Microscope system and motorized revolving nose drive method

Abstract

This invention provides a technique for preventing interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage in a microscope equipped with an electric revolving nosepiece. [Solution] A microscope system for observing a sample using a microscope, comprising: an electric revolving nose that holds multiple objective lenses and can switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path by rotating it; and a control device that controls the drive of the electric revolving nose in response to an input drive instruction, wherein the control device has two switchable modes for controlling the drive of the electric revolving nose: a first mode in which, in response to a drive instruction, the electric revolving nose is rotated by a first amount of rotation corresponding to the drive instruction to switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path; and a second mode in which, in response to a drive instruction, the electric revolving nose is rotated by a second amount of rotation, the second amount of rotation being smaller than the first amount of rotation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure of this specification relates to a microscope system and an electric revolver driving method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, microscopes have been widely used in research in the biological field and inspection processes in the industrial field.

[0003] In routine work such as inspection processes in the industrial field, the magnification of the microscope is switched. In such routine work, in order to shorten the working time, it is important to efficiently switch the magnification.

[0004] Therefore, an electric revolver that electrically switches the observation magnification (objective lens) has been introduced, aiming to shorten the working time. While the introduction of the electric revolver shortens the working time, the objective lens may interfere (or collide) with the sample (or stage) on the stage during the switching of the observation magnification, and the desire to prevent such interference is increasing. From such a situation, various techniques have been proposed to prevent interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage during the switching of the observation magnification in a microscope equipped with an electric revolver.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a microscope that stops the rotation of an electric revolver when an emergency switch is turned on during the rotation of the electric revolver (during the switching of the observation magnification). According to this, when interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage is predicted during the rotation of the electric revolver, the rotation of the electric revolver can be quickly stopped by operating the emergency switch, so that interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage can be avoided.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

[0007] In the microscope described in Patent Document 1, if the timing at which interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage can be predicted during the rotation of the motorized revolving nose is just before the interference occurs, there may not be enough time to operate the emergency switch, making it impossible to avoid the interference.

[0008] Furthermore, when switching to an objective lens with a short working distance (WD), it can be difficult to determine whether the objective lens will interfere with the sample on the stage until just before the switch. Depending on the shape of the sample on the stage (such as a shape with height differences or a complex shape), it can also be difficult to determine whether the objective lens will interfere with the sample on the stage until just before the switch.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a technique for preventing interference between the objective lens and a sample on the stage in a microscope equipped with an electric revolving nosepiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A microscope system according to one aspect of the present invention is a microscope system for observing a sample with a microscope, comprising: an electric revolving nose that holds a plurality of objective lenses and can switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path by rotating them; and a control device that controls the drive of the electric revolving nose in response to an input drive instruction, wherein the control device has, as a switchable mode for controlling the drive of the electric revolving nose, a first mode in which, in response to the drive instruction, the electric revolving nose is rotated by a first amount of rotation corresponding to the drive instruction to switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path; and a second mode in which, in response to the drive instruction, the electric revolving nose is rotated by a second amount of rotation, the second amount of rotation being smaller than the first amount of rotation.

[0011] An electric revolving nose drive method according to one aspect of the present invention receives a drive command input for an electric revolving nose that holds a plurality of objective lenses and rotates them to switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path. When switched to a first mode, the computer rotates the electric revolving nose by a first amount of rotation corresponding to the input drive command to switch the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path. When switched to a second mode, the computer performs a process to rotate the electric revolving nose by a second amount of rotation according to the input drive command, the second amount of rotation being smaller than the first amount of rotation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the above-described embodiment, interference between the objective lens and the sample on the stage can be prevented in a microscope equipped with an electric revolving nosepiece. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates the configuration of a microscope system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the front view of the control panel. [Figure 3] This diagram provides a more detailed explanation of the operating section and the electric revolving nosepiece unit. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the positional relationship between the objective lens held in the motorized revolving nosepiece and the sample placed on the stage. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of JOG mode processing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of JOG mode processing according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates a state in which the optical axis of the objective lens positioned on the observation light path is tilted with respect to an axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface, due to the tilting mechanism. [Figure 8] This is another diagram illustrating the front view of the control panel. [Figure 9]It is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer that realizes a control device. [Figure 10] It is a diagram illustrating an electric revolver having four mounting holes to which an objective lens is attached. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of screen transition of a revolver position screen. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of screen transition of another revolver position screen. <unk>0000083< / unk>It is another diagram illustrating the front of the operation unit. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart illustrating the control process performed by the control device. [Figure 15] It is a diagram explaining an example of an interval between adjacent objective lenses. [Figure 16] It is a diagram illustrating a table for storing information. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing an example of rotation of the electric revolver. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing an example of updating the table. [Figure 19] It is a flowchart illustrating the control process performed by the control device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a microscope system according to the first embodiment.

[0016] The microscope system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is, for example, a system used in an inspection process in the industrial field. The microscope system 1 includes a microscope 10, a control device 20, an operation unit 30, an input device 40, and a display device 50.

[0017] There was an error in the original text where <unk>0000083< / unk> was used. It should be [Figure 13] . The above translation has been corrected accordingly.The microscope 10 is, for example, a digital microscope and comprises a microscope head 101, an electric revolving nose unit 102, a stage 103, and a microscope frame 104.

[0018] The microscope head 101 includes a light source that emits illumination light to irradiate the sample S, and an imaging unit that captures an image of the sample S. The light source is, for example, a white LED (Light Emitting Diode), a halogen lamp, or a xenon lamp. The imaging unit is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor.

[0019] The motorized revolving nose unit 102 is attached to the microscope head 101. The motorized revolving nose unit 102 includes a motorized revolving nose 105. The motorized revolving nose 105 holds multiple objective lenses 106 and can switch between objective lenses 106 positioned on the observation optical path by rotating. The motorized revolving nose 105 rotates when the control device 20 drives a stepping motor 107 for the motorized revolving nose, which will be described later.

[0020] The stage 103 on which the sample S is placed moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation light path. The stage 103 may also move in the direction of the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation light path. The stage 103 is, for example, an electric stage, and moves by the control device 20 driving a stepping motor for the stage.

[0021] The microscope frame 104 is provided with a stage 103 and holds the microscope head 101 so that it can move along the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation light path. The microscope head 101 moves, for example, electrically, by the control device 20 driving a stepping motor for the microscope head. If the stage 103 is movable along the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation light path, the microscope head 101 may be fixed and held in place by the microscope frame 104.

[0022] The control device 20 is, for example, a computer, and controls various parts of the microscope system 1. For example, the control device 20 controls the driving (rotation) of the electric revolving nose 105, the movement of the microscope head 101, the movement of the stage 103, or the display of the display device 50, etc., in response to the input of instructions received by the operating unit 30 or the input device 40.

[0023] Furthermore, the control device 20 has two switchable modes for controlling the drive of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105: an observation mode and a jog mode. The observation mode is an example of the first mode, in which the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation optical path is switched according to the input drive command. The jog mode is an example of the second mode, in which the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 is rotated according to the input drive command. As a result, when switched to observation mode, one of the objective lenses 106 can be quickly positioned on the observation optical path, and when switched to jog mode, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 can be freely rotated.

[0024] The control unit 30 receives input from the user, such as drive commands for the electric revolving nosepiece 105. Details of the control unit 30 will be described later. The input device 40 receives various inputs from the user. The input device 40 includes, for example, a mouse and a keyboard.

[0025] The display device 50 displays various screens and observation images of the sample S. The observation image of the sample S is an image captured by the imaging unit provided on the microscope head 101. The display device 50 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The display device 50 may also be a touch panel display and may also function as the input device 40.

[0026] Figure 2 is an example of the front view of the control panel.

[0027] The control unit 30 illustrated in Figure 2 is equipped with an observation mode LED (Light Emitting Diode) 301, a JOG mode LED 302, a mode switching button switch 303, a JOG dial 304, a magnification down button switch 305, and a magnification up button switch 306 on its front.

[0028] The observation mode LED 301 is an LED that lights up only when the control device 20 is switched to observation mode. The JOG mode LED 302 is an LED that lights up only when the control device 20 is switched to JOG mode.

[0029] The mode switching button switch 303 is a button switch that accepts input for mode switching instructions. The JOG dial 304 is an example of a dial-type operating member, and accepts input for drive instructions to the electric revolving nosepiece 105 only when the control device 20 is switched to JOG mode. The magnification down button switch 305 is a button switch that accepts input for a magnification down instruction as a drive instruction to the electric revolving nosepiece 105 only when the control device 20 is switched to observation mode. The magnification up button switch 306 is a button switch that accepts input for a magnification up instruction as a drive instruction to the electric revolving nosepiece 105 only when the control device 20 is switched to observation mode. Note that the magnification down button switch 305 and the magnification up button switch 306 are examples of two magnification change direction indicator members.

[0030] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the operating section and the electric revolving nosepiece unit in more detail.

[0031] In the operation unit 30, the illumination / exiting of the observation mode LED 301 and the illumination / exiting of the JOG mode LED 302 are controlled by the control device 20.

[0032] When the mode switching button switch (MODE switch) 303 is pressed, the ON signal of the button switch is input to the control device 20 as a mode switching instruction. When the control device 20 receives the mode switching instruction, it switches the mode that was selected up to that point to the other mode. For example, if the mode that was selected up to that point was observation mode, it switches to JOG mode.

[0033] The JOG dial 304 is equipped with, for example, a two-phase rotary encoder. When the JOG dial 304 is rotated while the control device 20 is switched to JOG mode, an operation signal corresponding to that rotation is input to the control device 20 as a drive instruction for the electric revolving nosepiece 105. When the control device 20 receives the drive instruction, it outputs a drive signal to the motor driver 108 that drives the stepping motor 107 that rotates the electric revolving nosepiece 105, so that the electric revolving nosepiece 105 rotates by a predetermined amount in the direction and speed of rotation corresponding to the drive instruction. As a result, when the JOG dial 304 is rotated slowly, the electric revolving nosepiece 105 also rotates slowly, and when the JOG dial 304 is rotated quickly, the electric revolving nosepiece 105 also rotates quickly. An upper limit may be set on the rotation speed of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 in this case. For example, if the rotational speed of the JOG dial 304 exceeds a predetermined value, a drive signal may be output to the motor driver 108 so that the rotational speed of the electric revolving nose 105 is limited to an upper limit. The stepping motor 107 and the motor driver 108 are provided in the electric revolving nose unit 102.

[0034] When the control device 20 is switched to observation mode, if the magnification down button switch (magnification DOWN switch) 305 is pressed, the ON signal of the button switch is input to the control device 20 as a magnification down instruction. When the control device 20 receives a magnification down instruction, it outputs a drive signal to the motor driver 108 that drives the stepping motor 107 that rotates the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, so as to switch the objective lens 106 that was positioned in the observation optical path up to that point to a lower magnification objective lens 106. However, if a lower magnification objective lens 106 is not held in the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, the objective lens 106 will not be switched.

[0035] When the control device 20 is switched to observation mode, if the magnification up button switch (magnification UP switch) 306 is pressed, the ON signal of the button switch is input to the control device 20 as a magnification up instruction. When the control device 20 receives a magnification up instruction, it outputs a drive signal to the motor driver 108 that drives the stepping motor 107 that rotates the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, so as to switch the objective lens 106 that was positioned in the observation optical path up to that point to a higher magnification objective lens 106. However, if a higher magnification objective lens 106 is not held in the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, the objective lens 106 will not be switched.

[0036] The motorized revolving nosepiece unit 102 is equipped with a hole position detection sensor 109 that detects the position of the mounting holes of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 to which the objective lenses 106, which are located on the observation optical path, are attached, and outputs the detection result to the control device 20. The control device 20 also stores in advance information regarding the magnification of the objective lenses 106 attached to each mounting hole of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, and information regarding the amount of rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 required to switch to the objective lenses 106 attached to each mounting hole. Therefore, when the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306 is pressed, the control device 20 can determine in which direction and by how much the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 should be rotated, or whether or not a lower magnification or higher magnification objective lens 106 is held in the motorized revolving nosepiece 105.

[0037] Furthermore, the motorized revolving nosepiece unit 102 is equipped with a click sensor 110. The click sensor 110 is a sensor that detects whether or not any of the objective lenses 106 held by the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 are positioned in the observation optical path, and outputs the detection result to the control device 20.

[0038] Next, we will describe the operation of the microscope system 1.

[0039] When the user powers on the microscope system 1, the control device 20 switches to observation mode, illuminates the observation mode LED 301, and turns off the JOG mode LED 302.

[0040] Next, the user places the sample S to be observed on the stage 103. Then, after checking the observation image of the sample S displayed on the display device 50, the user determines that it is necessary to increase or decrease the magnification and presses the magnification up button switch 306 or the magnification down button switch 305. In this case, the control device 20 switches the objective lens 106 that was positioned in the observation optical path up to that point to a higher or lower magnification objective lens 106 according to the pressed button switch. In this way, when switched to observation mode, the objective lens 106 positioned in the observation optical path can be quickly switched by pressing the magnification up button switch 306 or the magnification down button switch 305.

[0041] On the other hand, a user may want to check whether the objective lens 106 interferes with the sample S placed on the stage 103 before switching the objective lens 106. For example, this would be the case when the positional relationship between the objective lens 106 held by the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 and the sample S placed on the stage 103 is as illustrated in Figure 4, and the user is about to switch from a 3x objective lens 106 positioned in the observation optical path to a 10x objective lens 106. Before switching the objective lens 106, it is not easy to determine whether the 10x objective lens 106 will interfere with the sample S during the switching process.

[0042] Let's say the user presses the mode switching button switch 303 to determine whether or not they will interfere beforehand. In this case, the control device 20 switches from observation mode to JOG mode, turns off the observation mode LED 301, and illuminates the JOG mode LED 302. The control device 20 then starts the JOG mode processing. The JOG mode processing is performed while the device is in JOG mode and ends when the mode switching button switch 303 is pressed again to switch back to observation mode.

[0043] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of JOG mode processing.

[0044] As illustrated in Figure 5, when JOG mode processing begins, the control device 20 determines in S11 whether or not there has been an operation (rotation operation) of the JOG dial 304. This determination also determines whether or not a drive instruction (an operation signal corresponding to the rotation operation of the JOG dial 304) has been input from the JOG dial 304.

[0045] The judgment process in S11 is repeated until the judgment result in S11 is YES. When the judgment result in S11 is YES, the control device 20 issues a drive command to the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 in S12 in response to the drive command input from the JOG dial 304. More specifically, the control device 20 outputs a drive signal to the motor driver 108 in response to the drive command input from the JOG dial 304. This drives the stepping motor 107, causing the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 to rotate. The drive signal output to the motor driver 108 is a signal that rotates the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 by a predetermined amount in the direction and speed of rotation corresponding to the drive command input from the JOG dial 304. Needless to say, this predetermined amount is smaller than the amount of rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 when the objective lens 106 is switched in response to the pressing of the magnification up button switch 306 or the magnification down button switch 305 when the device is switched to observation mode. Here, the predetermined amount is an example of the second rotation amount. When the objective lens 106 is switched in response to the pressing of the magnification up button switch 306 or the magnification down button switch 305 while the device is switched to observation mode, the amount of rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 is an example of the first rotation amount.

[0046] Next, in S13, the control device 20 determines whether the drive of the electric revolver 105 in response to the drive instruction given in S12 has been completed. This determination also determines whether a drive completion signal has been input from the motor driver 108. When the motor driver 108 completes the drive in response to the drive signal input from the control device 20, it outputs a drive completion signal to the control device 20.

[0047] The judgment process in S13 is repeated until the result of the judgment in S13 is YES. When the result of the judgment in S13 is YES, the process returns to S11, and the determination of whether or not the JOG dial 304 has been operated is performed again.

[0048] With this JOG mode processing, for example, if the user slowly rotates the JOG dial 304 in the CW (clockwise) or CCW (counterclockwise) direction, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 also slowly rotates in the CW or CCW direction. When the user stops rotating, the rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 also stops. Therefore, by slowly rotating the JOG dial 304, the user can determine in advance whether the objective lens 106 will interfere with the sample S on the stage 103. If it is determined that the objective lens 106 will interfere with the sample S on the stage 103, the interference between the objective lens 106 and the sample S can be prevented before switching the objective lens 106 by, for example, raising the microscope head 101 or lowering the stage 103.

[0049] Furthermore, if it is determined that the objective lens 106 does not interfere with the sample S on the stage 103, and the system switches from JOG mode to observation mode while the objective lens 106 is not positioned in the observation optical path, the control device 20 may rotate the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 based on the detection result of the click sensor 110 until one of the objective lenses 106 is positioned in the observation optical path.

[0050] [Second Embodiment] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the content of the JOG mode processing.

[0051] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of JOG mode processing according to the second embodiment.

[0052] In the JOG mode processing illustrated in Figure 6, the processes S11 to S13 are the same as those in the JOG mode processing illustrated in Figure 5. However, if the result of the determination in S13 is NO, the processes from S14 onwards are performed, which is different from the JOG mode processing illustrated in Figure 5.

[0053] More specifically, if the result of the determination in S13 is NO, the control device 20 determines in S14 whether or not it is a click IN. This determination also determines whether or not the click sensor 110 has detected that one of the objective lenses 106 held in the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 is positioned on the observation optical path.

[0054] If the result of the S14 determination is NO, the process returns to S13, and the determination of whether or not the electric revolving nosepiece 105 has completed its drive is performed again. On the other hand, if the result of the S14 determination is YES, the control device 20 issues a drive stop instruction to the electric revolving nosepiece 105 in S15. More specifically, the control device 20 outputs a drive stop signal to the motor driver 108. As a result, the drive of the stepping motor 107 stops, and the rotation of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 stops.

[0055] Next, in S16, the control device 20 switches from JOG mode to observation mode, and then in S17, it lights up the observation mode LED 301 and turns off the JOG mode LED 302. When the process in S17 is completed, the JOG mode process ends.

[0056] With this JOG mode processing, in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. For example, assuming a case where an objective lens 106 placed on the observation optical path needs to be switched to a desired objective lens 106, if the user rotates the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 by rotating the JOG dial 304 and determines that the desired objective lens 106 does not interfere with the sample S, the user can continue rotating the JOG dial 304 to position the desired objective lens 106 on the observation optical path. As a result, switching to the desired objective lens 106 can be done without pressing the mode switching button switch 303 and the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306, allowing for a smooth transition to the observation work.

[0057] [Third Embodiment] The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the microscope 10 further has a tilting mechanism.

[0058] The tilt mechanism is a mechanism that allows the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation optical path, to be tilted with respect to an axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface of the stage 103, so that the sample S can be observed from an oblique angle. The tilt mechanism tilts the optical axis of the objective lens 106, which is positioned on the observation optical path, with respect to an axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface, for example, by tilting a part of the microscope frame 104 that holds the microscope head 101. The tilt mechanism is driven, for example, electrically, by the control device 20 driving a stepping motor for tilting. The tilt mechanism also includes a tilt sensor that detects the tilt caused by the tilt mechanism (presence or absence of tilt and / or tilt angle) and outputs the detection result to the control device 20.

[0059] Figure 7 illustrates a state in which the optical axis of the objective lens positioned on the observation optical path is tilted with respect to an axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface by the tilting mechanism.

[0060] As illustrated in Figure 7, when the optical axis of the objective lens 106 (in Figure 7, a 3x objective lens 106) placed on the observation optical path is tilted with respect to the axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface of the stage 103 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "tilted state"), there is a high risk that the objective lens 106 will interfere with the sample S (or stage 103) on the stage 103 when switching the objective lens 106 placed on the observation optical path.

[0061] Therefore, when the control device 20 detects a tilt caused by the tilting mechanism (a tilt exists or the tilt angle is other than 0 degrees), it switches to JOG mode, turns off the observation mode LED 301, and illuminates the JOG mode LED 302.

[0062] In this way, when the device is tilted, it automatically switches to JOG mode, so input of a magnification down command or magnification up command by pressing the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306 is no longer accepted. Therefore, even if the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306 is pressed by accident, the objective lens 106 will not be switched, thus avoiding interference between the objective lens 106 and the sample S (or stage 103) that may occur during the switching process.

[0063] The embodiments described above are specific examples provided to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Modified forms of the embodiments described above and alternative forms that replace the embodiments described above may be included. In other words, the components of the embodiments described above can be modified without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, new embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the embodiments. In addition, some components may be deleted from the components shown in the embodiments, or some components may be added to the components shown in the embodiments. Moreover, the processing steps shown in the embodiments may be performed in a different order, as long as it does not contradict the original. That is, the systems and methods of the present invention can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0064] For example, in the first embodiment, instead of the operation unit 30 having a magnification down button switch 305 and a magnification up button switch 306, the JOG dial 304 may further accept input for magnification down instructions and magnification up instructions.

[0065] Figure 8 is another diagram illustrating the front view of the control panel.

[0066] The operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 8 differs from the operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 2 in that it does not have a magnification down button switch 305 and a magnification up button switch 306. In the operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 8, when switched to observation mode, it accepts input for a magnification up instruction or a magnification down instruction depending on the rotation direction of the JOG dial 304 (CW direction or CCW direction).

[0067] With this modification, the operation of the JOG dial 304 alone can drive the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 to determine whether the objective lens 106 interferes with the sample S, and drive the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 to switch the position of the objective lens 106 on the observation light path. Therefore, the operability can be improved when repeatedly determining whether the objective lens 106 interferes with the sample S and switching the position of the objective lens 106 on the observation light path. In routine tasks such as inspection processes in which the microscope system 1 is used, it is important to shorten working time by quickly changing the magnification, so this modification is effective.

[0068] Furthermore, for example, in the second embodiment, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 was driven in response to the operation of the JOG dial 304 when switched to JOG mode, but it may also be driven in response to the operation of the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306. More specifically, while the magnification down button switch 305 or the magnification up button switch 306 is pressed, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 may rotate at a constant low speed in the CW direction or CCW direction, and when the button is no longer pressed, the rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 may stop. Here, low speed means at least a speed lower than the rotation speed of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 when switching the objective lens 106 when switched to observation mode.

[0069] Furthermore, for example, in each embodiment, the microscope system 1 may be used in the biological field. In this case, for example, the system may be switched to JOG mode by pressing the mode switching button switch 303, and then the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 may be rotated alternately by small amounts in the CW and CCW directions by operating the JOG dial 304 to remove air from inside the immersion lens when using an immersion objective lens.

[0070] Furthermore, in each embodiment, for example, the operating unit 30 may be equipped with button switches corresponding to each mounting hole of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 instead of the magnification down button switch 305 and the magnification up button switch 306. For example, if the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 has four mounting holes, it may be equipped with four button switches corresponding to each of those mounting holes. When the device is switched to observation mode, the control device 20 may control the drive of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 so that when any of the button switches are pressed, the objective lens 106 located on the observation optical path is switched to the objective lens 106 mounted in the mounting hole corresponding to the pressed button switch.

[0071] Furthermore, for example, in each embodiment, the control device 20 may be implemented by a computer as illustrated in Figure 9.

[0072] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer that implements a control device.

[0073] The computer 200 illustrated in Figure 9 includes a processor 201, memory 202, storage device 203, reader 204, communication interface 206, and input / output interface 207 as hardware. The processor 201, memory 202, storage device 203, reader 204, communication interface 206, and input / output interface 207 are connected to each other, for example, via a bus 208.

[0074] The processor 201 may be, for example, a single processor, a multi-processor, or a multi-core processor. The processor 201 reads and executes a program stored in the memory device 203, performing various control processes including the JOG mode processing described above, and provides the function of a control device 20 for the microscope system 1.

[0075] Memory 202 is, for example, a semiconductor memory and may include a RAM area and a ROM area. "RAM" is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory, and "ROM" is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory.

[0076] The storage device 203 is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as a hard disk or flash memory, or an external storage device. The storage device 203 stores, for example, information regarding the magnification of the objective lenses 106 attached to each mounting hole of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105, and information regarding the amount of rotation of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 required to switch to the objective lenses 106 attached to each mounting hole.

[0077] The reader 204 accesses the removable storage medium 205, for example, according to instructions from the processor 201. The removable storage medium 205 can be implemented by, for example, a semiconductor device, a medium through which information is input / output by magnetic action, or a medium through which information is input / output by optical action. A semiconductor device is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. A medium through which information is input / output by magnetic action is, for example, a magnetic disk. A medium through which information is input / output by optical action is, for example, a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or a Blu-ray® disc.

[0078] The communication interface 206 is connected to a communication network and communicates with other devices (such as a server) according to instructions from, for example, the processor 201. The input / output interface 207 is, for example, an interface between the microscope 10, the operating unit 30, the input device 40, and the display device 50.

[0079] The program executed by processor 201 is provided to computer 200 in the following form, for example: (1) It is pre-installed on storage device 203. (2) Provided by a removable storage medium 205. (3) Provided from a server such as a program server.

[0080] The hardware configuration of the computer 200 for implementing the control device 20, as described with reference to Figure 9, is illustrative and not limited to it. For example, some of the above configurations may be deleted, or new configurations may be added. Also, for example, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be implemented as hardware. FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), SoC (System-on-a-Chip), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and PLD (Programmable Logic Device) are examples of hardware on which the control device 20 can be implemented.

[0081] Furthermore, in each embodiment, when switched to JOG mode, the display device 50 may be configured to display a revolver position screen showing the current rotational position of the electric revolver 105. Such modified examples will be explained using Figures 10 and 11.

[0082] Figure 10 illustrates an example of an electric revolving nosepiece having four mounting holes for attaching objective lenses. Figure 11 shows an example of screen transitions for the revolving nosepiece position screen.

[0083] For example, suppose the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 has four mounting holes labeled "OB1," "OB2," "OB3," and "OB4," as illustrated in Figure 10, and an objective lens 106 is attached to each of them. In this case, when switched to JOG mode, the control device 20 displays the revolving nosepiece position screen 51 (e.g., 51a) illustrated in Figure 11 on the display device 50 (e.g., as a pop-up display). The revolving nosepiece position screen 51 displays a mark 52 indicating the position of the observation light path and an object 53 that mimics the motorized revolving nosepiece 105. The object 53 is composed of multiple regions. The multiple regions include regions corresponding to the positions of the four mounting holes (regions "OB1," "OB2," "OB3," and "OB4") and regions corresponding to each of the three equal sections obtained when the space between each adjacent mounting hole in the rotational direction is divided into three sections (e.g., regions 53a, 53b, and 53c). Such objects 53 are displayed in such a way that the area corresponding to the position of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 positioned in the observation light path is indicated by the mark 52, and is distinguishable from other areas by color or the like.

[0084] For example, if the objective lens 106 mounted in the "OB1" mounting hole is positioned in the observation light path, the revolving nose position screen 51a is displayed. On the revolving nose position screen 51a, the area corresponding to the position of the "OB1" mounting hole (the "OB1" area) is displayed in a way that it is indicated by a mark 52 and distinguishable from other areas by color. Subsequently, if, for example, the user rotates the JOG dial 304 until the objective lens 106 mounted in the "OB2" mounting hole is positioned in the observation light path, the revolving nose position screen 51 transitions from the revolving nose position screen 51a to the revolving nose position screens 51b, 51c, 51d, and 51e in that order. That is, on the revolving nose position screen 51, as the motorized revolving nose 105 rotates due to the rotation of the JOG dial 304, the object 53 is displayed in rotation, and the area of ​​the object 53 corresponding to the position of the motorized revolving nose 105 positioned in the observation light path is displayed in a way that it can be distinguished from other areas in sequence.

[0085] With this modification, when switched to JOG mode, the user can check the rotation position of the electric revolver 105 in real time.

[0086] In this modified configuration, the control device 20 can detect the position of the mounting hole to which the objective lens 106, which is located on the observation optical path, is attached, using the hole position detection sensor 109. The control device 20 also recognizes the rotation direction and amount of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 based on a single drive command (S12) in the JOG mode processing exemplified in Figure 5. Therefore, the control device 20 can recognize the current rotation position of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 based on the position of the mounting hole to which the objective lens 106, located on the observation optical path, is attached, and the subsequent drive command (S12).

[0087] The revolver position screen, which shows the current rotational position of the electric revolver 105, is not limited to the format of the revolver position screen 51 described with reference to Figure 11, but may also be in the format of the revolver position screen 56 illustrated in Figure 12, for example.

[0088] Figure 12 shows an example of screen transitions for other revolver position screens.

[0089] The revolver position screen 56 illustrated in Figure 12 is the same as the revolver position screen 51 illustrated in Figure 11 in that the area of ​​object 53 corresponding to the position of the motorized revolver 105 placed in the observation optical path is displayed in a way that makes it distinguishable from other areas by color, etc., but it differs in that object 53 is displayed in a fixed position without being rotated and mark 52 is not displayed.

[0090] As a result, for example, if the objective lens 106 mounted in the "OB1" mounting hole is positioned in the observation light path, the revolving nose position screen 56a is displayed. In the revolving nose position screen 56a, the area corresponding to the position of the "OB1" mounting hole (the "OB1" area) is displayed in a way that distinguishes it from other areas by color. Subsequently, for example, if the user rotates the JOG dial 304 until the objective lens 106 mounted in the "OB2" mounting hole is positioned in the observation light path, the revolving nose position screen 56 transitions from the revolving nose position screen 56a to the revolving nose position screens 56b, 56c, 56d, and 56e in that order. In other words, in the revolving nose position screen 56, as the motorized revolving nose 105 rotates due to the rotation of the JOG dial 304, the areas of the object 53 corresponding to the position of the motorized revolving nose 105 positioned in the observation light path are displayed in a way that distinguishes them from other areas.

[0091] This revolving nose position screen 56 also allows the user to check the rotational position of the electric revolving nose 105 in real time.

[0092] Alternatively, instead of the revolving nose position screen 56 displayed on the display device 50, a revolving nose position display panel may be provided on the front of the operation unit 30. The revolving nose position display panel has multiple areas, for example, shaped like object 53 in the revolving nose position screen 56, and each area is configured to emit light using LEDs. For example, when the objective lens 106 mounted in the mounting hole of "OB1" is positioned in the observation optical path, the corresponding area on the revolving nose position display panel emits light using LEDs, as shown by object 53 in the revolving nose position screen 56a in Figure 12. Subsequently, for example, if the user rotates the JOG dial 304 until the objective lens 106 mounted in the mounting hole of "OB2" is positioned in the observation optical path, the corresponding areas on the revolving nose position display panel will sequentially emit light using LEDs, as shown in the transition of the revolving nose position screen 56 in Figure 12 from revolving nose position screen 56a to revolving nose position screens 56b, 56c, 56d, and 56e. In other words, on the revolving nose position display panel, as the motorized revolving nose 105 rotates due to the rotation of the JOG dial 304, the areas corresponding to the position of the motorized revolving nose 105 positioned in the observation light path illuminate sequentially.

[0093] This revolving nosepiece position display panel also allows the user to check the rotational position of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 in real time.

[0094] Next, I will explain other variations.

[0095] The operating unit 30 illustrated in Figure 8 above may be further modified so that the control device 20 performs control processing of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 in response to operations on the operating unit 30. Such modified examples will be explained using Figures 13 and 14.

[0096] Figure 13 is another diagram illustrating the front view of the control panel.

[0097] The operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 13 further includes a Z-retraction disabled LED 307, a Z-retraction enabled LED 308, and a Z-retraction mode switching button switch 309, compared to the operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 8. The Z-retraction disabled LED 307 is an LED that lights up only when the Z-retraction mode is disabled. The Z-retraction enabled LED 308 is an LED that lights up only when the Z-retraction mode is enabled. The Z-retraction mode switching button switch 309 is a button that accepts input for switching between enabling and disabling the Z-retraction mode.

[0098] If the microscope system 1 is equipped with the operation unit 30 illustrated in Figure 13, when power is supplied to the microscope system 1, the control device 20 switches the Z-retraction mode to the enabled state, turns off the Z-retraction disabled LED 307, and illuminates the Z-retraction enabled LED 308. Thereafter, each time the Z-retraction mode switching button switch 309 is pressed, the control device 20 alternately switches between disabled and enabled Z-retraction mode. When the Z-retraction mode is switched to disabled, the Z-retraction disabled LED 307 illuminates and the Z-retraction enabled LED 308 turns off. When the Z-retraction mode is switched to enabled, the Z-retraction disabled LED 307 turns off and the Z-retraction enabled LED 308 illuminates.

[0099] Furthermore, when the control device 20 switches to the Z-retraction mode, it switches to the observation mode, illuminates the observation mode LED 301, and turns off the JOG mode LED 302. When the Z-retraction mode is switched to the JOG mode, it switches to the observation mode LED 301 and turns off the JOG mode LED 302. In this way, the control device 20 also switches between the observation mode and the JOG mode in accordance with the switching between enabling and disabling the Z-retraction mode.

[0100] Then, the control device 20 performs the control processing illustrated in Figure 14 in response to whether the Z-retraction mode is enabled or disabled and the operation of the JOG dial 304.

[0101] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating the control process performed by the control device.

[0102] When the control process illustrated in Figure 14 begins, the control device 20 determines in S21 whether or not there has been an operation (rotation operation) of the JOG dial 304. Note that the process in S21 is the same as the process in S11 (for example, S11 in Figure 6).

[0103] If the result of the determination in S21 is YES, the control device 20 determines in S22 whether or not the Z-retraction mode is enabled. This determination also determines whether or not it is in observation mode (whether it is in observation mode or JOG mode).

[0104] If the result of the judgment in S22 is YES (if the Z-retraction mode is enabled), the control device 20 issues a Z-retraction instruction to the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 in S23. Z-retraction means moving the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 so that, before the motorized revolving nose 105 rotates, the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 move away from each other in the optical axis direction (Z direction) of the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation optical path, so that the objective lens 106 held by the motorized revolving nose 105 does not interfere with the stage 103 or the sample S placed on the stage 103.

[0105] After S23, in S24, the control device 20 issues a drive command to the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 in accordance with the operation (rotation) of the JOG dial 304 determined in S21. This drive command is to rotate the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 in a direction corresponding to the rotation direction of the JOG dial 304 (CW direction or CCW direction), thereby switching the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation optical path to an adjacent objective lens 106.

[0106] After S24, in S25, the control device 20 issues a Z-return instruction to the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103. Z-return means moving the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 so that the relative positions of the microscope head 101 and the stage 103 return to the state before Z-retraction.

[0107] When the Z-retraction mode is enabled, operating the JOG dial 304 will perform Z-retraction, switching of the objective lens 106, and Z-return, so that the objective lens 106 and the stage 103 or sample S do not interfere with each other during the switching of the objective lens 106.

[0108] After S25, the process returns to S21.

[0109] On the other hand, if the result of the S22 determination is NO (indicating that the Z-retraction mode is invalid), the process proceeds to S27. The processes S26 to S30, including the process in S27, are the same as the processes S11 to S15 in Figure 6, so their explanation is omitted here. Note that the processes S11 to S15 in Figure 6 are part of the JOG mode process described in the second embodiment.

[0110] In this way, when the Z-retraction mode is disabled, the JOG mode processing described in the second embodiment is performed, and the same effects as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0111] After S30, the process returns to S21.

[0112] Next, I will explain other variations.

[0113] If the microscope system 1 is equipped with the operating unit 30 illustrated in Figure 8, the control device 20 may perform control processing of the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 based on the information stored in the table (lookup table). The table stores information such as whether or not the observation light path has passed through the section between adjacent objective lenses when the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 is driven in JOG mode. Such modifications will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 15 to 19.

[0114] Figure 15 illustrates an example of the interval between adjacent objective lenses.

[0115] In the example shown in Figure 15, similar to the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 illustrated in Figure 10, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 has four mounting holes labeled "OB1," "OB2," "OB3," and "OB4," each with an objective lens 106 attached. "Section A" indicates the section between the objective lens 106 attached to "OB1" and the objective lens 106 attached to "OB2" (which is also the section between "OB1" and "OB2"). "Section B" indicates the section between the objective lens 106 attached to "OB2" and the objective lens 106 attached to "OB3" (which is also the section between "OB2" and "OB3"). "Section C" indicates the section between the objective lens 106 attached to "OB3" and the objective lens 106 attached to "OB4" (which is also the section between "OB3" and "OB4"). "Section D" refers to the section between the objective lens 106 attached to "OB4" and the objective lens 106 attached to "OB1" (which is also the section between "OB4" and "OB1").

[0116] Figure 16 is an example of a table used to store information.

[0117] The table shown in Figure 16 stores, for each "Current OB Position," the "Target OB Position," "Passage Section," and "JOG Passage Year / N" for the "CCW" case, and the "Target OB Position," "Passage Section," and "JOG Passage Year / N" for the "CW" case.

[0118] "Current OB position" indicates the mounting hole of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation light path. For example, if "Current OB position" is "OB1", it indicates that the mounting hole of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation light path is "OB1".

[0119] In the case of "CCW," the "target OB position" indicates the mounting hole of the objective lens 106 that will be next positioned in the observation optical path when the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 rotates in the CCW direction. In the case of "CW," the "target OB position" indicates the mounting hole of the objective lens 106 that will be next positioned in the observation optical path when the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 rotates in the CW direction. For example, if the "current OB position" is "OB1," the "target OB position" in the case of "CCW" will be "OB2," and the "target OB position" in the case of "CW" will be "OB4."

[0120] In the case of "CCW," the "passage section" refers to the section between the "current OB position" and the "target OB position" in the case of "CCW" (which is also the section through which the observation light path passes). In the case of "CW," the "passage section" refers to the section between the "current OB position" and the "target OB position" in the case of "CW" (which is also the section through which the observation light path passes). For example, if the "current OB position" is "OB1," the "passage section" in the case of "CCW" is section "A" between the "current OB position" "OB1" and the "target OB position" "OB2," and the "passage section" in the case of "CW" is section "D" between the "current OB position" "OB1" and the "target OB position" "OB4."

[0121] In the case of "CCW," "JOG Passage Y / N" indicates whether the observation light path has already passed through the "Passage Section" in the case of "CCW" during JOG mode. In the case of "CW," "JOG Passage Y / N" indicates whether the "Passage Section" in the case of "CW" has already passed through during JOG mode. "Y" indicates that it has been passed through, and "N" indicates that it has not been passed through. For example, when the "Current OB Position" is "OB1," a "JOG Passage Y / N" of "CCW" being "N" indicates that the observation light path has not yet passed through section "A," which is the "Passage Section" in the case of "CCW" during JOG mode. Also, when the "Current OB Position" is "OB1," a "JOG Passage Y / N" of "CW" being "N" indicates that the observation light path has not yet passed through section "D," which is the "Passage Section" in the case of "CW" during JOG mode.

[0122] Such tables are stored, for example, in the storage device 203 of the computer 200 illustrated in Figure 9, which implements the control device 20.

[0123] Here, we will explain an example of updating the "JOG Passage Y / N" stored in the table using Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17 shows an example of the rotation of an electric revolving nose. Figure 18 shows an example of updating the table.

[0124] For example, in JOG mode, as illustrated in Figure 17, suppose the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 rotates in the CCW direction, and the position of the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation optical path changes from "OB1" to "OB2". Note that mark 61 in Figure 17 indicates the observation optical path.

[0125] In this case, "OB1" becomes the "current OB position," "OB2" becomes the "target OB position" in the case of "CCW," and "Section A" between them becomes the "section to pass through." As illustrated in Figure 18, when the "current OB position" is "OB1," the "JOG passage Y / N" in the case of "CCW" is updated from "N" to "Y" (see dashed box 62). Similarly, the "JOG passage Y / N" in the case of "CW" with the same "section to pass through" is also updated from "N" to "Y" (see dashed box 63). Thus, in the table, when the "JOG passage Y / N" in one case, "CCW" or "CW," is updated, the "JOG passage Y / N" in the other case with the same "section to pass through" is also updated accordingly. This means that, unless the stage 103 is subsequently moved in the XY direction, or the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 is moved in the Z direction, the switching of the objective lens 106 in that "passage section" (in the above example, "section A") will not cause interference between the objective lens 106 and the stage 103 or the sample S. Note that the XY direction is also the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation light path, and the Z direction is also the optical axis direction of the objective lens 106 positioned on the observation light path.

[0126] Next, the control process of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 performed by the control device 20 based on the information stored in the table will be explained using Figure 19.

[0127] Figure 19 is a flowchart illustrating the control process performed by the control device.

[0128] When the control process illustrated in Figure 19 begins, the control device 20 determines in S41 whether or not there are XY operations and Z operations. XY operations refer to operations that move the stage 103 in the XY direction. Z operations refer to operations that move the microscope head 101 and / or the stage 103 in the Z direction.

[0129] If the result of the judgment in S41 is YES, the control device 20 resets all "JOG Pass Y / N" stored in the table in S42. Resetting all "JOG Pass Y / N" also means setting all "JOG Pass Y / N" to "N". After S42, the process returns to S41.

[0130] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in S41 is NO, the control device 20 determines in S43 whether or not the JOG dial 304 has been operated (rotated). Note that the process in S43 is the same as the process in S11 (for example, S11 in Figure 6).

[0131] If the result of the determination in S43 is YES, the control device 20 obtains the position of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation optical path in S44, and obtains the direction of the operation (direction of rotation of the rotation operation) determined in S43 in S45. In this example, it is assumed that when the JOG dial 304 is rotated in the CCW direction, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 also rotates in the CCW direction, and when the JOG dial 304 is rotated in the CW direction, the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 also rotates in the CW direction.

[0132] Next, in S46, the control device 20 refers to the table and determines whether the "JOG operation Y / N" corresponding to the position of the objective lens 106 acquired in S44 and the direction of operation acquired in S45 is "Y". For example, in the table illustrated in Figure 18, if the position of the objective lens 106 acquired in S44 (which is also the "current OB position") is "OB1" and the rotation direction of the electric revolving nosepiece 105 corresponding to the direction of operation acquired in S45 is "CCW", then the corresponding "JOG operation Y / N" is "Y", and the determination result in S46 is YES.

[0133] If the result of the determination in S46 is YES, the control device 20 switches to observation mode, and in S47, it issues a drive instruction to the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 according to the direction of operation acquired in S45. This drive instruction is to rotate the motorized revolving nosepiece 105 in the direction of operation acquired in S45 and switch the objective lens 106 located on the observation optical path to the adjacent objective lens 106. After S47, the process returns to S41.

[0134] Thus, if the result of the S46 judgment is YES, it is known that the objective lens 106 and the stage 103 or sample S do not interfere with each other during the switching of the objective lens 106 at this time, so the objective lens 106 can be switched quickly.

[0135] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in S46 is NO (if the corresponding "JOG operation Y / N" is "N"), the control device 20 switches to JOG mode and the process proceeds to S49. The processes in S48 to S52, including the process in S49, are the same as the processes in S11 to S15 in Figure 6, so their explanation is omitted here. Note that the processes in S11 to S15 in Figure 6 are part of the JOG mode process described in the second embodiment.

[0136] As described above, if the result of the S46 judgment is NO, the JOG mode processing described in the second embodiment is performed, and the same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0137] Then, after S52, in S53, the control device 20 determines whether the position of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation light path is the "target OB position" on the table. The "target OB position" at this time is the "target OB position" when the position acquired in S44 is considered the "current OB position". For example, in the table illustrated in Figure 16, if the position acquired in S44 is "OB1", the "target OB position" will be "OB2" or "OB4".

[0138] If the result of the judgment in S53 is YES, the control device 20 sets "Y" in the corresponding "JOG passage Y / N" in the table in S54. The corresponding "JOG passage Y / N" in the table refers to the "JOG passage Y / N" for the "passage section" when the position acquired in S44 is defined as the "current OB position" and the position of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation optical path is defined as the "target OB position". For example, in the table illustrated in Figure 16, if the position acquired in S44 is "OB1" and the position of the objective lens 106 currently positioned on the observation optical path is "OB2", the "passage section" is section "A". In this case, as illustrated in Figure 18, "Y" is set in the corresponding "JOG passage Y / N" for section "A". As a result, unless XY or Z operations are performed thereafter, the switching of the objective lens 106 related to that "passage section" can be performed quickly.

[0139] After S54, or if the result of the determination in S53 is NO, the process returns to S41. Note that the result of the determination in S53 being NO means, for example, that after the switching of the objective lens 106 begins, the system reverts to the original objective lens 106 before switching to the adjacent objective lens 106. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0140] 1. Microscope System 10 Microscopes 20 Control device 30 Control section 40 Input devices 50 Display device 51, 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d, 51e revolver position screen 52 Marks 53 Objects 53a, 53b, 53c areas 56, 56a, 56b, 56c, 56d, 56e revolver position screen 61 Mark 62 Dashed line frame 101 Microscope Head 102 Electric Revolver Unit 103 Stages 104 Microscope Frames 105 Electric Revolver 106 Objective lens 107 Stepping motor 108 Motor Driver 109 Hole position detection sensor 110 click sensor 200 Computers 201 Processor 202 memory 203 Storage device 204 Reader 205 Removable storage media 206 Communication Interfaces 207 Input / Output Interfaces Bus 208 301 Observation Mode LED 302 JOG Mode LED 303 Mode switching switch button 304 JOG Dial 305 Magnification Down Button Switch 306 Magnification Up Button Switch 307 Z Retraction Disabled LED 308 Z Retraction Enabled LED 309 Z Evacuation Mode Switch Button

Claims

1. A microscope system for observing a sample using a microscope, A motorized revolving nose cone that holds multiple objective lenses and rotates them to switch between the objective lenses positioned on the observation optical path, A control device that controls the drive of the electric revolver in response to an input drive command. Equipped with, The control device has a switchable mode for controlling the drive of the electric revolving nosepiece, A first mode in which the objective lens positioned on the observation light path is switched by rotating the motorized revolving nosepiece by a first amount of rotation corresponding to the drive instruction, In response to the aforementioned drive command, a second mode is provided in which the electric revolving nosepiece is rotated by a second amount of rotation. It has, The second amount of rotation is smaller than the first amount of rotation. A microscope system characterized by the following features.

2. The control device switches between the first mode and the second mode in response to an input mode switching instruction. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

3. It includes a dial-type operating member that receives the input of the aforementioned drive instruction, When switched to the second mode, the control device rotates the electric revolving nosepiece in response to the rotation of the dial-type operating member. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

4. It includes two magnification change direction indicator members that receive the input of the aforementioned drive instruction, When switched to the first mode, the control device switches the objective lens positioned on the observation light path in response to an operation on either of the two magnification change direction indicator members. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

5. The system includes a sensor that detects when the objective lens is positioned on the observation light path, When the system is switched to the second mode, the control device stops the motorized revolving nosepiece when the sensor detects that the objective lens is positioned on the observation light path while the motorized revolving nosepiece is rotating. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

6. It includes a dial-type operating member that receives the input of the aforementioned drive instruction, When switched to the first mode, the control device switches the objective lens positioned on the observation light path according to the rotational direction of the dial-type operating member. When switched to the second mode, the control device rotates the electric revolving nosepiece in response to the rotation of the dial-type operating member. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

7. The microscope has a tilting mechanism that allows the optical axis of the objective lens, which is positioned on the observation light path, to be tilted with respect to an axis perpendicular to the sample mounting surface. If the aforementioned inclination exists, the control device switches to the second mode. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is as described above.

8. The aforementioned electric revolving nosepiece is driven by a stepping motor. A microscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is the same as described in the previous claim.

9. The motorized revolving nosepiece holds multiple objective lenses and rotates them to position them on the observation optical path. It receives input for drive instructions to switch between these objective lenses. When switched to the first mode, the motorized revolving nosepiece is rotated by a first amount of rotation corresponding to the input drive command, thereby switching the objective lens positioned on the observation optical path. When switched to the second mode, the electric revolving nosepiece is rotated by a second amount of rotation in response to the input drive command. The computer performs the process, The second amount of rotation is smaller than the first amount of rotation. An electric revolving nose gun drive method characterized by the following.

Images