JP3804527B2 - Microscope system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a microscope system having a function of displaying an image of a sample.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a stage on which a sample is placed, a microscope in which adjusted members such as an objective lens and a diaphragm are motorized, an imaging device such as an electronic camera that captures an observation image by the microscope, and a sample obtained by such imaging There is known a microscope system including a display device such as a monitor for displaying the image.
[0003]
In such a microscope system, control of the microscope is performed in accordance with a user's instruction for each member to be adjusted. For example, when changing the magnification, the user first switches the revolver, and adjusts the intermediate magnification mechanism when the desired magnification cannot be obtained.
In a conventional motorized microscope system, each member to be adjusted (aperture stop, ND filter, lamp, etc.) of the microscope is stored in advance (design value) in order to cope with changes in brightness and contrast accompanying magnification change. ) Has a function to control to. However, in such a microscope system, in the microscope, for the purpose of observing the sample through the eyepiece lens of the microscope, the user adjusts the member to be adjusted so that the light amount is optimized at the eyepiece. In the imaging apparatus, control for capturing an image of the sample with the controlled light amount has been performed. That is, the control for the microscope and the control for the imaging device are performed independently.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a microscope system, even if the sample image at the eyepiece of the microscope is controlled to the optimum brightness, the imaging device side is outside the automatic exposure control range, and when observing the sample through the display device, The sample image displayed on the display device may be too bright or too dark. In such a case, the user has to make fine adjustments to the microscope and the imaging device again. . Similarly, when the contrast of the sample image is lowered, fine adjustment of both is necessary.
[0005]
In addition, in conventional microscope systems, in order to efficiently perform fluorescence observation (mainly epi-illumination fluorescence observation) with a limited amount of light emitted, the composition and size of the sample are determined after DIC (differential interference contrast) observation. Observation may be performed. In such a case, first, a member to be adjusted for performing DIC observation is set in the microscope apparatus, and then a member to be adjusted for performing fluorescence observation is set in the microscope apparatus. The brightness and contrast of the image displayed on the display screen may change abruptly by switching to. For this reason, the user does not perform observation efficiently because the amount of light emission is reduced while adjusting the brightness so that the image is in an optimum state or adjusting the contrast.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the problems described above, and it is possible to control an image of a sample displayed on a display device to an optimum state without performing complicated operations (hereinafter, “ It is an object of the present invention to provide a microscope system capable of performing “optimization of an image”.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The microscope system according to claim 1, a microscope including a plurality of adjusted members that change the observation state of the sample and a microscope control unit that electrically controls the plurality of adjusted members, and an optical image of the sample are captured. In accordance with the display condition of the image to be displayed by the imaging means, the display means for displaying the image generated by the imaging means and changing the display condition based on the display image, and the display condition of the image to be displayed by the display means The control content of the adjusted member to be controlled among the plurality of adjusted members is determined in association with the imaging condition of the imaging unit, and the adjusted member and the imaging unit are associated with each other according to the determined content And a control means for controlling the image from the image pickup means and displaying the image on the display means .
[0008]
The microscope system according to claim 2 is provided with display condition setting means capable of setting display conditions of the image on the display screen of the display means in the microscope system according to claim 1, wherein the control means An image processing means for displaying an image generated by the means on the display means, and an interface unit for transmitting a signal indicating control contents of the plurality of members to be adjusted to the image processing means .
[0009]
The microscope system according to claim 3 is the microscope system according to claim 2 , wherein when the observation unit changes the observation magnification of the sample, the control unit first sets the brightness condition of the image set by the display condition setting unit. Accordingly, the member to be controlled to be controlled among the plurality of members to be adjusted is controlled so that the image pickup unit has an appropriate exposure, and then the image pickup condition of the image pickup unit is determined .
[0010]
The microscope system according to claim 4 is the microscope system according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the control means sets an image display condition other than brightness by the display condition setting means. In such a case, the control content of the member to be adjusted and the imaging condition are determined so that the brightness of the image already displayed on the display means is maintained.
[0011]
A microscope system according to a fifth aspect of the invention is the microscope system according to the first aspect, further comprising a spectroscopic method setting means for accepting a user operation related to the setting of the spectroscopic method, and the control means is already displayed on the display means. The control content of the member to be adjusted and the imaging condition are determined based on the spectroscopic method set by the spectroscopic method setting means so that the displayed image display conditions are maintained. It is characterized by.
The microscope system according to claim 6 is the microscope system according to claim 5, wherein the control means should perform the control so that the brightness of an image displayed on the display means is maintained optimally. The control content of the member to be adjusted and the imaging condition are determined based on the speculum method set by the speculum method setting means.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the microscope system 1 includes an electronic camera 2, a microscope 10, and an image processing device 30, and does not include an eyepiece unit that optically observes an image.
[0013]
The microscope 10 includes a microscope control unit 11, and the members to be adjusted are connected to the microscope control unit 11. In FIG. 1, as such a member to be adjusted, an electric XY stage 12, an electric Z vertical movement 13, an electric revolver 14, an electric intermediate zoom mechanism 15, an electric field stop 16, an electric aperture stop 17, an electric ND filter 18, and a lamp 19 are used. Is shown.
[0014]
Further, the microscope 10 includes an electric spectroscopic method switching unit 20 made of a member to be adjusted (not shown) used according to the spectroscopic method, and the electric spectroscopic method switching unit 20 and the microscope control unit 11 are mutually connected. It is connected.
The image processing device 30 includes an image processing device control unit 31, a mouse 32, a keyboard 33, a monitor 34, an interface unit 35, and a display image generation unit 36. The image processing device control unit 31 is connected to the mouse 32 and the keyboard 33 via the interface unit 35, and acquires a signal indicating the state of the mouse 32 and the keyboard 33 via the interface unit 35.
[0015]
The image processing device control unit 31 is connected to the display image generation unit 36. The display image generation unit 36 is connected to a monitor 34 such as a liquid crystal display device, generates an image to be displayed on the monitor 34 in accordance with an instruction from the image processing device control unit 31, and displays the image on the monitor 34.
Further, the image processing device control unit 31 is connected to the electronic camera 2 via the interface unit 35, notifies the electronic camera 2 of imaging conditions and the like, and obtains sample image data obtained by the electronic camera 2. The information is acquired and output to the display image generation unit 36 and is recorded in a recording unit (not shown) (hard disk, compact flash (registered trademark), etc.).
[0016]
The display conditions of the monitor 34 such as a liquid crystal display device and the control conditions (including the imaging conditions) in the image processing device control unit 31 are matched, and the image displayed on the monitor 34 viewed by the user and the recording are recorded. This matches the image data recorded in the copy.
The image processing apparatus control unit 31 is connected to the microscope control unit 11 in the microscope 10 via the interface unit 35, notifies the microscope control unit 11 of the control contents of each adjusted member, and the microscope. Data indicating the state of each member to be adjusted supplied from the control unit 11 is acquired.
[0017]
In the microscope system 1 configured as described above, the user operation is realized by operating the mouse 32 and the keyboard 33 based on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) display screen displayed on the monitor 34.
The GUI display screen is generated by the display image generation unit 36 in response to an instruction from the image processing device control unit 31. The display image generation unit 36 generates a GUI display screen by superimposing a predetermined icon on the sample image data obtained by the electronic camera 2.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI display screen displayed on the monitor 34.
In FIG. 2, an image of the sample is displayed in the image display area 40 of the monitor 34, and various icons are arranged on the image display area 40.
Icons 41 to 47 arranged in the area on the right side of the image display area 40 are icons for accepting user operations related to setting of image display conditions. In the present embodiment, size, contrast, and brightness are used as display conditions, the size is set by operating the icons 41 and 42, the contrast is set by operating the icons 43 and 44, and the icons are displayed. The brightness is set by operating the icon 45 and the icon 46. The macro observation icon 47 is operated when displaying an image of the entire sample.
[0019]
The icons 60 to 64 arranged in the lower area of the image display area 40 are icons for accepting a user operation related to the setting of the speculum method. Bright field observation is set by operating the icon 60, dark field observation is set by operating the icon 61, fluorescence observation is set by operating the icon 62, and phase difference observation is performed by operating the icon 63. Setting is performed, and DIC observation is set by operating the icon 64.
[0020]
In addition to the icon operations described above, on the GUI display screen, an arbitrary area on the image display area 40 (corresponding to an area surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 2) is enlarged and displayed via the mouse 32 or the like. For this purpose, an operation for designating the area and an operation for designating the visual field center for moving an arbitrary position on the image display area 40 to the center of the visual field are performed.
[0021]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microscope system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and particularly shows the operation of the image processing apparatus control unit 31 when an operation is performed on the GUI display screen shown in FIG. ing. Such an operation is assumed to be performed according to a control program recorded in advance in a memory (not shown) in the image processing apparatus control unit 31.
[0022]
Hereinafter, the operation of the image processing apparatus control unit 31 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S <b> 1, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 determines whether or not the user has performed an operation on the GUI display screen via the mouse 32 or the keyboard 33. If such an operation is not performed, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 repeats step S1 and waits until the operation is performed.
[0023]
In step S <b> 2, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 displays a look-up table (hereinafter referred to as “LUT”) recorded in advance in accordance with an operation on the GUI display screen and is already displayed on the display screen. The control content of the microscope 10 (the controlled member to be controlled and the control amount of the adjusted member to be controlled, etc.) and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are determined in association with each other based on the image display conditions.
[0024]
Note that display conditions for an image already displayed on the display screen include size, contrast, brightness, and the like. Such display conditions include coordinate position data on the monitor 34, luminance information, high frequency component information, and the like. It shall be based on
FIG. 4 is an example of an LUT used when an operation related to setting of display conditions is performed by the user.
[0025]
When the user performs an operation related to setting display conditions (such as an operation on the icons 41 to 47) by the user, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 is already displayed on the display screen and the LUT shown in FIG. The control content of the microscope 10 marked with a circle and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are determined in association with each other based on the display condition of the image being displayed. In the case of such determination, if there is a possibility that the display condition of the image already displayed on the display screen may fluctuate, the control content of the microscope 10 marked with Δ and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 Associate and decide.
[0026]
FIG. 5 is an example of an LUT used when an operation related to setting of the spectroscopic method is performed by the user.
When the user performs an operation related to the setting of the spectroscopic method (such as an operation on the icons 60 to 64) by the user, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 displays the LUT shown in FIG. Based on the display conditions of the displayed image, the control content of the microscope 10 marked with a circle is determined. In such a determination, if there is a possibility that the display conditions of the image already displayed on the display screen may fluctuate, the control content of the microscope 10 marked with Δ is further determined.
[0027]
In FIG. 5, an electric filter block, an electric epi-shutter, an electric analyzer, an electric polarizer, and an electric universal capacitor are shown as members to be adjusted of the electric spectroscopic method switching unit 20. Therefore, detailed description and illustration are omitted. In addition, the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 is determined so as to maintain the display condition of the image already displayed on the display screen.
[0028]
In step S3, the image processing apparatus control unit 31 controls the microscope 10 and the electronic camera 2 according to the contents determined in step S2. That is, the image processing device control unit 31 notifies the control content of the microscope 10 determined in step S2 to the microscope control unit 11 and controls it, and notifies the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 to the electronic camera 2 for control.
[0029]
Therefore, according to the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, when the user operates, for example, the size setting icons 41 and 42, the member to be adjusted of the microscope 10 marked with a circle in the LUT of FIG. The control details (the electric revolver 14, the electric intermediate zoom mechanism 15) and the electronic zoom imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are determined and controlled in association with each other.
[0030]
As described above, when the observation magnification of the sample is changed by operating the size setting icons 41 and 42, imaging conditions other than the size may change. In that case, as described in the conventional motorized microscope system, the imaging condition of the electronic camera is determined after adjusting various members to be adjusted (ND filter, various diaphragms, etc.) according to the eyepiece. As described above, since there is a problem outside the automatic control range, the member to be adjusted of the microscope 10 and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are adjusted as appropriate as shown in FIG.
[0031]
For example, the electric Z vertical movement 13 of the microscope 10 marked with Δ, the electric field stop 16, the electric aperture stop 17, the electric ND filter 18, the lamp 19, and the CCD exposure time and gain control of the electronic camera 2 are also controlled in association with each other. Is done.
That is, according to the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, the user can change the size only by operating the size setting icons 41 and 42, and display conditions other than the size after the size change ( For example, the control content of the microscope 10 and the imaging conditions of the electronic camera 2 are determined so that (brightness) is maintained.
[0032]
Specifically, when determining the brightness (exposure condition) of the display condition, the electronic camera 2 is first set so that the exposure is underexposed by the electric aperture stop 17 and the electric ND filter 18 of the microscope 10. The above-described imaging conditions are determined so as to obtain an appropriate exposure by the CCD exposure time (electronic shutter) and gain control. If determined in this way, the exposure control range on the electronic camera 2 side is widened, it is possible to sufficiently cope with the brightness (exposure) change on the sample side to be imaged, and appropriate exposure can be obtained.
If the electronic camera 2 is still outside the proper exposure control range, various members to be adjusted of the microscope 10 are readjusted, and proper exposure can be obtained on the electronic camera 2 side. That is, the control contents of the various adjusted members of the microscope 10 and the imaging conditions of the electronic camera 2 are related to each other and controlled to complement each other.
[0033]
This eliminates the need for the user to control each of the members to be adjusted of the microscope 10 and to set the imaging conditions of the electronic camera 2 one by one, and how to display the image displayed on the display screen. It becomes possible to give instructions based on the image of wanting to do. As a result, the user does not need to be aware of which part of the microscope 10 and the electronic camera 2 should be controlled, and can be easily used by a user such as a beginner who has little knowledge and experience about the general microscope and the electronic camera. It becomes possible.
[0034]
Similarly, when the contrast setting icons 43 and 44 shown in FIG. 2 are operated, the control contents (the electric aperture diaphragm 17, the electric ND filter 18, and the lamp 19) of the microscope 10 shown in FIG. The two imaging conditions (CCD exposure time, gain control, color balance, contour enhancement) are controlled in association with each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the motorized aperture stop 17 of the microscope 10 marked with a circle and the imaging conditions for contour emphasis of the electronic camera 2 are determined, and the process ends when a predetermined contrast is obtained. However, when further fine adjustment is necessary, control is performed so that the member to be adjusted of the microscope 10 marked with Δ and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are complemented and adjusted appropriately.
[0035]
In addition, when the brightness setting icon (45 and 46 in FIG. 2), the macro image icon (47 in FIG. 2), the region specifying operation, and the visual field center specifying operation shown in FIG. In addition, the control with priority is controlled from the one marked with ○, and the one with Δ is controlled in an auxiliary manner.
For example, when the user operates the phase difference observation setting icon 63, the electric field stop 16, the electric aperture stop 17, the electric ND filter 18, and the electric ND filter 18 of the microscope 10 marked with a circle in the LUT of FIG. When the electric filter block, electric epi-shutter, electric analyzer, electric polariser, and electric universal capacitor are controlled in association with each other and display conditions such as brightness may change as the spectroscopic method changes, a triangle is marked The lamp 19 is also controlled, and the imaging conditions of the electronic camera 2 are determined and controlled in association with each other.
[0036]
In other words, according to the microscope system 1 of the present embodiment, the user switches the spectroscopic method and changes the spectroscopic method simply by operating the icon (60 to 64 in FIG. 2) related to the spectroscopic method setting. The adjusted member to be controlled of the microscope 10 and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are determined in association with each other so that the image display condition is maintained later.
[0037]
For example, in order to prevent fading of fluorescence in the case of fluorescence observation, focusing and inspection areas are determined in DIC observation, and then inspection is performed by fluorescence observation. Therefore, the microscopic method switching from DIC observation to fluorescence observation is performed by a biological microscope. This is often done. In this case, when DIC observation is set (64 in FIG. 2), the control contents of the normal adjustment member of the microscope 10 shown in FIG. 5 (the electric field stop 16 is set to the open stop and the electric aperture stop 17 is set to the open stop). The electric ND filter 18 is set to the lowest light attenuation rate and the light quantity is set to the maximum, the lamp 19 is arbitrarily adjusted) and the member to be adjusted for switching the spectroscopic method (the electric filter block is set to the intermediate position, the electric epi-shutter Are set in the closed state, the electric analyzer is set in the optical path, the electric polarizer is set in the optical path, and the electric universal capacitor is set in the DIC position). Thereafter, when the fluorescence observation is set, as shown in FIG. 5, the control contents of the normally adjusted member of the microscope 10 (the electric field stop 16, the electric aperture stop 17, and the electric ND filter 18 are for transmitted illumination. Uncontrolled, lamp 19 is extinguished) and adjusted member for switching the spectroscopic method (the electric filter block is set to an arbitrary filter, the electric epi-shutter is set to closed or open, the electric analyzer is set in the optical path, the electric polarizer Are set in the optical path, and the electric universal capacitor is set in the intermediate position).
[0038]
As described above, when the spectroscopic method is switched from DIC observation to fluorescence observation, the imaging conditions of the electronic camera 2 are associated with the lamp 19 of the microscope 10 in DIC observation, and the image display conditions are controlled. An image display condition is controlled in association with the electric epi-shutter. That is, in the DIC observation, the brightness that is the image display condition is adjusted by changing the light amount of the lamp of the microscope 10, and as is apparent from FIG. 4, the control target indicated by the brightness setting icon The to-be-adjusted member of the microscope 10 and the imaging condition of the electronic camera 2 are associated and controlled. Similarly, in the fluorescence observation, the display condition of the fluorescence observation image is determined by controlling the opening / closing time of the electric epi-shutter of the microscope 10 (time control for irradiating excitation light), so the electric epi-shutter of the microscope 10 and the above-described brightness The control target of the electronic camera 2 indicated by the setting icon is controlled in association with it.
[0039]
As a result, the brightness and contrast of the image displayed on the display screen after the microscopic method change will not change suddenly, and the amount of light emission will decrease while the user is adjusting the brightness and contrast. This makes it possible to avoid problems and make observations smoothly.
In the present embodiment, size, contrast, and brightness are set as image display conditions, but other colors, depth of focus, and the like may be set. You may set the speculum method.
[0040]
The GUI display screen shown in the present embodiment is an example of implementation, and the arrangement and type of icons are not limited to this example. For example, various icons may be displayed outside the image display area 40, and when any speculum method is set by the user, another icon for setting the details of the speculum method is newly displayed. You may make it do.
[0041]
Furthermore, the control content described in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is an example of implementation, and is changed according to the configuration of the microscope system, the speculum method, and the like.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to optimize the image displayed on the display device by associating and controlling the microscope and the imaging device, and the sample through the display device can be optimized. The accuracy of observation can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI display screen displayed on a monitor.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microscope system.
FIG. 4 is an example of an LUT used when an operation relating to setting of display conditions is performed by a user.
FIG. 5 is an example of an LUT used when an operation related to setting of a speculum method is performed by a user.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microscope system 2 Electronic camera 10 Microscope 11 Microscope control part 12 Electric XY stage 13 Electric Z up-and-down movement 14 Electric revolver 15 Electric intermediate zoom mechanism 16 Electric field stop 17 Electric aperture stop 18 Electric ND filter 19 Lamp 20 Electric inspection method switching Unit 30 image processing device 31 image processing device control unit 32 mouse 33 keyboard 34 monitor 35 interface unit 36 display image generation unit 40 image display areas 41 to 47, 60 to 64 icons

Claims (6)

A microscope having a plurality of members to be adjusted for changing the observation state of the sample and a microscope control unit for electrically controlling the plurality of members to be adjusted ;
Imaging means for capturing an optical image of the sample to generate an image;
Display means capable of displaying an image generated by the imaging means and changing display conditions based on the display image;
Content determined by associating the control content of the member to be adjusted among the plurality of members to be controlled with the imaging condition of the imaging unit according to the display condition of the image to be displayed by the display unit And a control means for controlling the member to be adjusted and the imaging means in association with each other , processing the image from the imaging means, and displaying the processed image on the display means . The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
A display condition setting unit capable of setting a display condition of the image on a display screen of the display unit;
The control unit includes an image processing unit that displays an image generated by the imaging unit on the display unit, and an interface unit that transmits a signal indicating control contents of the plurality of members to be adjusted to the image processing unit. A microscope system characterized by that. The microscope system according to claim 2,
When the control unit changes the observation magnification of the sample, first, the plurality of members to be adjusted are adjusted so that the imaging unit has an appropriate exposure according to the brightness condition of the image set by the display condition setting unit. A microscope system characterized in that an adjusted member to be controlled is controlled, and then an imaging condition of the imaging means is determined . The microscope system according to any one of claims 2 and 3,
When the display condition setting means sets an image display condition other than brightness, the control means controls the control target so that the brightness of the image already displayed on the display means is maintained. The microscope system characterized by determining the control content of the adjustment member and the imaging condition. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
A speculum method setting means for accepting a user operation related to the setting of the speculum method,
The control means sets the control content of the member to be adjusted and the imaging condition by the spectroscopic method setting means so that the display conditions of the image already displayed on the display means are maintained. A microscope system characterized in that the determination is made based on a speculum method. The microscope system according to claim 5, wherein
The control means sets the control content of the member to be adjusted and the imaging condition to be controlled by the spectroscopic method setting means so that the brightness of the image displayed on the display means is kept optimal. A microscope system characterized by being determined based on a set speculum method.

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