JP2002281494A - Method for adjusting position of photographed image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for adjusting the position of a photographed image capable of easily and inexpensively realizing the position adjustment of an observation image. SOLUTION: A preprepared image to be reference of position adjustment is displayed as a still picture on a displaying part 405, a live image imaged by an imaging part 201 is overlapped on the still picture displayed on the displaying part 405 to be displayed, and the live image is subjected to position adjustment so that the live image can coincide with the image to be reference on the still picture in a prescribed relation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a position of a photographed image by a photographing device for photographing an observation image of a microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a photographing apparatus for photographing a specimen image observed by a microscope, for example, it is sometimes necessary to position a photographed image so that an area of the specimen image to be photographed is located at a desired position of the photographed image. Various methods of position adjustment for adjusting the position of a shooting area by an image sensor have been considered.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-49467 adopts such a position adjusting method. In order to always photograph the same area when observing cultured cells, a coordinate axis is provided on a petri dish. In the first observation, the coordinates of the attention area are stored from the coordinate axes attached to the petri dish, and in the next observation, the coordinate axes on the petri dish are detected by the image sensor, and the detected coordinates are moved to the attention area. The amount is calculated, and the motorized stage is driven so that the area of interest is centered on the screen based on the calculation result.

[0004]

However, in the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-49467, an electric stage is required to automatically drive the stage, and the price of the apparatus is extremely high. In addition, since it is necessary to use a special petri dish provided with a coordinate axis serving as a reference for calculating the region of interest, there is a problem that versatility is low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for adjusting the position of a photographed image which can be realized easily and at low cost.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
An image serving as a reference for position adjustment prepared in advance on the display means is displayed as a still image, a live image captured by the imaging means is superimposed on the still image displayed on the display means, and displayed on the still image. The position of the live image is adjusted so that the live image matches a reference image in a predetermined relationship.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a reproduced image of a photographed object photographed by the photographing means is displayed as a still image on the display means, and the still image displayed on the display means is photographed by the photographing means. A live image of the same photographing target as the photographing target is superimposed and displayed, and the position of the live image is adjusted so that a joint between the still image and the live image coincides with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a still image in which an index corresponding to an index given to an object to be photographed is displayed at the center of the screen on a display means, and the still image displayed on the display means is displayed on the still image. The position of the live image is adjusted by moving the imaging unit so that the index on the still image and the index on the live image coincide with each other by displaying the index of the imaging target captured by the imaging unit in a superimposed manner. It is characterized by.

As a result, according to the present invention, even when the object to be photographed is divided into a plurality of times, the region to be photographed on the object to be photographed can be easily positioned at the same position.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to precisely adjust the centering of the image pickup section so that the center of the photographing means coincides with the center of the image of the object to be photographed.

[0011]

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

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows an overall configuration of an imaging device for a microscope employing a method for adjusting a position of a captured image according to the embodiment. In the figure, 1
Is a microscope operated by an observer to observe a specimen. The microscope 1 is provided with a camera head 2 as a photographing means via a camera port (not shown). The camera head 2 captures an observation image of a specimen (not shown) observed by the microscope 1. The camera head 2 is connected to a control box 4 via a camera cable 3.
Is connected.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the camera head 2 and the control box 4.

In this case, the camera head 2 includes an image pickup section 201 composed of an image pickup device such as a CCD for photographing an observation image of the microscope 1, a timing generator 202 for generating a drive pulse for the image pickup section 201, and an output from the image pickup section 201. An A / D converter 203 for converting an image from analog to digital is integrally provided.

The control box 4 includes a work memory 401 for temporarily storing data output from the camera head 2, a non-volatile recording medium 402 for recording data stored in the work memory 401, and a display memory 4.
03, a D / A converter 404 that converts data in the display memory 403 into displayable analog data, a display unit 405 such as a monitor that displays the analog data converted by the D / A converter 404, and a work memory 401. A memory controller 406 for controlling the writing and reading addresses of the recording medium 402 and the display memory 403, and for mixing the data of the work memory 401 and the data of the recording medium 402 in the display memory 403, and instructing control of the entire apparatus. Is operated by the control unit 407 and the observer,
An operation unit 408 for instructing operations such as shooting and reproduction is integrally provided.

Next, in order to perform a photographing operation using the photographing apparatus for a microscope as described above, first, an observer operates the microscope 1 to observe a specimen (not shown) to be photographed.

A sample image obtained by observation of the microscope 1 is picked up by an image pickup section 201 of the camera head 2. In this case, the imaging unit 201 controls the imaging timing by the timing generator 202 and outputs an image signal of the observed image. The image signal output from the imaging unit 201 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 203, and the digital image signal is converted into a work memory 401 whose write address is controlled by the memory controller 406.
And the display memory 403, the D / A converter 40
4 is displayed on the display unit 405.

In this state, when the observer instructs an image photographing operation using the operation unit 408, the image data stored in the work memory 401 at this timing is recorded.
2 is recorded. In this case, the memory controller 406
Thus, the write and read addresses of the work memory 401 and the recording medium 402 are controlled. Further, the memory controller 406 writes, for example, a data image recorded on the recording medium 402 to the display memory 403 by a function of mixing the data of the work memory 401 and the data of the recording medium 402 in the display memory 403. In addition,
The live image data captured by the imaging unit 201 can be partially overwritten to display the live image data on the display unit 405 in a window on the reproduced image.
In addition, the image data recorded on the recording medium 402 is written into the image data, and the information about the image data can be displayed on the display unit 405 by overwriting the information on the image data as characters.

Next, a description will be given of a method for always positioning the region to be photographed on the specimen at the same position when the specimen to be photographed is photographed in a plurality of times by such a photographing apparatus for a microscope. .

In this case also, the observer operates the microscope 1 and
Perform framing and focusing while observing the specimen image. When an image capturing operation is instructed on the operation unit 408, the image data stored in the work memory 401 is recorded on the recording medium 402 at this timing.

Next, in the case of observing the same specimen, first, the operation unit 408 is operated to store the image data recorded on the recording medium 402 in the first photographing in the display memory 403 in the reproduced image data. , And this is reproduced and displayed on the display unit 405 as a still image A (FIG. 3).
(A)).

Next, by operating the operation unit 408, the imaging unit 201 is placed at the center of the data area of the still image A written into the display memory 403 by the memory controller 406.
, The data area of the live image B is partially overwritten. Then, on the display unit 405, the live image B is displayed over the center of the still image A (FIG. 3B).

Next, while observing the still image A and the live image B superimposed on the display unit 405, the observer views the live image B in the center of the screen and the still image displayed around the live image B. The live image B is moved, for example, in the direction of the arrow in the drawing so that the joint of A coincides. In this case, to move the live image B, for example, the position of a specimen (not shown) is moved by the microscope 1.

Then, while moving the live image B,
When the joint between the still image A and the live image B matches
(FIG. 3C), the region to be photographed on the specimen is positioned at the same place as the previous time.

Therefore, by using the still image A recorded and reproduced in advance and the live image B imaged by the image pickup section 201 in this manner, even when a sample is observed in a plurality of times, The region to be photographed on the specimen can always be positioned at the same position. This makes it possible to adjust the position of a captured image at a much lower cost and more easily than in a conventional apparatus requiring an expensive apparatus such as an electric table.

In the above-described first embodiment, the live image B is displayed in a window at one position in the center of the screen of the still image A, and positioning is performed. It is also possible to display them in a window and position them individually. Further, when positioning is performed, the positioning may be performed while gradually changing the magnification of the objective lens to a high magnification from an observation image obtained by the low-power objective lens. This makes it possible to increase the positioning accuracy.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the above-described first embodiment, the position adjustment for always positioning the region to be photographed on the specimen at the same position has been described. However, in the second embodiment, the camera head 2 Centering during assembly, that is, position adjustment for aligning the center of the imaging unit 201 with the image center of the sample 7 to be imaged will be described.

FIG. 4 shows the entire configuration of a microscope photographing apparatus applied to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The same reference numerals are given to the same parts. Further, the details of the camera head 2 and the controller box 4 are the same as those in FIG. 2, so that FIG.

In this case, the microscope 1 has a body 101 formed upright, and has an objective arm 102 at the tip of the body 101. The objective arm 102 is provided with a rotary revolver 5. The revolver 5 is provided with a plurality of objective lenses 6, and the objective lens 6 is selectively switched on the observation optical path by rotating the revolver 5.

A stage 8 on which a sample 7 is placed is provided on the body 101 of the microscope 1 so as to be vertically movable. In this case, the sample 7 has X
A reticle 7a having a scale 72 on the Y axis is used.

The lens barrel 9 is provided above the objective arm 102. The lens barrel 9 is provided with an eyepiece 10 and the camera head 2 via a lens barrel mount 11. The lens barrel mount 11 is fixed to the lens barrel 9, and the lens barrel 9 and the camera head 2 are detachably mounted by a C mount. In this case, a reticle 10 a is also provided inside the eyepiece 10.

FIG. 5 shows the internal structure of the camera head 2 mounted on the lens barrel mount 11. In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes a substrate, on which an imaging unit 201 including an imaging device such as a CCD is mounted. This substrate 12 is fixed on a fixing member 13. The fixing member 13 has a cylindrical shape, has a closing plate 13b having a rectangular through hole 13a on the upper opening side, and has a flange 13c formed on the periphery of the lower opening. And the fixing member 1
3, the substrate 12 is placed on the closing plate 13b on the upper opening side, and the imaging unit 201 is positioned in the hollow portion of the fixing member 13 through the rectangular through hole 13a. 14 is fixed on the fixing member 13 by screwing it into a screw hole 13 e of the fixing member 13.

A plurality of holes 13d are formed in the flange 13c of the fixing member 13, and the fixing screws 15 are screwed into the screw holes 16a of the base 16 through the holes 13d, thereby fixing the fixing screw 15 on the base 16. Like that. In this case, the hole 13d formed in the flange 13c of the fixing member 13 is formed as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the size of the fixing screw 15 is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the fixing screw 15 so that the position of the fixing member 13 with respect to the base 16 can be adjusted within the range a in the XY directions and the rotation direction. The base 16 is formed with a C-mount screw 16b for attaching to the lens barrel 9 of the microscope 1 via the lens barrel mount 11.

In such a configuration, in order to perform position adjustment for centering when assembling the imaging unit 201, first, the operator focuses on the observation image of the sample 7 while looking through the eyepiece 10. Do. Next, the center of the reticle 10a of the eyepiece 10 and the center of the reticle 7a of the specimen 7 are matched. In this case, since the center of the eyepiece 10 and the center of the barrel mount 11 have been optically adjusted in advance so as to match, the reticle 7
a, center of eyepiece 10, and lens barrel mount 1
1 coincide with each other.

Next, the operation unit 408 is operated to reproduce the image of the reticle 7a of the specimen 7 previously photographed by the imaging unit 201 and display it as a still image C on the display unit 405 (FIG. 7A). . The still image C in this case has been processed in advance so that the center of the screen of the display unit 405 matches the center of the reticle 7a.

Next, the reticle 7a of the specimen 7 photographed by the imaging unit 201 is displayed as a live image D at the center of the still image C by operating the operation unit 408 (FIG. 7B).
In this case, the display of the live image D at the center of the still image C is performed by the display controller 40 by the memory controller 406.
The data area of the live image D output from the imaging unit 201 is overwritten on the center of the still image C data area written in 3. The display area of the live image D at this time is set to a rectangular area E having a size in which the ring 71 of the reticle 7a is inscribed.

Next, while observing the live image D, the operator adjusts the position so that the ring 71 of the reticle 7a is inscribed in the rectangular area E. This position adjustment is performed by moving the position of the fixing member 13 of the camera head 2 with respect to the base 16 in the XY directions, that is, the directions of the arrows in the drawing. When the ring 71 of the reticle 7a of the live image D is inscribed in the rectangular area E by this position adjustment, the center of the imaging unit 201 and the center of the lens barrel mount 11, that is, the center of the imaging unit 201 and the image of the specimen 7 The centers coincide.

Next, position adjustment is performed so that the XY axes of the scale 72 of the reticle 7a on the still image C and the scale 72 of the reticle 7a on the live image D coincide with each other. This position adjustment is performed by moving the position of the fixing member 13 of the camera head 2 with respect to the base 16 in the rotation direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. In this position adjustment, when the XY axes of the scale 72 of the reticle 7a on the still image C and the scale 72 of the reticle 7a on the live image D match (FIG. 7).
(C)) The center of the imaging unit 201 and the center of the lens barrel mount 11, that is, the center of the imaging unit 201 and the image center of the specimen 7 completely match.

In this state, the fixing member 1 of the camera head 2 is
By fixing 3 on the base 16 with the fixing screw 15, the centering adjustment of the imaging unit 201 for aligning the center of the imaging unit 201 with the image center of the sample 7 is completed.

Accordingly, by doing so, the position of the camera head 2 is adjusted so that the scale 72 of the reticle 7a displayed on the still image C and the scale 72 of the reticle 7a of the live image D completely match. The imaging unit 201 for aligning the center of the imaging unit 201 with the image center of the specimen 7
Can be accurately adjusted.

In the above-described second embodiment, the reticle 7 of the specimen 7 for adjusting the position of the imaging unit 201 is used.
a is a ring 71 and XY orthogonal to the ring 71
Although the one with a scale 72 on the axis was used,
Any other shape may be used as long as the deviation amount in the XY direction and the rotation direction can be adjusted. In the above description, the sample 7 captured by the imaging unit 201 as the still image C is described above.
The image of the reticle 7a was processed so that the center of the reticle 7a coincided with the center of the screen of the display unit 405. Still images can also be created and used.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for adjusting the position of a photographed image which can be realized simply and at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a microscope photographing apparatus employing a photographed image position adjusting method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a camera head and a controller box used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a position adjustment method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a microscope photographing apparatus employing a photographed image position adjusting method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a camera head used in a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a main part of a camera head used in the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a position adjustment method according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Microscope 101 ... Trunk part 102 ... Objective arm 2 ... Camera head 201 ... Imaging part 202 ... Timing generator 203 ... D converter 3 ... Camera cable 4 ... Controller box 401 ... Work memory 402 ... Recording medium 403 ... Display memory 404 ... D / A converter 405 ... Display unit 406 ... Memory controller 407 ... Control unit 408 ... Operation unit 5 ... Revolver 6 ... Objective lens 7 ... Sample 7a ... Reticle 71 ... Ring 72 ... Scale 8 ... Stage 9 ... Barrel 10 ... Eyepiece 10a ... Reticle 11 ... Barrel mount 12 ... Substrate 13 ... Fixing member 13a ... Through hole 13b ... Closure plate 13c ... Flange 13d ... Hole 13e ... Screw hole 14 ... Fixing screw 15 ... Fixing screw 16 ... Base 16a ... Screw hole 16b: C mount screw

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image prepared as a reference for position adjustment prepared in advance is displayed on a display unit as a still image, and a live image captured by a photographing unit is displayed on a still image displayed on the display unit. A position adjustment method for a captured image, wherein the position adjustment of the live image is performed so that the live image matches a reference image on the still image in a predetermined relationship. 2. A reproduction image of a photographing object photographed by the photographing means is displayed on the display means as a still image, and the same as the photographing object photographed by the photographing means on the still image displayed on the display means. A position adjustment method of a captured image, wherein a live image of a shooting target is superimposed and displayed, and the position of the live image is adjusted so that a joint between the still image and the live image matches. 3. A still image having an index corresponding to the index given to the imaging target at the center of the screen is displayed on a display means, and the still image captured by the imaging means on the still image displayed on the display means is provided. A live image of a target to be photographed is superimposed and displayed, and the position of the live image is adjusted by moving the imaging unit so that the index on the still image matches the index of the live image. How to adjust the position of the captured image.