JP6173032B2 - Microscope system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope system that generates a combined image from a plurality of images obtained by imaging different regions of a sample.

  In the field of the microscope, a technique for generating a wide-field image (hereinafter referred to as a bonded image) that captures an area wider than the field of view of the microscope by pasting together multiple images of different areas of the sample is known. ing.

  By the way, when updating the composite image by pasting the acquired images every time the image is acquired, the display size of the composite image becomes larger than the size of the display area of the display device during the capture of the composite image. May end up. In this case, since the entire combined image is not displayed on the display device and only a part thereof is displayed, in the microscope system in which the live image is displayed in the display area together with the combined image, the live image corresponding to the combined image is displayed. The relative position of cannot be recognized correctly.

  A technique related to such a technical problem is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. The imaging device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 performs a reduction process so that the entire mosaic image and the entire frame image (live image) are displayed simultaneously every time the mosaic image (bonded image) is updated.

JP 2013-021707 A

  According to the imaging device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the user can correctly recognize the relative position of the live image with respect to the combined image.

However, in the imaging apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the display size of the live image becomes smaller as the reduction ratio in the reduction process becomes higher. For this reason, if the ratio of the combined image is increased and the reduction ratio is increased, it becomes difficult to grasp the details of the live image in detail, and as a result, it is possible to appropriately specify the bonded area while viewing the live image. It becomes difficult. In addition, in the case of a microscope system in which a live position frame indicating the current visual field position is displayed instead of a live image, the live position frame is displayed very small, which makes it difficult to appropriately specify a bonding area. Become.
In view of the above situation, an object is to provide a microscope system that can easily generate a desired combined image.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image acquisition unit that images a sample and acquires an image of the sample, a visual field moving unit that moves a visual field of the image acquisition unit relative to the sample, and the image A composite image generation unit that generates a composite image by combining a plurality of images acquired by the acquisition unit according to the position of the field of view of the image acquisition unit when each of the plurality of images is acquired, and the composite image A display unit for displaying a live image that is an image of the current field of view of the image acquisition unit acquired by the image acquisition unit, and a size at which the composite image is to be displayed based on information input by a user a display size specifying unit for specifying a display size is, an instruction by the user, attached case performs start and end instruction of the processing of generating the bonded image in the bonded image generating unit An image generation start end instruction unit, by the lamination image generation start end instruction unit, during the period from the instruction for the start is carried out until the instruction for the termination is carried out, the bonded image with the display size specifying unit An enlargement / reduction unit that enlarges or reduces the combined image and the live image at the same magnification so as to obtain the specified display size, and an area of the sample imaged by each of the combined image and the live image A display control unit that causes the display unit to display a composite image and a live image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit according to the positional relationship, and the enlargement / reduction unit starts and ends the generation of the composite image When the end instruction is given by the instructing unit, from the start instruction by the composite image generation start / end instructing unit until the end instruction is given The display control unit automatically enlarges or reduces the composite completion image so that the entire composite completion image, which is a composite image generated by the composite image generation unit, fits in the display area of the display unit. Provides a microscope system that causes the display unit to display a pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit .

  A second aspect of the present invention is the microscope system according to the first aspect, further comprising an operation unit operated by the user, wherein the display control unit displays a plurality of pieces of information corresponding to different display sizes. The display size is displayed in a list on the display unit, and the display size specifying unit determines a display size on which the composite image is to be displayed based on information selected from the plurality of pieces of information by the user operating the operation unit. Provide a microscope system to identify.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the microscope system according to the first aspect, further comprising an operation unit operated by the user, wherein the display size specifying unit is an operation amount of the user with respect to the operation unit. And a microscopic system for specifying a display size on which the composite image is to be displayed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the third aspect, the operation unit is a mouse having a wheel, and the display size specifying unit is based on a rotation amount of the wheel. A microscope system for specifying a display size on which a combined image is to be displayed is provided.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the display unit displays a current visual field position instead of displaying a live image that is an image of the current visual field of the image acquisition unit. A microscope system for displaying a live position frame is provided.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the information input by the user is a display size for displaying the bonded image with respect to a size of a display area of the display unit. Providing a microscope system that is a ratio.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the information input by the user is the composite image corresponding to the size of the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit. A microscope system that is a ratio of a display size to be displayed is provided.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the information input by the user displays the composite image with respect to the size of the live image acquired by the image acquisition unit. Provide a microscope system that is a percentage of the display size to be.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the enlargement / reduction section has a size of a combined completion image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction section in the display area of the display section. Provided is a microscope system for enlarging or reducing the pasted image so as to be the largest size that can be accommodated.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the enlargement / reduction unit provides a margin of a predetermined width around the pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit. Provided is a microscope system for enlarging or reducing the pasted image so that the size of the image is the largest size that can be accommodated in the display area of the display unit.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the microscope system according to the first aspect, the enlargement / reduction unit includes an entire pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit within a display area of the display unit. In this case, a microscope system is provided that enlarges or reduces the pasted image according to the display size specified by the display size specifying unit.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the microscope system which can produce | generate a desired bonded image easily can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the microscope system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the bonding image imaging process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. It is the figure which illustrated the structure of the screen displayed on the display apparatus of the microscope system shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the bonding image imaging process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. It is another figure for demonstrating the bonding image imaging process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is still another diagram for explaining a bonded image photographing process performed in the microscope system shown in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the display size change process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the display size change process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. It is another figure for demonstrating the display size change process performed with the microscope system shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed an example of the input device shown in FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a microscope system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The microscope system 100 is a microscope system that generates a composite image by capturing a plurality of images of different regions of a sample, acquiring a plurality of images, and combining the plurality of images according to the positional relationship of the captured regions.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the microscope system 100 controls a microscope main body 110, an imaging device 120 having an imaging element 121, a light source unit 130 having a light source 131, a control device 140, a display device 150, an input device 160, and the imaging device 120. An imaging control device 170 that controls the microscope main body 110, and a microscope control device 180 that controls the microscope main body 110.

  The microscope main body 110 includes a half mirror 111, a revolver 112, an objective lens 113 attached to the revolver 112, a stage 114 on which the sample S is arranged, and an imaging lens 115.

  The half mirror 111 is an optical path branching unit that branches an optical path of illumination light emitted from the light source 131 and an optical path of observation light from the sample S. Note that the microscope main body 110 may include a dichroic mirror or the like instead of the half mirror 111 as an optical path branching unit depending on the observation method.

The revolver 112 is an objective lens holding unit that holds a plurality of objective lenses, and is an objective lens switching unit that switches an objective lens disposed on the optical path between the plurality of objective lenses. The revolver 112 switches the objective lens by rotating or sliding under the control of the microscope control device 180.
The objective lens 113 is an objective lens having an arbitrary magnification, and is held by the revolver 112 so as to be replaceable.

The stage 114 is an observation position changing unit that moves the sample S relative to the objective lens 113 arranged on the optical path. The stage 114 moves the sample S in the XY direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens 113 and the Z direction parallel to the optical axis under the control of the microscope control device 180.
The imaging lens 115 is a lens that focuses observation light from the sample S incident through the objective lens 113 on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 121.

  The imaging device 120 is a device that images the sample S, and includes an imaging element 121. The imaging device 120 images the sample S under the control of the imaging control device 170. The imaging element 121 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

  In the microscope system 100, the microscope main body 110 and the imaging device 120 function as an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of the sample S. The image acquisition unit may be interpreted as including a live image generation unit 141 and a captured image generation unit 143 described later. The image of the sample S acquired by the microscope main body 110 and the imaging device 120 is transmitted from the imaging device 120 to the control device 140. In the microscope system 100, the stage 114 of the microscope main body 110 functions as a visual field moving unit that moves the visual field of the image acquisition unit relative to the sample S.

  The light source unit 130 is an illumination device that emits illumination light and includes a light source 131. The light source 131 is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a mercury lamp, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp, or an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The light source unit 130 and the microscope main body 110 may be connected by an optical fiber. The light emission control of the light source 131 may be performed by the microscope control device 180.

  The control device 140 is a device that controls the entire microscope system 100, and includes a live image generation unit 141, a relative movement amount calculation unit 142, a captured image generation unit 143, a bonded image generation unit 144, a display size specification unit 145, and enlargement / reduction. Unit 146, display control unit 147, and storage unit 148. The control device 140 is a personal computer, for example, and includes at least a CPU that executes the control program, a memory that loads the control program, a storage device that stores the control program in a nonvolatile manner, a portable recording medium, and the like Has hardware.

  The live image generation unit 141 receives an image of the sample S that is output from the imaging device 120 as needed. Then, predetermined image processing is performed on the received image to generate a live image that is an image of the current visual field. Thereafter, the live image is volatilely stored in the storage unit 148 and transmitted to the relative movement amount calculation unit 142 and the enlargement / reduction unit 146. Note that image processing performed by the live image generation unit 141 is, for example, optical black subtraction processing, white balance adjustment processing, synchronization processing, color matrix calculation processing, gamma correction processing, color reproduction processing, and the like.

  The relative movement amount calculation unit 142 calculates the relative movement amount of the field of view of the image acquisition unit with respect to the sample S. Specifically, the relative movement amount calculation unit 142 receives the live image transmitted from the live image generation unit 141, and calculates the relative movement amount in the XY directions compared with the live image received immediately before. . Note that the relative movement amount calculation unit 142 may calculate the relative movement amount in the XY direction from a drive signal for driving the stage 114, instead of calculating the relative movement amount in the XY direction from the live image. . The calculated relative movement amount is transmitted to the composite image generation unit 144.

  The captured image generation unit 143 receives an image of the sample S output from the imaging device 120 in response to a capturing instruction from the user, and performs predetermined image processing on the received image to generate a captured image. Thereafter, the captured image is stored in the storage unit 148 in a nonvolatile manner and transmitted to the composite image generation unit 144. The captured image generation unit 143 may compress the captured image by a predetermined method such as a JPEG method, and store the compressed captured image in the storage unit 148 in a nonvolatile manner. Note that image processing performed by the captured image generation unit 143 includes, for example, optical black subtraction processing, white balance adjustment processing, synchronization processing, color matrix calculation processing, gamma correction processing, and color reproduction processing.

  The composite image generation unit 144 generates a composite image by combining a plurality of photographed images received from the photographed image generation unit 143 as needed in accordance with the arrangement of the areas where the images are captured. In other words, the composite image generation unit 144 generates a composite image by combining the plurality of captured images acquired by the image acquisition unit according to the position of the field of view of the image acquisition unit when each of the plurality of captured images is acquired. .

  More specifically, the composite image generation unit 144 receives the relative movement amount transmitted from the relative movement amount calculation unit 142, and calculates the current position of the visual field by adding to the total of the received relative movement amounts. . Then, assuming that the current position of the visual field when the photographing instruction is detected is the visual field position where the captured image is captured, a plurality of captured images are pasted together in the arrangement of the visual field positions where they are captured. Thereafter, the composite image generation unit 144 stores the generated composite image in a nonvolatile manner in the storage unit 148 and transmits it to the enlargement / reduction unit 146. The composite image generation unit 144 may compress the composite image by a predetermined method such as a JPEG method and store the compressed composite image in the storage unit 148 in a nonvolatile manner.

  The display size specifying unit 145 specifies a size (hereinafter simply referred to as a display size) for displaying a composite image based on information input by the user. More specifically, the display size specifying unit 145 is configured to acquire information input by the user using the input device 160, and is displayed based on information input by the user using the input device 160. Identify the size. The display size is, for example, a pixel size defined by the number of vertical and horizontal pixels of the image.

  The enlargement / reduction unit 146 combines the live image received from the live image generation unit 141 and the composite image received from the composite image generation unit 144 so that the composite image has the display size specified by the display size specification unit 145. Zoom in or out at the same magnification. Thereafter, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 transmits the enlarged or reduced composite image and the live image to the display control unit 147.

The display control unit 147 causes the display device 150 to display the combined image and the live image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit 146. Specifically, the display control unit 147 displays the composite image and the live image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit 146 according to the positional relationship between the regions of the sample S imaged by the composite image and the live image. It is displayed on the display device 150. More specifically, the display control unit 147 displays a relative relationship between positions where the combined image and the live image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit 146 are displayed in each of the combined image and the live image. The combined image and the live image that are enlarged or reduced so as to coincide with the relative position of the imaged region of the sample S are displayed on the display device 150.
The storage unit 148 stores an image of the sample S, a control program, and various other data necessary for executing the program in a volatile or non-volatile manner.

  The display device 150 is a device for displaying a combined image and a live image, and displays various information including these images. The display device 150 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, a CRT display device, or the like.

  The input device 160 is a device for a user to input information to the microscope system 100, and is, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, or the like. The input device 160 is an operation unit that is directly operated by the user. Further, the display device 150 and the input device 160 may be integrally configured as a touch panel display device, for example.

  The imaging control device 170 is a device that controls the imaging device 120 under the control of the control device 140, and the microscope control device 180 is a device that controls the microscope main body 110 under the control of the control device 140.

  In the microscope system 100 configured as described above, the user can arbitrarily switch the sizes of the combined image and the live image and display them on the display device 150 during the combined image shooting. Hereinafter, the procedure of the bonded image photographing process and the display size changing process performed in the microscope system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a bonded image photographing process performed in the microscope system 100. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a screen displayed on the display device 150 of the microscope system 100. 4 to 6 are diagrams for explaining a bonded image photographing process performed in the microscope system 100. FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the display size changing process performed in the microscope system 100. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining the display size changing process performed in the microscope system 100. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the input device 160.

  First, a bonded image photographing process will be described. The combined image photographing process shown in FIG. 2 is performed by the CPU of the control device 140 executing a control program stored in the storage unit 148. When the bonded image photographing process is started, the control device 140 displays the screen shown in FIG. 3 on the display device 150 (step S1).

  When the screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed, the user first performs display settings in the display setting unit 152. The display setting includes a display size setting by the drop-down list 153 and a display size reference setting by the radio button 154. The display size standard is a standard for specifying the display size. In the microscope system 100, the user can use the radio button 154 to select “display area”, “bonded image”, or “live image”. The display size standard can be selected from “”.

  “Display area” is selected when the display size is specified based on the size of the image display area 151. For example, when the user selects “display area” with the radio button 154 and selects “20%” with the drop-down list 153, the ratio of the display size to the pixel size of the image display area 151 is 20%. It means that there is.

  The “composite image” is selected when the display size is specified based on the size of the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit 144. For example, when the user selects “composite image” with the radio button 154 and selects “20%” with the drop-down list 153, the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit 144 (that is, This means that the ratio of the display size to the pixel size of the combined image before enlargement / reduction) is 20%.

  The “live image” is selected when the display size is specified based on the size of the live image acquired by the image acquisition unit. For example, when the user selects “live image” with the radio button 154 and selects “20%” with the drop-down list 153, the live image acquired by the image acquisition unit (that is, before enlargement / reduction) This means that the ratio of the display size to the pixel size of (live image) is 20%.

  Once the user has made display settings in the display setting unit 152, the user next selects a shooting mode with the radio button 156 of the shooting setting unit 155. The user can select “manual” or “auto” as the shooting mode. When “manual” is selected, the user manually designates a pasting area and the user presses the button 158 to instruct photographing, thereby generating a pasted image. When “Auto” is selected, a pasting area is automatically determined and a pasted image is automatically generated. In addition, after the button 157 of the shooting setting unit 155 is pressed to start processing, the button 157 of the shooting setting unit 155 is pressed again to instruct the end of processing, and the pasting area The designation may be performed manually by the user, and the live image displayed in the live position frame F may be automatically pasted at predetermined time intervals to generate a stitched image. Here, an example of the case where “manual” is selected will be described with reference to the pasted image shooting process.

  When the above settings are completed, the user presses the button 157 of the shooting setting unit 155 to instruct the start of processing. In response to this, the control device 140 displays the live image P1 in the live position frame F so that the live position frame F indicating the current visual field position of the image acquisition unit is displayed in the image display area 151. Thus, the display device 150 is controlled (step S2). At this stage, the live image P1 may not be displayed in the live position frame F, and only the live position frame F indicating the current visual field position may be displayed. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a screen after the button 157 is pressed.

  More specifically, in step S2, first, the live image generation unit 141 generates a live image. Thereafter, the display size specifying unit 145 specifies the display size according to the display setting shown in the display setting unit 152. In the example of FIG. 3, the display size is specified by the display size specifying unit 145 as a pixel size of 20% of the live image before enlargement or reduction.

  Subsequently, in step S2, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 calculates an enlargement / reduction ratio such that the combined image has the display size specified by the display size specifying unit 145, and enlarges / reduces the live image at that magnification. Note that there is no composite image at the time when no captured image is acquired, but in such a case, the live image may be enlarged or reduced to a predetermined size. Alternatively, the magnification may be calculated considering the size of the live image as the size of the combined image, and the live image may be enlarged or reduced at the calculated magnification.

  In step S2, finally, the display control unit 147 displays the live position frame F at the display position of the live image P1 so that the enlarged or reduced live image P1 is displayed at the center of the image display area 151. The display device 150 is controlled as described above.

  Thereafter, the control device 140 repeats the live image display process in step S2 until the user presses the button 158 to instruct shooting. When the user presses the button 158 (YES in step S3), the control device 140 performs a combined image display process (step S4).

  More specifically, in step S4, first, the composite image generation unit 144 generates a composite image using the captured image generated by the captured image generation unit 143. After that, the display size specifying unit 145 specifies the display size according to the display setting shown in the display setting unit 152, similarly to step S2. Then, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 enlarges or reduces the combined image so that the combined image has the display size specified by the display size specifying unit 145.

  In step S4, finally, the display control unit 147 controls the display device 150 so that the enlarged or reduced composite image P2 is displayed in the image display area 151. At this time, the display control unit 147 performs live image P1 according to the positional relationship between the live image P1 that has already been displayed in the image display region 151 and the region of the sample S that has been imaged with each of the newly displayed composite images P2. And the combined image P2 is displayed on the display device 150. Again, the display control unit 147 controls the display device 150 so that the live image P1 is displayed at the center of the image display area 151.

  Thereafter, the control device 140 repeats the processing from step S2 to step S4 until the user presses the button 157 again to instruct the end of the processing. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen after a plurality of shooting instructions.

  When the user completes the combination of the captured images of all the areas to be imaged as the combined image, the user presses the button 157 (step S5 is YES). In response to this, the control device 140 performs a confirmation display process for displaying a confirmation screen for confirming the generated composite image (step S6).

  More specifically, in step S6, first, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 displays a composite image (hereinafter, referred to as a “completion completed image”) obtained by combining the captured images of all the areas that should be imaged as the composite image. Then, the entire combined image is enlarged or reduced so that it fits in the image display area 151. Then, the display control unit 147 controls the display device 150 so that the enlarged or reduced pasted image P3 is displayed in the image display area 151.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image display area 151 of the confirmation screen on which the pasting completion image P3 is displayed. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the enlargement / reduction unit 146 enlarges or reduces the pasted image so that the pasted image P3 has the maximum size that can be accommodated in the image display area 151. The enlargement or reduction of the completed image is not limited to this example.

  For example, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 enlarges or reduces the pasted image so that the size of the image having a predetermined width margin around the pasted image P3 is the maximum size that can be accommodated in the image display area 151. May be. The enlargement / reduction unit 146 enlarges or reduces the combined completion image according to the display size specified by the display size specifying unit 145 when the entire combined image P3 enlarged or reduced fits in the image display area 151. May be.

  When the confirmation screen is displayed, the user confirms the combined completion image displayed on the confirmation screen and determines whether or not a desired combined image has been generated by the microscope system 100. If it is determined that a desired composite image has not been generated, the user presses the button 159 to instruct to cancel the end of processing. When the user presses button 159 (YES in step S7), control device 140 returns to step S2 and redoes the above-described processing. On the other hand, if the user does not press the button 159, the combined image shooting process shown in FIG.

  Next, the display size changing process will be described. The display size changing process shown in FIG. 7 is started when the control device 140 detects a display size changing instruction during execution of the combined image photographing process shown in FIG. The display size change instruction is generated, for example, by changing the setting of the drop-down list 153 or the radio button 154.

  When the display size changing process is started, the display size specifying unit 145 specifies the changed display size (step S11). FIG. 8 shows how the setting of the drop-down list 153 is changed from “20%” to “40%”. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the setting of the drop-down list 153 is changed from “20%” to “100%” and the setting of the radio button 154 is also changed from “live image” to “display area”. ing. In the example of FIG. 8, the display size is specified by the display size specifying unit 145 as a pixel size of 40% of the live image before enlargement or reduction. In the example of FIG. 9, the display size is specified as the same pixel size as the image display area 151 by the display size specifying unit 145.

  When the display size after the change is specified, the enlargement / reduction unit 146 enlarges or reduces the combined image so that the combined image has the display size specified by the display size specifying unit 145, and further, The live image is also enlarged or reduced at the same enlargement or reduction magnification (step S12).

  Finally, the display control unit 147 updates the display of the display device 150 with the enlarged or reduced live image P1 and the combined image P2 (step S13), and ends the display size changing process shown in FIG. When the setting of the radio button 154 is “live image” or “pasted image”, the display control unit 147 causes the display device 150 to display the live image P1 in the center of the image display area 151. To control. On the other hand, when the setting of the radio button 154 is “display area”, the display device 150 is controlled so that the center of the combined image P2 is displayed at the center of the image display area 151.

  In the microscope system 100 that operates as described above, the user can arbitrarily change the size of the composite image and the live image by a simple operation during the composite image shooting.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the combined image P2 does not fit in the image display area 151 and the relative position of the live image P1 with respect to the entire combined image P2 cannot be grasped, the user Reduce the display size manually. By performing such an operation, it becomes possible to accurately grasp the relative position of the live image P1 with respect to the entire bonded image P2, so that the user can correctly grasp the current visual field position with respect to the sample S. .

  For example, when the live image P1 becomes too small as a result of reducing the display size in order to accurately grasp the relative position of the live image P1 with respect to the entire bonded image P2, the user manually displays the display size. Increase By performing such an operation, it becomes possible to correctly grasp the state of the sample region imaged by the live image P1, so that the user can easily and appropriately set the bonding region while viewing the live image. Can be specified.

  As described above, according to the microscope system 100, accurate grasp of the relative position of the live image with respect to the bonded image and detailed observation of the region corresponding to the current visual field in the sample S are appropriately performed by a simple operation. It becomes possible. Therefore, a desired composite image can be easily generated. As a result, useless image acquisition and work re-execution are suppressed, so that a desired composite image can be generated in a short time. In addition, when displaying the live position frame which shows the present visual field position instead of a live image, the bonding area | region is designated, estimating the state of the sample in a live position frame from a bonding image. At this time, by appropriately enlarging and reducing the display of the live position frame, it is easy to specify an appropriate bonding area. Accordingly, even when a live position frame is displayed instead of a live image, it is possible to generate a desired composite image in a short time because acquisition of useless images and reworking are suppressed.

  The above-described embodiment is a specific example for facilitating understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The microscope system 100 can be variously modified and changed without departing from the concept of the present invention defined by the claims.

  As a method of changing the display size, as shown in FIG. 8, a method of specifying the display size based on a value selected by the user from a plurality of values corresponding to different display sizes displayed in the drop-down list 153. Although illustrated, the method for changing the display size is not particularly limited to this method.

  If a combo box or text box is displayed on the display device 150 instead of the drop-down list 153, the display size specifying unit 145 specifies the display size from the value directly input to the combo box or text box. May be.

  Further, the display size specifying unit 145 may specify the display size based on the operation amount of the user with respect to the input device 160. For example, if a mouse 161 having a wheel 162 as shown in FIG. 10 is used as the input device 160, the display size specifying unit 145 specifies the display size based on the rotation amount of the wheel 162. Also good.

  In the case where the reference of the display size is “bonded image” or “live image”, an example is shown in which the live image is always displayed at the center of the image display area 151 during shooting of the bonded image. The image may always be displayed at the center of the image display area 151. Such a display is particularly suitable when, for example, the shooting mode is set to “auto” and the pasted area gradually spreads around the area where the image was first taken.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Microscope system 110 Microscope main body 111 Half mirror 112 Revolver 113 Objective lens 114 Stage 115 Imaging lens 120 Imaging device 121 Imaging device 130 Light source unit 131 Light source 140 Control device 141 Live image generation part 142 Relative movement amount calculation part 143 Shooting image generation part 144 Bonded image generation unit 145 Display size specification unit 146 Enlargement / reduction unit 147 Display control unit 148 Storage unit 150 Display device 151 Image display area 152 Display setting unit 153 Drop-down list 154, 156 Radio button 155 Shooting setting unit 157, 158, 159 Button 160 Input device 161 Mouse 162 Wheel 170 Imaging control device 180 Microscope control device S Sample F Live position frame P1 Live image P2 Composite image P3 Composite completion image

Claims (11)

An image acquisition unit that images the sample and acquires an image of the sample;
A visual field moving unit for moving the visual field of the image acquisition unit relative to the sample;
A composite image generation unit that generates a composite image by combining the plurality of images acquired by the image acquisition unit according to the position of the field of view of the image acquisition unit when each of the plurality of images is acquired;
A display unit for displaying the composite image and a live image that is an image of the current visual field of the image acquisition unit acquired by the image acquisition unit;
A display size specifying unit for specifying a display size that is a size for displaying the composite image based on information input by a user;
In accordance with an instruction from a user, a composite image generation start / end instruction unit that gives an instruction to start and end the process of generating the composite image in the composite image generation unit;
The composite image has a display size specified by the display size specifying unit from when the start instruction is given by the composite image generation start / end instruction unit until the end instruction is given. An enlargement / reduction unit that enlarges or reduces the combined image and the live image at the same magnification;
Display control for causing the display unit to display the combined image and the live image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit according to the positional relationship of the region of the sample imaged in each of the combined image and the live image comprises a part, the,
When the end instruction is given by the composite image generation start / end instruction section, the enlargement / reduction section receives the start instruction after the start instruction is given by the composite image generation start / end instruction section. Before being performed, the composite completion image is automatically enlarged or reduced so that the entire composite complete image, which is the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit, fits in the display area of the display unit. ,
The microscope system , wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display a pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit . The microscope system according to claim 1, further comprising:
An operation unit operated by the user;
The display control unit displays a plurality of information corresponding to different display sizes on the display unit,
The display size specifying unit specifies a display size on which the combined image is to be displayed based on information selected from the plurality of pieces of information by the user operating the operation unit. system. The microscope system according to claim 1, further comprising:
An operation unit operated by the user;
The said display size specific | specification part specifies the display size which should display the said bonded image based on the operation amount with respect to the said operation part of the said user, The microscope system characterized by the above-mentioned. The microscope system according to claim 3,
The operation unit is a mouse having a wheel,
The display size specifying unit specifies a display size on which the combined image is to be displayed based on the amount of rotation of the wheel. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
The said display part displays the live position frame which shows the present visual field position instead of displaying the live image which is the image of the present visual field of the said image acquisition part, The microscope system characterized by the above-mentioned. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
2. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information input by the user is a ratio of a display size for displaying the composite image to a size of a display area of the display unit. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
2. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information input by the user is a ratio of a display size for displaying the composite image to a size of the composite image generated by the composite image generation unit. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
2. The microscope system according to claim 1, wherein the information input by the user is a ratio of a display size for displaying the composite image with respect to a size of the live image acquired by the image acquisition unit. The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein
The enlargement / reduction unit enlarges or reduces the pasting completion image so that the size of the pasting completion image enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit is the largest size that can be accommodated in the display area of the display unit. A microscope system characterized by The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein
The enlargement / reduction unit is configured so that the size of an image in which a margin of a predetermined width is provided around the pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit is the largest size that fits in the display area of the display unit. A microscope system, wherein the pasted image is enlarged or reduced. The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein
The enlargement / reduction unit, when the entire pasted image that has been enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction unit fits in the display area of the display unit, the pasted image according to the display size specified by the display size specifying unit. A microscope system characterized by enlarging or reducing.

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