JP2003195183A - Microscope and method of calculating scale of microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily calculate the scale of a microscope with good accuracy without recognizing the comprehensive magnification determined from the magnifications, etc., of an objective lens and intermediate variable power device relating to a microscope system having a function to display the images of a specimen, and a method of calculating the scale of the microscope. <P>SOLUTION: A means for calculating an actual moving quantity calculates the actual moving quantity indicating the actual moving quantity of the specimen by detecting the moving quantity of a stage. A means for recognizing the images extracts the characteristics of the image of the specimen before the movement of the stage and the images of the specimen after the movement of the stage. A means for calculating the moving quantity of the images calculates the moving quantity of the images indicating the moving quantity of the images by accompanying the movement of the stage in accordance with the characteristics of the two images extracted by the means for recognizing the images. An arithmetic means calculates the scale indicating the length on the specimen corresponding to the unit pixels of the images by using the actual moving quantity and the moving quantity of the images. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscope having a function of displaying an image of a specimen and a microscope scale calculation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a microscope system in which an image of a specimen magnified by a microscope is displayed on an image display device via an electronic camera has been put into practical use. It is important for the user of such a microscope system to know the actual size of each part of the sample when observing the image of the sample displayed on the image display device.

Therefore, some conventional microscope systems have a function of displaying a scale image on an image display device so that the user can intuitively grasp the actual size of each part of the specimen. To display such a scale image, the length on the sample corresponding to the unit pixel on the image (hereinafter,
It is essential to calculate the "scale"). Conventional microscope systems have such a scale
The calculation was performed based on the overall magnification of the entire microscope system and the pixel pitch in the image sensor in the electronic camera.

Here, calculating the scale corresponds to, for example, calculating what length (for example, how many microns) on the sample the length per pixel corresponds to. Also, what is the overall magnification of the entire microscope system?
It is a magnification that combines the magnification of the objective lens and the magnification of an intermediate magnification varying device (corresponding to an optical element located on the optical path from the objective lens to the image pickup element in the electronic camera).

Generally, the magnification of the objective lens or the intermediate magnification varying device is recognized by the input by the user or is automatically recognized based on predetermined information.

[0006]

However, in the method of recognizing the magnification of the objective lens by the input by the user, for example, when a plurality of objective lenses are attached to the revolver, the user rotates the revolver and the objective lens is rotated. Each time the is switched, the magnification of the objective lens must be input.

In addition, a mechanism for detecting the rotational position of the revolver is necessary for automatically recognizing the magnification of the objective lens used at the time of speculum when the revolver is equipped with a plurality of objective lenses. In addition, the magnification of the objective lens attached to each address of the revolver needs to be input by the user in advance. Further, even in the method of recognizing the magnification of the intermediate magnification changer by the input by the user, the user must input the magnification every time the magnification of the intermediate magnification changer is changed.

Further, among the intermediate magnification changing devices, the magnification of the intermediate magnification changing device which is changed stepwise can be relatively easily recognized automatically, but the continuous magnification changing by the zoom lens or the like is possible. However, the magnification of the intermediate magnification changer, which is capable of being detected, is very complicated to detect. Therefore, a highly accurate detection mechanism is required to detect the magnification of the intermediate magnification varying device that is continuously magnified, which causes an increase in cost.

In addition, an error may occur in the magnification stated on the objective lens or the magnification of the intermediate magnification varying device detected by a predetermined detection mechanism. Therefore, the conventional microscope system may not be able to accurately calculate the scale as described above due to such an error. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to easily and accurately calculate a scale without recognizing a total magnification determined by the magnification of an objective lens or an intermediate magnification varying device. Another object of the present invention is to display a highly accurate scale image.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope, in which a sample is placed, a movable stage, an imaging means for imaging the sample via an observation optical system, and an imaging means for imaging the sample. In a microscope equipped with a display means for displaying the image of the sample, the actual movement amount calculation means for detecting the movement amount of the stage and calculating the actual movement amount indicating the actual movement amount of the sample, Image recognition means for extracting features of the image of the specimen before the movement of the stage and the image of the specimen after the movement of the stage, and movement of the stage based on the characteristics of the two images extracted by the image recognition means. Image movement amount calculation means for calculating an image movement amount indicating the movement amount of the image, and a scale indicating a length on the sample corresponding to a unit pixel of the image using the actual movement amount and the image movement amount. Characterized by comprising a calculating means for calculating the Le.

A microscope according to a second aspect is the microscope according to the first aspect, further comprising scale image display means for generating scale image data based on the scale and displaying the scale image on the display means. Characterize.
The method for calculating a scale of a microscope according to claim 3, wherein a stage on which the sample is placed, an image pickup device that picks up the sample via an observation optical system, and an image of the sample picked up by the image pickup device are displayed. In a method of calculating a scale of a microscope including a display device, an actual movement that detects a change in relative position between the sample and the observation optical system and calculates an actual movement amount that indicates a movement amount of the sample with respect to the observation optical system. An amount of image movement of the image of the sample on the image sensor due to a change in the relative position of the sample and the observation optical system, based on the amount calculation step and image data of the sample imaged by the image sensor. And an image movement amount calculating step for calculating a scale indicating a length on the sample corresponding to a unit pixel of the image sensor based on the actual movement amount and the image movement amount. Characterized in that a step.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope scale calculating method according to the third aspect, wherein the actual movement amount calculating step is performed by moving at least one of the stage and the observation optical system. A change in the relative position between the sample and the observation optical system is detected by the amount.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope scale calculating method, wherein a stage on which a sample is placed, an image pickup device for picking up the sample via an observation optical system, and an image of the sample picked up by the image pickup device. In a method of calculating a scale of a microscope including a display device that displays, a first image acquisition step of capturing an image of the sample by the image sensor and acquiring first image data of the sample, and after the first image acquisition step. A relative position changing step of changing a relative position of the sample and the observation optical system by a predetermined amount, and a second image acquisition for capturing an image of the sample and acquiring second image data of the sample after the relative position changing step. Step and the first
An image movement amount step of calculating an image movement amount of the sample on the image sensor based on the image data and the second image data, and a relative position of the sample and the observation optical system in the relative position changing step. A scale calculation step of calculating a scale indicating a length on the sample corresponding to a unit pixel of the image sensor based on the amount of change and the amount of image movement.

A microscope scale calculating method according to a sixth aspect is the microscope scale calculating method according to the fifth aspect, wherein in the relative position changing step, at least one of the stage and the observation optical system is moved by a predetermined amount. Then, the relative position between the sample and the observation optical system is changed by a predetermined amount. A microscope scale calculation method according to claim 7 is the microscope scale calculation method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein scale image data is generated based on the scale, and the scale image data is displayed on the display device. It is characterized by further comprising a display step of displaying the scale image.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system 1 corresponding to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the microscope system 1 includes an electronic camera 10, an upright microscope 20, an image processing device 30, and an image display device 40.

The upright microscope 20 includes an intermediate magnification changing device 21,
The revolver 22 includes a stage 24 having a revolver 22 and an encoder 23, and an objective lens 25 is attached to the revolver 22. A sample to be inspected is placed on the stage 24. The image processing device 30 is connected to the electronic camera 10, the encoder 23, and the image display device 40 by a cable.

In the microscope system 1 having such a configuration, the image of the sample taken by the image pickup device (not shown) in the electronic camera 10 through the objective lens 25 and the intermediate magnification changing device 21 is passed through the image processing device 30. Image display device 40
Is displayed in. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the image generated by the image sensor in the electronic camera 10 is displayed on the image display device 40 without being subjected to processing such as binning or thinning. That is, the pixel of the image pickup device in the electronic camera 10 and the pixel of the image display device 40 will be described as one-to-one correspondence.

Further, in the microscope system 1, the encoder 23 detects the moving distance of the stage 24 and supplies a pulse signal indicating the detection result to the image processing device 30. Further, the image processing device 30 generates scale image data as described later based on the pulse signal thus supplied and the still image data of the sample,
It is supplied to the image display device 40. As a result, the display device 40
Will display the scale image 100.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram relating to the generation of scaled image data in the image processing apparatus 30. In FIG. 2, the image processing device 30 includes an image recognition unit 31, an image movement amount calculation unit 32, an actual movement amount calculation unit 33, and a calculation unit 3.
4. It has a scale image generation unit 35. Image recognition unit 31
Is input with still image data of the sample output from the electronic camera 10, and the output of the image recognition unit 31 (feature of still image extracted as described later) is the image movement amount calculation unit 3.
Entered in 2.

The pulse signal output from the encoder 23 is input to the actual movement amount calculation unit 33. The output of the image movement amount calculation unit 32 (the image movement amount L calculated as described below) and the output of the actual movement amount calculation unit 33 (the actual movement amount M calculated as described below) are sent to the calculation unit 34. The input and the output of the calculation unit 34 (scale N calculated as described later) are input to the scale image generation unit 35.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the image processing apparatus 30 relating to the generation of scale image data. Hereinafter, the operation of the microscope system 1 corresponding to the present embodiment will be described. Below, among the operations of the microscope system 1,
The operation related to the generation of the scale image data by the image processing device 30 will be described based on FIGS. 2 and 3, and the description of other operations will be omitted.

First, when the user sets a scale display mode through an operation panel (not shown), the image processing apparatus 30 sends a message to the image display apparatus 40 to prompt the user to press the release button of the electronic camera 10. It is displayed (FIG. 3S1). When the user presses the release button of the electronic camera 10 by such a message, the electronic camera 10 supplies the first still image data of the sample to the image processing apparatus 30.

The image processing apparatus 30 repeatedly determines whether or not the first still image data of the sample is supplied from the electronic camera 10 (S2 in FIG. 3), and waits until the supply of the first still image data of the sample is completed. To do. Then, when the supply of the first still image data of the sample by the electronic camera 10 is completed,
The image processing device 30 extracts the characteristics of the first still image data of the supplied sample via the image recognition unit 31 (FIG. 3).
S3).

The image recognition unit 31 uses, for example, the first still image data of the sample supplied from the electronic camera 10,
Features such as the position and shape of an arbitrary part of the sample are extracted, and the results are supplied to the image movement amount calculation unit 32. Next, the image processing device 30 displays a message prompting the movement of the stage 24 on the image display device 40 (S4 in FIG. 3).

However, the amount of movement of the stage 24 at this time needs to be such that a part of the image of the sample already displayed on the image display device 40 does not come off the display screen of the image display device 40. Therefore, it is advisable to display a comment on the amount of movement of the stage 24 in the message. In addition, the image processing device 30 displays a message prompting the user to press the release button of the electronic camera 10 on the image display device 4.
It is displayed again at 0 (S5 in FIG. 3).

Further, the image processing apparatus 30 repeatedly determines whether or not the second still image data of the sample is supplied from the electronic camera 10 (S6 in FIG. 3), and the supply of the second still image data of the sample is completed. Wait until you do. Then, when the supply of the second still image data of the sample by the electronic camera 10 is completed, the image processing device 30 extracts the characteristics of the second still image data of the supplied sample via the image recognition unit 31 ( 3S7).

Therefore, at this point, the stage 24
The feature of the first still image data of the sample before the movement of the stage 24 and the feature of the second still image data of the sample after the movement of the stage 24 are extracted. The image processing device 30 calculates the image movement amount L via the image movement amount calculation unit 32 based on the characteristics of such two still image data (S8 in FIG. 3).

Here, the image movement amount L indicates the number of pixels corresponding to the displacement of the same portion in the two still image data. The image movement amount calculation unit 32 detects the same portion in each still image data based on the characteristics of the two still image data, detects the shift amount of the center coordinates in the portion by the number of pixels, and calculates the image movement amount. Realize the calculation of L. Then, the image movement amount calculation unit 32 supplies the calculated image movement amount L to the calculation unit 34.

As described above, when the user moves the stage 24 and presses the release button, the image processing apparatus 30 calculates the actual movement amount M via the actual movement amount calculation unit 33 ( 3S9). Here, the actual movement amount M
Indicates the actual movement amount of the sample due to the movement of the stage 24, and corresponds to the movement amount of the stage 24. The actual movement amount calculation unit 33 calculates the actual movement amount M from the pulse signal supplied from the encoder 23 and supplies the actual movement amount M to the calculation unit 34.

Therefore, at this point of time, the image moving amount L and the actual moving amount M are supplied to the calculating section 34. The image processing device 30 uses the image movement amount L and the actual movement amount M to calculate the scale N through the calculation unit 34.
Is calculated (S10 in FIG. 3). Here, the scale N is 1
An actual sample length corresponding to one pixel is shown, which is a value calculated by the following Expression 1.

Scale N = actual movement amount M / image movement amount L (Formula 1) Then, the image processing apparatus 30 generates scale image data via the scale image generation unit 35 based on the scale N (FIG. 3S11). However, since the generation of the scale image data based on the scale N can be performed by the existing technique, the description thereof will be omitted here.

As described above, in the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to recognize the magnification of the objective lens 25 or the intermediate magnification varying device 21 when calculating the scale N used for generating the scale image data. Therefore, according to the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, the user is not forced to perform a complicated operation required to recognize these magnifications. Further, even when the intermediate variable power device 21 continuously performs variable power, it is not necessary to provide an expensive detection mechanism for detecting the magnification of the intermediate variable power device 21.

Further, according to the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, the scale N is not affected by the error of the magnification described in the objective lens 25 or the error in the detection result of the magnification of the intermediate variable magnification device 21. Can be calculated accurately. Therefore, a highly accurate scale image can be displayed. In the present embodiment, the scale N
Was used to generate the scale image data.
May be used to calculate the length and area of the site of the sample.

Further, in the present embodiment, the actual movement amount M corresponding to the movement amount of the stage 24 is calculated by the pulse signal supplied from the encoder 23. However, the actual movement amount M is
Not limited to such a pulse signal, it may be calculated based on any measured value such as voltage or resistance value. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the description has been made assuming that the pixels of the image pickup device in the electronic camera 10 and the pixels of the image display device 40 have a one-to-one correspondence. When the generated image is displayed on the image display device 40 after being subjected to processing such as binning or thinning, the calculation unit 34
, The scale N considering the number of bins and the thinning amount
Should be calculated.

<< Other Embodiments >> By the way, in some microscope systems, the relative position between the objective lens and the sample can be changed by an electric stage. In such a microscope system, scale image data can be generated as shown below. FIG. 4 shows a method of calculating a scale by a user operating an automatic scale calculation mode switch (not shown), and is an operation flowchart relating to generation of scale image data in an image processing apparatus of a microscope system including an electric stage. is there.

However, such an image processing apparatus can control the image pickup by the electronic camera and the movement of the electric stage, and the electronic camera performs the image processing not only when the user presses the release button. Still image data of the sample is generated according to an instruction from the apparatus, and the electric stage is moved by a predetermined movement amount P according to an instruction from the image processing apparatus.
It is assumed that it is moved by (for example, 10 μm). Further, in FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 are given to the processes performed in the same manner as the above-described image processing device 30.

Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In the following, with reference to FIG. 4, only operations related to generation of scale image data will be described, and description of other operations will be omitted. To do. First, when the user sets the scale display mode via the operation panel, the image processing apparatus causes the electronic camera to generate the first still image data of the sample (S21 in FIG. 4).

Then, the image processing apparatus extracts the feature of the first still image data of the sample through the internal image recognition section (corresponding to the image recognition section 31 in FIG. 2) (S3 in FIG. 4).
Next, the image processing apparatus moves the electric stage by the predetermined movement amount P (FIG. 4S22), and causes the electronic camera to generate the second still image data of the sample (FIG. 4S23).

Then, the image processing apparatus extracts the characteristics of the second still image data of the sample via the internal image recognition unit (FIG. 4S7), and the internal image movement amount calculation unit (the image movement amount in FIG. 2). The image movement amount L is calculated via (corresponding to the calculation unit 32) (S8 in FIG. 4). Next, the image processing apparatus calculates the scale N via the internal calculation unit based on the image movement amount L and the predetermined movement amount P of the electric stage (S24 in FIG. 4).

That is, in the calculation section, the scale N is calculated by the following equation 2. Scale N = predetermined movement amount P / image movement amount L (Equation 2) Based on the scale N, the image processing apparatus uses an internal scale image generation unit (corresponding to the scale image generation unit 35 in FIG. 2). Then, scale image data is generated (S11 in FIG. 4).

Therefore, it is possible to display a highly accurate scale image while minimizing the user's operation.
Since the relative position between the objective lens and the sample can be realized by moving the objective lens horizontally,
In the microscope system capable of moving the objective lens by the predetermined movement amount P, it is possible to generate the scale image data in the same manner as the operation shown in FIG.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The scale can be calculated easily and accurately without recognizing the overall magnification, and a highly accurate scale image can be displayed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram related to generation of a scale image in the image processing device.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the image processing apparatus related to generation of scale image data.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart relating to generation of scale image data in an image processing apparatus of a microscope system including an electric stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Microscope system 10 electronic camera 20 Upright microscope 21 Intermediate magnification changer 22 Revolver 23 encoder 24 stages 25 Objective lens 30 image processing device 31 Image recognition unit 32 Image movement amount calculation unit 33 Actual movement amount calculation unit 34 Operation part 35 Scale image generator 40 image display device 100 scale images

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A stage on which a sample is placed and movable, an image pickup means for picking up the image of the sample through an observation optical system, and a display means for displaying an image of the sample picked up by the image pickup means. In a provided microscope, an actual movement amount calculating means for detecting the movement amount of the stage and calculating an actual movement amount indicating the actual movement amount of the specimen, an image of the specimen before the movement of the stage, and the stage An image recognition unit that extracts a feature of the image of the sample after the movement, and an image movement amount that indicates a movement amount of the image accompanying the movement of the stage, based on the features of the two images extracted by the image recognition unit. Image movement amount calculation means, and an arithmetic means for calculating a scale indicating a length on a sample corresponding to a unit pixel of an image using the actual movement amount and the image movement amount. Microscope and butterflies. 2. The microscope according to claim 1, further comprising scale image display means for generating scale image data based on the scale and displaying the scale image on the display means. 3. A microscope comprising: a stage on which a sample is placed; an image pickup device for picking up the sample via an observation optical system; and a display device for displaying an image of the sample picked up by the image pickup device. In the scale calculation method, an actual movement amount calculation step of detecting a change in relative position between the sample and the observation optical system, and calculating an actual movement amount indicating a movement amount of the sample with respect to the observation optical system; An image movement amount calculation step of calculating an image movement amount of the image of the sample on the image pickup device due to a change in relative position between the sample and the observation optical system, based on image data of the sample imaged by A scale calculation step of calculating a scale indicating a length on the sample corresponding to a unit pixel of the image sensor based on the actual movement amount and the image movement amount. How to calculate the scale of the microscope. 4. The method of calculating a scale of a microscope according to claim 3, wherein the actual movement amount calculation step uses the movement amount of at least one of the stage and the observation optical system to move the sample and the observation optical system. A method for calculating a scale of a microscope, which comprises detecting a change in relative position of the. 5. A microscope comprising: a stage on which a sample is placed; an image pickup device for picking up an image of the sample through an observation optical system; and a display device for displaying an image of the sample picked up by the image pickup device. In the scale calculation method, the sample is imaged by the image sensor, and a first image of the sample is obtained.
A first image acquisition step of acquiring image data; a relative position change step of changing a relative position of the specimen and the observation optical system by a predetermined amount after the first image acquisition step; A second image acquisition step of capturing an image of the sample and acquiring second image data of the sample; and based on the first image data and the second image data,
An image movement amount step of calculating an image movement amount of the sample on the image pickup device, based on a change amount of the relative position of the sample and the observation optical system by the relative position change step and the image movement amount, And a scale calculation step of calculating a scale indicating a length on the sample corresponding to a unit pixel of the image pickup element. 6. The method for calculating the scale of a microscope according to claim 5, wherein in the relative position changing step, at least one of the stage and the observation optical system is moved by a predetermined amount to move the sample and the observation optical system. A method of calculating a scale of a microscope, characterized in that the relative position of the is changed by a predetermined amount. 7. The scale calculation method for a microscope according to claim 3, further comprising a step of generating scale image data based on the scale and displaying the scale image on the display device. A method of calculating a scale of a microscope, further comprising: