAY mode. In the PLAY mode, the taken observation image is read from the recording medium 504 and
06.

In this manner, various modes such as the REC mode and the PLAY mode can be switched by operating the mode switch 509a. In the present embodiment, the modes initially set when the power is turned on again are described below. Is decided.

FIG. 4 is a table in which the priorities of the operation modes that are initially set when the power is turned on are stored for each unit, and are stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) of the control device 511. In this case, the items in the column direction of the table include, for example, the SW panel 509, the liquid crystal monitor 506, the housing of the liquid crystal monitor 506, and the detection units such as the PC communication cable 8 and the camera head 3 which are detected by the connection detection unit 510. The items in the row direction are priorities in which the initial settings are prioritized. The elements of this table indicate which operation mode is initially set when each unit is connected / disconnected, that is, the microscope digital camera 2
Indicates which operation mode is initialized.

For example, when the power supply is turned on and the SW panel 509 is not connected, the operation of the camera head 3 can only be performed by the PC 9 via the PC communication cable 8, so that the camera head 3 is initialized in the PC communication mode. become. Similarly, when the liquid crystal monitor 506 is not connected, framing and focusing for photographing cannot be started, and the photographed image cannot be confirmed. In this case, too, if the confirmation is made on the monitor of the PC 9 via the PC communication cable 8, Judge and PC
Initialized in communication mode. Further, the LCD monitor 506
When the PC is stored in such a manner as to cover the SW panel 509 like a notebook type personal computer, it is determined that switch operation and image recognition are to be performed on the PC 9 side via the PC communication cable 8, and the PC communication mode is set. Initialized by If the camera head 3 is not connected, PLA
Since it can be used only in the Y mode, it is initialized in the PLAY mode. If the above items do not apply, the normal mode is initialized in the mode that was used last time when the power was turned off.

Next, a specific example of performing initialization at power-on (initial setting of operation mode) using such a table will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In this case, when the power is turned on by operating a power switch (not shown), the connection detecting means 510 sends the SW panel 509, camera head 3, liquid crystal monitor 506, external video I to the control box 5 in step S501. / F507 (video cable 6), PCI / F5
08 (PC communication cable 8) and the like. Then, in a step S502, it is determined whether or not the SW panel 509 is detected. Where SW
If the panel 509 is not detected, the PC communication mode is determined with reference to the table shown in FIG.
At 03, initialization is performed in the PC communication mode, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the SW panel 509 has been detected, the process proceeds to step S504, and the liquid crystal monitor 50
It is determined whether 6 has been detected. If the liquid crystal monitor 506 is not detected, the PC communication mode is determined with reference to the table shown in FIG.
Then, initialization is performed in the PC communication mode, and the process ends.

In the judgment of step S504, the liquid crystal monitor 5
If 06 has been detected, the process proceeds to step S505, and it is determined whether or not the liquid crystal monitor 506 is stored. Here, when the liquid crystal monitor 506 is stored, the PC communication mode is determined with reference to the table shown in FIG. 4, and in step S503, initialization is performed in the PC communication mode, and the process ends.

In the judgment of step S505, the liquid crystal monitor 5
If the PC communication cable 8 is not stored, the process advances to step S506 to determine whether the PC communication cable 8 is detected.
Here, when the PC communication cable 8 is detected,
The PC communication mode is determined with reference to the table shown in FIG. 4, and in step S503, initialization is performed in the PC communication mode, and the process ends.

If it is determined in step S506 that the PC communication cable 8 has not been detected, the flow advances to step S507 to determine whether the camera head 3 has been detected. If the camera head 3 is not detected, the PLAY mode is determined with reference to the table shown in FIG. 4, and in step S508, initialization is performed in the PLAY mode, and the process ends.

If it is determined in step S507 that the camera head 3 has been detected, the process proceeds to step S509, in which the normal mode is initialized in the mode that was used last time when the power was turned off, and the process ends. .

Therefore, according to this configuration, the connection state of each unit when the power is turned on is detected, and the initial setting in the optimum mode is automatically performed according to a table prepared in advance according to the connection state of these units. Since no extra operation is required, the operation is simplified, and the operability can be improved.

Further, since a mode other than the desired mode is not initialized, useless mode switching time does not occur, operation time can be reduced, and throughput of photographing and observation can be improved.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows a schematic configuration of a microscope digital camera 2 according to the embodiment, and the same parts as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this case, the control box 5 is provided with a setting storage section 512 composed of a nonvolatile memory. The setting storage unit 512 stores a table in which the priorities of the modes to be initialized as described with reference to FIG. 4 are set, and the observer sets the initialization mode, that is, the operation mode in which the microscope digital camera is initialized. Settings and changes can be made. For example, while the PC communication cable 8 is connected, the photographing of the observation image is performed by the EXPOSE switch 509c of the SW panel 509 shown in FIG.
And the captured image is transmitted to the PC 9 by the PC communication.
When the user wants to check the data in the table, a part of the table described in FIG. 4 can be changed as shown by the hatched portion in FIG.

In this case, the observer first selects the S shown in FIG.
By operating the menu switch 509d of the W panel 509, a menu screen is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 506 as shown in FIG. 8, and the setting of the initial setting mode is highlighted from the menu using the cross switch 509e or the like. Operate the SET / OK switch 509f. Then
As shown in FIG. 9, on the liquid crystal monitor 506, a submenu for setting an initial setting mode is displayed. The submenu for setting the initial setting mode corresponds to the table described with reference to FIG.
In each unit detected in, the items in the row direction are the priorities of the initial settings. Here, cursor 1 in the thick frame in the drawing
The part indicated by 1 indicates an element that can be input. The position of this thick framed cursor 11 is indicated by the cross switch 509e.
By moving up, down, left and right, any element can be specified.

In this state, the position of the thick framed cursor 11 is selected on the initial setting mode setting submenu, and
Operate the / OK switch 509f. Then, the screen shown in FIG. 10 is displayed, and it is possible to change and set the selected element. In this case, the presence / absence of detection of the unit indicated by the selected element is selected. This also moves the thick framed cursor 11 by operating the cross switch 509e in the vertical direction, and the SET / OK switch 509.
Determined by f. Thereby, the setting screen of the initial setting mode shown in FIG. 11 is displayed. In this screen, PC
Communication, REC, PLAY, default are displayed,
A PC communication mode, a REC mode, a PLAY mode, and a default (the same mode as when the power was last turned off are set as in the case of the normal initialization) can be set.

In this case, the cursor 11 in the thick frame is moved to select the REC mode and the SET / OK switch 509f
Operate. Then, the screen returns to the screen shown in FIG. 12, the initial mode (REC mode) set for the selected element is displayed, and a part of the table described in FIG. 4 is changed as shown in FIG. become. The changed table is stored in the setting storage unit 512, and is used for initialization from the next power-on. Accordingly, when the PC communication cable 8 is detected thereafter, the REC mode is determined by referring to the table shown in FIG. 7, and the microscope digital camera 2 is initialized in the REC mode.

Although a case has been described above in which some of the elements of the priority table are changed, the PC communication mode and the RE mode are set using the setting screen of the initial setting mode shown in FIG.
By repeatedly setting the C mode, the PLAY mode, and the default, all of the priority order tables are
Initial setting mode can be set.

Therefore, according to this configuration, the setting storage unit 512 for storing the table in which the priority order of the initial setting mode is set is provided, and the table contents can be set and changed by the observer. The initial setting suitable for the use condition can be performed. Accordingly, if the same operation is repeated every time, for example, when applied to a semiconductor inspection process or the like, the work content can be simplified and the work efficiency can be improved.

In each of the above-described embodiments, only one type of table in which the priority order of the initial setting mode is set is used. However, a plurality of types of tables are prepared, and these tables are prepared according to the observation conditions and the observer. You may switch and use it. Further, the table may be stored in the recording medium 504 and read. Furthermore, in the above,
Although a CCD is used as an image sensor of the camera head 3, a CMD or the like can be used as another image sensor. Furthermore, the connection detecting unit 570 described above detects the connection state of each unit by hardware. However, the connection state may be confirmed by writing data to an arbitrary register by software and reading the data. it can.

The embodiments described above include the following inventions.

(1) In the microscope photographing apparatus according to claim 1, the display means can be housed as one of the various units, and the connection detecting means has a function of detecting a housed state of the display means. Further comprising the table,
It is characterized by including information for associating the storage state of the display means with an operation mode initially set when the power of the microscope imaging apparatus is turned on.

In this way, the contents of the table can be set and changed by the observer, so that the initial settings suitable for the use conditions can be made for each observer.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a microscope photographing apparatus capable of improving operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a microscope digital camera applied to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a SW panel used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a table in which priority of a mode to be initialized used in the first embodiment is stored.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a microscope digital camera applied to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a table in which priority of a mode to be initialized used in the second embodiment is stored.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a menu screen for setting an initial setting mode according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining setting of an initial setting mode according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view for explaining setting of an initial setting mode according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining setting of an initial setting mode according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a view for explaining setting of an initial setting mode according to the second embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Microscope 2 ... Microscope digital camera 3 ... Camera head 4 ... Camera head cable 5 ... Control box 6 ... Video cable 7 ... TV monitor 8 ... PC communication cable 9 ... PC 11 ... Cursor 301 ... CCD 302 ... Timing generator 303 ... A / D converter 501 ... camera head I / F 502 ... RAM 503 ... memory controller 504 ... recording medium 505 ... D / A converter 506 ... liquid crystal monitor 507 ... external video I / F 508 ... PCI / F 509 ... SW panel 509a ... Mode switch 509b ... Control panel 509c ... EXPOSE switch 509d ... Menu switch 509e ... Cross switch 509f ... SET / OK switch 510 ... Connection detection means 511 ... Control device 512 ... Setting storage unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A microscope photographing apparatus which executes various operation modes including a photographing mode for photographing an observation image of a microscope according to various connection states selectively connected, wherein the microscope photographing apparatus of the various units is provided. A connection detecting unit that detects a connection state of the microscope imaging apparatus; a table that associates connection states of the various units with an operation mode that is initially set when the microscope imaging apparatus is powered on; A microscope photographing apparatus, comprising: a control unit that determines a connection state of the various units detected by a detection unit and the operation mode to be initialized with reference to the table. 2. The various units include an input operation unit, a display unit, and an external control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to disconnect one of the display unit and the input operation unit by the connection detection unit, or 2. The microscope photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the connection of the external control means is detected, a communication mode with the external control means is determined as a mode initialized when power is turned on. 3. The various units include photographing means for photographing an observation image of a microscope, and the control means initializes when power is turned on when the connection detection means detects that the imaging means is not connected. 2. The microscope photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reproduction mode is determined as the mode to be performed.