Dual camera switching device, switching method, and microscope system

Abstract

A dual camera switching device, a switching method, and a microscope system (1000). The switching device includes a mounting plate (100), a camera module, a mobile module, and a light path switching module, the camera module including a color camera (210) and a monochrome camera (220) disposed on the mounting plate (100), the mobile module including a mobile platform (310) and a drive mechanism (320) configured to drive the mobile platform (310), the light path switching module being disposed on the mobile platform (310), the drive mechanism (320) driving the mobile platform (310) to move to a first position or a second position, and a light reflecting portion of the light path switching module configured to reflect input light to the color camera (210) at the first position and to reflect input light to the monochrome camera (220) at the second position. The microscope (1100) has the capability of both high-quality bright-field and fluorescence imaging, and the dual camera switching has a controllable speed, is stable and smooth, thus ensuring that the optical imaging is always clear.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to a microscope imaging system, and in particular to a dual camera switching device, a switching method and a microscope system. [Background technology]

[0002] Microscopic imaging techniques have broad and important applications in industry and the life sciences. The majority of microscopes used in life science research require either bright-field or fluorescence imaging. Bright-field imaging is an important tool for visualization research, while fluorescence imaging is an important tool for observing the distribution of specific molecules and performing real-time dynamic imaging on living cells or tissues.

[0003] In the prior art, good fluorescence imaging can be achieved with a monochrome camera, but color bright-field imaging cannot be achieved simultaneously. Alternatively, a color camera is used to obtain high-quality color bright-field imaging, but the fluorescence imaging function is sacrificed, resulting in reduced signal reception efficiency and poor performance of fluorescence imaging. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a dual camera switching device, a switching method and a microscope system that can reliably switch between two different cameras to meet different imaging requirements of a microscope. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted by the present invention are as follows:

[0006] A dual camera switching device for a microscope comprising a mounting plate, a camera module, a moving module, and an optical path switching module, wherein the camera module comprises a first camera and a second camera arranged on the mounting plate, the first camera and the second camera being of different types.

[0007] A movement module is disposed on the mounting plate, the movement module including a movement platform and a drive mechanism configured to drive the movement platform.

[0008] The optical path switching module is disposed on the moving platform, and the optical path switching module includes an optical reflector.

[0009] The drive mechanism is configured to drive the moving platform to move to a first position or a second position, and the light reflecting portion of the light path switching module is configured to reflect the input light to the first camera at the first position and to reflect the input light to the second camera at the second position.

[0010] Furthermore, the optical reflecting section of the optical path switching module includes a first optical reflector and a second optical reflector.

[0011] The drive mechanism is configured to drive and move the moving platform such that the first and second optical reflectors are driven to slide relative to the mounting plate.

[0012] The first optical reflector is configured to reflect input light from a first position to a first camera, and the second optical reflector is configured to reflect input light from a second position to a second camera.

[0013] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, a reflective surface of the first optical reflector at a predetermined angle relative to a reflective surface of the second optical reflector, a lens of the first camera at a predetermined angle relative to a lens of the second camera, the first camera and the second camera being fixed relative to a mounting plate; and / or A first optical reflector and a second optical reflector are arranged side by side, a first camera and a second camera are arranged side by side, the first optical reflector and the first camera are arranged opposite to each other and driven in synchronization, and the second optical reflector and the second camera are arranged opposite to each other and driven in synchronization.

[0014] Furthermore, based on a combination of any two or more of the above-mentioned technical solutions, the drive mechanism is connected to the moving platform via a connecting member, and the extension length of the connecting member on the surface of the moving platform is greater than 1 / 3 or 1 / 2 of the width of the moving platform.

[0015] Furthermore, based on a combination of any two or more of the above technical solutions, the drive mechanism includes a motor and a drive controller, and the switching device further includes a position detection device electrically connected to the drive controller, the position detection device being configured to detect a signal indicating that the moving platform has been slid to a position close to the first position or the second position, and to transmit the detected signal to the drive controller.

[0016] The drive controller controls the motor based on the signal detected by the position detection device, which causes the motor to drive the moving platform to reach the initialization position.

[0017] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, The drive mechanism includes a motor and a drive controller; the motor is a stepper motor or a servo motor, and the drive controller is configured to send variable frequency pulses to the motor, and when the moving platform approaches within a predetermined range of the first position or the second position, the frequency of the pulses sent to the motor by the drive controller is reduced; or The motor is a DC motor, and the switching device further includes two sensors respectively proximate to the first position and the second position, configured to detect signals from the moving platform sliding proximate to the first position or the second position and transmit the detected signals to the drive controller, and the drive controller triggers the DC motor to decelerate when the moving platform approaches the first position or the second position based on the signals detected by the sensors.

[0018] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, the light reflecting part of the optical path switching module includes an optical reflector.

[0019] The drive mechanism is configured to drive the moving platform to rotate about the fixed axis such that the optical reflector is driven to rotate relative to the mounting plate.

[0020] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, each optical reflector is installed on a moving platform via three or more adjustment units, and the adjustment units cooperate with each other to enable the optical reflector to have up to six degrees of freedom for adjustment relative to the input light, so that the light reflected to the corresponding camera is parallel to the optical axis of the lens.

[0021] Furthermore, based on a combination of any of multiple technical solutions described above, the mounting plate further includes a support platform, the support platform has a certain height relative to the surface of other areas of the mounting plate, the moving platform is disposed on the support platform, and the light reflecting part of the optical path switching module is suspended on the side of the support platform closer to the camera module.

[0022] Furthermore, based on a combination of any two or more of the technical solutions described above, the mounting plate is further provided with a first positioning member located at a first position and a second positioning member located at a second position, and the moving platform is restricted to move between the first positioning member and the second positioning member.

[0023] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, the first positioning member includes a first positioning block and a first bolt arranged on the first positioning block, and the second positioning member includes a second positioning block and a second bolt arranged on the second positioning block, where end faces of the first bolt and the second bolt are arranged opposite each other, and the end face of the first bolt defines a first position, and the end face of the second bolt defines a second position.

[0024] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of a plurality of technical solutions, the mounting plate is provided with a light passing hole in an area corresponding to the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module.

[0025] The reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions all face the light passing holes.

[0026] Furthermore, based on any one of the above technical solutions or a combination of multiple technical solutions, the first camera is a color camera and the second camera is a monochrome camera.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope system comprising a microscope and the dual camera switching device described above.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching method based on the dual camera switching device described above, comprising: determining one of the first camera or the second camera as a target imaging camera; driving the moving platform to a first position or a second position according to the determined target imaging camera; adjusting an adjustment on an optical reflector of the device until light reflected by the optical reflector to the target imaging camera is parallel to the optical axis of the lens of the target imaging camera; Includes.

[0029] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a computer program having executable program code, which, when run on a processor, performs the above-mentioned method.

[0030] The beneficial effects brought about by the technical solution provided by the present invention are as follows: a. Dual camera automatic switching provides high quality brightfield and fluorescence imaging capabilities; b. The moving platform slows down as it moves to the nearest endpoint, smoothing the switching process and ensuring consistently sharp optical imaging.

[0031] In order to more clearly show the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the conventional technical solutions, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technical solutions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present application. Those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without requiring creative work. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dual camera switching device for a microscope at a first viewing angle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dual camera switching device for a microscope at a second viewing angle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of the optical path when the dual camera switching device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is in a first position. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram of the optical path when the dual camera switching device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is in a second position. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a first camera and a second camera arranged side by side in a dual camera switching device for a microscope provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of a switching light path of a dual camera switching device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a dual camera switching device including an optical reflector for a microscope provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of an adjustment portion provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram of a switching method process for a dual camera switching device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for carrying out the method described in one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Here, the illustrated reference numerals include: 100—mounting plate, 110—support platform, 112—linear sliding rail, 210—first camera, 220—second camera, 310—moving platform, 320—drive mechanism, 330—screw rod, 340—nut, 350—connecting member, 41—first optical reflector, 412—first mounting portion, 414—first optical reflector mirror, 42—second optical reflector, 422—second mounting portion, 424—second optical reflector mirror, 43—optical reflector, 510—adjustment portion, 511—adjustment bolt, 512—spring, 520—first positioning piece, 530—second positioning piece, 600—position detection device, 1000—system, 1100—microscope, 1200—computer system.

[0034] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below together with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without any creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that terms such as "first," "second," and the like in the present specification and claims, as well as in the above-described drawings, are used to distinguish between similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or sequence. It should be understood that terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, such that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be practiced in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprise" and "have," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, apparatus, product, or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to the explicitly recited steps or units and may include other steps or units not explicitly recited or inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, one embodiment of the present invention provides a dual camera switching device for a microscope, comprising a mounting plate 100, a camera module, a moving module, and an optical path switching module, wherein the moving module is arranged on the mounting plate 100, and the camera module includes a first camera 210 and a second camera 220 arranged on the mounting plate 100, and the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are different types of cameras, and in this embodiment, as an example, the first camera 210 is a color camera and the second camera 220 is a monochrome camera. The moving module includes a moving platform 310 and a drive mechanism 320 configured to drive the moving platform 310, the optical path switching module is disposed on the moving platform 310, the optical path switching module includes a light reflecting portion, the reflective surface of the light reflecting portion faces the incident direction of incident light, the drive mechanism 320 is configured to drive the moving platform 310 to move to a first position or a second position, the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module is configured to reflect the input light to the lens of the first camera 210 at the first position, and is configured to reflect the input light to the lens of the second camera 220 at the second position. A light passing hole is provided in the mounting plate 100 in an area facing the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module, and in the orientation state shown in FIG. 1 , incident light is irradiated upward from below the mounting plate 100 through the light passing hole.

[0037] In this embodiment, the mounting plate 100 further includes a support platform 110, which is arranged on the mounting plate 100 by a plurality of support pillars, support blocks or other means, thereby having a specific height relative to the surface of other areas of the mounting plate 100, the moving platform 310 is arranged on the support platform 110, and the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module is suspended on the side of the support platform 110 closer to the camera module, and the height of the light reflecting portion is approximately the same as the height of the lenses of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220.

[0038] The light reflecting section of the light path switching module in this embodiment includes a first light reflector 41 and a second light reflector 42, and the light path switching module is configured to align the first light reflector 41 with the first camera 210 and the second light reflector 42 with the second camera 220, specifically, to align the optical axis of the first light reflector 41 with the optical axis of the first camera 210 at the first position and to align the optical axis of the second light reflector 42 with the optical axis of the second camera 220 at the second position. The optical axis of the first light reflector 41 is defined as the central axis of the light beam reflected by the first light reflector 41, and the optical axis of the first camera 210 is defined as the normal (orthogonal axis) within the detection (imaging) area of ​​the first camera 210. The optical axis of the second optical reflector 42 is defined as the central axis of the light beam reflected by the second optical reflector 42, and the optical axis of the second camera 220 is defined as the normal (orthogonal axis) within the detection (imaging) area of ​​the second camera 220.

[0039] 1, the first light reflector 41 and the second light reflector 42 are in an inverted V-shape, i.e., the reflective surface of the first light reflector 41 and the reflective surface of the second light reflector 42 form a predetermined angle. Similarly, the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are V-shaped, the lens of the first camera 210 and the lens of the second camera 220 form a predetermined angle, and the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are fixed relatively to the mounting plate 100. The driving mechanism 320 is configured to drive and move the moving platform 310, and a specific embodiment is as follows: The drive mechanism 320 is connected to the moving platform 310 via a connecting member 350. The drive mechanism 320 can be a motor, a cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. The drive mechanism 320 rotates the screw rod 330 connected to the drive mechanism 320. The nut 340 is sleeve-connected to the screw rod 330. One end of the connecting member 350 is fixedly connected to the nut 340, and the other end extends radially outward from the nut 340. The screw rod 330 / nut 340 converts rotational motion into linear motion. The nut 340 transmits force to the moving platform 310 via the connecting member 350, which causes the moving platform 310 to drive the first optical reflector 41 and the second optical reflector 42 to reciprocate between the first positioning member 520 and the second positioning member 530. The extension length of the connecting member 350 on the surface of the moving platform 310 is greater than 1 / 3 or 1 / 2 of the width of the moving platform 310, so as to improve the reliability and service life of the connection formed between the connecting member 350 and the moving platform 310 and make the movement of the moving platform 310 more stable.

[0040] Specifically, the linear slide rail 112, which slides in cooperation with the moving platform 310, is fixedly installed on the support platform 110, and the extension direction of the linear slide rail 112 is approximately perpendicular to the center line direction of the angle between the first camera 210 and the second camera 220. The first light reflector 41 and the second light reflector 42 are fixed to the moving platform 310 at one end away from the reflective surface. A specific embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The first light reflector 41 includes a first mounting portion 412 and a first light reflector mirror 414. The second light reflector 42 includes a second mounting portion 422 and a second light reflector mirror 424. The first mounting portion 412 and the second mounting portion 422 are disposed on the moving platform 310. The first light reflector mirror 414 and the second light reflector mirror 424 are suspended on a side of the support platform 110 close to the camera module. When driven by the driving mechanism 320, the connecting member 350 drives the moving platform 310 to move to a first position such that the reflective surface of the first light reflector 41 faces the lens of the first camera 210. Referring to FIG. 3 , at this time, the first light reflector 41 reflects input light to the lens of the first camera 210 to perform bright-field imaging. When driven by the driving mechanism 320, the connecting member 350 drives the moving platform 310 to move to a second position such that the reflective surface of the second light reflector 42 faces the lens of the second camera 220. Referring to FIG. 4 , at this time, the second light reflector 42 reflects input light to the lens of the second camera 220 to perform fluorescent imaging. One of the first light reflector 41 and the second light reflector 42 can be accurately switched to the working position to accurately reflect light emitted from the upper optical path so that it can be received by the corresponding camera. The reflectors are switched again, and the other reflector is switched to the working position, so that the light emitted from the upper optical path can be accurately reflected so that it can be received by the corresponding camera. The process can be repeated to achieve the required bright-field or fluorescent imaging function at any time. The present invention is not limited to the following settings in this embodiment. The first camera 210 is a color camera, and the second camera 220 is a monochrome camera.When bright-field imaging is required, the first optical reflector 41 is switched to reflect incident light to the first camera 210 for bright-field imaging. When fluorescent imaging is required, the second optical reflector 42 is switched to reflect incident light to the second camera 220 for fluorescent imaging. The switching process is automatically implemented through instructions pre-stored or set in the control system. For example, switching instructions are pre-stored in the host computer, and the dual-camera switching device can switch to the required imaging function by calling the instructions. In addition to the above-mentioned camera setting embodiments, the first camera 210 can be set as an infrared camera and the second camera 220 can be set as a non-infrared camera based on light wave classification. The present invention does not limit the specific classification type of the different camera categories. In addition, as long as the objective of moving the mobile platform 310 between a first position and a second position can be achieved, the present invention is not limited to the mobile platform 310 performing linear reciprocating motion along the linear guide rail 112; an arc motion mode can also be set.

[0041] 1 , the first position is defined as the position reached by the left end of the moving platform 310 when the first optical reflector 41 is positioned relative to the first camera 210, and the second position is defined as the position reached by the right end of the moving platform 310 when the second optical reflector 42 is positioned relative to the second camera 220. The mounting plate 100 also includes a first positioning member 520 positioned at the first position and a second positioning member 530 positioned at the second position, the first positioning member 520 including a first positioning block and a first bolt positioned on the first positioning block, and the second positioning member 530 including a second positioning block and a second bolt positioned on the second positioning block. End faces of the first bolt and the second bolt are positioned opposite each other, with the end face of the first bolt defining the first position and the end face of the second bolt defining the second position. The moving platform 310 is constrained to move between the right end face of the first bolt and the left end face of the second bolt.

[0042] The first and second bolts are used to fix the first and second positions of the product during function debugging and before shipping. After the first and second positions are determined, the first and second bolts are secured with adhesive or anti-loosening nuts to prevent loosening. The process for fixing the first and second positions is as follows: Taking the drive mechanism 320 as a stepper motor or servo motor, the motor drive controller is configured to send variable frequency pulses to the motor. The distance between the first and second positions is converted into an equivalent number of pulses to trigger the motor in advance according to the product design parameters of the switching device. For example, for the design parameters, if the distance between the first position and the second position is equal to 5 cm and the stepping distance of the motor is 10 μm, the number of pulses is predetermined to be 5000, then the first position is determined, then the right end face of the first bolt is adjusted to the first position, then the motor is controlled to operate until the left side of the moving platform 310 hits the right end face of the first bolt, then a predetermined number of pulses are sent to the motor, and after the motor driving process is completed, the left end face of the second bolt is adjusted to a position that hits the right end of the moving platform 310 at that time. Before performing the loosening prevention operation, for example, 10 to 50 or more pulses are sent to ensure that the right end of the current moving platform 310 is abutting against the left end face of the second bolt, and then a predetermined number of pulses are sent to the motor to determine whether there is a short collision sound between the moving platform 310 and the first bolt at the end of the driving process, and the motor is driven to rotate in the opposite direction to test whether the imaging functions of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 can be realized at the current first position and second position. If both tests are passed, the loosening prevention operation can be performed on the first bolt and the second bolt.

[0043] 5, in another embodiment of the present invention, unlike the above embodiment in which the reflective surfaces of the first light reflector 41 and the second light reflector 42 are arranged at a predetermined angle, and in addition, unlike the above embodiment in which the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are fixed to the mounting plate 100, the first light reflector 41 and the second light reflector 42 are arranged side by side, and accordingly, the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are also arranged side by side. In this embodiment, the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are fixedly mounted on a moving platform 310, the first light reflector 41 is arranged opposite the first camera 210 and is driven synchronously by a driving mechanism 320, and the second light reflector 42 is arranged opposite the second camera 220 and is driven synchronously by the driving mechanism 320. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a switching light path of a dual camera switching device. During the photographing process, the driving mechanism 320 drives the first light reflector 41 to move synchronously with the first camera 210 until the moving platform 310 reaches a first position, and the first light reflector 41 reflects the incident light beam to the first camera 210 for photographing; when the second camera 220 needs to be used for photographing, the driving mechanism 320 synchronously drives the second light reflector 42 to move together with the second camera 220 until the moving platform 310 reaches a second position, and the second light reflector 42 reflects the incident light to the second camera 220 for photographing.

[0044] 7 , unlike the above-described embodiment in which the light reflecting unit of the light path switching module includes two light reflecting units, in another embodiment of the present invention, the light reflecting unit of the light path switching module includes a light reflector 43, and the driving mechanism 320 is configured to drive the moving platform 310 to rotate about a fixed axis and drive the light reflector 43 to rotate relative to the mounting plate 100. When bright-field imaging is required, the driving mechanism 320 drives the moving platform 310 to rotate to a first position. At this point, the light reflector 43 reflects the incident light to the first camera 210 and switches to color camera bright-field imaging. When fluorescence imaging is required, the driving mechanism 320 drives the moving platform 310 to rotate to a second position. At this time, the light reflector 43 reflects the incident light to the second camera 220 and switches to black-and-white camera fluorescence imaging.

[0045] In another embodiment of the present invention, the drive mechanism 320 includes a motor and a drive controller, and the switching device further includes a position detection device 600 (such as a Hall sensor) electrically connected to the drive controller. The number of moving platforms 310 may be one, and the moving platform 310 is configured to detect a signal indicating that the moving platform 310 is sliding toward the first position or the second position and transmit the detected signal to the drive controller. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the position detection device 600 is disposed in an area close to the first position. The drive controller controls the motor based on the signal detected by the position detection device 600, so that the motor drives the moving platform 310 to reach the initialization position. The specific process is as follows.

[0046] When the system is activated, the current position of the mobile platform 310 is unknown, so for example, the mobile platform 310 may deviate from the preset starting position during the transportation process after the last shutdown. Therefore, each time the system is started, the position detection device 600 is used to detect whether there is a signal from the mobile platform 310. If there is no signal, the drive controller controls the motor to drive the mobile platform 310 to move to the first position until the position detection device 600 detects a signal from the mobile platform 310, and then controls the motor to continue driving the mobile platform 310 to move the preset distance to the first position. For example, when the position detection device 600 is at a distance of 0.5 cm from the first position in the direction of movement of the moving platform 310 and the stepping distance of the motor is 10 μm, the number of continuing steps is set to 500 in advance, or the redundant number of continuing steps is set to 530, to ensure that the initialized moving platform 310 is pressed to the first position defined by the right end face of the first bolt, and especially in the event of a power outage or other failure, when the moving platform 310 is turned on again, it can be located at any position between the first position and the second position, and therefore the setting of the position detection device 600 is extremely important to set the number of continuing steps to the left in the initialization setting.

[0047] In this embodiment, when the moving platform 310 approaches a predetermined range from the first or second position, the drive controller reduces the frequency of the pulses sent to the motor, causing the moving platform 310 to decelerate when reaching one of the two working positions and reducing the impact force and mechanical noise when reaching the end point. Taking the above-mentioned predetermined number of pulses, 5,000, as an example, the frequency of the first 4,900 pulses is set to 50 Hz, and the frequency of the last 100 pulses is set to 20 Hz. This allows the speed of the dual camera switching process to be controlled, ensuring smooth and reliable arrival at the end point. This embodiment can be applied to any of the structures of the light reflecting section of the optical path switching module described above.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the switching device having first positioning member 520 and second positioning member 530. For example, if a servo motor is used with an absolute encoder, the drive controller always knows the current position of moving platform 310, so there is no need to use a positioning member to initialize positioning or to prevent moving platform 310 from going beyond the end point, and therefore setting of the positioning member can be omitted.

[0049] In another embodiment of the present invention, unlike the stepping motor or servo motor used in the above embodiments, the motor used in this embodiment is a DC motor, and the camera switching device further includes two sensors, specifically a proximity sensor or a reflective slot photoelectric sensor, located near the first position and the second position, respectively, configured to detect signals from the moving platform 310 sliding near the first position or the second position and send the detected signals to a drive controller, and the drive controller triggers the DC motor to decelerate when the moving platform 310 approaches the first position or the second position based on the signals detected by the sensors. This embodiment is applicable to any of the structures of the optical reflector of the optical path switching module described above.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, an optical path calibration function is added. Referring to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, each optical reflector is attached to the moving platform 310 via three or more adjustment units 510. Specifically, the adjustment units 510 are disposed on the first mounting unit 412 of the first optical reflector 41 and the second mounting unit 422 of the second optical reflector 42. The adjustment units 510 cooperate with each other to allow the optical reflector to be adjusted with up to six degrees of freedom relative to the input light, thereby ensuring that the light reflected to the corresponding camera is coaxial with the light receiving port of the camera lens. The best shooting effect can be achieved when the light reflected to the corresponding camera is coaxial with the camera. For example, the orientation calibration method of the optical reflector can be determined according to the inclination of the light reflected to the camera relative to the optical axis of the camera lens. For example, there are three adjustment units 510, located at points A, B, and C, respectively. If the orientation calibration program aims to lower the height of point A and raise the height of point B, the adjustment portion 510 of point A is adjusted upward and the adjustment portion 510 of point B is adjusted downward.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 8 , a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the adjustment unit 510 provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown, where each adjustment unit 510 includes an adjustment bolt 511 and a spring 512. By installing three adjustment units 510 on the optical reflector, the optical reflector can be moved in the x-, y-, and z-axis directions and rotated about the x-, y-, and z-axes, i.e., orientation adjustment within six degrees of freedom can be achieved, enabling calibration of the optical path so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is parallel to or even coincident with the optical axis of the corresponding camera lens. The present invention does not limit the specific structure of the adjustment unit 510. For example, in addition to the structure of this embodiment, the adjustment units 510 may be screw assemblies arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The optical path calibration device described in this embodiment is applicable to any of the above embodiments.

[0052] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a microscope that includes a dual camera switching device that can achieve brightfield and fluorescence imaging in a single microscope in a low-cost and stable manner.

[0053] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a switching method for a dual camera switching device. Referring to Figure 9, Figure 9 shows a flowchart of a switching method for a dual camera switching device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which includes the following steps:

[0054] For example, one of the first camera and the second camera is determined as the target imaging camera by inputting an instruction to the computer system via an input device to designate the first camera or the second camera as the target imaging camera.

[0055] If the first camera is a target imaging camera, the moving platform of the device is driven to a first position, where the light reflector can reflect the input light into the field of view of the lens of the first camera.

[0056] If the second camera is a target imaging camera, the moving platform of the device is driven to a second position, where the light reflector can reflect the input light into the field of view of the lens of the second camera.

[0057] An adjustment on the light reflector corresponding to the target-imaging camera is adjusted until the light reflected by the light reflector to the target-imaging camera is parallel to the optical axis of the lens of the target-imaging camera.

[0058] The target imaging camera is triggered to capture an image.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a computer program product having executable program code which, when executed on a computing device such as a processor, performs the above-described method for switching a dual camera switching device.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is used to store program instructions and the processor is configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions being executed to perform the steps performed in the above embodiments.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium for storing program instructions, the program instructions being configured to be invoked to perform the steps performed in the above embodiments.

[0062] Some embodiments relate to a microscope including a switching method applied to a dual camera switching device. Optionally, the microscope may be part of or connected to a system that performs the method of FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of a system 1000 configured to perform the method described herein. The system 1000 includes a microscope 1100 and a computer system 1200. The microscope 1100 is configured to capture images and is connected to the computer system 1200. The computer system 1200 is configured to perform at least a portion of the method described herein. The computer system 1200 and the microscope 1100 may be separate entities or may be integrated into a common housing. The computer system 1200 may be part of the central processing system of the microscope 1100 and / or part of a subcomponent of the microscope 1100, such as a sensor, actuator, camera, or lighting unit of the microscope 1100.

[0063] Computer system 1200 may be a local computing device (e.g., a personal computer, laptop, tablet computer, or mobile phone) having one or more processors and one or more storage devices, or may be a distributed computing system (e.g., having one or more processors and one or more storage devices distributed at various locations, such as a local client and / or one or more remote server sites and / or data centers). Computer system 1200 may include any circuit or combination of circuits. In one embodiment, computer system 1200 may include one or more processors of any type. As used herein, a processor may refer to any type of computing circuit, such as, but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a multi-core processor, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) such as in a microscope or microscope component (e.g., a camera), or any other type of processor or processing circuit. Other types of circuits that may be included in computer system 1200 may be custom circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. For example, one or more circuits (e.g., communications circuits) are used in wireless devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, two-way radios, and similar electronic systems. Computer system 1200 may include one or more storage devices, which may include one or more storage elements suitable for a particular application, such as main memory in the form of random access memory (RAM), one or more hard disk drives, and / or one or more drives for handling removable media, such as compact discs (CDs), flash memory cards, or digital video discs (DVDs).Computer system 1200 may further include a display device, one or more speakers, a keyboard and / or a controller, which may include a mouse, a trackball, a touch screen, a voice recognition device, or any other device that allows a system user to input information to or receive information from computer system 1200.

[0064] Some or all of the steps of the method may be performed by (or using) a hardware device (e.g., a processor, microprocessor, programmable computer, or electronic circuitry). In some embodiments, such a device may also perform one or more of the most important steps of the method.

[0065] Regarding specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in hardware or software. The embodiments may be implemented using a non-transitory storage medium (e.g., a digital storage medium such as a floppy disk, DVD, Blu-ray, CD, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or FLASH) on which electronically readable control signals are stored. These electronically readable control signals cooperate (or can cooperate) with a programmable computer system such that the corresponding methods are implemented. Thus, the digital storage medium may be computer-readable.

[0066] Some embodiments of the present invention include a data carrier having electronically readable control signals that can cooperate with a programmable computer system to implement one of the methods described in the present invention.

[0067] Generally, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a computer program product having program code. When the computer program product is run on a computer, the program code can be executed to perform one of the methods. The program code can be stored, for example, on a machine-readable carrier.

[0068] Other embodiments comprise the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein, stored on a machine readable carrier.

[0069] In other words, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is, therefore, a computer program having a program code for performing one of the methods described herein, when the computer program runs on a computer.

[0070] Therefore, a further embodiment of the present invention is a storage medium (or data carrier or computer-readable medium) storing a computer program, which is used to perform one of the methods described herein when the computer program is executed by a processor. The data carrier, digital storage medium or recording medium is typically tangible and / or non-transitory. Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a device according to the present invention, comprising a processor and a storage medium.

[0071] A further embodiment of the invention is therefore a data stream or a sequence of signals representing the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein, the data stream or sequence of signals being for example configurable to be transmitted via a data communication connection, for example via the Internet.

[0072] A further embodiment comprises a processing means, for example a computer, or a programmable logic device, configured to or adapted to perform one of the methods described herein.

[0073] A further embodiment comprises a computer having installed thereon a computer program for performing one of the methods described herein.

[0074] Further embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus or system configured to transfer (e.g., electronically or optically) a computer program for performing one of the methods described in the present invention to a receiver. The receiver may be, for example, a computer, a mobile device, or a storage device. The apparatus or system may, for example, comprise a file server for transferring the computer program to the receiver.

[0075] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (e.g., a field programmable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of the functions of the methods described in this invention. In some embodiments, the field programmable gate array may also cooperate with a microprocessor to perform one of the methods described herein. In general, the methods herein are preferably performed by any hardware device.

[0076] Note the use of relational terms such as "first" and "second" herein. These terms are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between those entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a list of elements may comprise not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without more constraint, an element defined by the phrase "comprises" does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises that element.

[0077] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of more than one of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as " / ".

[0078] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art can make some improvements and modifications without departing from the basic scheme of this application. These improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A dual camera switching device for a microscope, comprising: a mounting plate (100), a camera module, a moving module, and an optical path switching module, the camera module comprises a first camera (210) and a second camera (220) arranged on the mounting plate (100), the first camera (210) and the second camera (220) being of different types; The movement module is disposed on the mounting plate (100) and comprises a movement platform (310) and a drive mechanism (320) configured to drive the movement platform (310); the optical path switching module is disposed on the moving platform (310) and includes an optical reflector; The drive mechanism (320) is configured to drive the moving platform (310) to move to a first position or a second position, and the light reflecting portion of the light path switching module is configured to reflect input light to the first camera (210) at the first position and to reflect input light to the second camera (220) at the second position. Dual camera switching device.

2. the optical reflecting portion of the optical path switching module comprises a first optical reflector (41) and a second optical reflector (42); the drive mechanism (320) is configured to drive and move the moving platform (310) so that the first light reflector (41) and the second light reflector (42) are driven to slide relative to the mounting plate (100); The first light reflector (41) is configured to reflect input light from the first position to the first camera (210), and the second light reflector (42) is configured to reflect input light from the second position to the second camera (220). The dual camera switching device of claim 1 .

3. a reflective surface of the first light reflector (41) is at a predetermined angle with respect to a reflective surface of the second light reflector (42), a lens of the first camera (210) is at a predetermined angle with respect to a lens of the second camera (220), and the first camera (210) and the second camera (220) are fixed relative to the mounting plate (100); and / or The first light reflector (41) and the second light reflector (42) are arranged side by side, the first camera (210) and the second camera (220) are arranged side by side, the first light reflector (41) and the first camera (210) are arranged opposite to each other and driven synchronously, and the second light reflector (42) and the second camera (220) are arranged opposite to each other and driven synchronously. The dual camera switching device of claim 2 .

4. The optical reflecting portion of the optical path switching module includes an optical reflector (43), The drive mechanism (320) is configured to drive the moving platform (310) to rotate about a fixed axis such that the optical reflector (43) is driven to rotate relative to the mounting plate (100). The dual camera switching device of claim 1 .

5. The drive mechanism (320) is connected to the moving platform (310) via a connecting member (350), and the extension length of the connecting member (350) on the surface of the moving platform (310) is greater than 1 / 3 or 1 / 2 of the width of the moving platform (310). A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the drive mechanism (320) comprises a motor and a drive controller, and the dual camera switching device further comprises a position detection device (600) electrically connected to the drive controller, the position detection device being configured to detect a signal indicating that the moving platform (310) has slid near the first position or the second position and to transmit the detected signal to the drive controller; The drive controller controls the motor according to the signal detected by the position detection device (600), so that the motor drives the moving platform (310) to reach an initialization position. A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The drive mechanism (320) comprises a motor and a drive controller; the motor is a stepper motor or a servo motor, and the drive controller is configured to send variable frequency pulses to the motor, and when the moving platform (310) approaches within a predetermined range of the first position or the second position, the frequency of the pulses sent by the drive controller to the motor is reduced; or the motor is a DC motor, and the dual camera switching device further comprises two sensors respectively proximate to the first position and the second position, configured to detect signals from the moving platform (310) sliding proximate to the first position or the second position and transmit the detected signals to the drive controller, and the drive controller triggers the DC motor to decelerate when the moving platform (310) approaches the first position or the second position based on the signals detected by the sensors. A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Each optical reflector is mounted on the moving platform (310) via three or more adjustment units (510), which cooperate with each other to allow the optical reflector to have up to six degrees of freedom for adjustment relative to the input light, so that the light reflected to the corresponding camera is parallel to the optical axis of the lens. A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The mounting plate (100) further comprises a support platform (110), the support platform (110) having a specific height relative to the surface of other areas of the mounting plate (100), the moving platform (310) being disposed on the support platform (110), and the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module being suspended on a side of the support platform (110) close to the camera module. A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The mounting plate (100) is further provided with a first positioning member (520) positioned at the first position and a second positioning member (530) positioned at the second position, and the moving platform (310) is restricted to move between the first positioning member (520) and the second positioning member (530). A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. the first positioning member (520) comprises a first positioning block and a first bolt disposed on the first positioning block, and the second positioning member (530) comprises a second positioning block and a second bolt disposed on the second positioning block; an end surface of the first bolt and an end surface of the second bolt are disposed opposite each other, the end surface of the first bolt defining the first position, and the end surface of the second bolt defining the second position; The dual camera switching device of claim 10.

12. The mounting plate (100) is provided with a light passing hole in an area corresponding to the light reflecting portion of the optical path switching module, The reflecting surfaces of the light reflecting portions all face the light passing holes. A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The first camera (210) is a color camera and the second camera (220) is a monochrome camera; A dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A microscope system comprising a microscope and a dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. 14. A method of switching based on a dual camera switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, said method comprising: determining one of the first camera or the second camera as a target imaging camera; driving a moving platform to a first position or a second position according to the determined target imaging camera; adjusting an adjustment portion on an optical reflector of the dual camera switching device until light reflected by the optical reflector to the target-imaging camera is parallel to an optical axis of a lens of the target-imaging camera; A method comprising:

16. A computer program comprising:

16. The method of claim 15, comprising executable program code configured to perform the method of claim 15 when executed on a processor. Computer program.

Images