JP3814874B2 - Scale display method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a scale used for measuring the size of an object existing in the field of view of a microscope or the like, or for measuring the movement distance of a work arm when operating a manipulator or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Minor foreign objects such as work on huge objects that are too much to be handled manually such as dismantling of buildings, etc., dangerous work such as transporting nuclear pellets and crucibles of high-temperature molten metal, or manipulation of cells and industrial materials In order to perform operations that are too fine for human hands, such as micro-sampling, it is necessary to equip an operating arm in place of human hands with a holder, an operating needle, etc., and to display an image of an operation observation microscope on the CRT screen. Various manipulator systems that operate while checking have been put into practical use. For example, a micromanipulator that can be operated in units of microns is used when performing a fine operation such as injecting a DNA solution into cells.
[0003]
For example, when processing a single cell, as shown in FIG. 1, the target cell is captured in the field of view of the observation microscope 2, and this field image is displayed on a display device 10 such as a CRT. A plurality of microneedles 8 and 9 are operated while observing the object with an image to perform a predetermined process on the object. In such a fine operation, the operator is required to perform a precise minute operation of the operation rods 12 and 13, but information such as the size of the object and the movement distance of the working needle tip is important at that time. .
[0004]
Conventionally, in order to know the size of an object displayed on the screen of a display device such as a CRT display 10, as shown in FIG. 2, a scale M ′ corresponding to the size of the object (for example, a cell or the like). In the case of a fine object, a scale (scale) provided with slits in 1 μm increments is put together with the object S in a petri dish or the like, and projected on the screen 10 together with the object S, It was used as a standard for measuring the size and the like of the object S.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method of actually putting the minute scale M ′ as described above into the petri dish, the scale itself is accurate, but the distance between the object S and the scale M ′ is separated, or the object Since the positional relationship between the object S and the scale M ′ is not necessarily suitable for measurement, such as when the object S moves, it is not easy to actually measure. In addition, changing to the scale M ′ having different scale intervals depending on the size and shape of the object S requires time and effort for replacement. Particularly, in the case of a micron-order scale, replacement in the middle is impossible in practice. there were.
[0006]
In view of such a conventional problem, the present invention can always easily measure a necessary distance such as the size of an object and the movement distance of a manipulator operating needle tip, and easily change a scale interval. An object of the present invention is to provide a scale display method that can perform the above-described process.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the scale display method according to the present invention is characterized in that the image of the observation object and the virtual scale of the character display are superimposed and displayed on the display device screen.
[0008]
In order to provide a guide for the size of the observation object and the distance to the target position, a scale arranged in the vicinity of the observation object may be used as an aid. In the present invention, the scale is actually used during the petri dish. Since the virtual scale created on the character base is displayed on the screen for observing the target object, the actual scale is displayed so that it appears with the target object in the observation image. There is no need to insert, correct the scale position change, or replace with another scale. Furthermore, since the virtual scale of the present invention is a character display, it does not require a high processing capability of a computer unlike the bitmap method, and can be realized at low cost using a computer with a low processing capability. In addition, the display speed can be increased.
[0009]
The virtual scale is formed by connecting a linear character as a scale line and a cruciform character as a scale scale, and the scale interval is determined by correlation with the display magnification of the display device screen. It is characterized by being. Thus, an arbitrary scale scale suitable for measurement can be visually recognized together with the object regardless of the size of the object and the image magnification.
[0010]
The linear and cross-shaped characters are created for all patterns passing through each pixel in a character size unit of the number of pixels corresponding to the resolution of the display device screen. A virtual scale is formed by selecting and connecting characters having straight lines or intersections. By combining such various characters, a scale can be displayed at an arbitrary position suitable for measurement in order to measure an object facing an arbitrary position or direction in the visual field (display screen). Characters for constructing a scale have a straight line or a cross shape at least one of which passes through every point in the pixel of one character, and characters that can form scales at arbitrary intervals are placed next to each other at arbitrary positions. By arranging, it is easy to display a scale which is a combination of various characters at an arbitrary position and at an arbitrary interval. The various characters referred to here may be stored in advance in the storage device or may be generated each time the scale is displayed.
[0011]
The linear and cross-shaped characters are created for all patterns passing at least one pixel in a character size unit of the number of pixels corresponding to the resolution of the display device screen, and a desired position is selected from the character group. By selecting and connecting characters having scale lines and intersections to each other, a virtual scale having a desired scale interval is formed, and the virtual scale is displayed on the display device screen in an overlapping manner. The virtual scale is displayed at a desired position on the display device screen by delaying the vertical synchronization signal, the horizontal synchronization signal, or both the vertical synchronization signal and the horizontal synchronization signal of the controller that determines the character drawing position. It is characterized by doing so.
[0012]
According to this method, it is possible to hold or minimize the generation of characters necessary for constructing a scale with an arbitrary scale interval, and it is configured by combining the characters at arbitrary positions suitable for measurement. The display position of the scale can be moved.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a scale display method according to the present invention will be described by applying it to a micromanipulator.
[0014]
Micromanipulators are generally used in a systemized manner. As shown in FIG. 1, a general micromanipulator system includes a base 1, an observation microscope 2 placed on the base 1, and a pair of micromanipulators 3 and 4 disposed on both sides of the microscope 2. And a control device 5 for controlling the microscope 2 and the micromanipulators 3 and 4. The microscope 2 has a work table 6 at the center thereof, and a petri dish 7 in which a micro object such as a cell is accommodated is placed on the work table 6. A TV camera 14 is connected to the lower side of the work table 6 to photograph the target cells, the operation needles 8, 9 and the like and display an image on a display device screen such as the CRT screen 10, and the operator can check the state of the sample cell. The manipulators 3 and 4 are operated by the joysticks 12 and 13 on the console 11 while observing the positional relationship with the operating needles 8 and 9 and the like.
[0015]
For example, an image as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the CRT screen 10. The present invention is in the form of superimposing (overlapping) the cell S as an image in the petri dish by the TV camera 14, the cell supplement needle 9 as the operation needle tip of the manipulator 4, and the operation needle 8 as the operation needle tip of the manipulator 3. A virtual scale M relating to is displayed. By comparing with the virtual scale M, the operator can easily recognize a guideline such as the size of the target cell and the movement distance of the needle tip 8 to the target position. it can.
[0016]
The process of superimposing the virtual scale M on the video from the TV camera 14 on the CRT screen 10 is realized, for example, as shown in FIG. The control device 5 is composed of a microcomputer including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and includes drive units 30 and 40 for driving and controlling the TV camera 14, the console 11, and the micromanipulators 3 and 4 in three axial directions. Are connected to a memory 31, a video RAM 32, an output of the video RAM 32, and an adder 33 for superimposing a captured image of the TV camera 14. In the video RAM 32, character information for displaying the virtual scale M corresponding to the shooting magnification of the TV camera 14 is stored corresponding to the display position of each character. The display device 10 for displaying the superimposed image is connected to the adder 33, and an image having a virtual scale M having a position / scale interval optimum for measurement is obtained as shown in FIG.
[0017]
Next, a configuration example of the virtual scale M according to the present invention superimposed on the video of the TV camera 14 will be described. As a premise, this virtual scale M is created on a character basis. In general, a bitmap method is well known as a superimposing technique for a plurality of screens on a display screen of a computer or the like. This bitmap method requires a computer equipped with a storage means (CRT controller) corresponding to each pixel of the display screen, and displays it on the screen after adding image information in units of each pixel. Yes, there is an advantage of being able to draw a scale with the same resolution as the screen resolution, but it requires a lot of resources such as computer processing power, so the display speed is slow and hardware with high processing power is used. There is a need to increase the price. In the present invention, the virtual scale M is created on a character base corresponding to character information and the like, and this is synthesized with the TV video. Therefore, even a computer with low processing capability can be realized sufficiently.
[0018]
The virtual scale M according to the present invention is configured by connecting a plurality of characters in the horizontal and / or vertical direction. Each character is composed of a combination of characters composed of horizontal and / or vertical lines through which at least one of the pixels constituting one character passes in the character size unit of the number of pixels corresponding to the resolution of the screen. In other words, straight or cruciform characters with all combinations are prepared. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the size of one character is 8 × 8 (64 pixels, 1 pixel = 1 dot), horizontal and / or at least one of the points passes through each of 64 pixels. All characters consisting of vertical lines are prepared. When a character is specifically created using the point A in FIG. 5 as an example, the character passes through the pixel A as shown in FIG. 6 as a character composed of horizontal and / or vertical lines that pass at least one of the pixels A. A horizontal line x, a vertical line y passing through the pixel A, and a cruciform x group created by adding eight vertical lines based on the horizontal line x, and adding eight horizontal lines based on the vertical line y. 18 kinds of characters of the cross linear y group created in this way (of which one character overlaps with the same shape). Similarly, a total of 80 characters including 8 horizontal lines, 8 vertical lines, and 64 crosses are created for all pixels.
[0019]
In the character group prepared in this way, the horizontal line is used as the X axis of the virtual scale M and the vertical line is used as the Y axis, and the cross is used as the scale of the virtual scale M, and one character is obtained by connecting these characters. The virtual scale M is configured. For example, in order to configure a scale with a scale interval of 9 dots, as shown in FIG. 7, 9 characters out of 80 characters created in total (only 25 of them are shown in the figure) are displayed. A character required to create a dot scale is selected and connected to obtain a desired 9-dot scale as shown in FIG. Even with the same 9-dot scale, the optimum position of the drawing line of the scale differs depending on the image position and shape of the object to be superimposed. If the object and the scale line overlap, are too far away, or if the scale is difficult to read, it is necessary to shift the position of the scale line or the scale. In that case, a character having a line or an intersection at a position where the optimum position can be obtained is selected from the character group in FIG.
[0020]
The information of the virtual scale M of the desired scale interval obtained in this way is stored in the predetermined display position of the video RAM 32 as described above, and is superimposed on the image of the object, so that the optimum position is obtained. A virtual scale M having an optimal interval scale is displayed.
[0021]
As another example, the virtual scale M is composed of a combination of characters composed of horizontal and / or vertical lines, at least one of which passes through any one pixel in a pixel group constituting one character, and The display position of the scale is moved to a position suitable for measurement on the display device screen by delaying the horizontal and / or vertical synchronization signal. That is, the characters are not created in 80 ways as in the previous embodiment, but are, for example, character groups composed of horizontal and / or vertical lines that pass at least one arbitrary pixel, point A in FIG. However, only 18 kinds of characters shown in FIG. 6 (one of which overlaps with the same shape) are created. A scale having a desired scale interval is created by combining these limited characters, and the vertical / horizontal synchronization signal of the CRT controller that determines the drawing position of each character is determined at the position where the scale M is superimposed on the screen. Is delayed and added to the image of the object, that is, the virtual scale M can be displayed “shifted” at the optimum position.
[0022]
In determining the scale interval of the virtual scale M, the actual scale may be inserted only for the first time to determine the correlation with the number of dots on the screen, or the operation needle on the screen from the pulse motor that drives the manipulator. The correlation between the moving distance and the number of dots on the screen may be determined. Various other methods can be used.
[0023]
The image display device 10 is not particularly limited, such as a liquid crystal screen in addition to a CRT screen. In addition, various modifications and replacements can be made without changing the main part of the present invention.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
In the scale display method according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the virtual scale M having the optimum scale interval at the optimum position with respect to the object on the display screen, so that the desired distance such as the size of the object can be accurately determined. And it can be easily visually recognized. In addition, since scale creation is realized on a character basis, not on a bitmap, a large amount of resources such as computer processing power is not required, and the display speed is quick.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of a general micromanipulator.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen on which a conventional actual microscale M ′ is displayed.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a screen on which a virtual scale M according to the present invention is displayed.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a scale display method according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining pixels constituting one character.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of creating a character group based on point A.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of creating a character group.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a virtual scale having a scale interval of 9 dots.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 ... Observation microscopes 3 and 4 ... Micromanipulator 5 ... Control device 10 ... CRT screen M '... Actual scale M ... Virtual scale

Claims (5)

A scale display method characterized by superimposing an image of an observation object and a virtual scale of character display on a display device screen. 2. The scale display method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual scale is constituted by connecting a linear character as a scale line and a cross-shaped character as a scale scale. The scale display method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the scale interval of the virtual scale is determined by a correlation with a display magnification of the display device screen. The straight and cruciform characters are created for all patterns passing through each pixel in a character size unit of the number of pixels corresponding to the resolution of the display device screen. 4. The scale display method according to claim 2, wherein a virtual scale is formed by selecting and connecting characters having intersections. The linear and cruciform characters are created for all patterns passing at least one pixel in a character size unit of the number of pixels corresponding to the resolution of the display device screen, and scaled to a desired position from the character group. When a character having lines or intersections is selected and connected to form a virtual scale with a desired scale interval, and the virtual scale is displayed on the display device screen in a superimposed manner, the character drawing on the display device screen The virtual scale is displayed at a desired position on the display device screen by delaying the vertical synchronization signal, the horizontal synchronization signal, or both the vertical synchronization signal and the horizontal synchronization signal of the controller for determining the position. 4. The scale display method according to claim 2, wherein the scale is displayed.

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