JP2009042462A - Microscope apparatus, observation method, and observed image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microscope apparatus with which the positional information of a display image can be understood smoothly. <P>SOLUTION: The microscope apparatus comprises: an image data generation section where the position of each observation field to a sample is successively moved, an further, the image of the sample in the position of each observation field is picked up, so as to create image data; an image synthesis section where the created image data are synthesized, so as to create the synthesized image of the sample; and a display section where the synthesized image is allowed to display on a first display region, and further, a partial image corresponding to a part of the synthesized image is allowed to display on a second display region. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope apparatus, an observation method, and an observation image processing method.

In a conventional microscope apparatus, when observing an observation object (sample), the observer changes the observation field of the microscope by moving the stage or changing the magnification of the lens, and an image corresponding to this observation field. Is displayed on a display device such as a monitor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/248837

  In order to facilitate the observation operation on the sample, it is effective to grasp which region on the sample is displayed on the display device. Therefore, it is desired to devise a technique that can smoothly grasp the positional relationship of the display image with respect to the sample.

  An object of this invention is to provide the microscope apparatus which can grasp | ascertain the positional information on a display image smoothly. It is another object of the present invention to provide an observation method capable of smoothly grasping position information of a display image. Another object of the present invention is to provide an observation image processing method capable of smoothly grasping position information of a display image.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the following configurations corresponding to the respective drawings shown in the embodiments are adopted as each aspect illustrating the present invention. However, the reference numerals with parentheses attached to each element are merely examples of the element and do not limit each element.

  According to the first aspect illustrating the present invention, the microscope apparatus observes the sample (4), and sequentially moves the position of the observation visual field with respect to the sample (4), and the image of the sample at each position of the observation visual field. An image data generating unit (8) that generates image data by capturing the image, an image combining unit (9) that combines the generated image data to create a composite image (A) of the sample (4), A display unit (12) for displaying the composite image (A) in the first display area (12a) and displaying a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image (A) in the second display area (12b); A microscope apparatus (10) is provided.

  According to the 1st mode which illustrates the present invention, the position information on a display picture can be grasped smoothly.

  According to the second aspect illustrating the present invention, it is an observation method of the sample (4), and sequentially moves the position of the observation field with respect to the sample (4), and captures an image of the sample at each position of the observation field. An image data generating step for generating image data, an image combining step for combining the generated image data to create a combined image (A) of the sample (4), a combined image (A), and a combined image ( An image display step for displaying a partial image (G1, G2, G3, G4) corresponding to a part of A) is provided.

  According to the 2nd mode which illustrates the present invention, the position information on a display picture can be grasped smoothly.

According to a third aspect exemplifying the present invention, there is provided an observation image processing method for the sample (4), wherein the position of the observation field with respect to the sample (4) is sequentially moved, and the position of the sample at each position of the observation field An image data generation step of capturing an image to generate image data, an image combination step of combining the generated image data to create a composite image (A) of the sample (4), a composite image (A), and An observation image processing method including an image display step of displaying a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image (A) is provided.
According to the 3rd mode which illustrates the present invention, the position information on a display picture can be grasped smoothly.

  According to the present invention, position information of a display image can be grasped smoothly. Further, according to the present invention, the observation operation for the sample can be executed smoothly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be exemplarily described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a microscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. A microscope apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a microscope main body 1, a control unit 7, and a monitor (display unit) 11 that displays an image of a sample imaged by the microscope main body 1.

  The microscope main body 1 includes an eyepiece 2, an objective lens 3, a stage 5 on which a sample 4 to be observed is placed, and a camera 6 having an image sensor such as a CCD. An image of the sample 4 placed on the stage 5 is formed on the camera 6 through the objective lens 3 and the optical system. Further, since the image of the sample 4 is formed in the vicinity of the eyepiece lens 2, the observer can confirm the image of the sample 4 through the eyepiece lens 2.

  The camera 6 and the control unit 7 are connected via a cable, and image information (image signal) of the sample 4 captured (acquired) by the camera 6 is output to the control unit 7 via the cable. The control unit 7 includes an image data generation unit 8 and an image composition unit 9. The control unit 7 includes, for example, a CPU, a RAM connected to the CPU bus, an input / output device, and a storage device such as a hard disk.

The image data generation unit 8 sequentially moves the position of the observation visual field with respect to the sample 4 and generates image data by capturing the image of the sample corresponding to each position of the observation visual field.
Specifically, the image data generation unit 8 moves the stage 5 relative to the objective lens 3 by driving a stage driving unit (not shown) provided on the stage 5. Thereby, the position of the observation field with respect to the sample 4 placed on the stage 5 is moved by a predetermined amount (for example, several μm). The image data generation unit 8 stores image data captured at a high magnification at each observation visual field position in a storage device such as a hard disk in the control unit 7. Thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeated over the entire area of the sample 4.

  The image composition unit 9 composes the image data generated by the image data generation unit 8 and creates a composite image of the sample 4. Specifically, the image composition unit 9 creates a composite image of the sample 4 by joining and synthesizing the image data generated by the image data generation unit 8, and stores this composite image in the storage device in the control unit 7. To remember. It is sufficient that the composite image is an image that can roughly grasp the entire image of the sample 4. In the present embodiment, the image is a low-magnification (low-resolution) image. Thus, by reducing the magnification of the image, it is possible to reduce the burden on the memory or the like used when reading data from the recording device of the control unit 7.

The control unit 7 and the monitor 11 are connected via a cable. An image display window 12 for displaying an observation image of the sample 4 is displayed on the monitor 11 (see FIG. 2).
Here, an outline of the image display window 12 displayed on the monitor 11 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the image display window 12 includes a first display area 12a displayed on the right side of the window and a second display area 12b displayed on the left side of the window. The area 12a and the second display area 12b are displayed simultaneously.

  The first display area 12 a is an area for displaying the composite image A generated by the image data generation unit 8. The second display area 12b is an area for displaying a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image A.

  Further, the control unit 7 is provided with an input device 13 for transmitting a command from the microscope observer to the microscope apparatus 10. Examples of the input device 13 include a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard. With this configuration, the microscope apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment can select a desired region in the composite image A by operating a pointer displayed on the image display window 12 by operating a mouse (input device 13), for example. Become.

  The second display area 12b of the image display window 12 shown in FIG. 2 is an area surrounded by the four cursors K1 to K4 selected by the observer in the composite image A displayed in the first display area 12a. A partial image of the part corresponding to is displayed. Here, the partial images G1 to G4 displayed in the second display area 12b are numbered 1 to 4 on the upper left. This number corresponds to the cursors K1 to K4 described above.

  These partial images G <b> 1 to G <b> 4 are images created by the image composition unit 9 based on a part (at least one) of the image data generated by the image data generation unit 8. As described above, each image data generated by the image data generation unit 8 has a high magnification (high resolution). Therefore, the partial images G1 to G4 generated based on these high-magnification (high-resolution) image data are also high-magnification (high-resolution).

  The number of partial images G1 to G4 displayed in the second display area 12b is not limited to four, and can be changed variously depending on the number of cursors K1 to K4 selected by the observer.

(Operation of microscope device)
Next, the operation of the microscope apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described.

  First, the sample 4 as an observation target is placed on the stage 5 and the microscope apparatus 10 is operated. The image data generation unit 8 sequentially moves the position of the observation field of view with respect to the sample 4, and creates an image data by capturing an image of the sample 4 corresponding to each position of the observation field of view. Thereby, as described above, the image data generation unit 8 can form high-definition image data.

  Next, the image composition unit 9 creates a composite image A of the sample 4 by joining and combining the image data generated by the image data generation unit 8. After the synthesis image A is synthesized, the control unit 7 displays the synthesis image A on the first display area 12 a of the monitor 11.

  Subsequently, the observer moves the pointer on the image display window 12 by using the input device 13 such as a mouse, and selects an area for which more detailed observation is desired from the composite image A. For example, in this embodiment, an area corresponding to the cursor K1 is selected by a pointer by a mouse operation.

  The image synthesizing unit 9 reads a part (at least one or more) of image data constituting an area corresponding to the cursor K1 from the control unit 7, and synthesizes these to form a partial image G1. Then, a partial image G1 corresponding to the area surrounded by the cursor K1 is displayed in the second display area 12b. Since this partial image G1 is a high-definition image, very accurate sample observation is possible based on this image.

In the present embodiment, the observer displays partial images corresponding to a total of four areas in the second display area 12b. The observer selects an area corresponding to the cursors K2, K3, and K4 in the composite image A in the same manner as when the partial image G1 is obtained based on the cursor K1.
Thereby, partial images G2, G3, and G4 respectively corresponding to the areas surrounded by the cursors K2, K3, and K4 are displayed in the second display area 12b. Since these partial images G2, G3, and G4 are very high-definition images like the partial image G1, accurate sample observation is possible based on these images.

  As described above, the composite image A and the partial images G1 to G4 corresponding to a part of the composite image A are simultaneously displayed on the image display window 12.

  Therefore, the observer can observe based on the partial images G1 to G4 while grasping the observation position in the sample 4 based on the image display window 12, and can perform efficient microscope observation. . That is, the positional relationship of the display image with respect to the sample 4 can be grasped smoothly. In addition, the observation operation for the sample 4 can be executed smoothly.

  By the way, when the sample 4 placed on the stage 5 is a biological specimen, it is preferable to display an image observed by the microscope body 1 in real time as any one of the partial images G1 to G4.

  Thus, by providing a function for displaying the observation image in real time in the second display area 12b, it is possible to suitably employ a biological specimen whose observation image changes with time as the sample 4 of the microscope apparatus. Therefore, a highly versatile microscope apparatus 10 with a wide variety of observation targets can be provided.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The microscope apparatus according to the present embodiment can collectively observe a large number (five) of samples, and is larger than the stage 5 used in the above embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the stage 50 of the microscope apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the same components and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted or simplified.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 7 controls the stage driving unit (not shown) to move the stage 50 in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens 3 (in the direction of the arrow in the figure), and the samples 21 and 22. , 23, 24, and 25 can be positioned below the optical axis of the objective lens 3, respectively. Similarly to the first embodiment, for each of the samples 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 (hereinafter referred to as 21 to 25), the movement of the position of the observation field and the acquisition of the image data are repeated, and the sample 21 is repeated. Create ~ 25 composite images. At this time, the composite images of the samples 21 to 25 and the image data constituting the composite images are stored in the control unit 7.

Hereinafter, the image display window 12 displayed on the monitor 11 of the microscope apparatus 20 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The image display window 12 according to the present embodiment displays a sample switching icon X as shown in FIG. The sample switching icon X is for selecting samples 1 to 5 for displaying images in the first display area 12a and the second display area 12b displayed in the image display window 12. Here, the samples 1 to 5 correspond to the samples 21 to 25, respectively. In FIG. 4, the sample 3, that is, the sample 23 is selected. The sample 23 is the same as the sample 4 used in the first embodiment. In this description, it is assumed that a composite image A and partial images G1 to G4 similar to those in the first embodiment are displayed in the first display area 12a and the second display area 12b in FIG.

Next, a case where an observer performs image display for another sample (specimen) will be described.
In the present embodiment, the observer can easily switch the sample to be observed by selecting another sample number in the sample switching icon X by operating the mouse. For example, when sample number 1 is selected, the composite image A of the sample 21 is displayed in the first display area 12a. Similarly, a partial image corresponding to a desired area of the sample 21 can be displayed on the second display area 12b by the mouse operation of the observer.
In addition, you may make it display the one part image in the some samples 21-25 in the 2nd display area 12b. If it does in this way, the difference etc. of each sample 21-25 can be compared and observed by the image displayed on the 2nd display area 12b, and a favorable analysis can be performed.
As described above, according to the microscope apparatus according to the present embodiment, since the microscopic observation can be favorably performed on the plurality of samples 21 to 25 at the same time, efficient observation can be performed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention, it can change suitably. For example, in the microscope apparatus 10, for example, data such as position and size regarding the cursors K <b> 1 to K <b> 4 in the composite image A may be stored by bookmarking. According to this configuration, when the observer selects the cursors K1 to K4 bookmarked on the screen display window 12, partial images G1 to G4 corresponding to the cursors K1 to K4 are displayed in the second display area 12b. It can be redisplayed easily. Thus, since the image of the area | region (cursor K1-K4) confirmed beforehand can be confirmed again by simple operation, microscope observation can be performed more efficiently.

It is a schematic block diagram of a microscope apparatus. It is a figure which shows the outline of an image display window. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the stage of the microscope apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the image display window which concerns on 2nd embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

A ... Composite image, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 ... Partial image, 1 ... Microscope body, 4 ... Sample, 10 ... Microscope device, 12a ... First display area, 12b ... Second display area, 20 ... Microscope Apparatus, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 ... sample

Claims (11)

A microscope device for observing a sample,
An image data generation unit that sequentially moves the position of the observation field of view of the microscope body with respect to the sample, and that captures an image of the sample at each position of the observation field of view and generates image data;
Combining the generated image data to create a composite image of the sample; and
And a display unit that displays the composite image in the first display area and displays a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image in the second display area.   The microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the partial images are displayed in the second display area.   The microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image created by the image composition unit based on a part of the image data is displayed as the partial image in the second display area.   3. The microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image obtained by capturing an image of the sample in a predetermined observation visual field position in real time is displayed in the second display region.   5. The image according to claim 1, wherein an image corresponding to a predetermined area selected from the composite image is displayed as the partial image in the second display area. Microscope equipment. A method for observing a sample,
An image data generation step of sequentially moving the position of the observation field of view with respect to the sample and capturing an image of the sample at each position of the observation field of view to generate image data;
An image synthesis step of synthesizing the generated image data and creating a synthesized image of the sample;
An observation method comprising: an image display step for displaying the composite image and a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image.   The observation method according to claim 6, wherein in the image display step, a plurality of the partial images are displayed.   The observation method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein in the image display step, an image created based on a part of the image data is displayed as the partial image.   The observation method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein, in the image display step, an image obtained by capturing an image of the sample in a predetermined observation visual field position in real time is displayed.   The observation method according to claim 6, wherein in the image display step, an image corresponding to a predetermined region selected from the composite image is displayed as the partial image. . An observation image processing method for a sample, comprising:
An image data generation step of sequentially moving the position of the observation field of view with respect to the sample and capturing an image of the sample at each position of the observation field of view to generate image data;
An image synthesis step of synthesizing the generated image data and creating a synthesized image of the sample;
An observation image processing method comprising: an image display step of displaying the composite image and a partial image corresponding to a part of the composite image.

Images