JP2015132697A - Imaging device, imaging system, imaging method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem in which, in photographing a patient by using a digital camera, a photographic composition may be different from that of an image photographed before, which makes diagnosis using the image difficult.SOLUTION: An imaging device includes: acquisition means for acquiring an image; projection means having a projection lens for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition means; imaging means for photographing a subject; and projection control means for stopping the projection of the image by the projection means when the imaging means photographs the subject.

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus, a photographing system, a photographing method, and a program for photographing a subject.

In recent years, digital cameras have become more sophisticated and less expensive, and even in the medical field, diagnosis using an image of an affected area taken with a digital camera and follow-up after treatment are routinely performed. Yes.
In order to accurately perform diagnosis and follow-up after treatment using captured images, it is necessary to match the composition of the patient's images taken in the past, and photographers such as doctors and nurses have taken images in the past. The patient is photographed while visually confirming the image of the patient. There is also a medical site that prescribes an imaging composition for imaging a patient, and in that case as well, the photographer images the patient while visually checking the image of the specified imaging composition. .

However, in such an imaging method, when imaging a patient, it is necessary to straddle the real world and the virtual world, so the imaging action is very laborious, and the composition of the captured image may vary depending on the photographer. is there. Note that the real world is an image of the patient photographed in the past or a photographed composition image defined by the hospital, and the virtual world represents a subject in the viewfinder.
In other words, “When photographing a patient, it is necessary to straddle the real world and the virtual world”, for example, 1) It is necessary to view the patient image taken in the past, 2) It is necessary to see the patient in the viewfinder, It means that. Usually, it is necessary to repeat 1) and 2) several times, such as 2) after 1), 1) again, and then 2).
On the other hand, in Non-Patent Document 1, as a method of shooting without straddling the real world and the virtual world, a projector is mounted on a digital camera, and the shooting area is projected by the projector, so that the subject can be seen without looking into the viewfinder. A method of shooting is proposed.

Yuki Ueha, Yasuhiro Sugawara, Takashi Uemura, Nobuchika Sakata, Masami Nishida: “ClippingLight: an easy and quick method of shooting combining a projection viewfinder and a twisted zoom”, Interaction 2012, pp. 81-88 Tokyo (March 2012)

However, in the technique of Non-Patent Document 1, it is possible to take a picture of a patient without looking through the viewfinder (in the real world only). However, the patient's picture taken in the past or a picture taken by the hospital is defined. The situation of shooting while visually checking the image remains the same. Therefore, it is difficult to solve the problem that the photographing action takes time and the composition of the photographed image differs depending on the photographer.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and without having to repeat the actions of looking at a subject in the viewfinder or looking at an image obtained by photographing the subject in the past, the patient can be surely treated with a predetermined composition. An object is to provide a photographing apparatus and a photographing system for photographing.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the imaging apparatus of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is,
An acquisition means for acquiring an image;
A projection unit having a projection lens for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition unit;
Photographing means for photographing the subject;
Projection control means for stopping projection of an image by the projection means when the photographing means photographs the subject.
The imaging system of the present invention adopts the following configuration.
An acquisition means for acquiring an image;
A projection unit having a projection lens for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition unit;
Photographing means for photographing the subject;
A projection control means for stopping projection of an image by the projection means when the photographing means photographs the subject;
Extraction means for extracting an image of the imaging target part from the image acquired by the acquisition means;
A focus correction unit that automatically adjusts the focus of the projection image when the projection unit projects the image;
Association means for associating an image captured by the imaging means with patient information;
An image associated with the patient information, and an image storage means for storing the imaging pattern image;
Condition acquisition means for setting a condition for searching for the image acquired by the acquisition means from the image storage means.

  According to the present invention, for example, when a patient is photographed, it is possible to surely photograph with a predetermined composition without comparing the patient's image photographed in the past or the photographed pattern image defined by the hospital with the patient in the viewfinder. It is possible to facilitate diagnosis using the captured image and follow-up after treatment.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process of embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the condition setting means of embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the imaging | photography pattern image prescribed | regulated in the hospital of embodiment of this invention.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention executed in a digital camera with a projector (hereinafter referred to as “camera”) and a photographing system provided in the camera will be described with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a photographing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
An imaging system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured by the following units.

The image acquisition unit 102 acquires an image projected by the image projection unit 104.
As will be described later, it is preferable that an image that matches the search condition set by the image search condition setting unit 103 can be searched and acquired from images stored in the image storage unit 106.
The image projection unit 104 includes a projection lens 111 and projects the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 102 onto the projection surface 113.
As will be described later, it is preferable that an image generated by the imaging target part extraction unit 101 extracted from the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 102 can be projected onto the projection plane 113 as necessary.

The photographing unit 108 includes a photographing lens 112 and photographs a subject such as a patient to be imaged (hereinafter also referred to as “imaging target patient”) and an affected part thereof.
The projection lens 111 and the photographing lens 112 are arranged so that the optical axes of the two lenses are substantially parallel and have almost no parallax.
A photographer, such as a doctor or a nurse, almost matches the projection image obtained by projecting the posture to be photographed on the projection surface 113 with the actual posture of the photographing target 114 such as a patient existing in front of the projection surface 113. At the moment of determination, instruction means (not shown) for instructing execution of shooting is pushed. The posture to be taken by the imaging target means a predetermined posture defined by an academic society or each hospital related to the disease, depending on the type of disease or the site of the disease. The instruction means is, for example, a physical shutter button or a button displayed on a touch panel (operation panel).

  The image projection control unit 105 stops projecting an image immediately before the imaging unit 108 images an imaging target such as a patient. For example, after the photographer gives an instruction to perform photographing by pressing an instruction means (not shown), the projection of the image is stopped before the shutter is opened. Then, immediately after the image projection is stopped, the shutter is opened, and when the light receiving element of the digital camera receives light, no image is projected on the projection surface 113. For this reason, the image that has been projected until just before is not reflected in the photographed image. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the projected image from the photographed image using digital image processing technology or the like after photographing.

The image storage unit 106 stores an imaging pattern image defined by the hospital, an image obtained by imaging an imaging target patient so far, and the like.
The image search condition setting unit 103 is used to set conditions for searching for images stored in the image storage unit 106. For example, search condition candidates are displayed on the screen of the display unit 110 such as a liquid crystal display, the photographer is prompted to select one of the candidates, and the condition selected by the photographer is set as the search condition.

When the acquired image is an image of a patient to be imaged that has been acquired in the past, the imaging target region extraction unit 101 removes background information from the image and generates an image in which only the imaging target region is extracted.
The focus correcting unit 107 focuses the image projected by the image projecting unit 104 on the surface of the camera to be imaged.
The focus correction unit 107 1) When the shooting target 114 does not exist in front of the projection plane 113, the projection image is focused on the projection plane 113. 2) When the shooting target 114 exists in front of the projection plane 113 It is preferable that the projected image is focused on the surface of the camera to be imaged.

  Strictly speaking, the in-focus projection plane is a projection plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection lens 111 and at a predetermined distance from the projection lens 111. There is a range that appears to be in focus before and after the projection plane that meets. Therefore, it is preferable that the focus correction unit 107 corrects the focus so that both the projection surface 113 and the surface on the camera side to be photographed fall within a range where the focus appears to be in focus.

The focus correction unit 107, for example, 1) a position closer to the camera by a distance of ½ of the thickness T of the object 114 from the projection plane 113 becomes a focus position in a strict sense, and 2) the depth of focus is captured. The thickness is set equal to the thickness T of the object 114. In this state, the imaging target 114 is placed (or stood) in front of the projection plane 113, and the surface of the imaging target 114 opposite to the camera is in contact with the projection plane 113. By doing so, the projection image is focused on the projection surface 113 at any position on the surface of the imaging target 114 on the camera side (it appears to be in focus).
The patient information associating unit 109 associates information for uniquely identifying a patient, information on a captured part, and the like with the image captured by the imaging unit 108 and stores the captured image in the image storage unit 106.

A processing procedure in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. FIG.
In step S <b> 201, a photographer (for example, a doctor or a nurse) uses the image search condition setting unit 103 to set a search condition for acquiring an image to be projected by the image projection unit 104 from the image storage unit 106. .
For example, the image search condition setting unit 103 is configured to display an image search condition setting screen 300 shown in FIG. 3 on the display unit 110, and the image search condition setting screen includes the following items.
Patient ID 301, which is information that can uniquely identify a patient
The imaging target region 302 such as “whole body”, “right hand”, “left hand”, etc.
Image category to be projected (either the imaging pattern image 303 defined by the hospital or the imaging target patient image 307 captured in the past can be selected. An example of the imaging pattern image is shown in FIG. 4)
Shooting pattern image 304 (can only be set when shooting pattern image 303 defined by the hospital is selected as the image category to be projected)
Whether or not to extract and project only the imaging target region from the date and time 305 when the image was captured and the past image (can be set only when an image of a patient to be imaged captured in the past is selected as the image category to be projected)

These set values may be acquired from, for example, a server that manages patient information installed in a hospital or the image storage unit 106.
In addition, when it is desired to add a shooting pattern (shooting composition image), the shooting pattern image to be added may be stored in the image storage unit 106 and an identification number for identifying the pattern image may be added. Further, in the image search condition setting screen 300 of the present embodiment, selection of various search conditions is realized using radio buttons and a list box, but the present invention is not limited to this.

In step S 202, the image acquisition unit 102 acquires an image from the image storage unit 106 based on the search condition set by the photographer in step S 201.
In step S201, when the photographer sets the image 307 of the patient to be imaged captured in the past as the image category to be projected, the acquired image is determined as the image of the patient captured in the past, and the process proceeds to step S204.
In step S201, when the photographer sets the imaging pattern image 303 prescribed by the hospital as the image category to be projected, the acquired image is determined as the imaging pattern image prescribed by the hospital, and the process proceeds to step S206.
If an image could not be acquired (no image matching the set search condition exists), the process proceeds to step S203.
The image storage unit 106 may be provided in the camera or may be realized by a data server installed in the hospital. When provided in the camera, an SD memory card or the like may be used as a storage medium. When realized by a server installed in a hospital, a conventional method such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used as a communication method between the data server and the camera.

In step S <b> 203, the photographer determines whether to reset the search condition for the image projected by the image projection unit 104. If the search condition is set again because the set search condition is incorrect, the process proceeds to step S201. If the search condition is not set, the process proceeds to step S209 (in this case, the image is projected). Not)
Note that the case where the search condition is not set again is a state where, for example, the correct search condition is set, but no image matching the condition exists in the image storage unit 106.

  In step S204, if the photographer sets to “Yes” whether or not to extract and project only the imaging target region from the past image in step S201, an image obtained by extracting only the region information from the image acquired in step S202. To generate S <b> 205. When “No” is set, it is not necessary to extract only the part information from the image acquired in step S202, and the process proceeds to step S206.

In step S205, the imaging target region extraction unit 101 removes background information and the like from the image of the imaging target patient captured in the past acquired in step S202, and generates an image in which only the imaging target region information is extracted. For example, a digital image processing technique such as an edge extraction filter may be used as a method for extracting only the imaging target region information.
As described above, when the imaging target part extraction unit 101 extracts only the imaging target part information, when projecting an image in step S206, the background image or the like included in the image of the imaging target patient taken in the past is not detected. Projection of necessary information can be prevented. Accordingly, in step S208, the patient to be imaged can easily align the position of each part to be imaged with the position of each part of the projection image. Details of step S206 and step S208 will be described later.

In step S206, the image projection unit 104 projects the image acquired in step S202 or the image generated in step S205 onto the projection surface 113, and the focus correction unit 107 automatically adjusts the focus of the projection image. As a method for adjusting the focus, for example, a conventional technique such as measuring the distance between the image projection unit 104 and the projection plane 113 may be used.
In step S207, the photographer determines whether the projected image is an assumed image. If an assumed image is projected, the process proceeds to step S208. If an unexpected image is projected because the search condition set in step S201 is incorrect, the process proceeds to step S201. Reset the image search conditions.

In step S208, if the image to be imaged is an image of a patient to be imaged that has been projected in the past or an image in which only the region to be imaged is extracted, the region to be imaged is displayed on the projected image. Match.
For example, if the projected image is the palm of the left hand, the positions of the tips of the left fingers of the projected image are aligned so that the positions of the tips of the fingers of the left hand that are to be imaged substantially match.
When alignment is started after viewing the projection image projected on the projection surface 113, the focus of the projection image is the projection plane at the projection start time when there is no imaging target between the image projection unit 104 and the projection surface 113. 113 is preferred.
Next, the alignment is started, and when the imaging target is present between the image projection unit 104 and the projection plane 113, the projection image is focused on the projection plane 113 and the camera side surface of the imaging target. It is preferable to match both.
On the other hand, if the image being captured is an imaging pattern image prescribed by the hospital, the patient to be imaged is in an imaging pose so that the patient's posture is almost the same as the imaging pattern projected on the patient himself I take the.
Note that if for some reason it is difficult for the patient to be imaged to align the region to be imaged on the projection image, or if it is difficult to take an imaging pose, the photographer instructs, guides, or guides the patient to be imaged. By moving the camera or the like, the object to be photographed is adjusted on the projected image. The photographer proceeds to step S209 after confirming that the portion to be photographed matches the projected image or that the photographing pose has been taken on the projected image.

In step S209, the photographer presses the shooting button (instruction means) of the camera.
In step S <b> 210, the image projection control unit 105 confirms whether an image is projected on the projection surface 113. If an image is projected, the process proceeds to step S211. If an image is not projected, the process proceeds to step S212.
In step S211, the image projection control unit 105 stops projecting an image.

In step S212, the imaging unit 108 images the imaging target patient.
Note that, when an image is projected when the photographing target is photographed, since the projection of the image is stopped in step S211, the photographed image photographed by the photographing unit 108 does not include the projection image. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the projected image from the photographed image using a digital image processing technique after photographing.
Note that the projected image may be projected again after shooting in step 212.

  In step S <b> 213, the photographer confirms the captured image captured in step S <b> 212 and determines whether to store the captured image in the image storage unit 106. If the photographed image is dark, out of focus, distorted, etc., and cannot be used for diagnosis using the photographed image or follow-up after treatment, the process proceeds to step S206, and the photographing action is performed again. If there is no problem with the image, the process proceeds to step S214.

In step S <b> 214, the patient information association unit 109 associates the captured image captured in step S <b> 212 with the patient information and stores it in the image storage unit 106. The patient information to be associated may use the patient ID 301 and the imaging target region 302 set by the photographer in step S201.
In addition, by storing the patient information associated with the captured image in, for example, a server that manages patient information installed in a hospital or the image storage unit 106, in the search condition setting of the projection image performed in step S201 It becomes possible to set.
According to the present embodiment as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) By projecting an image of the subject photographed in the past, a photographing pattern image prescribed by a hospital, or a photographing target part image with a projector mounted on the camera, it is ensured to have a predetermined composition. You can shoot.
(2) Since the system does not become large-scale, a patient can be photographed with a predetermined composition anywhere such as an examination room, a hospital room, and an operating room.
(3) By stopping the projection of the image at the time of shooting, it is not necessary to remove the projected image from the shot image after shooting.
(4) When the projection image is projected again after the imaging, the subject (subject) is detected between the imaging instruction and the actual imaging by comparing the projected image with the subject (subject) at that time. It can be confirmed whether it is moving (is deviated from a predetermined composition).
[Other Embodiments]
Note that the present invention may be applied as a part of a system composed of a plurality of devices, or may be applied to a part of an apparatus composed of a single device.
Further, the present invention is not limited only to the apparatus and method for realizing the above embodiment.
For example, what supplies the program code of the software for implement | achieving the said embodiment to the computer (CPU or MPU) in the said system or apparatus is also contained in the category of this invention. Further, the case where the above embodiment is realized by causing the computer of the system or apparatus to operate the various devices according to the program code is also included in the scope of the present invention.

In this case, the program code itself of the software realizes the function of the above embodiment. That is, the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to a computer, specifically, a storage medium storing the program code are also included in the scope of the present invention.
As a storage medium for storing such a program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), magnetic tape A nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like can be used.

As another program supply method, the program can be supplied by downloading the computer program itself of the present invention to a recording medium such as a hard disk from an Internet homepage connected using a web browser of a client computer. The computer program of the present invention can also be supplied by downloading a compressed file containing an automatic installation function to a recording medium such as a hard disk.
It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a user to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by controlling various devices according to only the program code. For example, the case where the above embodiments are realized in cooperation with an OS (operating system) running on a computer or other application software is also included in the scope of the present invention.
Further, the present invention includes a case where the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code stored in the memory provided in the function extension board of the computer. included.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Imaging system 101 Image | photographing object site | part extraction part 102 Image acquisition part 103 Image search condition setting part 104 Image projection part 105 Image projection control part 106 Image storage part 107 Focus correction part 108 Imaging part 109 Patient information correlation part 110 Display part 111 For projection Lens 112 Photographing lens 113 Projection surface 114 Object to be photographed

Claims (10)

An acquisition means for acquiring an image;
A projection unit having a projection lens for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition unit;
Photographing means for photographing the subject;
A projection control means for stopping projection of an image by the projection means when the photographing means photographs the subject;
An imaging apparatus comprising:   The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographing unit includes a photographing lens having an optical axis substantially parallel to the projection lens and almost no parallax. In addition, an instruction means used for instructing execution of photographing is further provided.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the execution of imaging is instructed using the instruction unit, the projection control unit stops projecting an image by the projection unit. Extraction means for extracting an image of the imaging target part from the image acquired by the acquisition means;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A focus correction unit that automatically adjusts the focus of the projection image when the projection unit projects the image;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the image includes an imaging pattern image defined by a hospital or an image of a patient to be imaged taken in the past. Association means for associating an image captured by the imaging means with patient information;
An image associated with the patient information, and storage means for storing the imaging pattern image;
Condition setting means for setting conditions for searching for the image acquired by the acquisition means from the image storage means;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: An acquisition means for acquiring an image;
A projection unit having a projection lens for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition unit;
Photographing means for photographing the subject;
A projection control means for stopping projection of an image by the projection means when the photographing means photographs the subject;
Extraction means for extracting an image of the imaging target part from the image acquired by the acquisition means;
A focus correction unit that automatically adjusts the focus of the projection image when the projection unit projects the image;
Association means for associating an image captured by the imaging means with patient information;
An image associated with the patient information, and an image storage means for storing the imaging pattern image;
Condition setting means for setting conditions for searching for the image acquired by the acquisition means from the image storage means;
An imaging system comprising: A photographing method for photographing using at least a projection unit having a projection lens for projecting an image and a photographing unit for photographing a subject,
An acquisition means for acquiring an image; and
An image projecting step in which the projecting means projects the image obtained by the obtaining means;
An image projection control step for stopping projection of an image projected on the subject by the projection unit when the photographing unit photographs the subject;
A photographing step in which the photographing means photographs a subject;
A photographing method characterized by comprising: A program for causing a computer to control a device having at least a projection lens for projecting an image and a photographing lens for photographing a subject,
Computer
An acquisition means for acquiring an image;
Projection means for projecting the image acquired by the acquisition means using the projection lens;
Photographing means for photographing a subject using the photographing lens;
A computer-readable program that functions as projection control means for stopping projection of an image by the projection means when the photographing means photographs the subject.

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