Abstract:
A visual rendering apparatus such as a telescope, microscope or attached tablet/led displays a magnified subject using the mapped rendering medium, in which the rendering medium includes at least one of actual visual transmissions of the subject and stored, high resolution images of the magnified subject. In an educational context, equipment for displaying true magnified images of, for example, celestial bodies or molecular structures can be beyond reach. Augmented reality provided by supplementing the true, rendered magnified subject with stored images corresponding to successive, higher magnification levels provides effective visualization with common educational tools, avoiding the need for extravagant scientific equipment.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/352,769, filed Jun. 21, 2016, entitled “AUGMENTED REALITY VISUAL RENDERING DEVICE,” incorporated herein by reference in entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Magnification apparatus such as telescopes and microscopes, while providing visual insight into scientific phenomena occurring in biological, chemical and astrological fields, become cost prohibitive beyond a certain magnification resolution or level. High resolution microscopes and telescopes tend to be very expensive. In an educational context, the effectiveness of available magnification apparatuses (e.g. microscopes and telescopes) is limited toward the true detail that can be effectively shown or rendered. Affordable microscopes have low resolution and students may not be able to visualize cell structures or inner life using such microscopes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Configurations herein are directed to an educational apparatus including a magnification rendering system such as a telescope or microscope for providing a method of displaying a magnified subject, by defining a plurality of magnification levels, such that each magnification level defines a range of magnification, and mapping a received magnification magnitude to one of the of the defined magnification levels. The magnification magnitude is expected to be received from a user control such as a slide lever, dial or potentiometer, and defines a continuous range of scale for the magnification magnitude. Using the magnification magnitude, the approach seamlessly employs a rendering medium corresponding to the magnification level for rendering a display image by transitioning between the rendering mediums when the magnification magnitude crosses a threshold to another magnification level. 
         [0004]    The disclosed approach, therefore, provides an augmented or virtual view in response to higher magnification levels. At a magnification level exceeding microscopic analysis, education media is nonetheless rendered, as in showing chemical, biochemical, or molecular level depictions of activity. Moreover, the most complex and intriguing elements of inner cell life such as DNA and RNA proteins is difficult to view even via high resolution microscopes. Further, an additional complexity of using traditional telescopes include difficulty in finding a desired star or celestial body due to the vast area that such a telescope may cover. 
         [0005]    Configurations herein are based, in part, on the observation that magnification apparatuses, such as telescopes and microscopes, are often employed in an educational context for viewing magnified subjects such as biological cells and astrological formations. Unfortunately, conventional approaches suffer from the shortcoming that educational environments may not have available sophisticated scientific apparatus for viewing molecular level structures or distal celestial bodies, for example. Electron microscopes and high-power telescopes may be beyond the reach of all but the most advanced research institutions. Accordingly, configurations herein substantially overcome the above described shortcomings by providing an augmented reality magnification device and method that supplements a visually magnified subject with stored high-resolution images of the magnified subject to provide visualization of a greater resolution and magnification than could be provided with the optical magnification enhancement alone. 
         [0006]    A visual rendering apparatus such as a telescope, microscope or attached tablet/led displays a magnified subject using the mapped rendering medium, in which the rendering medium includes at least one of actual visual transmissions of the subject and stored, high resolution images of the magnified subject. In an educational context, equipment for displaying true magnified images of, for example, celestial bodies or molecular structures can be beyond reach. Augmented reality provided by supplementing the true, rendered magnified subject with stored images corresponding to successive, higher magnification levels provides effective visualization with common educational tools, avoiding the need for extravagant scientific equipment. 
         [0007]    In the disclosed approach, the magnification magnitude represents a continuum of a range and the magnification levels define subranges of the range. The approach includes receiving a user input indicative of the magnification level, and rendering the display image on a user device (telescope, microscope or related screen) in a seamless manner. 
         [0008]    The approach detects when the magnification level transitions to a different subrange, and in response, repeats the mapping and rendering the display image according to the remapped rendering medium, therefore transitioning the rendered image to the new rendering medium, such as by switching the true image to a stored higher resolution image of the magnified subject. 
         [0009]    In a particular configuration, the magnification levels include two levels, further comprising magnified true images from an optical telescope and high-resolution photographs of an astrological region. Such rendering mediums include astrological images, as might be viewed through a telescope. The approach may also include displaying, with the rendered display image, cues for transitioning to a different magnification level, so as to guide the user toward celestial bodies of interest. 
         [0010]    In another configuration, the magnification levels include three levels, further comprising a magnified true image of a microscope slide, high resolution photographs of a microscopic slide, and images of cell biology, and the rendering mediums include previously stored images of molecular level structures, such as might be viewed with a microscope for analyzing biological specimens. The approach includes recognizing, on a microscopic slide, an indicator corresponding to the images of cell biology, such as a bar code or index to the corresponding stored images. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a context view of a microscope apparatus suitable for use with configurations herein; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of operation of the magnification apparatus according to configurations herein; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A-3C  are diagrams of specimens according to a plurality of the defined magnification levels as disclosed herein; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of microscope operation for rendering the images of  FIGS. 3A-3B . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Configurations depicted below present example embodiments of the disclosed approach in the form of educational software in conjunction with a user operable, interactive device. The disclosed configurations include a microscope and telescope as examples only, and are not intended to limit applicable implementations. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a context view of a microscope apparatus suitable for use with configurations herein. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the microscope  100  is connected to a magnification rendering apparatus  110  for displaying magnification images  112  to a user. The microscope  100  includes a magnification control  120  for selecting a magnitude of magnification to be applied to a magnified subject  130 . The magnification may include multiple knobs or slider controls, each defining a continuum or range. A course adjustment  122  makes more abrupt changes in the magnification magnitude, and a fine adjustment  124  allows for more gradual changes to the magnification magnitude. The magnification magnitude is a continuum defining a degree of the magnification, typically expressed as a multiple of image size, e.g. 10×, 100×, 1000×, and so forth. 
         [0018]    The microscope  100  includes an interface  126  to the rendering device  110  for transferring and rendering the images  112  on a display  114 . Any suitable computing device may perform the rendering, such as a laptop, personal device, phone or smartphone, tablet or desktop. As is known in the art, various computing platforms are available and configurable for processor based rendering. A rendering application  108  launches and executes on the rendering device  110  for displaying the images  112  based on data received from the interface  126 . 
         [0019]    The microscope  100  may also include an eyepiece  102  for direct visual observation of subject matter on a slide  140 , and a stage  132  for supporting the slide  140  beneath a lens  134 . The slide  140  also includes an identifier  135  indicative of the subject  130  on the slide, and is referenced via metadata with a database, discussed further below. A plurality of lenses, or objectives, are available for different ranges of magnification. A nosepiece  136  allows rotational engagement of different lenses  134  with the eyepiece. The interface  126  is operable to transmit the magnification magnitude responsive to the selected lens  134  and magnification control  120 . The rendering device  110  receives an indication of the magnification magnitude in addition to the images gathered from the slide  140 . The rendering application  108  employs a plurality of magnification levels, such that each magnification level defines a range of the magnification. 
         [0020]    The rendering application  108  performs a mapping of the magnification magnitude to the defined magnification levels, for providing a virtual supplement to the actual visual images. The rendered images  112 , therefore, show resolutions and magnification levels beyond that available in a conventional, low-cost educational microscope. In a biology context, for example, the magnification levels include 3 levels: a magnified true image of a microscope slide, high resolution photographs of a microscopic slide, and images of cell biology, discussed further below. 
         [0021]    The rendering device  110  provides a rendering medium corresponding to each of the magnification levels for rendering the display image  112  of a magnified subject  130 , disposed on the slide, on a user display based on the magnification magnitude and the mapped magnification level. The magnification level is received via a user input indicative of the magnification magnitude, for rendering the image  112  on a user device, and may be from either the microscope course/fine controls  122 / 124  or via the rendering device  110 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of operation of the magnification apparatus according to configurations herein. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a system  200  integrates the visual images  210  and the magnification magnitude  212  received from the microscope for rendering a corresponding virtual magnification level of a magnified subject  130 . The rendering device  110  is coupled to a database  160  including high resolution images  162 , such as scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of various magnified subjects  130 . The database  160  also contains predetermined educational renderings  164  of visual depictions beyond the microscopic level and extending to the chemical and molecular levels. For example, in a viewing of a cell as the magnified subject  130 , the predetermined renderings  164  might include pictures or animations of genetic operations including DNA. The application  108  employs magnification logic  150  for comparison with a magnification mapping  152  to map the received magnitude  212  to a magnification level. The display  114  displays a magnified subject using the mapped rendering medium, such that the rendering medium includes at least one of visual transmissions of the subject  130  and stored, high resolution images  162  of the magnified subject. In the example configuration, the renderable media in the database  160  includes images of the subject matter on the slide, such that the images have a greater resolution (magnification) than the subject  130  on the slide  140 . Based on the mapped magnification level, the magnification logic  150  will render images  112  from either the received visual image  210 , a high resolution microscopic image  162  from the database  160 , or a predetermined rendering  164  from the DB  160 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A-3C  are diagrams of specimens according to a plurality of the defined magnification levels as disclosed herein. Referring to  FIGS. 2-3C ,  FIG. 3A  represents an actual visual image  210  received by the microscope  100 , and shows an interconnection  310  of many cells  312 .  FIG. 3B  represents a high-resolution image from the high resolution storage  162  of the DB  160 . This rendering depicts a closer view of a single cell  312 .  FIG. 3C  is retrieved from the predetermined rendering storage  164  of the DB  160 , and shows cell internals  320 . The predetermined renderings  164  may be any suitable educational media, and are intended to provide insight beyond that viewable with a microscope, such as cell processes and molecular interchanges that may not even be visible with an SEM. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of microscope operation for rendering the images of  FIGS. 3A-3B . Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , at step  400 , the microscope  120  receives a magnification image  210  from the slide  140 . The magnification apparatus includes a microscope  100  responsive to slides  140 , such that the slides contain visual representations of the subject matter  130  for magnification. 
         [0025]    The microscope  120  also reads the identifier  135  in proximity to the subject matter  130 , such that he identifier  135  includes metadata pertaining to the subject matter  130 , as shown at step  402 . The identifier  135  may be in any suitable optically or electronically recognizable form, such as a QR code, bar code, RFID or textual element. The microscope further receives the magnification magnitude  212  based on the user control of the magnification control  120 , as shown at step  404 . The interface  126  is used to transmit to the device  110  and database  160  of renderable media, in which the database includes renderable media corresponding to the subject matter  130  on the slide  140 . 
         [0026]    The device  110  executes an app  108  having magnification logic  150  operative to receive the identifier  135  and the metadata as a result of scanning the slide  140 , and map, based on the magnification magnitude  212 , magnification magnitude to the magnification level based on the magnification mapping  152 , as depicted at step  406 . 
         [0027]    The magnification magnitude represents a continuum of a range, and could be any of a continuous range of values, e.g. from 10× magnification to 10,000× magnification. The magnification levels define subranges of the range for denoting the different rendering sources. At step  408 , a check is performed, to determine if the magnification level is within microscope  100  capabilities. If so, then the app  108  displays the actual slide image  210  on the display  114 , as shown at step  410 . 
         [0028]    If the magnification level is greater than microscope capabilities, but within general microscopic sensitivity, as depicted at step  412 , then the app  108  references, based on the metadata, the high resolution media corresponding to the slide, as shown at step  414 . This includes a lookup in the DB  160  based on the identifier  135  to display stored high resolution (e,g. SEM images)  162  from the DB  160 , as disclosed at step  416 . This magnification level represents levels that are beyond the capabilities of the student microscope  100 , but within the range attainable by higher powered microscopes such as SEM. This provides the user with an experience as if they were employing a higher powered microscope. 
         [0029]    At step  418 , a check is performed to determine if the magnification level is beyond attainable microscopic sensitivity. In this level, the app  108  displays educational media depicting particular molecular or chemical processes as would be occurring in the context of the slide subject  130 , as shown at step  420 . The magnification logic  150  performs a lookup of the corresponding predetermined rendering  164  based on the identifier, as depicted at step  422 . 
         [0030]    During rendering, the app  108  performs a check for a change in the magnification magnitude  212 , as shown at step  424 , and control reverts to step  406  to remap the magnification level as requested. The application  108  may also display, with the rendered display image  112 , cues for transitioning to a different magnification level. At various magnification magnitudes, or driven by time or user manipulations, visual cues such as arrows or shapes may appear to instruct or “hint” that the user view a certain area or region. 
         [0031]    The disclosed configuration employs a microscope  100  as the magnification device, however the approach is also applicable to other magnification devices such as a telescope. 
         [0032]    Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that the programs and methods defined herein are deliverable to a user processing and rendering device in many forms, including but not limited to a) information permanently stored on non-writeable storage media such as ROM devices, b) information alterably stored on writeable non-transitory storage media such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, CDs, RAM devices, and other magnetic and optical media, or c) information conveyed to a computer through communication media, as in an electronic network such as the Internet or telephone modem lines. The operations and methods may be implemented in a software executable object or as a set of encoded instructions for execution by a processor responsive to the instructions. Alternatively, the operations and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in whole or in part using hardware components, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), state machines, controllers or other hardware components or devices, or a combination of hardware, software, and firmware components. 
         [0033]    While the system and methods defined herein have been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.