Microbial colony culture intelligent image acquisition system and microbial expert auxiliary analysis system

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of biological laboratory instrument and equipment, microorganism detection and analysis instrument, and particularly relates to a microorganism colony culture intelligent image acquisition system and a microorganism expert auxiliary analysis system. The microorganism colony culture intelligent image acquisition system comprises: a sample platform; an image acquisition device, a lens of which is aligned with a sample on a first side of the sample platform; a transmission light source arranged on a second side of the sample platform away from the image acquisition device; a ring light source comprising: a ring base; and a plurality of reflection light units and ultraviolet light units arranged at intervals on the ring base, the plurality of reflection light units forming a reflection light source, and the plurality of ultraviolet light units forming an ultraviolet light source; and a control device for controlling the opening and closing of the transmission light source, the reflection light source and the ultraviolet light source, and for controlling the image acquisition device to acquire images of microorganism colonies. The present application can provide uniform reflection light source and ultraviolet light source, and is also conducive to controlling the illumination intensity of the reflection light source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the testing and analysis of microorganisms by measuring the physical properties of microbial colonies, and particularly to the fields of biological laboratory instruments and equipment, microbial detection and analysis instruments, specifically an intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture and a microbial expert-assisted analysis system. Background Technology

[0002] Microbial culture is a fundamental and common technology that spans multiple industries and disciplines. Different microorganisms have different nutritional requirements for their growth, resulting in a wide variety of microbial culture media. Furthermore, different types of microorganisms exhibit different growth morphologies on their respective specific media, adding varying degrees of difficulty for microbiologists conducting microbial testing and research. For example, the national standard for food microbiological testing, GB 4789.28-2024 "Quality Requirements for Culture Media and Reagents for Food Microbiological Testing," lists more than 40 types of solid culture media. Different strains on each medium exhibit different morphologies. Testing personnel must not only be proficient in the types of culture media used for different testing items but also memorize the morphological characteristics of the pathogenic microorganisms being tested on them for preliminary identification and colony counting. In practice, when interpreting colonies grown on petri dishes, microbiologists often turn the dishes towards light or sunlight, observing the surface, back, and sides of the colonies from multiple angles, and then comprehensively interpret the possible colony types. Especially when observing colonies that are transparent or translucent, have inconspicuous hemolysis, or grow on the sidewall edge, it is difficult to make a judgment from a single angle.

[0003] After microbial culture is completed, the microbial colonies that require further study need to be selected on the culture medium plates by human judgment. This process relies on the individual's accumulated knowledge of the morphological characteristics of colonies on different culture media and requires a high level of personal experience. However, if the selection is incorrect, it may lead to missed or false detections. If this occurs in the field of microbial product development, it will cause increased costs and decreased research and development efficiency. If it occurs in the clinical or disease prevention field, it will delay the treatment cycle and even cause the spread of an epidemic. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The invention is intended to at least partially solve one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0005] The first aspect of this invention provides an intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture. This intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture includes:

[0006] A platform for carrying culture containers containing observation samples;

[0007] An image acquisition device, with its lens positioned on the first side of the platform and aimed at the observed sample;

[0008] A transmitted light source is positioned on the second side of the platform, away from the image acquisition device.

[0009] The ring light source includes: a ring base, which is disposed between the observation sample and the image acquisition device, and whose inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the culture container; and a reflective light unit and an ultraviolet light unit, which are spaced apart on the ring base, and the number of each unit is more than 3, wherein multiple reflective light units form a reflective light source and multiple ultraviolet light units form an ultraviolet light source.

[0010] The control device has its signal output terminal connected to the transmission light source, light valve, reflection light source, ultraviolet light source and image acquisition device. It is used to control the opening and closing of the transmission light source, reflection light source and ultraviolet light source, and to control the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the device further includes: a light valve disposed between the observation sample and the transmitted light source, which can controllably transmit or block light rays from the transmitted light source directed toward the observation sample; and a control device whose signal output terminal is connected to the light valve for controlling the opening and closing of the light valve.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device includes: a first storage unit for storing N image acquisition modes for acquiring microbial colony images, where N≥2, and each image acquisition mode includes a light source mode; and a main control unit for executing the following control logic: step D1, reading the image acquisition mode in the first storage unit; step D2, controlling the opening and closing of the transmission light source, light valve, reflection light source, and ultraviolet light source according to the light source mode in the image acquisition mode; step D3, controlling the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies; and step D4, storing the microbial colony images in the second storage unit.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first storage unit is further configured to store a mapping relationship database. For the mapping relationship in the mapping relationship database, the optional items are one or more of the following: culture medium, microorganism, observation purpose, and the dependent variable is: image acquisition mode. The main control unit is further configured to execute the following control logic: Step A, receiving one or more optional items of microbial colony culture; Step B, searching for the image acquisition mode corresponding to the received optional item in the mapping relationship database and recommending the image acquisition mode to the user; Step C, receiving the user's selection of the image acquisition mode.

[0014] A second aspect of this invention provides a microbial expert-assisted analysis system. This system includes: a microbial colony culture intelligent image acquisition system as described above, wherein the main control unit is further configured to alternately execute steps D1 to D4, where M ≥ 2, using M different image acquisition modes within the same shooting cycle; and an intelligent analysis system that combines and analyzes the microbial colony image sequences obtained by the intelligent image acquisition system through different image acquisition modes, and annotates the microbial colony images; wherein the species of microorganisms in the observed sample is unknown; and the intelligent analysis system infers possible target microorganisms through the combined analysis of the microbial colony image sequences.

[0015] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the present invention has at least one of the following beneficial effects compared to the prior art:

[0016] (1) Setting up reflected light source and ultraviolet light source

[0017] In this invention, multiple white LED units form a reflective light source; multiple ultraviolet LED units form an ultraviolet light source, and all LED units are arranged on a ring-shaped lamp holder. This arrangement can provide uniform reflective and ultraviolet light sources, while also facilitating control of the light intensity of the reflective light source.

[0018] (2) Invert the culture container

[0019] In this invention, the culture container is inverted, with the bottom facing up and the lid facing down. In this configuration, moisture is less likely to form on the lid during the culture process, which improves the quality of microbial colony image acquisition.

[0020] (3) Switching between bright and dark backgrounds is achieved through a liquid crystal light valve.

[0021] In this invention, by controlling the transparency of the liquid crystal light valve to create bright / dark backgrounds, multiple background modes can be achieved. Dark background shooting results are better and it is more conducive to observing the growth of different types of microorganisms from different backgrounds.

[0022] (4) First storage unit and second storage unit

[0023] The first storage unit is a built-in system storage unit with fast read speed but small storage capacity. It is non-removably integrated with the main control unit onto the same board. The second storage unit is detachably installed on the board, and its storage capacity can be expanded to accommodate the storage needs of larger colony images.

[0024] The second storage unit is not limited by physical space and can be located on the same hard drive or device as the first storage unit. It can also adopt spatial storage methods, such as network servers or cloud servers.

[0025] (5) The image acquisition mode saves experimental time and facilitates user operation.

[0026] For different types of culture media, colony morphology, biochemical characteristics, and background colors of different plates, the required light source mode, brightness, white balance conditions, acquisition frequency, acquisition time, and other imaging parameters are determined. The light source mode and numerous imaging parameters are stored as image acquisition modes. When users observe microbial colonies, they can directly call the existing image acquisition modes. On the one hand, this realizes the solidification of knowledge repository; on the other hand, it saves experimental steps and experimental time, which is more user-friendly for those who are new to microbial experiments; thirdly, it is quick to learn, easy for users to accept, and easier to promote in the market.

[0027] (6) Conveniently select image acquisition mode through mapping relationship

[0028] In this invention, the light source mode and shooting parameters are optimized through mapping relationships. The principle is to be able to clearly and continuously record the growth process of microorganisms while minimizing storage space. This facilitates the acquisition of fixed characteristics formed on the culture medium used for the isolation and culture of specific species of microorganisms in relevant national or international standards, lowers the threshold for use, facilitates user operation, and realizes the standardization and convenience of microbial colony culture and detection.

[0029] (7) Multiple image acquisition modes are used alternately for shooting.

[0030] By alternating between two or more image acquisition modes with only a few seconds between shots, the images can be considered as two light source images of microbial colony morphology at the same point in time. In this case, the acquired microbial colony images not only have a time dimension, but also a light source mode dimension and / or shooting mode dimension. The information obtained from the two images can complement or corroborate each other, thus obtaining a clearer and more accurate research dimension.

[0031] (8) Traceable data with original watermark

[0032] In this invention, instead of simply storing microbial colony images, the following auxiliary information is integrated with the microbial colony images to create traceable data with the original watermark: culture medium and / or microorganisms, image acquisition mode, temperature and / or humidity, operator, and image acquisition time. This setup makes the microbial colony images more three-dimensional, avoids the loss of auxiliary information, allows researchers to analyze the obtained microbial colony images more comprehensively, and provides full-range traceability of microbial colony images. This establishes an evidence-based system in microbial research, forms a traceable research model, and enhances the rigor and reliability of microbial research.

[0033] (9) Microbial expert-assisted analysis system

[0034] In this invention, image information obtained from different light source modes and shooting modes at the same time point of the same microbial plate can be combined and analyzed. Possible target microorganisms can be obtained through multi-parameter combination and labeled to establish an expert suggestion system based on colony morphology characteristics.

[0035] (10) Multi-parameter combination improves the accuracy of microbial expert-assisted analysis system

[0036] By freely combining and selecting multiple parameters, the accuracy or sensitivity of the expert-assisted system can be improved. Increasing the number of parameters increases accuracy, avoiding repetitive work and false positives; decreasing the number of parameters increases sensitivity, avoiding missed detections and false negatives. This can improve the efficiency of pathogen identification in clinical research and disease prevention and control, saving valuable time for patient treatment and epidemic control. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of the control device in the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture.

[0039] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the interface for setting the control mode in the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture.

[0040] Figure 4 Images of Staphylococcus aureus colonies collected on Columbia blood agar plates under various light source modes at the same time point.

[0041] Figure 5 These are colony images of Staphylococcus aureus grown on BP plates, collected in time series under dark background mode with reflected light source. Detailed Implementation

[0042] This invention provides a solution for capturing microbial colony growth sequences using multiple image acquisition modes. Specifically, by selecting corresponding light source and shooting modes, the characteristics of microorganisms on different culture media become more apparent. Artificial intelligence is used for identification and extraction, establishing an expert-assisted analysis system for microbial isolation and identification. This reduces the difficulty for researchers in exploring experimental parameters during experiments and achieves standardization and convenience in microbial colony image acquisition.

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture in this embodiment includes:

[0045] A platform for carrying culture containers 11 containing observation samples;

[0046] The image acquisition device 20 has its lens aligned with the observation sample on the first side of the platform.

[0047] Temperature and / or humidity sensors, with their sensing contacts extending into the chamber where the culture dish is located;

[0048] A transmission light source 30 is positioned on the second side of the platform away from the image acquisition device.

[0049] A light valve 40 is positioned between the observation sample and the transmitted light source, and it can controllably allow or block light rays from the transmitted light source that are directed toward the observation sample.

[0050] The ring light source 50 includes: a ring base, which is disposed between the observation sample and the image acquisition device, and whose inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the culture container; and a reflective light unit and an ultraviolet light unit are disposed at intervals on the ring base, and the number of both is more than 3, wherein multiple reflective light units form a reflective light source and multiple ultraviolet light units form an ultraviolet light source.

[0051] The control device 60 has its signal output terminal connected to the transmission light source, the light valve, the reflection light source, the ultraviolet light source, and the image acquisition device. It is used to control the opening and closing of the transmission light source, the light valve, the reflection light source, and the ultraviolet light source, and to control the image acquisition device to acquire images.

[0052] The following sections provide a detailed description of each part of the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture in this embodiment.

[0053] In this embodiment, the culture container 11 is a petri dish. The transmission light source 30 and the light valve 40 are located on one side of the culture container 11, while the ring light source 50 and the image acquisition device 20 are located on the other side of the culture container.

[0054] Regarding the culture container, light source, light valve, and control device, the following aspects need to be explained:

[0055] (1) Image acquisition was performed by inverting the culture container.

[0056] In existing technologies, when acquiring images of microbial colony cultures, the culture container is placed upright, i.e., with the lid on top and the bottom down. However, in practice, the applicant has found that the lid often becomes blurry due to moisture.

[0057] Unlike existing technologies, in this embodiment, the culture container 11 is inverted, with the bottom facing up and the lid facing down. In this case, water vapor is less likely to form on the lid during the culture process, which can improve the effect of microbial colony image acquisition.

[0058] In this embodiment, inverting the culture container is the preferred option, but upright culture container is also within the scope of this application.

[0059] (2) The transmitted light source adopts an LED flat panel.

[0060] The transmissive light source 30 uses an LED flat panel, which provides a more uniform light source and better image quality compared to LED beads.

[0061] (3) A liquid crystal light valve is used to switch between bright and dark backgrounds.

[0062] In existing technologies, a dark background is usually obtained by turning off the transmitted light source, but the applicant found that the dark background image obtained by this method is not ideal.

[0063] In this embodiment, the light valve 40 is disposed between the observation sample and the transmitted light source and is controlled by the control device. It can block the light from the transmitted light source from shining onto the observation sample.

[0064] Preferably, the light valve 40 is a liquid crystal light valve, and the horizontal extension range of the liquid crystal light valve is greater than the horizontal extension range of the flat panel light source. By controlling the transparency of the liquid crystal light valve to create bright / dark backgrounds, various background modes can be achieved. Dark background shooting results are better, making it easier to observe the growth of different types of microorganisms from different backgrounds. Furthermore, the liquid crystal light valve can be a positive display liquid crystal light valve or a negative display liquid crystal light valve.

[0065] (4) The ultraviolet LED beads and white LED beads are arranged alternately on the ring base, which provides the conditions for realizing ultraviolet light image acquisition.

[0066] In the existing technology, it is not possible to achieve ultraviolet light imaging of microbial colony generation. How to add an ultraviolet light source when there are transmitted light sources and reflected light sources is a problem that has troubled those skilled in the art.

[0067] In this embodiment, the ring light source 50 uses a staggered arrangement of white LED beads and ultraviolet LED beads, with more than 10 of each. Multiple white LED beads form a reflected light source; multiple ultraviolet LED beads form an ultraviolet light source. This arrangement provides uniform reflected and ultraviolet light sources, while also facilitating control of the light intensity of the reflected light source.

[0068] (5) The combination of multiple light sources and light valves enables a variety of lighting modes.

[0069] Compared with existing technologies, this embodiment, in terms of light source settings, includes not only transmitted light sources and reflected light sources, but also ultraviolet light sources and bright / dark field backgrounds. This can meet the imaging needs of different bacterial colony morphologies and is more conducive to observing the growth process of microorganisms. For example, transmitted light sources can be used for colony counting; reflected light sources can be used for observing the surface morphology of colonies; and some bacteria can produce red, green, and blue fluorescence phenomena under ultraviolet light irradiation.

[0070] (6) Temperature and humidity sensor

[0071] In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity sensors have their sensing contacts inserted into the chamber containing the culture dish, thereby obtaining temperature and humidity information for microbial culture. This information is then integrated with microbial colony images to form traceable information.

[0072] (7) Control device

[0073] In this embodiment, the control device 60 is designed based on a Raspberry Pi development board, and the transmission light source, light valve, reflection light source, and ultraviolet light source are controlled through the GPIO ports of the Raspberry Pi development board.

[0074] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in addition to the Raspberry Pi development board, other types of development boards or microcontroller technology can be used to control various light sources and light valves. The control interface can also be selected as needed. These variations can also realize the present invention and are also within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of the control device in a smart image acquisition system for microbial colony cultivation. Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the control device includes: a first storage unit and a main control unit. The first storage unit is used to store an image acquisition mode database and a mapping relationship database.

[0076] In this embodiment, both an image acquisition mode database and a mapping relationship database are included, with the image acquisition database forming the foundation of the mapping relationship database. Therefore, this embodiment not only enables image acquisition mode selection but also provides intelligent image acquisition mode recommendation.

[0077] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, only an image acquisition mode database may be used. In this case, the basic image acquisition mode selection function can also be implemented, and it is also within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0078] Figure 3 for Figure 1The diagram shows the interface for setting the control mode in an intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony cultivation. Figure 3 As shown, the image acquisition mode database stores N image acquisition modes for acquiring microbial colony images, where N ≥ 2. Each image acquisition mode includes: a light source mode and a shooting mode. Wherein:

[0079] (1) Light source mode

[0080] The light source mode allows you to set the transmitted light source, reflected light source, ultraviolet light source, and bright / dark background, with the aim of providing the optimal lighting for capturing the current microbial colony image. Specifically, the light source mode can be selected from the following options:

[0081] ① Transmission light source mode: The transmission light source is turned on, the light valve is opened, and the light emitted by the transmission light source passes through the light valve and shines on the observed sample, presenting a bright background of the observed sample; the reflection light source and the ultraviolet light source are turned off;

[0082] ② Dark background mode with reflected light source: The transmitted light source is turned on, the light valve is closed, presenting a dark background for the observed sample; the ultraviolet light source is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on;

[0083] ③ Bright background mode with reflected light source: The transmitted light source is turned on, the light valve is opened, presenting a bright background to the observed sample; the ultraviolet light source is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on;

[0084] ④ Integrated light source mode: the transmitted light source is turned on, the light valve is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on; the ultraviolet light source is turned off;

[0085] ⑤ In the first ultraviolet light mode, the transmitted light source is turned off, the light valve is closed, and a black background is presented for the observed sample; the reflected light source is turned off, and the ultraviolet light source is turned on;

[0086] ⑥ Second ultraviolet light mode: the transmitted light source is turned off, the light valve is closed, and a black background is presented for the observed sample; the reflected light source and the ultraviolet light source are turned on.

[0087] (2) Shooting Mode

[0088] Shooting modes mainly involve setting camera-related parameters, including one or more of the following: camera mode (exposure time, in milliseconds), white balance setting, sampling frequency, and sampling duration. Different culture media have different colors and light transmittance; therefore, the required camera mode and white balance settings will also differ. Furthermore, since different microorganisms have different growth rates and growth times, the sampling frequency and sampling duration will also vary.

[0089] Based on the aforementioned hardware, this embodiment sets up three working logics according to user needs: free selection logic, mode selection logic, and mode recommendation logic. The free selection logic allows the user to freely select the specific values ​​of various light sources, the on / off state of the light valve, and the parameters of the shooting mode. This is the same as existing technology and will not be elaborated here. The mode selection logic and mode recommendation logic are explained in detail below.

[0090] (1) Pattern selection logic

[0091] The first storage unit stores the image acquisition pattern database.

[0092] If the user is unaware of the specific type of microbial colony, or if the user already knows the specific image acquisition mode to be used, the user can choose to have the main control unit execute the mode selection logic. Specifically, the mode selection logic includes:

[0093] Step C: Receive the user's selection of the image acquisition mode;

[0094] Step D: Acquire images according to the image acquisition mode, specifically as follows:

[0095] Step D1: Read the image acquisition mode from the first storage unit;

[0096] Step D2: Control the opening and closing of the transmitted light source, light valve, reflected light source, and ultraviolet light source according to the light source mode in the image acquisition mode; set the parameters of the image acquisition unit according to the shooting mode in the image acquisition mode.

[0097] Step D3: Control the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies;

[0098] Step D4: Store the microbial colony image in the second storage unit.

[0099] In existing technologies, all microbial plates use the same light source settings and shooting modes. Alternatively, researchers may set the light source and shooting parameters one by one based on their own experience, depending on the culture medium and microbial type of the current plate. On the one hand, such experience requires self-exploration or oral transmission, resulting in poor knowledge accumulation. On the other hand, manual resetting is required each time, making the experimental steps quite cumbersome.

[0100] In this invention, a set of growth characteristic parameters of different microorganisms on specific plates is summarized based on their growth phenomena. Based on these parameters, an image acquisition mode capable of clearly obtaining predictive information is developed, and various combination options for different image acquisition modes are provided. Specifically, the required light source mode, brightness, white balance conditions, acquisition frequency, acquisition time, and other imaging parameters are determined for different plate culture medium types, colony morphologies, biochemical characteristics, and background colors. The light source mode and numerous imaging parameters are stored as an image acquisition mode. When users observe microbial colonies, they can directly call upon the existing image acquisition mode. This not only solidifies the knowledge repository but also saves experimental steps and time, making it more user-friendly for those new to microbial experiments. Furthermore, it is quick to learn, easily accepted by users, and easier to market.

[0101] (2) Pattern Recommendation Logic

[0102] For specific culture media / microbial combinations, extensive preliminary experiments are required to explore the relevant experimental conditions. In this invention, the system has a pre-installed mapping database at the factory, or users can add new mapping relationships to the database during subsequent use. This mapping relationship is between the culture medium and / or microorganisms and / or, and the image acquisition mode. The system can then recommend suitable image acquisition modes to the user based on this mapping database, considering the culture medium / microorganisms / observation purpose.

[0103] Those skilled in the art should understand that optimizing the light source mode and imaging parameters through these mapping relationships aims to clearly and continuously record the growth process of microorganisms while minimizing storage space. This facilitates the acquisition of fixed characteristics formed on the culture medium used for the isolation and culture of specific species of microorganisms in relevant national or international standards, lowers the barrier to entry, and makes it easier for users to operate, thus achieving standardization and convenience in microbial colony culture and detection.

[0104] In this embodiment, the user knows the culture medium and microbial species of the currently observed sample. At this point, the user can choose to have the main control module execute the mode recommendation logic. Specifically, the mode recommendation logic includes:

[0105] Step A: Receive user input of information regarding the culture medium for microbial colony culture and / or the microorganisms and / or the purpose of observation;

[0106] Step B: Search the mapping database for the image acquisition mode corresponding to the culture medium and / or microorganism and / or observation purpose, and recommend the image acquisition mode to the user;

[0107] Step C: Receive the user's selection of the image acquisition mode;

[0108] Step D: Acquire images according to the image acquisition mode, specifically as follows:

[0109] Step D1: Read the image acquisition mode from the first storage unit;

[0110] Step D2: Control the opening and closing of the transmitted light source, light valve, reflected light source, and ultraviolet light source according to the light source mode in the image acquisition mode; set the parameters of the image acquisition unit according to the shooting mode in the image acquisition mode.

[0111] Step D3: Control the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies;

[0112] Step D4: Store the microbial colony image in the second storage unit.

[0113] As can be seen, steps C and D of the mode selection logic and the mode recommendation logic are the same. The difference between the two is that the mode recommendation logic also includes the step of the user inputting information about the culture medium / microorganism / observation purpose, and the system recommending the image acquisition mode.

[0114] It should be noted that both the mode selection logic and the mode recommendation logic described above involve two storage units: a first storage unit storing the image acquisition mode and the mapping relationship database; and a second storage unit storing the images. In this embodiment, the first and second storage units are different storage units. The first storage unit is a system-integrated storage unit with fast read speed but small storage capacity, and it is non-removably integrated with the main control unit on the same board. The second storage unit is detachably installed on the board, and its storage capacity can be expanded to accommodate the storage needs of larger colony images. However, this invention is not limited to this. In some cases where image quality requirements are low and the number of images is small, the first and second storage units can also be implemented as different partitions of the same memory. Such variations are also within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0115] It should also be noted that the selection of the image acquisition mode in step C can be divided into the following five cases:

[0116] (1) The recommended image acquisition mode is one

[0117] Step C includes: receiving the user's confirmation of the image acquisition mode; or, receiving the user's modification of the image acquisition mode; or, receiving the user's rejection of the image acquisition mode and providing the user with the option of a custom image acquisition mode.

[0118] (2) The recommended image acquisition modes are multiple

[0119] Step B also includes: prompting the user with information about the characteristics of the microbial colony images that can be obtained by each image acquisition mode;

[0120] Step C includes: receiving the user's selection of one of the multiple image acquisition modes; or, receiving the user's selection of alternating shooting using two or more of the multiple image acquisition modes.

[0121] (3) Correction of image acquisition mode

[0122] This embodiment provides specific settings for the light source mode and shooting mode, especially the various parameters in the shooting mode. However, those skilled in the art should understand that changes in the scene and the duration of light source use will affect the image acquisition effect during instrument use. Therefore, this embodiment provides a parameter modification function.

[0123] Specifically, step C includes: receiving modifications made by the user to certain parameters in the light source mode and / or shooting mode of the image acquisition mode; the modified parameters form a new image acquisition mode that can be stored in the first storage unit for use by the main control unit.

[0124] (4) Custom image acquisition mode

[0125] In some cases, the recommended image acquisition mode may not be suitable for the user's needs. In such cases, the user should be allowed to customize the light source mode and shooting mode within the image acquisition mode.

[0126] Specifically, step C includes: receiving the user's rejection of the image acquisition mode, and providing the user with a selection of a custom light source mode and shooting mode. The user-defined image acquisition mode can be stored in the first storage unit as the basis for the subsequent image acquisition process controlled by the main control unit.

[0127] (5) Increase in image acquisition modes

[0128] In addition to the system's built-in image acquisition modes, users can organize commonly used image acquisition modes and store them in the system according to preset patterns for direct use in subsequent experiments. Preferably, combinations of culture media and / or microorganisms can also be mapped to image acquisition modes to facilitate selection and use by researchers.

[0129] As mentioned earlier, in this embodiment, the corresponding image acquisition mode is recommended based on the user's selected culture medium and / or microorganisms and / or observation purpose. Hereinafter, the culture medium and / or microorganisms and / or observation purpose initially selected will be referred to as "options," and the image acquisition mode determined based on the "options" will be the dependent variable. Examples are provided below for different scenarios.

[0130] I. Choose one option: observation purpose or type of microorganism.

[0131] (1) The optional option is: observation purpose, and the mapping relationship includes at least one of the following;

[0132] 1.1 The purpose of observation was to observe the surface morphology of colonies.

[0133] The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following light source modes: dark background mode with reflected light source or bright background mode with reflected light source;

[0134] 1.2 The observation objective is to determine the density of the population.

[0135] Its corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following light source mode: transmission light source mode;

[0136] It should be noted that, under these circumstances, image acquisition modes that meet the above light source conditions are recommended image acquisition modes.

[0137] (2) The optional option is: microbial species, and the mapping relationship includes at least one of the following;

[0138] 2.1 The microorganism is Escherichia coli.

[0139] The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 24 hours;

[0140] 2.2 The microorganism is a group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus.

[0141] The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 48 hours;

[0142] 2.3 The microorganism is Staphylococcus aureus;

[0143] The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 48 hours;

[0144] 2.4 The microorganism is Aspergillus niger;

[0145] The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: continuous image acquisition with transmitted light source and reflected light source, with an interval of 5 seconds, two images as a group, an acquisition frequency of 2 hours per group, and an acquisition duration of 120 hours.

[0146] It should be noted that, under these circumstances, all image acquisition modes that meet the above shooting requirements are recommended image acquisition modes.

[0147] II. There are two options: microorganisms and culture media.

[0148] (1) The culture medium is EMB, and the microorganism is Escherichia coli;

[0149] The corresponding dependent variable image acquisition modes include: reflected light source dark background mode, camera mode between 8 and 12, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20; the acquisition frequency is 30 minutes per image, and the acquisition duration is 24 hours.

[0150] (2) The culture medium was Columbia blood agar plates, and the microorganism was beta-hemolytic streptococcus.

[0151] The corresponding dependent variable image acquisition modes include the following two:

[0152] ① Transmitted light source mode, camera mode is between 8-10, red light white balance is between 35-45, blue light white balance is between 15-20;

[0153] ②Reflected light source dark background mode, camera mode between 10-12, red light white balance between 35-45, blue light white balance between 15-20;

[0154] ③Integrated light source mode, camera mode is between 8-10, red light white balance is between 35-45, and blue light white balance is between 15-20;

[0155] In the three image acquisition modes mentioned above, the acquisition frequency is 30 minutes per image, and the acquisition duration is 48 hours.

[0156] III. There are three self-selection options: microorganisms, culture medium, and observation purpose.

[0157] (1) The culture medium is BP, and the microorganism is Staphylococcus aureus.

[0158] 1.1 The purpose of observation is to observe transparent rings and / or precipitated rings.

[0159] The image acquisition modes corresponding to the above self-selection options are: transmitted light source mode, camera mode between 8 and 10, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20.

[0160] 1.2 The purpose of observation is to observe the characteristics of a black-hearted individual;

[0161] The image acquisition modes corresponding to the above self-selection options are: bright background mode with reflected light source, camera mode between 8 and 10, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20.

[0162] In both of the above image acquisition modes, the acquisition frequency is 30 minutes per image, and the acquisition duration is 48 hours.

[0163] (2) The culture medium was Bengal Red agar, and the microorganism was Aspergillus niger;

[0164] 2.1 The purpose of the observation was to count bacterial colonies.

[0165] The image acquisition modes corresponding to the dependent variables of the above self-selection options are: ① Transmitted light source mode, camera mode between 8-10, red light white balance between 35-45, and blue light white balance between 15-20.

[0166] 2.2 The observation objectives are: colony size, color, and hyphal distribution.

[0167] The above optional parameters correspond to two image acquisition modes for the dependent variable:

[0168] ① Dark background mode with reflected light source: camera mode between 10-12, red light white balance between 35-45, blue light white balance between 15-20;

[0169] ②Integrated light source mode, camera mode is between 8-12, red light white balance is between 35-45, and blue light white balance is between 15-20;

[0170] 2.3 The observation objective is to observe fluorescence phenomena.

[0171] The image acquisition mode corresponding to the dependent variable of the above self-selection is: ④ Ultraviolet light source mode, camera mode between 13-15, red light white balance between 35-45, and blue light white balance between 15-20;

[0172] Of the four image acquisition modes mentioned above, the acquisition frequency is 2 hours per image, and the acquisition duration is 120 hours.

[0173] It is evident that the more complete the user-provided options and the more specific the image acquisition mode, the fewer options and parameters the user needs to select and set for their experiments, resulting in a smaller workload. Furthermore, the acquisition duration described above meets relevant national standards, and the parameter settings described above have been tested by the manufacturer and can meet the research needs of microbial culture imaging.

[0174] It should be noted again that the above example of determining the dependent variable based on the self-selection is only an example. Those skilled in the art can freely select the self-selection from the three items of culture medium, microorganism, and observation purpose. The system will automatically match the relevant image acquisition mode according to the self-selection. This will not be elaborated here.

[0175] As mentioned above, in step B, when multiple image acquisition modes correspond to the culture medium and / or microorganisms and / or observation purposes, the user is prompted with the information characteristics of the microbial colony images that can be obtained by each image acquisition mode.

[0176] As described in the previous two application scenarios, "the microorganism is beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and the culture medium is Columbia blood agar" and "the microorganism is Aspergillus niger, and the culture medium is Bengal red agar," some combinations of culture medium and microorganisms correspond to multiple image acquisition modes. In this case, step C includes the following two situations:

[0177] ① The user selects one of the image acquisition modes.

[0178] When a user selects an image acquisition mode, subsequent image acquisitions will be performed using that selected image acquisition mode according to the time series dimension.

[0179] ② Users can select two or three acquisition modes.

[0180] When a user selects two or more image acquisition modes, the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony cultivation will alternately capture images using different modes. The image capture interval is only a few seconds, which can be considered as two images of microbial colony morphology taken at the same time under different light sources.

[0181] In this invention, there are two ways to implement the user's selection of two or three acquisition modes: image acquisition mode dimension and time series dimension. The following describes the image acquisition in each of the two dimensions.

[0182] 1. Image Acquisition Mode Dimension

[0183] Existing technologies often employ a single light source and a single shooting mode, which can only obtain partial information and cannot provide sufficient information to support bacterial species identification. In this invention, however, by acquiring images from a sequence of light sources using different image acquisition modes, multiple pieces of information about the bacterial colony can be comprehensively obtained, enabling more comprehensive bacterial species identification. Specifically, the information obtained from two images can complement or corroborate each other, thus obtaining a clearer and more accurate research dimension. In the implementation process, the following two scenarios exist:

[0184] (1) The main control unit is also used to alternately execute steps D1~D4, 2≤M≤N, using M different image acquisition modes in the same shooting cycle;

[0185] (2) The main control unit is also used to acquire images of microbial colonies using different image acquisition modes for the T1 and T2 shooting cycles in the T shooting cycles, where T≥10 and T1≠T2.

[0186] Figure 4 Images of Staphylococcus aureus colonies collected on Columbia blood agar plates under various light source modes at the same time point. Figure 4In the images, (A) was taken in transmitted light mode, where the hemolytic ring of Staphylococcus aureus on the Columbia blood agar plate is clearly visible, but the colony morphology is not visible. (B) and (C) were taken in integrated light mode and reflected light dark background mode, respectively. In both modes, Staphylococcus aureus on the Columbia blood agar plate appears as pale yellow, round colonies with regular edges and a moist surface, but the hemolytic ring is not clearly visible. In comparison, the colony morphology captured in the reflected light dark background mode in (C) is clearer.

[0187] pass Figure 4 It can be seen that by capturing microbial images using different image acquisition modes and comparing images captured by multiple light source modes at the same time point, colony information can be obtained from multiple angles. This includes the phenomenon of hemolytic rings and transparent circles clearly observed when transmitted light uniformly penetrates the colony to form a projection; the surface morphology of the colony is observed when reflected light shines on the colony surface, including roughness or smoothness, dryness or moisture, and the presence or absence of metallic luster; and the colony fluorescence phenomenon is observed when excited by an ultraviolet light source of appropriate wavelength.

[0188] For example, when identifying Staphylococcus aureus on blood agar plates, the blood plates are opaque. While transmitted light shows obvious hemolysis in colonies, the colony morphology is almost invisible. Surface light with a reflected light source against a dark background reveals that Staphylococcus aureus colonies are round, pale yellow, and have a smooth surface, but hemolysis is not easily observed. By combining transmitted light and reflected light with a dark background mode, the technical solution of this invention allows for simultaneous acquisition of images in both modes at the same time, providing a clearer understanding of colony growth.

[0189] For example, gentamicin culture medium is a commonly used culture medium in physical examinations for the detection of cholera in intestinal clinics. This medium is a transparent, colorless plate on which Vibrio cholerae appears as translucent, slightly grayish-blue, flat, and slightly raised colonies. When photographed with a reflected light source, the colony color can be observed against a bright field background, while a dark field background primarily shows the colonies as translucent and flat, slightly raised. Therefore, by employing the technical solution of this invention, and combining a bright background mode and a dark background mode with a reflected light source, more colony information can be obtained for species identification.

[0190] As can be seen, by using the method of the present invention, microbial colonies can be photographed at the same time point using different light source modes and different backgrounds, and multifaceted information about the growth of microbial colonies can be obtained.

[0191] 2. Time series dimension

[0192] Specifically, colony images under multiple light source modes are collected sequentially at each time point (the time interval between each light source at the same time point can be ignored), forming multiple sets of time series images based on microorganisms on a plate under different light sources.

[0193] Figure 5 These are colony images of Staphylococcus aureus grown on BP plates, collected in a time-series manner under a dark background mode with a reflected light source. (A) is the initial colony image. (B) is the colony image after 13 hours of growth. It can be seen that visible colonies begin to grow after 13 hours. (C) is the colony image after 16 hours of growth. It can be seen that the typical colony morphology is clearly visible after 16 hours: black colonies, a surrounding precipitate ring, and a transparent ring outside the precipitate ring. (D) is the colony image after 23 hours of growth. It is evident that the characteristics shown in (C) are more pronounced.

[0194] Depend on Figure 5 As can be seen, in this embodiment, by comparing time-series images under the same light source mode before and after, the changes in colony quantity and colony characteristics (colony diameter, colony growth rate, colony color, halo around the colony, etc.) are obtained to accurately distinguish impurities and colonies.

[0195] Depend on Figure 4 and Figure 5 It can be seen that by comparing and analyzing the light source pattern and time series, more comprehensive colony information can be obtained compared with existing technologies, thus achieving accurate colony identification.

[0196] Furthermore, it should be noted that this embodiment does not store simple microbial colony images, but rather integrates one or more of the following auxiliary information with the microbial colony images into traceable data with the original watermark for storage: culture medium and / or microorganisms, image acquisition mode, temperature and / or humidity, operator, and image acquisition time. This setup makes the microbial colony images more three-dimensional, avoids the loss of auxiliary information, allows researchers to analyze the obtained microbial colony images more comprehensively, and provides a full-range traceability function for research results, enhancing the rigor and reliability of microbial research.

[0197] A second aspect of this invention provides a microbial expert-assisted analysis system. As described above, through the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture as in the above embodiments, this invention can obtain colony images captured under multiple image acquisition modes at the same or different time points, and obtain information such as colony morphology, colony or core color, surface smoothness, hemolysis, metallic luster, clear zone, precipitation zone, colony growth rate, and colony emergence time for comprehensive judgment, which is used for species identification and observation.

[0198] The microbial expert-assisted analysis system of this invention includes: the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture as described above, wherein the species of microorganisms in the observed sample are unknown; the main control unit is further configured to alternately execute steps D1 to D4, where M ≥ 2, using M different image acquisition modes in the same shooting cycle; and an intelligent analysis system that uses the microbial colony image sequences obtained by the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture through different image acquisition modes for combined analysis, infers possible target microorganisms, and annotates the microbial colony images.

[0199] In this embodiment, image information obtained continuously from the same microbial plate at the same time point using different light source modes and shooting modes can be combined and analyzed. Potential target microorganisms can be identified and labeled through multi-parameter combinations, establishing an expert-assisted analysis system based on colony morphology characteristics. Furthermore, by freely combining and selecting the obtained multi-parameters, the accuracy or sensitivity of the expert-assisted system can be improved. Increasing the number of combined parameters improves accuracy, avoiding repetitive work and false positives; decreasing the number of combined parameters increases sensitivity, avoiding missed detections and false negatives. This can improve the efficiency of pathogen identification in clinical research and disease prevention and control, saving valuable time for patient treatment and epidemic control.

[0200] This concludes the description of the various embodiments of the present invention. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art should have a clear understanding of the present invention.

[0201] For certain implementation methods, if they are not key aspects of this invention and are well-known to those skilled in the art, they are not described in detail in the accompanying drawings or text due to space limitations. In such cases, they can be understood by referring to relevant prior art.

[0202] This invention can be implemented using hardware comprising several different components and a suitably programmed computer. Various component embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware, or as software modules running on one or more processors, or a combination thereof. The physical implementation of the hardware structure includes, but is not limited to, physical devices, including, but not limited to, transistors, memristors, DNA computers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or digital signal processors (DSPs). Furthermore, this invention is not directed to any particular programming language. It should be understood that the contents of this invention can be implemented using various programming languages; the description of specific languages ​​herein is for the purpose of disclosing the best mode of implementation of the invention.

[0203] Those skilled in the art will understand that in the claims and specification of this invention, the word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements (or steps) not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element (or step) does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements (or steps).

[0204] Furthermore, the above embodiments are provided only to enable the invention to meet legal requirements, and the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0205] Similarly, it should be understood that, for the sake of brevity, in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this method of invention should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the claims, the various inventive aspects consist of fewer than all the features of the preceding single embodiment. Furthermore, embodiments may be used in combination with each other or with other embodiments based on design and reliability considerations; that is, technical features from different embodiments can be freely combined to form more embodiments. Therefore, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into that detailed description, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the invention.

[0206] The above specific embodiments have provided a detailed description of the purpose, technical means, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the purpose of the detailed description is to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, and it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart image acquisition system for microbial colony culture, characterized in that, include: A platform for carrying culture containers containing observation samples; An image acquisition device, the lens of which is aimed at the observed sample on the first side of the platform; A transmitted light source is positioned on the second side of the platform away from the image acquisition device. The ring light source includes: a ring base disposed between the observed sample and the image acquisition device, the inner diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the culture container; and a reflective light unit and an ultraviolet light unit disposed at intervals on the ring base, the number of both of which is more than 3, wherein multiple reflective light units form a reflective light source and multiple ultraviolet light units form an ultraviolet light source. A light valve is positioned between the observed sample and the transmitted light source, which can controllably allow or block light rays from the transmitted light source directed toward the observed sample. The control device, whose signal output terminal is connected to the transmitted light source, the light valve, the reflected light source, the ultraviolet light source and the image acquisition device, is used to control the opening and closing of the transmitted light source, the reflected light source, the ultraviolet light source and the light valve, and to control the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies. The control device includes: The first storage unit is used to store N image acquisition modes for acquiring microbial colony images, where N≥2. Each image acquisition mode includes: a light source mode; a shooting mode, wherein the shooting mode further includes one or more of the following: camera mode, white balance setting, acquisition frequency, and acquisition duration. The first storage unit is also used to store a mapping relationship database. For the mapping relationship in the mapping relationship database, the optional items are one or more of the following: culture medium, microorganism, observation purpose, and the dependent variable is: image acquisition mode. The main control unit is used to execute the following control logic: Step A: Receive one or more optional microbial colony cultures; Step B: Search the image acquisition mode corresponding to the received self-selection in the mapping relationship database and recommend the image acquisition mode to the user. Step C: Receive the user's selection of the image acquisition mode; Step D1: Read the image acquisition mode from the first storage unit; Step D2: Control the opening and closing of the transmitted light source, light valve, reflected light source, and ultraviolet light source according to the light source mode in the image acquisition mode; set the parameters of the image acquisition unit according to the shooting mode in the image acquisition mode. Step D3: Control the image acquisition device to acquire images of microbial colonies; Step D4: Store the microbial colony image in the second storage unit; In step D4, one or more of the following auxiliary information are integrated with the microbial colony image to store traceable data with the original watermark: culture medium and / or microorganisms, image acquisition mode, temperature and / or humidity, operator, and image acquisition time.

2. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical valve is a liquid crystal optical valve; And / or, the culture container is: a petri dish; And / or, the culture container is inverted, the transmission light source and the light valve are positioned above the culture container, and the ring light source and the image acquisition device are positioned below the culture container; And / or, the transmitted light source is a flat panel light source, the light valve is a liquid crystal light valve, and the horizontal extension range of the liquid crystal light valve is greater than the horizontal extension range of the flat panel light source; And / or, in the ring light source, both the reflected light unit and the ultraviolet light unit are LED units; the number of both the reflected light unit and the ultraviolet light unit is greater than 10; And / or, in the ring light source, the reflected light unit is a white LED unit, and the reflected light source is a white light source; And / or, the control device is based on a microcontroller design; And / or, also includes: a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor, the sensing contacts of which extend into the chamber where the culture dish is located; And / or, the main control unit is also used to alternately execute steps D1~D4, 2≤M≤N, using M different image acquisition modes in the same shooting cycle; And / or, the main control unit is also used to acquire images of microbial colonies using different image acquisition modes for the T1 and T2 shooting cycles in the T shooting cycles, where T≥10 and T1≠T2; And / or, the first storage unit and the main control unit are non-removably integrated on the same board, and the second storage unit is detachably installed on the board; or, the first storage unit and the second storage unit are different partitions of the same memory.

3. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the control logic executed by the main control unit: (1) The recommended image acquisition mode is one Step C includes: receiving the user's confirmation of the image acquisition mode; or, receiving the user's modification of the image acquisition mode; or, receiving the user's rejection of the image acquisition mode and providing the user with the option of a custom image acquisition mode. (2) Multiple image acquisition modes are recommended. Step B also includes: prompting the user with information about the characteristics of the microbial colony images that can be obtained by each image acquisition mode; Step C includes: receiving the user's selection of one of the multiple image acquisition modes; or, receiving the user's selection of alternating shooting using two or more of the multiple image acquisition modes.

4. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the image acquisition mode, the light source mode can be selected from the following light source modes: ① Transmission light source mode: The transmission light source is turned on, the light valve is opened, and the light emitted by the transmission light source passes through the light valve and shines on the observed sample, presenting a bright background of the observed sample; the reflection light source and the ultraviolet light source are turned off; ② Dark background mode with reflected light source: The transmitted light source is turned on, the light valve is closed, presenting a dark background for the observed sample; the ultraviolet light source is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on; ③ Bright background mode with reflected light source: The transmitted light source is turned on and the light valve is opened, presenting a bright background to the observed sample; The ultraviolet light source is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on. ④ Integrated light source mode: the transmitted light source is turned on, the light valve is turned off; the reflected light source is turned on; the ultraviolet light source is turned off; ⑤ In the first ultraviolet light mode, the transmitted light source is turned off, the light valve is closed, and a black background is presented for the observed sample; the reflected light source is turned off, and the ultraviolet light source is turned on; ⑥ Second ultraviolet light mode: the transmitted light source is turned off, the light valve is closed, and a black background is presented for the observed sample; the reflected light source and the ultraviolet light source are turned on.

5. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 4, characterized in that, (1) The optional option is: observation purpose, and the mapping relationship includes at least one of the following; 1.1 The purpose of observation was to observe the surface morphology of colonies. The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following light source modes: dark background mode with reflected light source or bright background mode with reflected light source; 1.2 The observation objective is to determine the density of the population. The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following light source mode: transmission light source mode; (2) The optional option is: microorganisms, and the mapping relationship includes at least one of the following; 2.1 The microorganism is Escherichia coli. The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 24 hours; 2.2 The microorganism is a group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 48 hours; 2.3 The microorganism is Staphylococcus aureus; The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: acquisition frequency of 30 minutes per image, acquisition duration of 48 hours; 2.4 The microorganism is Aspergillus niger; The corresponding dependent variable is the image acquisition mode using the following shooting mode: continuous image acquisition with transmitted light source and reflected light source, with an interval of 5 seconds, two images as a group, an acquisition frequency of 2 hours per group, and an acquisition duration of 120 hours.

6. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 4, characterized in that, The optional options in the mapping relationship are: microorganisms and culture media; (1) The culture medium is EMB, and the microorganism is Escherichia coli; The corresponding dependent variable image acquisition modes include: reflected light source dark background mode, camera mode between 8 and 12, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20; the acquisition frequency is 30 minutes per image, and the acquisition duration is 24 hours. (2) The culture medium was Columbia blood agar plates, and the microorganism was beta-hemolytic streptococcus. The corresponding dependent variable image acquisition modes include the following two: ① Transmitted light source mode, camera mode is between 8-10, red light white balance is between 35-45, blue light white balance is between 15-20; ②Reflected light source dark background mode, camera mode between 10-12, red light white balance between 35-45, blue light white balance between 15-20; ③Integrated light source mode, camera mode is between 8-10, red light white balance is between 35-45, and blue light white balance is between 15-20; In the three image acquisition modes mentioned above, the acquisition frequency is 30 minutes per image, and the acquisition duration is 48 hours.

7. The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture according to claim 4, characterized in that, The optional options in the mapping relationship are: culture medium, microorganism, and observation purpose; (1) The culture medium is BP, and the microorganism is Staphylococcus aureus. 1.1 The purpose of observation is to observe: transparent rings and / or precipitated rings. The image acquisition modes corresponding to the above self-selection options are: transmitted light source mode, camera mode between 8 and 10, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20. 1.2 The purpose of observation is to observe the characteristics of a black-hearted individual; The image acquisition modes corresponding to the above self-selection options are: bright background mode with reflected light source, camera mode between 8 and 10, red light white balance between 35 and 45, and blue light white balance between 15 and 20. The two types of images mentioned above are grouped together, with a collection frequency of 30 minutes per group and a collection duration of 48 hours; (2) The culture medium was Bengal Red agar, and the microorganism was Aspergillus niger; 2.1 The purpose of the observation was to count bacterial colonies. The image acquisition modes corresponding to the dependent variables of the above self-selection options are: ① Transmitted light source mode, camera mode between 8-10, red light white balance between 35-45, and blue light white balance between 15-20. 2.2 The observation objectives are: colony size, color, and hyphal distribution. The above optional parameters correspond to two image acquisition modes for the dependent variable: ① Dark background mode with reflected light source: camera mode between 10-12, red light white balance between 35-45, blue light white balance between 15-20; ②Integrated light source mode, camera mode is between 8-12, red light white balance is between 35-45, and blue light white balance is between 15-20; 2.3 The observation objective is to observe fluorescence phenomena. The image acquisition mode corresponding to the dependent variable of the above self-selection is: ④ Ultraviolet light source mode, camera mode between 13-15, red light white balance between 35-45, and blue light white balance between 15-20; The above four types of images are grouped together, with a collection frequency of 2 hours per group and a collection duration of 120 hours.

8. A microbial expert-assisted analysis system, characterized in that, include: The intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main control unit is further configured to alternately execute steps D1 to D4 in the same shooting cycle using M different image acquisition modes, where M ≥ 2; The intelligent analysis system utilizes the microbial colony image sequence obtained by the intelligent image acquisition system for microbial colony culture through different image acquisition modes for combined analysis and annotation of the microbial colony images; The species of microorganisms in the observed samples are unknown; the intelligent analysis system infers possible target microorganisms by combining and analyzing microbial colony image sequences.

Images