Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8212865?dq=oakley+D523,461&ei=qiI4T-CjGqXf0QHz_PSUCA
Timestamp: 2014-03-14 08:18:15
Document Index: 423859241

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n14', 'art.\n16', 'art.\n18', 'art.\n19', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 2006']

Patent US8212865 - Microscope image pickup apparatus, microscope image pickup program product ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThis is a microscope image pickup apparatus for shooting and forming the observation images of a specimen in order to observe it by a microscope. The microscope image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit for shooting and forming the observation images, a display unit for dynamically displaying...http://www.google.com/patents/US8212865?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8212865 - Microscope image pickup apparatus, microscope image pickup program product, microscope image pickup program transmission medium and microscope image pickup methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8212865 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/999,585Publication dateJul 3, 2012Filing dateDec 6, 2007Priority dateDec 8, 2006Also published asUS20080140317Publication number11999585, 999585, US 8212865 B2, US 8212865B2, US-B2-8212865, US8212865 B2, US8212865B2InventorsKouji FujiyoshiOriginal AssigneeOlympus CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (26), Non-Patent Citations (1), Classifications (13), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMicroscope image pickup apparatus, microscope image pickup program product, microscope image pickup program transmission medium and microscope image pickup methodUS 8212865 B2Abstract This is a microscope image pickup apparatus for shooting and forming the observation images of a specimen in order to observe it by a microscope. The microscope image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit for shooting and forming the observation images, a display unit for dynamically displaying the observation images shot and formed by the image pickup unit in succession and an operating state detection unit for detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope on the basis of the change of the observation images dynamically displayed on the display unit. The present invention provides a microscope image pickup apparatus, a microscope image pickup program product, a microscope image pickup program transmission medium and a microscope image pickup method which are capable of displaying an optimum moving image according to the operating state of the microscope.
1. A microscope image pickup apparatus which shoots observation images of a specimen under observation by a microscope, the apparatus comprising:
an operating state detection unit for detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope based on a change of the observation images dynamically displayed on the display unit; and
a reading method setting unit for setting a reading method of an observation image shot and formed by the image pickup unit according to the operating state of the microscope operation part detected by the operating state detection unit.
2. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating state detection unit extracts an edge of the observation image, detects that the operating state is framing when the edge is moving on a moving image display screen, and detects that the operating state is focusing when a strength of the edge is changing.
3. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is framing, the reading method setting unit sets a high-speed reading method, and when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is focusing, the reading method setting unit sets an interlace method.
4. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a focusing operation part detection unit,
when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is framing, the reading method setting unit sets a high-speed reading method,
when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is focusing and the focusing operation part detection unit detects operation of a coarse operation part, the reading method setting unit sets a high-speed reading method, and
when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is focusing and the focusing operation part detection unit detects operation of a fine operation part, the reading method setting unit sets an interlace method.
5. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exposure condition setting unit for setting an exposure condition of the image pickup unit according to the operating state of the microscope operation part detected by the operating state detection unit.
6. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is framing, the exposure condition setting unit shortens an exposure time by increasing a gain setting value, and when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is focusing, the exposure condition setting unit sets the exposure time to an appropriate value.
7. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination adjustment unit for adjusting strength of illumination light applied to the specimen according to the operating state of the microscope operation part detected by the operating state detection unit.
8. The microscope image pickup apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is framing, the illumination adjustment unit increases a strength of the illumination light and when the operating state detection unit detects that the operating state is focusing, the illumination adjustment unit reduces the strength of the illumination light.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for enabling a computer of a microscope image pickup apparatus, which shoots and forms observation images of a specimen under observation by the microscope, to perform functions comprising:
dynamically displaying the shot and formed observation images in succession;
detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope based on a change of the dynamically displayed observation images; and
setting a reading method of a shot and formed observation image according to the detected operating state of the microscope operation part.
detecting the operating state includes extracting an edge of the observation image,
when the edge is moving on the moving image display screen, the detecting detects that the operating state is framing, and
when a strength of the edge is changing, the detecting detects that the operating state is focusing.
11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein when it is detected that the operating state is framing, a high-speed reading method is set, and when it is detected that the operating state is focusing, an interlace method is set.
12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the program enables the computer to perform a further function comprising:
detecting one of (i) an operation of a coarse-operation part, for coarsely executing the focusing, and (ii) an operation of a fine operation part, for finely executing the focusing,
when it is detected that the operating state is framing, a high-speed reading method is set,
when it is detected that the operating state is focusing and the operation of the coarse operation part is detected, the high-speed reading method is set, and
when it is detected that the operating state is focusing and the operation of the fine operation part is detected, an interlace method is set.
13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the program enables the computer to perform a further function comprising setting an exposure condition of said shooting and forming according to the detected operating state of the microscope operation part.
14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein it is detected that the operating state is framing, an exposure time is shortened by increasing a gain setting value, and when it is detected that the operating state is focusing, the exposure time is set to an appropriate time.
15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the program enables the computer to perform a further function comprising adjusting a strength of illumination light applied to the specimen according to the detected operating state of the microscope operation part.
16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein when it is detected that the operating state is framing, the strength of the illumination light is increased, and when it is detected that the operating state is focusing, the strength of the illumination light is reduced.
17. A microscope image pickup method for a microscope image pickup apparatus which shoots and forms observation images of a specimen in order to observe the specimen by a microscope, the method comprising:
dynamically displaying the observation images shot and formed by an image pickup means for shooting and forming the observation images in succession;
setting a reading method of an observation image shot and formed in said shooting and forming according to the detected operating state of the microscope operation part.
18. A microscope image pickup apparatus which shoots and forms observation images of a specimen under observation by a microscope, the apparatus comprising:
means for shooting and forming the observation images;
means for dynamically displaying the shot and formed observation images shot in succession;
means for detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope based on a change of the dynamically displayed observation images; and
means for setting a reading method of an observation image shot according to the detected operating state of the microscope operating part.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a microscope image pickup program thereon, the program enabling a microscope image pickup apparatus which shoots and forms observation images of a specimen under observation by a computer, to perform functions comprising:
setting a reading method of a shot and formed observation image according to the detected operating state of the microscope operating part. Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-331573, filed on Dec. 8, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the microscope image pickup apparatus, there is an operation called �framing� to horizontally shift a specimen surface against an optical axis (in XY direction), such as to horizontally shift the stage, to shift a stage clip for fixing a glass slice and the like, when searching for a body part to be observed of a specimen and fixing its image angle while displaying its moving image (A). In it there is also an operation called �focusing� to appropriately locate a specimen by operating its specimen surface against the optical axis, such as to vertically shift the stage (in Z direction), to vertically shift an object lens (in Z direction) and the like, when focusing it. As described above, an operator can determine an appropriate operating state of a microscope operation part while displaying its moving image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, the microscope image pickup apparatus of the present invention shoots the observed image of a specimen in order to observe the specimen by a microscope. The microscope image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit for shooting and forming the observed images, a display unit for displaying the observed images shot and formed by the image pickup unit as a series of moving images and an operating state detection unit for detecting the operating state of the microscope operation part on the basis of the change of the observed images displayed as moving images in the display unit in order to operate the microscope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description when the accompanying drawings are referenced;
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in reference with the drawings.
Y(k,l)=(Ir(i,j)+Ig(i,j+1)+Ig(i+1,j)+Ib(i+1,j+1))/4 (1) Y(k,l)=Iy(i,j) (2)
k=(2i+1)/2 (3) l=(2j+1)/2 (4)
F(Y)=LAPK�|Y(k−1,l−1)+Y(k,l−1)+Y(k+1,l−1)+Y(k−1,l)+Y(k+1,l)+Y(k−1,l+1)+Y(k,l+1)+Y(k+1,l+1)−8�Y(k,l)| (5)
In the above equation, LAPK represents a constant for adjusting peak strength called �Laplacian filter coefficient�.
((kmax(n+1)−kmax(n))2+(lmax(n+1)−lmax(n))2)1/2≧CONSTANT1 (6)|Fmax(n+1)(Y)−Fmax(n) Y|≧CONSTANT2 (7)
In the variation of this third preferred embodiment, a setting for increasing a frame rate by setting a gain setting value to a large value and shortening an exposure time (here called �high-speed mode�) and a setting for performing AE adjustment only by an exposure time by setting the gain setting value to a small value, such as �1� time and the like (here called �low-speed mode� are prepared.
Then, as shown in FIG. 11 or 12, the change of an exposure condition and the operating state of the microscope are monitored. If any of them is detected, the flow returns to the previous process(es) (step S13 and/or S14).
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