JP2005270364A - Ophthalmology photography apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ophthalmology photography apparatus capable of judging whether or not it is a failure image in the case of detecting a blink at the time of photographing and saving time until the next photographing. <P>SOLUTION: The ophthalmology photography apparatus is provided with an image generation means for inhibiting an image preserved in a first image data preservation means from being transferred to a second image data preservation means and generating a second image having an information amount less than the information amount of the image from the image preserved in the first image data preservation means in the case that the blink is detected by a blink detection means, and the second image is transferred from the image generation means to the second image data preservation means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus connected to a fundus camera for photographing a fundus of a subject's eye, which is used in, for example, an ophthalmic clinic or a group medical examination.

  For example, a fundus camera is known as an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus.

  In recent years, since digitalization is easy, commonly used digital cameras are increasingly used as photographing cameras for fundus cameras. In particular, single-lens reflex digital cameras are used because they can be remotely photographed from a fundus camera, are compatible with conventional film-type cameras, and have sufficient resolution as diagnostic images for ophthalmology. It is because it has become a thing.

  In addition, the digitalization of the fundus camera allows not only paper-reading and immediacy, but also general digital cameras to store, search, and browse images via memory cards and cables. Thus, the image can be transferred to a personal computer, so that filing is easy.

Furthermore, in order to eliminate waste due to shooting failure, it is generally known that shooting is stopped by blink detection. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 09-259259 is known as a device that determines from a picture a failure in photographing due to blinking of a tester at the time of photographing, and prohibits image transfer when it is judged as a failure. On the other hand, as a means for preventing shooting failure, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-238860 proposes a device that prevents shooting failure by delaying the time until flash emission when a blink occurs during shooting.
JP 09-259259 JP2002-238860

  However, in the case of an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus of the type that transfers an image to the personal computer described above, when it is configured to stop photographing when a blink is detected, a photographed image peculiar to a digital camera can be immediately confirmed, and when it fails May not be able to take advantage of the possibility of re-shooting. Even when the flash emission is delayed to prevent shooting failure when a blink occurs during shooting, it may be difficult to deal with blinking after flash emission.

  Further, if the blinking is determined from the captured image, the image is determined after the captured image is transferred, so that the image transfer time is wasted. This image transfer time may take a considerable amount of time depending on the image size and transfer interface, so the next shooting operation may be delayed.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus that can determine whether or not the image is a failed image and can save time until the next photographing when blinking is detected during photographing.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an imaging unit that images a subject's eye, a blink detection unit that detects blinking of the subject's eye during imaging, and the imaging unit. A first image data storage unit that stores the image captured by the first image data storage unit, and a second image data storage unit that stores the eye image data transferred from the first image data storage unit.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the ophthalmic photographing apparatus according to the first aspect, an amount of information smaller than the amount of information of the image is obtained from the image stored in the first image data storage unit. Image generation means for generating a second image is provided.

  The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 3 has the same configuration as the ophthalmic photographing apparatus according to claim 2, but the second image generated by the image generating means is the first image data storing means. Compared with the image stored in the image, the image has at least the same aspect ratio and a different size.

  The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 4 has the same configuration as the ophthalmic photographing apparatus according to claim 2, but generates the second image when the blink detecting means detects the blink. To do.

(Function)
In the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to the first aspect, when a film-type camera is used as the photographing camera, it is possible to perform control so as not to waste the film by detecting blinking.

  In the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 2 and claim 3, two images of an image stored in the first image data storage unit and a second image generated in the image generation unit are second image data. Since it can be used as a storage unit, the reliability at the time of image confirmation can be improved by confirming two images, rather than transferring only one image.

  In the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, since the image generation is performed by the blink detection, when the blink detection is not performed, the ophthalmic photographing apparatus can be used similarly to the conventional ophthalmic photographing apparatus.

  As described above, the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to the present invention can transfer only the thumbnail image of the photographed image and check the photographing state when blinking is detected at the time of photographing. Confirmation is possible. In addition, since information indicating whether or not there has been a blink during photographing is displayed, it is easy to determine whether to redo photographing, and it is easy to select a fundus image suitable for interpretation.

  In addition, the storage capacity can be saved without storing a fundus image inappropriate for interpretation.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration when a fundus camera, which is one of ophthalmologic photographing apparatuses, is connected to a filing system. The filing system 110 includes a fundus camera 101 and a personal computer 102 for file management. The fundus camera 101 includes a camera body 101a that generates a digital image by having a light receiving sensor such as a CCD inside, and a photographing start switch 101b. Image data is output from the fundus camera 101 to the personal computer 102 using thumbnail image data Sig103 and image data Sig104. Further, a photographing permission signal Sig105 indicating that the photographing operation is possible is output from the personal computer 102 to the fundus camera 101.

  In the configuration of the filing system 110 described above, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure from patient selection to image storage. A symbol 101 shown in the flowchart shows the order of processing in the fundus camera 101, and a symbol 102 shows processing in the personal computer 102. First, when the patient to be imaged is determined, the personal computer 102 selects the patient to be imaged as step 201. Next, in step 202, information about the patient is displayed and the information is confirmed, and information such as a test memo is updated as necessary. When the confirmation of the patient information is completed, imaging can be performed. In step 203, an imaging permission signal Sig105 is output.

  Step 204 is executed by the fundus camera 101, and the photographing permission signal Sig105 from the personal computer 102 is input, and the fundus camera 101 can be operated by the photographing permission signal Sig105. In step 205, alignment is performed on the eye of the patient to be examined. At this time, if the eye has been photographed once, the fixation target display position information is included as the photographing permission signal, so the fixation target is moved and displayed at a position where the eye can be observed. Therefore, the examiner who operates the fundus camera 101 can quickly perform the alignment operation. The focus adjustment to the eye to be examined is also performed here. When the imaging region is determined, in step 206, the fundus imaging is performed by operating the imaging start switch 101b of the fundus camera 101. At this time, the image storage unit 304 stores image data and thumbnail image data having an extremely small data amount than the image data.

  Here, before entering the description after step 207, the configuration of the detailed part of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the detailed part of the present embodiment. Inside the fundus camera 101, there are a camera body 101a, a photographing start switch 101b, a fundus camera control unit 305 for controlling the fundus camera 101, and a fundus camera 101. Imaging state management unit 306 and blink detection unit 307. Further, the camera body 101a includes a light receiving sensor 301 such as a CCD, a shooting switch 302 of the camera body 101a, a camera control unit 303 that controls the camera body 101a, and an image storage unit 304 that stores an image of the camera body 101a. Has been.

  Further, in the personal computer 102, an image data storage unit 311 for storing image data output from the image storage unit 304, an image display unit 312 for displaying images, and an image file with shooting related information from the image data and shooting related information An image data generation unit 313 that generates image data, a file storage unit 314 that stores an image file with imaging related information, and an imaging condition information input unit 315 that inputs imaging condition information such as a patient name and an imaging location. Although the explanation has been made before and after, selection of a patient and confirmation of patient information in step 201 and step 202 are performed by the imaging condition information input unit 315.

  The above is the description of the configuration of the detailed portion of the present invention, and step 207 and subsequent steps in FIG. 2 will be described based on the configuration in FIG.

  When the fundus photographing in step 206 is completed, in step 207, the blink detection unit 307 determines whether or not the eye to be examined blinks during photographing.

  First, as a case where there is a blink, a case where the process proceeds from step 207 to step 208 will be described. Of the image data and thumbnail image data stored in the image storage unit 304, the thumbnail is in accordance with an instruction from the shooting state management unit 306. Image data Sig103 is output. Since the thumbnail image data Sig103 has a data amount much smaller than that of the image data as already described, the transfer process is promptly terminated.

  Step 209 is processing in the personal computer 102, and the thumbnail image data Sig 103 output in step 208 is displayed on the image display unit 312. As described above, when there is a blink, the transferred data is the thumbnail image data Sig103, so that the processing from step 208 to step 209 does not require much time.

  Next, a case where the process proceeds from step 207 to step 210 as a case where there is no blink in step 207 will be described. Of the image data and thumbnail image data stored in the image storage unit 304, the shooting state management unit 306 The image data Sig104 is output in response to an instruction from. Step 211 is executed again by the personal computer 102, and the image data Sig 104 output in step 210 is displayed by the image display unit 312. In step 212, the image data displayed on the image display unit 312 is converted into an image file with shooting related information from the image data, shooting related information, and shooting conditions input to the shooting condition information input unit 315 in the image data generation unit 313. Is stored in the file storage unit 314.

  In this embodiment, the light receiving sensor 301 as the image pickup unit according to claim 1, the image storage unit 304 as the first image data storage unit, the image data storage unit 311 as the second image data storage unit, and imaging related The apparatus includes an image display unit 312 as an information storage unit, an image data generation unit 313 as a photographing data generation unit, and a file storage unit 314 as a third image data storage unit. Further, as described in step 207, the most characteristic part of the present embodiment is that the image to be transferred is switched by determining whether or not the eye to be examined has been blinked during imaging.

  The series of procedures from patient selection to image storage has been described above. Since the camera body 101a is configured in the filing system 110, a plurality of processes are further performed in step 206. Details of the processing in step 206 will be described in conjunction with the description of FIG. 3 and FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the photographing operation.

  Together with the description of the flowchart in FIG. 4, the processing in step 206 in FIG. 2 will be described in detail.

  A symbol 305 shown in the flowchart shows the order of processing in the fundus camera control unit 305, and a symbol 101a shows processing in the camera body 101a. The start of the photographing operation by the photographing start switch 101b shown in step 401 is performed by operating the photographing start switch 101b of the fundus camera 101. In step 402, when detecting an operation of the photographing start switch 101b, the fundus camera control unit 305 outputs a photographing start signal to the camera body 101a. This shooting start signal is input to the camera control unit 303 inside the camera body 101a.

  The process of step 403 is executed by the camera body 101a, and starts the photographing operation of the camera body 101a. The camera control unit 303 inside the camera body 101a operates as step 404 so that the light receiving sensor 301 can receive light. When the light receiving sensor 301 can receive light, in step 405, a light receiving enable signal is output to the fundus camera control unit 305.

  Step 406 is performed again by the fundus camera control unit 305, and when this light reception enable signal is input, a strobe of the fundus camera 101 (not shown) is emitted. As a result, the reflected light from the fundus of the test eye is received by the light receiving sensor 301, and a fundus image is generated on the light receiving sensor 301.

  Step 407 and step 408 are executed by the camera control unit 303 as the final processing of the photographing operation in step 206 in FIG. 2, and an image is generated from the light receiving sensor 301 as step 407, and a thumbnail image is also generated from the generated image at the same time. . Finally, the image and thumbnail image generated in step 408 are stored in the image storage unit 304.

  What is important here is that the image and the thumbnail image are generated in the image generation in step 407, and both the image and the thumbnail image are stored in the image storage unit 304 in step 408.

  The above is a detailed description of the processing in step 206 in FIG.

  FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are diagrams explaining the state from when an image generated by shooting is generated until it is stored to when it is not blinking during shooting in an easy-to-understand manner.

  The state shown in FIG. 5 shows the state immediately after proceeding from step 210 to step 211 when there is no blinking in step 207 of FIG. 2, and the image storage unit 304 has taken the image one before. The original image 3041 and the original image 3042 captured this time are stored, the image data 3111 exists in the image data storage unit 311, and the shooting condition information is input to the shooting condition information input unit 315 as shown in the figure. . After the shooting is completed, until the transfer of the original image 3042, which is the image captured this time, from the image storage unit 304 to the image data storage unit 311 is completed, as shown in the image display unit 312, the original image 3041 captured immediately before is captured. An image 3121 corresponding to the image data 3111 that is the transfer data is displayed.

  The state shown in FIG. 6 shows the state in step 212 of FIG. 2, and the image display unit 312 corresponds to image data 3112 which is transfer data of the original image 3042, instead of the image 3121 taken immediately before. The image 3122 to be displayed is displayed. As described above, the immediately preceding captured image is displayed until the transfer of the image data is completed, and the captured image to be displayed is replaced every time the transfer is completed, thereby providing an immediate imaging device.

  Next, a case where blinking is performed during shooting will be described with reference to FIG.

  The state shown in FIG. 7 shows the state in step 209 when there is a blink in step 207 in FIG. 2, and the image storage unit 304 includes the original image 3041 photographed two times before and one image. The original image 3042 captured before and the original image 3043 captured this time are stored. The image data storage unit 311 includes image data 3111, image data 3112, and image data 3113. The imaging condition information input unit 315 includes The shooting condition information is input as shown in the figure. Here, the state immediately after proceeding from step 208 to step 209 is a state in which the immediately preceding captured image 3122 is displayed and only the original image 3043 is added compared to FIG. That is, the original image taken immediately before the image display unit 312 until the transfer of the original image 3043, which is the image taken this time, from the image storage unit 304 to the image data storage unit 311 is completed after the image capture is completed. An image 3122 corresponding to the image data 3112 that is the transfer data of 3042 is displayed.

  As described in step 207 of FIG. 2, when there is a blink, a thumbnail image having a smaller image size is transferred from the original image 3043. Further, an image 3123 corresponding to the image data 3113 that is transfer data of the original image 3043 is displayed on the image display unit 312 of FIG. As described above, in the present apparatus, it is possible to display a captured image even with respect to an image that has been blinked. Furthermore, since the image transferred from the image storage unit 304 to the image data storage unit 311 is a thumbnail image that does not require time for transfer, it can be confirmed immediately after shooting.

  Here, since an image transferred when blinking is detected in this apparatus has a small image size, it is also possible to display that blinking has been detected as shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the blink detection mechanism is mounted on the fundus camera, and it has been described as a filing system using the fundus camera that is highly effective in this embodiment during continuous shooting, but fixation detection has the same effect as blink detection. Obviously, it is possible to determine the photographing state also by detecting the chin rest and the like.

It is a block diagram of a filing system using a fundus camera. It is a flowchart figure which shows the procedure from a patient selection to a preservation | save. It is a block diagram of the detailed part of a present Example. It is a flowchart figure of imaging | photography operation | movement. FIG. 10 shows a state when there is no blink in step 207. FIG. 10 shows the state in step 212. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state when there is blinking in step 207.

Claims (4)

  Imaging means for imaging the eye to be examined, blink detection means for detecting blinking of the eye to be examined at the time of photographing, first image data saving means for saving an image taken by the imaging means, and the first image data saving means In the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus having the second image data storage means for storing the eye image data transferred from the eye, when blinking is detected by the blink detection means, it is stored in the first image data storage means. The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus is characterized by prohibiting transfer of the obtained image to the second image data storage means.   Image generating means for generating a second image having an information amount smaller than the information amount of the image from the image stored in the first image data storing means, and the second image data from the image generating means The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second image is transferred to a storage unit.   3. The second image generated by the image generation unit is an image having at least the same aspect ratio and a different size as compared with the image stored in the first image data storage unit. The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus described in 1.   3. The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second image is generated when blinking is detected by the blink detection unit. 4.

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