JP2006042939A - Ophthalmology photographing apparatus system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ophthalmology photographing apparatus system with which needed information can be easily confirmed even without an instruction manual at hand. <P>SOLUTION: In this ophthalmology photography apparatus system having a photographing apparatus body equipped with an observing means for an eye to be inspected and a photographing means having a photographing element for photographing the eye to be inspected, and a computer for filing to store the photographed images transmitted from the photographing apparatus body and having a display displaying the stored photographed images, an error determining means determining the kinds of errors of defects or operation misses generating in the photographing apparatus body and an error signal output means outputting error signals showing the kinds of the determined errors to the computer are arranged in the photographing apparatus body, and a display control means displaying error detail information including the contents of the errors and a coping method for the errors on the display based on the error signals is arranged in the computer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system used in an ophthalmic clinic or the like.

A captured image of an eye to be examined, which is captured by an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus such as a fundus camera, is used for various diagnoses. In recent years, digital imaging devices such as CCD cameras have been used as photographing means. In addition, the digital photographed image obtained by the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus is transferred to a filing computer (personal computer), and the transferred photographed image is observed on a display of the computer for diagnosis or image analysis. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-165761

  By the way, in the conventional device, since the size and display function of the display device such as an observation monitor mounted on the photographing device main body is limited, when an error (failure or operation error) occurs in the photographing device main body, The error code was displayed, or a simple error content was displayed on the display. For this reason, every time an error occurs, the operator has to prepare an instruction manual for the photographing apparatus main body, find the part corresponding to the error code, and know the error contents and the coping method, which is troublesome.

  If you want to know in detail how to use the device, how the device is set up, and what information is displayed on the monitor, in addition to errors in the main body of the camera, you will also need to prepare an instruction manual and look for it. It was troublesome. If you don't have an instruction manual, you can't shoot smoothly.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system that can easily confirm necessary information even if an instruction manual is not at hand.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration.
(1) A photographing apparatus main body provided with a subject eye observing means and a photographing means having an image pickup device for picking up an eye to be examined; a photographed image transferred from the photographing apparatus main body is stored and stored; In an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system including a filing computer having a display for displaying the error, an error determining means for determining a type of a failure or an operation error that has occurred in the main body of the imaging apparatus, and the type of the determined error An error signal output means for outputting an error signal to the computer, and a display control means for displaying error details on the display including error contents and a method for dealing with the error based on the error signal. The computer is provided.
(2) In the ophthalmologic imaging apparatus system according to (1), cancellation determination means for determining that an error occurring in the imaging apparatus body has been resolved, and error resolution for outputting an error resolution signal to the computer based on the determination Signal output means is provided in the photographing apparatus main body, and the display control means erases detailed error information displayed on the display based on the error elimination signal.
(3) A photographing apparatus main body provided with a subject eye observing means and a photographing means having an image pickup device for picking up the eye to be examined; a photographed image transferred from the photographing apparatus main body is stored and stored; An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system including a filing computer having a display for displaying a mode switching means for switching an operation mode of the photographing apparatus main body, an output means for outputting a mode switching signal of the mode switching means to the computer, Is provided in the photographing apparatus main body, and the computer is provided with display control means for displaying detailed information on the display for assisting an operator corresponding to the operation mode of the photographing apparatus main body based on the switching signal. (4) In the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system according to (3), the operation of the mode switching means The imaging mode includes at least a photographing mode for photographing the eye to be examined by the image sensor and a reproduction mode for reproducing the photographed image, and the photographing apparatus body has a monitor for switching a screen for displaying different contents according to the operation mode. The display control means displays detailed information on the contents displayed on the screen of the monitor on the display.

  According to the present invention, the necessary information can be easily confirmed even if the instruction manual is not at hand.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, an embodiment of the ophthalmologic photographing apparatus will be described based on a fundus camera that photographs the fundus of the eye to be examined. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system.

  A fundus camera 100 that is a photographing apparatus main body and a computer 130 (hereinafter referred to as a PC) that is a filing apparatus are connected by a communication cable 120. The fundus image captured by the fundus camera 100 is sent to the PC 130 via the communication cable 120. The fundus image is stored and displayed on the PC 130, and is used for disease diagnosis and the like. The fundus camera 100 is a photographing device that can operate in a stand-alone manner, and includes a photographing unit 102 having an imaging element such as a CCD and a lamp, a monitor 103 that displays observation images, patient information, settings, and the like, and various operation switches. , An operation panel 104 having a photographing unit 102, a slide base 106 that is movable on the base 107, a joystick 105 for moving the slide base 106, and the like. The PC 130 includes a control unit 131 that records, stores, and analyzes image data, a color display 132 that displays image data, a keyboard 133 as input means, and a mouse 134 as input pointing means. . The PC 130 can use a commercially available personal computer.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical system and a control system of the fundus camera 100. The optical system is roughly composed of an illumination optical system 1, a photographing optical system 2, and an observation optical system 3.

  <Illumination Optical System> A light beam emitted from the halogen lamp 10 as an observation light source is converted into an infrared light beam by the infrared filter 11 and the condenser lens 12 and then reflected by the half mirror 15 to illuminate the ring slit 16. . The visible light beam emitted from the flash lamp 13 passes through the condenser lens 14 and then passes through the half mirror 15 to illuminate the ring slit 16. The light beam from the ring slit 16 forms an intermediate image in the vicinity of the opening of the perforated mirror 21 via the relay lens 17a, the mirror 18, the black dot plate 19, and the relay lens 17b, and is coaxial with the optical axis of the photographing optical system 2. So that it is reflected by the peripheral surface of the perforated mirror 21. The ring slit light beam reflected by the perforated mirror 21 forms an image once in the vicinity of the pupil of the eye E by the objective lens 20, and then diffuses to uniformly illuminate the fundus of the eye to be examined. A lamp detector 10a detects that the halogen lamp 10 is out of lamp.

<Photographing Optical System> The photographing optical system 2 includes an objective lens 20, a photographing diaphragm 22, a focusing lens 24 movable in the optical axis direction, an imaging lens 25, a dichroic mirror 26, and a color CCD camera (imaging device) 27 for photographing. Is provided. Reflected light from the fundus enters the CCD camera 27 through the objective lens 20 to the dichroic mirror 26, and forms a fundus image on the imaging surface.
The dichroic mirror 26 has a characteristic of reflecting infrared light and transmitting visible light.

  <Observation Optical System> The observation optical system 3 shares the objective lens 20 to the dichroic mirror 26 of the photographing optical system 2. The infrared reflected light reflected by the dichroic mirror 26 passes through the relay lens 30, is reflected by the mirror 31, enters the observation CCD camera (imaging device) 32, and forms a fundus image on the imaging surface. To do.

  <Control System> Outputs of the CCD cameras 27 and 32 are connected to the display control unit 50. The display control unit 50 has a temporary storage memory 51 that stores an image captured by the CCD camera 27, and a moving image observation image captured by the CCD camera on the display screen of the monitor 103 and a still image stored in the temporary storage memory 51. Switch to image. In addition, the display control unit 50 has a superimpose function of displaying characters superimposed on a moving image observation image or a still image on the monitor 103. Note that the screen size of the monitor 103 is, for example, 6.4 inches so as not to increase the size of the fundus camera 100, and is a sufficient size for alignment observation.

  The display control unit 50 is connected to a main control unit 52 that controls the flash lamp 13, the halogen lamp 10, and the like. Connected to the main controller 52 are a lamp detector 10a, an operation panel 104, a connector 55 for connecting a PC card 60 which is a portable electronic storage medium, a photographing switch 56, and the like.

  A brief description of fundus photography will be given. The photographer switches to the shooting mode (alignment mode) with a mode switch provided on the operation panel 104. In the photographing mode, the halogen lamp 10 is turned on and the eye to be examined is illuminated with infrared light. The fundus illuminated with infrared light is imaged by the CCD camera 32. In the photographing mode, the video signal of the CCD camera 32 is output to the monitor 103 by the display control unit 50, and the observation image is displayed on the monitor 103. The photographer operates the switch on the operation panel 104 to set the observation illumination light amount and the photographing light amount, and then observes the fundus image displayed on the monitor 103, and performs alignment adjustment and focusing of the photographing unit 102 with respect to the eye to be examined. Then, the shooting switch 56 is pressed to execute shooting. The fundus illuminated by the light emitted from the flash lamp 13 is captured by the CCD camera 27, and the captured image is stored in the temporary storage memory 51. At the same time, the display screen of the monitor 103 is switched to the fundus image stored in the temporary storage unit 51. When the image transfer switch on the operation panel 104 is pressed, the fundus image stored in the temporary storage unit 51 is transferred to the control unit 131 of the PC 130 via the cable 120, and the image is stored. The control unit 131 controls the display on the display 132 and displays the transferred fundus image on the screen. Further, when the PC card 60 is connected, the image stored in the temporary storage memory 51 is transferred and stored by pressing the save switch on the operation panel 104.

  The display 132 on the PC 130 side usually has a larger screen size than the monitor 103 of the fundus camera 100 and a resolution higher than that of the monitor 103 so that the fundus image can be observed in detail. The control unit 131 has a higher graphic function than the fundus camera 100.

  Next, a characteristic error display operation in this apparatus will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of error display / termination. When an error such as a failure or an operation error occurs in the fundus camera 100 (step S1-1), the main control unit 52 determines the type of error and outputs an error signal indicating the type of error to the display control unit 50 and the PC 130. To do. The display control unit 50 displays the error code corresponding to the error signal on the monitor 103 as shown in FIG. 2 (step S2-1). Thereby, the operator can recognize that an error has occurred in the fundus camera 100. On the other hand, when the control unit 131 of the PC 130 receives the error signal output from the fundus camera 100 (step S2-1), the control unit 131 starts the error detailed information display program, and details the error corresponding to the error signal. The coping method is called and displayed on the display 132 (step S2-2). Since the display 132 has higher expressive ability than the monitor 103, it is possible to display the cause of the error and a countermeasure for the error in detail and in an easy-to-understand manner.

  When the operator recovers the error of the fundus camera 100 according to the error handling method displayed on the display 132, the main control unit 52 detects the error resolution and outputs an error resolution signal to the display control unit 50 and the PC 130. (Step S1-3). The display control unit 50 erases the error display on the monitor 103 in accordance with the error elimination signal (step S1-4). In addition, when the error elimination signal is input (step S2-4), the control unit 131 deletes the detailed error information on the display 132 (step S2-5). The error detailed information on the display 132 can be erased by the input means of the keyboard 133 or the mouse 134 without waiting for an error solution signal from the fundus camera 100 (step S2-3).

  The error types include, for example, a lamp burnout error of the halogen lamp 10, a flash light amount error of the flash lamp 13, a signal input error from the observation CCD camera 32, an initial position error of the focusing lens 24, and reading / writing of the PC card 60. Error, format error of the PC card 60, and the like. Hereinafter, display examples of the lamp burnout error of the halogen lamp 10 and the read / write error of the PC card 60 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is an example of detailed error information displayed on the display 132 when the halogen lamp 10 is out of lamp error. Note that the lamp break of the halogen lamp 10 is detected by the lamp detector 10a. The main control unit 52 determines a lamp burnout error based on the detection signal of the lamp detector 10a, and outputs an error signal indicating the type of the error to the display control unit 50 and the PC 130. In FIG. 4A, an error code 201 indicating a lamp burnout error, its error content 202, a coping method 203, a caution item 204 for coping with lamp replacement, and the like are displayed. In FIGS. 4B and 4C, detailed procedures 205 and 206 of the coping method and graphics 210 and 211 indicating the location of the lamp are displayed to facilitate coping with the lamp replacement.

  FIG. 5 is an example of detailed error information displayed in the case of a PC card 60 read / write error. In this example, in addition to an error code 220 indicating a reading / writing error of the PC card 60, an error content 221, an error cause 222, an error handling method (procedure) 223, and the like are displayed. A read / write error of the PC card 60 is detected by the main control unit 52.

  In this way, contents and countermeasures that cannot be understood only by displaying the error code on the fundus camera 100 side are displayed using the display 132 having a display function superior to that of the monitor 103, so there is no instruction manual at hand. However, the required information can be easily confirmed, and error recovery can be performed smoothly. 4A, 4B, and 4C, information that cannot be displayed on one screen can be viewed by scrolling the screen using the mouse 134. FIG.

  The example in which the display function of the display 132 of the PC 130 is used when an error occurs has been described above. However, the display function of the display 132 can be further used as follows to assist the operator.

  FIG. 6 is an example of assist display displayed on the display 132 in the shooting mode. In the center of the display screen, a screen diagram 300 displayed on the monitor 103 on the fundus camera 100 side in the photographing mode is displayed. On the screen of the monitor 103 in the photographing mode, there is a display indicating that the current mode is the photographing mode, a patient ID, a focus position setting state, an observation illumination light amount setting state, a flash light amount setting state, and the like. It is displayed with icons and characters. Around the screen 300, detailed information for explaining the contents of various icons and characters displayed on the screen of the monitor 103 is displayed. When the mode is switched to the photographing mode by the mode switching switch provided on the operation panel 104, the main control unit 52 outputs the switching signal to the display control unit 50 and the PC 130. The display control unit 50 switches the screen of the monitor 103 according to the switching signal. When receiving the switching signal from the fundus camera 100, the control unit 131 of the PC 130 activates the assist display program, calls the assist information corresponding to the mode switching signal, and displays it on the display 132. That is, when the shooting mode is switched, detailed information for assisting the operator is displayed around the screen diagram 300 as shown in FIG. Further, displaying information explaining the operation procedure according to switching of each operation mode can further assist the operator. For example, in the shooting mode, an operation description regarding the shooting procedure and operation panel switches that need to be operated during shooting is displayed. With such a display, necessary information can be easily confirmed without an operator or a handling instructor at hand.

  As an operation mode of the retinal camera 100, in addition to a photographing mode (alignment mode), an image reproduction mode for calling and reproducing an image stored in the PC card 60, and an image for displaying and editing a plurality of images stored in the PC card 60 A data management mode, a menu mode for performing various settings of the fundus camera 100, and the like are prepared. Even when switching to each of these operation modes, since the display information of the screen displayed on the monitor 103 is different for each operation mode, assist information is prepared for each screen. For example, on the screen of the image reproduction mode, the display indicating the image reproduction mode, the flash light amount of the reproduction image, the shooting date and time of the captured image, and the like.

  In the display of the error detailed information and the assist detailed information shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, it is preferable that the display can be switched to a step-by-step display according to the skill level of the operator (photographer). That is, in the case of a beginner, detailed information is displayed as shown in FIG. 4, but when a person who has mastered to some extent becomes a photographer, the display is made easy to see only by a simple detailed description. This can be selected in a display program provided to the control unit 131.

  The embodiments described above are not limited to a fundus camera, but include a slit lamp with an electronic image sensor, a corneal shape measuring apparatus that measures a corneal topography from a captured image by projecting a large number of rings onto the cornea, and the like. The present invention can also be applied to an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system according to an embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram of the optical system and control system of a fundus camera. It is an error display / end flowchart. It is an example of the detailed error information displayed in the case of a lamp burnout error. It is an example of the error detailed information displayed in the case of a reading / writing error of a PC card. It is an example of the assist display at the time of imaging | photography mode.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Illumination optical system 2 Shooting optical system 3 Observation optical system 10 Halogen lamp 10a Lamp detector 27 CCD camera 32 CCD camera 50 Display control part 52 Main control part 60 PC card 100 Fundus camera 103 Monitor 120 Cable 130 Computer 131 Control unit 132 Display

Claims (4)

An imaging apparatus body provided with an eye observation means and an imaging means having an imaging device for imaging the eye, and a captured image transferred from the imaging apparatus body are stored and stored, and the stored and stored captured image is displayed. In an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system including a filing computer having a display, an error determination means for determining a type of a failure or an operation error that has occurred in the main body of the imaging apparatus, and an error signal indicating the type of the determined error An error signal output means for outputting to the computer is provided in the photographing apparatus main body, and a display control means for displaying detailed error information including the error content and error handling method on the display based on the error signal on the computer. An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system characterized by being provided. 2. The ophthalmologic imaging apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein a cancellation determination means for determining that an error occurring in the imaging apparatus main body has been resolved, and an error cancellation signal output means for outputting an error resolution signal to the computer based on the determination. And the display control means erases the detailed error information displayed on the display based on the error elimination signal. An imaging apparatus body provided with an eye observation means and an imaging means having an imaging device for imaging the eye, and a captured image transferred from the imaging apparatus body are stored and stored, and the stored and stored captured image is displayed. In an ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system including a filing computer having a display, mode photographing means for switching an operation mode of the photographing apparatus main body, and output means for outputting a mode switching signal of the mode switching means to the computer. Provided in the apparatus body, the computer is provided with display control means for displaying detailed information on the display for assisting an operator in accordance with an operation mode of the imaging apparatus body based on the switching signal. Ophthalmic imaging system 4. The ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system according to claim 3, wherein the operation mode of the mode switching means includes at least a photographing mode for photographing the eye to be examined by the image sensor and a reproduction mode for reproducing the photographed image. An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus system having a monitor for switching a screen for displaying different contents according to an operation mode, wherein the display control means displays detailed information on the contents displayed on the monitor screen on the display.