Magnification observation system, magnification observation method, and program

Abstract

To easily realize a setting of magnifying a sample image until the image is large enough to be observed.SOLUTION: A microscope system includes: an acquisition unit 21 for acquiring a size value of an observation target; a determination unit 23 for determining at least one setting candidate of a microscope to observe the observation target on the basis of the size value acquired by the acquisition unit 21 and registration information of the microscope for magnifying and projecting an image of the observation target on a camera 17; and an output unit 24 for outputting control information on the basis of at least one setting candidate determined by the determination unit 23.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure of this specification relates to a magnified observation system, a magnified observation method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] When observing a sample with a microscope system, the user expects to observe an image of the sample magnified to a size suitable for observation. However, it is not always easy for a user who is unfamiliar with the microscope system to appropriately set the overall magnification of the microscope system, which is determined by a combination of various elements such as an objective lens and a zoom optical system, so that the image of the sample is of a size suitable for observation.

[0003] In relation to such problems, for example, technologies for assisting the magnification setting of a microscope system by a user have been variously proposed, such as in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In order to appropriately set the overall magnification of a microscope system, it is necessary to determine an appropriate magnification and set the determined magnification in the microscope system. By using the technology described in Patent Document 1 and the like, the burden of the latter work, that is, setting the overall magnification of the microscope system to a certain magnification, can be reduced. <However, determining the appropriate magnification—that is, deciding what overall magnification to set—still needs to be done by the user. This decision can be difficult not only for users unfamiliar with microscope systems but also for regular users.

[0007] Based on the circumstances described above, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a technology that easily enables the setting to enlarge a sample image to a size suitable for observation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An magnified observation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an input unit operated by a user, and using the input unit Enter Dimensional values ​​of the object to be observed, specified by force. An acquisition unit that acquires a first criterion, wherein the first criterion is a set of priority items pre-specified in order of priority, including the degree of agreement with the target magnification calculated from the dimensional value and the quality of the image produced by the imaging device. The acquisition unit, the dimensional values ​​acquired by the acquisition unit, and the image of the object to be observed The aforementioned Based on the registration information of the magnification observation device that projects magnified images onto the imaging device, one or more setting candidates for the magnification observation device for observing the object to be observed. and one or more setting candidates that achieve the target magnification or a magnification close thereto, A determination unit that determines the one or more setting candidates determined by the determination unit The acquisition unit prioritizes the selected setting candidate according to the first criterion, selects the setting candidate with the highest priority from the one or more prioritized setting candidates, and includes information about the selected setting candidate. An output unit that outputs control information, A control unit that changes the settings of the magnification observation device to one of the setting candidates based on the control information output from the output unit, It is equipped with.

[0009] A magnified observation method according to one aspect of the present invention, by user operation Enter Dimensional values ​​of the object to be observed, specified by force. and the first criterion and Obtain, The first criterion is a set of priority items pre-specified with priority, including the degree of agreement with the target magnification calculated from the dimensional value and the quality of the image produced by the imaging device. The acquired dimensional values ​​and the image of the object being observed The aforementioned Based on the registration information of the magnification observation device that projects magnified images onto the imaging device, one or more setting candidates for the magnification observation device for observing the object to be observed. and one or more setting candidates that achieve the target magnification or a magnification close to it. Determine the one or more setting candidates that were determined. Prioritize the following according to the first criterion, select the one setting candidate with the highest priority from the one or more prioritized setting candidates, and include information about the selected setting candidate. Output control information Based on the output control information, the settings of the magnification observation device are changed to one or more of the setting candidates. .

[0010] A program according to one aspect of the present invention is provided on the computer of a magnified observation system, based on user operation. Enter Dimensional values ​​of the object to be observed, specified by force. and the first criterion andObtain, The first criterion is a set of priority items pre-specified with priority, including the degree of agreement with the target magnification calculated from the dimensional value and the quality of the image produced by the imaging device. Based on the obtained dimensional value and the registration information of the magnifying observation device that magnifies and projects the image of the observation object onto the imaging device, one or more setting candidates of the magnifying observation device for observing the observation object The aforementioned are determined, and the determined one or more setting candidates and one or more setting candidates that achieve the target magnification or a magnification close to it. are caused to execute a process of outputting control information. Prioritize the following according to the first criterion, select the one setting candidate with the highest priority from the one or more prioritized setting candidates, and include information about the selected setting candidate. Output , in order to change the settings of the magnification observation device to one or more of the setting candidates, to the magnification observation device

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the above aspect, it is possible to easily realize a setting for magnifying a sample image to a size suitable for observation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1] It is a diagram illustrating a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a magnifying observation device and the magnification of an image according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of a process performed by a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart of a setting candidate determination process performed by a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is an example of an application screen displayed on a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is another example of an application screen displayed on a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is yet another example of an application screen displayed on a magnifying observation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart of a process performed by a magnifying observation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] ​An example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] Another example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] An example of full-screen display in the magnified observation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] Still another example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] A flowchart of the processing performed by the magnified observation system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] An example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] Another example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] A flowchart of the processing performed by the magnified observation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] An example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] A diagram showing the relationship between the display area, the area of the imaging device, and the sample in the magnified observation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] Another example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 21] An example of full-screen display in the magnified observation system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 22] A diagram showing the relationship between the number of pixels of the imaging device and the monitor. [Figure 23] An example of an application screen displayed on the magnified observation system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 24] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer for realizing the control device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a magnification observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a magnification observation device and the magnification of the image according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the configuration of a microscope system 1, which is an example of a magnification observation device, will be described.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the microscope system 1 comprises a microscope 10, a control device 20, an output device 30, and an input device 40.

[0015] The microscope 10 is an example of a magnification observation device that magnifies and projects an image of the sample S, which is the object of observation, onto a camera 17, which is an imaging device. As shown in Figure 2, the microscope 10 is equipped with multiple objective lenses (objective lens 11, objective lens 12, objective lens 13), a zoom optical system 14, an imaging lens 15, a camera adapter 16, and a camera 17.

[0016] In Figure 2, the microscope 10 is an upright microscope, but it may also be an inverted microscope. Furthermore, although the microscope 10 has three eyepiece tubes, it only needs to be capable of digital imaging. Digital imaging can be achieved by attaching a camera 17 to the eyepiece of the eyepiece tube.

[0017] The microscope 10 forms an intermediate image of the sample S, magnified at a magnification corresponding to the objective lens, on the intermediate image plane P1. The magnification M1 of the intermediate image is changed by switching the objective lens. The magnification M1 of the intermediate image can also be adjusted by the zoom optical system 14. The magnification M1 of the intermediate image is calculated as the product of the objective lens magnification Mob and the zoom magnification Mz of the zoom optical system 14. If the microscope 10 includes an intermediate lens barrel (not shown), the magnification M1 of the intermediate image is calculated as the product of the magnification Mob, the magnification Mz, and the magnification Mt of the intermediate lens barrel.

[0018] The camera adapter 16 focuses light from the intermediate image plane P1 onto the imaging plane P2 of the image sensor 18 in the camera 17. The magnification M2 of the image of the sample S formed on the imaging plane P2 is calculated as the product of the magnification M1 of the intermediate image and the projection magnification Mc of the camera adapter 16.

[0019] The image sensor 18 is a two-dimensional image sensor in which pixels are arranged in two dimensions, such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. The camera 17 acquires an image of sample S by converting the light detected by the image sensor 18 into an electrical signal.

[0020] The control device 20 is a control device that controls the microscope 10. The control device 20 is, for example, a computer that includes a processor and memory. The control device 20 can control the settings and operation of the microscope 10 by outputting control information to the control unit 19 of the microscope 10 (see Figure 3).

[0021] The output device 30 is a display device that displays the application screen of the microscope system 1 or images of a sample. The output device 30 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The output device 30 may also be a touch panel display and may also serve as the input device 40 described later.

[0022] The output device 30 displays the image acquired by the camera 17 at an enlarged size. The magnification M3 of the image displayed in full screen on the output device 30 is calculated as the product of the magnification M2 of the image on the imaging plane P2 and the monitor magnification Mm. The monitor magnification Mm is determined by the size of the monitor (output device 30) and the size of the image sensor 18. The monitor magnification is the ratio of the monitor size to the size of the image sensor 18, and is specifically calculated as monitor size in inches × 25.4 / diagonal length of the image sensor 18. For example, if a 17-inch monitor is used with a 1 / 2-inch image sensor, the monitor magnification is 54.1 times.

[0023] Hereafter, where necessary, the magnification M1 of the image (intermediate image) on the intermediate image plane P1 will be referred to as the intermediate image magnification. The magnification M2 of the image on the imaging plane P2 will be referred to as the optical magnification, meaning the magnification of the image optically formed by the microscope 10. Furthermore, the magnification M3 of the image displayed in full screen on the output device 30 will be referred to as the overall magnification, meaning the magnification that is ultimately observed by the user.

[0024] The input device 40 is a device for the user to input commands to the microscope system 1, and includes, for example, a keyboard, mouse, joystick, foot switch, etc. The input device 40 may also include a microphone and support voice input. It may also include a voice input device or other devices.

[0025] As described above, the microscope system 1 automatically determines candidate settings for the microscope 10 that magnify the sample image to a size suitable for observation, based on minimal input from the user. More specifically, the microscope system 1 determines candidate settings suitable for observation by having the user specify at least the dimensional value of the sample S to be observed.

[0026] Furthermore, a setting candidate only needs to identify a combination of optical systems to be placed on the observation light path. If the identified combination includes an optical system whose optical characteristics, such as magnification, differ depending on its state, it is desirable that the setting candidate also identify the state of that optical system. Such a setting candidate is, for example, a combination of an objective lens 11 and a zoom optical system 14 with a zoom magnification of 1x. In other words, a setting candidate may include information that identifies a combination of optical systems to be placed on the observation light path, and information that identifies the state of the optical system.

[0027] Once the setting candidates are determined, the magnification is set for each setting candidate, eliminating the need for users to make their own judgments about the appropriate magnification for observation. As a result, users can easily achieve settings that enlarge the sample image to a size suitable for observation without necessarily having to judge the appropriate magnification themselves.

[0028] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a magnified observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a flowchart of the processing performed by the magnified observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the setting candidate determination process performed by the magnified observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 6 to 8 are examples of application screens displayed on the magnified observation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the method by which the microscope system 1 determines setting candidates and outputs control information will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 8.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the microscope system 1 includes an input unit 41, an acquisition unit 21, a storage unit 22, a determination unit 23, an output unit 24, a control unit 19, and a display unit 31.

[0030] The input unit 41 is operated directly by the user. The input unit 41 outputs the user's operation to the acquisition unit 21. For example, the user inputs the dimensional value of sample S to the microscope system 1 by specifying a numerical value using the input unit 41.

[0031] The acquisition unit 21 acquires the dimensional values ​​of the sample S. The acquisition unit 21 acquires the dimensional values ​​of the specified sample S by numerical input using the input unit 41. The storage unit 22 stores the registration information of the microscope 10. The registration information includes information about the configuration and settings of the microscope 10.

[0032] Based on the dimensional values ​​acquired by the acquisition unit 21 and the registered information read from the storage unit 22, the determination unit 23 determines one or more candidate settings for the microscope 10 suitable for observing the sample S, in other words, one or more candidate settings for the microscope 10 for observing the sample.

[0033] The output unit 24 outputs control information based on one or more setting candidates determined by the determination unit 23. The control information is information for controlling other devices (in this example, devices other than the control device 20, such as the microscope 10 and the output device 30). The control information may be, for example, information instructing the microscope 10 to change its settings, and the output unit 24 may output information instructing the microscope 10 to change its settings as control information to the control unit 19. Alternatively, the control information may be, for example, information instructing the output device 30 to display an image, and the output unit 24 may output information of one or more setting candidates as control information to the display unit 31.

[0034] The input unit 41 is implemented, for example, by an input device 40. The acquisition unit 21, storage unit 22, determination unit 23, and output unit 24 are implemented, for example, by a control device 20. The control unit 19 is implemented, for example, by a microscope 10. The display unit 31 is implemented, for example, by an output device 30.

[0035] The control unit 19 changes the settings of the microscope 10 based on the control information output from the output unit 24. The control unit 19 may, for example, rotate an electric revolving nosepiece (not shown) to switch objective lenses, or change the zoom magnification of the zoom optical system 14.

[0036] The display unit 31 displays one or more setting candidates based on the control information output from the output unit 24. The display unit 31 may also display an image acquired by the camera 17 after the setting change by the control unit 19.

[0037] In the microscope system 1 having the functional configuration shown in Figure 3, for example, the processor of the control device 20 reads a predetermined program module that has been stored in advance into memory and executes it, thereby displaying the application screen of the microscope system 1. Then, when the user inputs instructions to the microscope system 1 from that application screen, the processor performs the processing shown in Figure 4.

[0038] When the user inputs the dimensional values ​​of sample S from the application screen, the acquisition unit 21 acquires the dimensional values ​​(step S1). Subsequently, the determination unit 23 executes the setting candidate determination process shown in Figure 5 (step S2).

[0039] In the setting candidate determination process, the determination unit 23 first calculates the optical magnification (step S11). Here, the determination unit 23 calculates the optical magnification to project the image of sample S onto the camera 17 in order to observe sample S, based on the dimensional values ​​obtained in step S1 and the registration information stored in the storage unit 22.

[0040] The method for calculating the optical magnification is not particularly limited, but the determination unit 23 may, for example, calculate the optical magnification as the magnification that makes the most use of the size of the image sensor 18. That is, the optical magnification may be calculated by considering the magnification that makes the most use of the size of the image sensor 18 as the optimal magnification for observation. In this case, the determination unit 23 only needs to calculate the optical magnification as the maximum magnification that projects the image of the sample S without extending beyond the image sensor 18. More precisely, the determination unit 23 may, for example, calculate the optical magnification as the maximum magnification that projects an image of an area (sample S) on the object surface that is equal in size to the dimensional value acquired in step S1 onto the effective pixels of the image sensor 18.

[0041] To calculate the magnification that makes the most of the size of the image sensor 18, information about the size of the image sensor 18 is used. Therefore, it is desirable that the registered information stored in the memory unit 22 includes information about the image sensor 18 contained in the microscope 10. It is desirable that the information about the image sensor 18 includes information about the size of the image sensor 18 (for example, 1 / 2 inch).

[0042] Information about the image sensor 18 may be registered as registration information for the microscope 10 by setting information about the system configuration of the microscope system 1 in advance on the window 50 shown in Figure 6, which is an example of the application screen of the microscope system 1. In the example shown in Figure 6, the image sensor 18 is identified by selecting the type of camera 17, and the size and number of pixels of the image sensor 18 are registered as information about the image sensor 18. The options may be displayed by the model number, model number, specifications, or a registration name previously registered by the user of the camera 17, and the image sensor 18 may be identified by selecting one of these.

[0043] Subsequently, the determination unit 23 determines one or more setting candidates for the microscope 10 based on the optical magnification calculated in step S11 (step S12). Here, the determination unit 23 determines the settings for the microscope 10 that realize the optical magnification calculated in step S11 as setting candidates. Furthermore, the determination unit 23 may include settings that realize an optical magnification close to the optical magnification calculated in step S11 as setting candidates. The determination unit 23 may include settings that realize an optical magnification close to the optical magnification calculated in step S11 as setting candidates only when certain conditions are met, for example, when there are no settings that realize the optical magnification calculated in step S11, or when there are few settings that realize the optical magnification calculated in step S11.

[0044] In determining the settings to achieve the optical magnification (or an optical magnification close to it) calculated in step S11, that is, determining the setting candidates, information on the magnifications of multiple optical systems usable with the microscope 10 is used. Therefore, it is desirable that the registration information includes information on multiple optical systems usable with the microscope 10, and that the information on multiple optical systems includes information on the magnifications of those optical systems. In addition, the information on multiple optical systems may include information on the optical characteristics of those optical systems (e.g., numerical aperture).

[0045] Furthermore, the multiple optical systems that can be used with the microscope 10 are not necessarily limited to optical systems already installed in the microscope 10, but rather any optical systems whose information is registered in the registration information.

[0046] Information on multiple optical systems may be registered as registration information for the microscope 10 by, for example, setting information on the system configuration of the microscope system 1 in advance on window 50, which is an example of the application screen of the microscope system 1 as shown in Figure 6, similar to the information on the image sensor 18. In addition, information on the objective lenses among the information on multiple optical systems may be registered as registration information for the microscope 10 by, for example, setting information on the objective lenses mounted on the revolving nosepiece in advance on window 51, which is another example of the application screen of the microscope system 1 as shown in Figure 7.

[0047] When the determination unit 23 determines one or more setting candidates, the output unit 24 outputs control information to the control device 20 (step 3), and the process shown in Figure 4 ends. The content of the control information and the output destination may be determined, for example, according to the operating mode set on the window 52 shown in Figure 8, which is an example of the application screen of the microscope system 1.

[0048] This section describes the case where a mode that automatically performs setting changes (hereinafter referred to as setting assistance mode A) is set. In this case, in step S3, the output unit 24 only needs to output control information to the control unit 19 that includes information about one setting candidate selected from one or more setting candidates determined in step S2 based on a certain criterion (hereinafter referred to as the first criterion). As a result, the control unit 19 can change the settings of the microscope 10 to one setting candidate selected based on the first criterion by controlling each part of the microscope 10 based on the control information.

[0049] More specifically, for example, if the selected setting candidate includes an optical system combination that includes an objective lens 12, the control information may include information for rotating the revolving nosepiece so that the objective lens 12 is positioned on the optical axis. Also, if the selected setting candidate includes an optical system combination that includes a zoom optical system 14 with a zoom magnification of 2x, the control information may include information for changing the zoom optical system 14 to a state with a zoom magnification of 2x.

[0050] Next, we will describe a case where a mode is set that suggests one or more setting candidates as options for the changed settings (hereinafter referred to as setting assistance mode B). In this case, in step S3, the output unit 24 may output control information containing information about the one or more setting candidates determined in step S2 to the display unit 31. As a result, the display unit 31 displays one or more setting candidates, allowing the user to understand the settings suitable for observing sample S.

[0051] Furthermore, the control information may include priority information based on the first criterion. The output unit 24 may output control information including priority information, thereby displaying one or more setting candidates on the display unit 31 along with the priority identified by the priority information. Alternatively, the output unit 24 may output control information including priority information, thereby displaying one or more setting candidates on the display unit 31 in the order of priority identified by the priority information.

[0052] The first criterion may be determined, for example, according to the priority items set on window 52, ​​which is an example of the application screen of the microscope system 1, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 illustrates a first criterion in which magnification is given the highest priority, followed by image quality. In this setting, setting candidates with an optical magnification close to the optical magnification calculated in step S11 are given the highest priority, and if the optical magnifications are the same, setting candidates with higher image quality are given priority.

[0053] As described above, by having the microscope system 1 perform the process shown in Figure 4, the user can easily set the system to enlarge the sample image to a size suitable for observation without necessarily having to judge the appropriate magnification themselves.

[0054] The operation examples of the microscope system 1 described above will be explained below in terms of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0055] [First Embodiment] Figure 9 is a flowchart of the processing performed by the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figures 10, 11, and 13 are examples of application screens displayed in the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figure 12 is an example of a full-screen display in the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of operation when the operation mode is set to setting assistance mode A will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 13. The configuration of the microscope system according to this embodiment is the same as that of microscope system 1. Therefore, the components of the microscope system will be referred to by the same reference numerals as the components of microscope system 1.

[0056] The processor of the control device 20 reads a predetermined program module that has been stored in advance into memory and executes it, so that, for example, the application screen (window 53) of the microscope system shown in Figure 10 is displayed. In window 53, the live image IM0 acquired with the current settings is displayed.

[0057] When the user uses the input device 40 to operate the spin buttons on the window 53 to input a numerical value for the object to be observed, and then presses the OK button, the processor acquires the dimensional value of the object to be observed specified by the spin buttons (step S21). In this example, the processor acquires 160 μm as the dimensional value.

[0058] The processor reads information about the image sensor 18 from the registered information stored in memory and obtains the size of the image sensor 18 (step S22). In this example, the processor obtains 1 / 2 inch as the size of the image sensor 18.

[0059] Subsequently, the processor calculates the optical magnification based on the dimensional value obtained in step S21 and the size of the image sensor 18 obtained in step S22 (step S23). In this example, the processor calculates the diagonal length of the image sensor 18 as 8 mm / dimensional value as 160 μm and obtains an optical magnification of 50x.

[0060] Next, the processor determines one or more setting candidates based on the optical magnification calculated in step S23 (step S24). In this example, the processor determines three microscope 10 settings as setting candidates, which result in an optical magnification of 50x: (1) objective lens magnification: 40x, zoom magnification: 1.25x, (2) objective lens magnification: 20x, zoom magnification: 2.5x, and (3) objective lens magnification: 10x, zoom magnification: 5x.

[0061] Furthermore, the processor selects one setting candidate from the one or more setting candidates determined in step S24 based on the first criterion (step S25). In this example, the processor selects one setting candidate based on the criterion of prioritizing magnification and image quality. More specifically, since the setting candidates (1) to (3) described above have equal magnification, the processor selects setting candidate (1), which has the highest objective lens magnification and is assumed to have the highest image quality.

[0062] Actual image quality varies depending on various factors, such as the relationship between the Nyquist frequency and the cutoff frequency. Therefore, image quality should be judged according to a predetermined method for determining image quality. In the example above, image quality was judged based on the numerical aperture of the objective lens.

[0063] The processor outputs control information based on the setting candidate selected in step S25 (step S26). In this example, the processor outputs control information, including information about the setting candidate selected in step S25, to the controller (control unit 19) of the microscope 10.

[0064] Finally, the controller that received the control information changes the settings of the microscope 10 to the setting candidate selected in step S25 (step S27). In this example, the settings of the microscope 10 are changed to (1) objective lens magnification: 40x, zoom magnification: 1.25x.

[0065] Figure 11 shows the application screen (window 54) of the microscope system after the settings have been changed. The image acquired by the microscope 10 with an optical magnification of 50x after the settings have been changed is output to the control device 20. As shown in Figure 11, the control device 20 may enlarge or reduce the image with an optical magnification of 50x to fit the size of a predetermined area on window 54 and display the enlarged or reduced image IM1 on window 54. Furthermore, if the user selects full-screen display, as shown in Figure 12, the image with an optical magnification of 50x may be enlarged or reduced to fit the size of the display area of ​​the output device 30 and the enlarged or reduced image IM2 may be displayed in full screen on the display area of ​​the output device 30.

[0066] The magnification of image IM1 is calculated by multiplying the magnification obtained by dividing the size of a predetermined area on window 54 by the size of the image sensor 18 by the optical magnification (50x). The magnification of image IM2 is calculated by multiplying the monitor magnification by the optical magnification (50x).

[0067] As described above, the microscope system according to this embodiment automatically changes the settings of the microscope 10 to a setting suitable for observing the sample S simply by the user inputting the dimensional values ​​of the sample S. Therefore, according to the microscope system according to this embodiment, if the dimensional values ​​of the sample S are known, the user can easily achieve settings that enlarge the sample image to a size suitable for observation without having to give detailed instructions on the settings of the microscope 10.

[0068] In the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the input of dimensional values ​​of sample S is accepted without any particular restrictions. However, the microscope system may restrict the numerical values ​​that can be input as dimensional values ​​of sample S. For example, the acquisition unit 21 may refuse to acquire numerical values ​​that are outside the dimensional range of the actual field of view of the microscope 10, which is calculated based on the registration information of the microscope 10. The output unit 24 may also output the dimensional range of the actual field of view of the microscope 10, which is calculated based on the registration information of the microscope 10, to the display unit 31, and the display unit 31 may display that dimensional range on the application screen (window 55) of the microscope system, as shown in Figure 13. The dimensional range is calculated based on the range of optical magnification that the microscope system can achieve, which is identified based on the registration information, and the size of the image sensor 18. This prevents an unattainable optical magnification from being calculated as a magnification suitable for observation.

[0069] [Second Embodiment] Figure 14 is a flowchart of the processing performed by the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figures 15 and 16 are examples of application screens displayed on the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Below, an example of operation when the operation mode is set to setting assistance mode B will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. The configuration of the microscope system according to this embodiment is the same as that of microscope system 1. Therefore, the components of the microscope system will be referred to by the same reference numerals as the components of microscope system 1.

[0070] The process from step S31 to step S34 in Figure 14 is the same as the process from step S21 to step S24 in Figure 11.

[0071] The processor calculates the priority of each of the one or more setting candidates determined in step S24 based on the first criterion (step S35). In this example, the processor calculates the priority based on the criteria of magnification and image quality, and generates priority information. Specifically, since the setting candidates (1) to (3) described above have the same magnification, the processor calculates the priority based on image quality. More specifically, assuming that the higher the magnification of the objective lens, the higher the numerical aperture of the objective lens, the higher the setting with higher optical resolution, the higher the priority is given. In other words, priority information is generated in which the priority of setting candidate (1) is evaluated as the highest and the priority of setting candidate (3) is evaluated as the lowest.

[0072] Once the priority is calculated, the processor outputs control information (step S36) that includes information on one or more setting candidates determined in step S34 and the priority information generated in step S35. In this example, the processor generates control information that displays setting candidates (1) to (3) on the output device 30 according to the priority identified by the priority information, and outputs this control information to the output device 30.

[0073] Finally, the output device 30, having received the control information, displays one or more setting candidates based on the control information (step S37). Here, the output device 30 displays setting candidates (1) to (3) arranged in order of priority on the application screen (window 56) of the microscope system, for example, as shown in Figure 15.

[0074] When a user selects a setting candidate by pressing a selection button on window 56 shown in Figure 15, the processor outputs control information containing information about the selected setting candidate to the controller (control unit 19) of the microscope 10. Subsequently, the controller, upon receiving the control information, changes the settings of the microscope 10 to the setting candidate selected by the user.

[0075] In addition, in the microscope system according to this embodiment, the image acquired with the changed settings is scaled and displayed in a predetermined area on the application screen or across the entire display area of ​​the output device 30, similar to the microscope system according to the first embodiment.

[0076] As described above, in this embodiment of the microscope system, when the user inputs the dimensional values ​​of the sample S, suitable setting candidates for observing the sample S are displayed on the output device 30. Then, when the user selects one of the setting candidates displayed on the output device 30, the settings of the microscope 10 are changed to the selected setting candidate. Therefore, with this embodiment of the microscope system, similar to the microscope system in the first embodiment, when the dimensional values ​​of the sample S are known, the user can easily achieve settings that enlarge the sample image to a size suitable for observation without having to give detailed instructions on the settings of the microscope 10.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the microscope system of this embodiment, the user can freely select the settings for the microscope 10 from the setting candidates proposed by the microscope system. In addition, since the setting candidates are arranged in order of priority, even if the user is unsure of which to choose, the user can select a setting based on the priority of the setting candidates proposed by the microscope system.

[0078] In the second embodiment, an example was shown in which the output device 30 displays one or more setting candidates in order of priority identified by the priority information. However, the output device 30 may also display setting candidates (1) to (3) along with the priority identified by the priority information on the application screen (window 57) of the microscope system, for example, as shown in Figure 16. In this case, the processor should generate control information to cause the output device 30 to display setting candidates (1) to (3) along with the priority identified by the priority information, and output this control information to the output device 30. As shown in Figure 16, by displaying the priority itself in addition to the setting candidates, the differences in priority can be more clearly communicated to the user than when the display order is changed by priority. Furthermore, a sorting function may be provided to sort and display the setting candidates by, for example, the magnification of the objective lens. Even when a sorting function is provided, the user can recognize the priority of each setting candidate by displaying the priority. The priority may be expressed in characters as shown in Figure 16, or it may be expressed numerically. Alternatively, the priority may be expressed using a more intuitive method such as color or a mark.

[0079] [Third Embodiment] Figure 17 is a flowchart of the processing performed by the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figures 18 and 20 are examples of application screens displayed in the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figure 19 is a diagram showing the relationship between the display area, the image sensor area, and the sample in the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Figure 21 is an example of full-screen display in the magnification observation system according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, another example of operation when the operation mode is set to setting assistance mode B will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 21. The configuration of the microscope system according to this embodiment is the same as that of microscope system 1. Therefore, the components of the microscope system will be referred to by the same reference numerals as the components of microscope system 1.

[0080] The processor of the control device 20 reads a predetermined program module that has been stored in advance into memory and executes it, thereby displaying, for example, the application screen (window 58) of the microscope system shown in Figure 18. The application screen shown in Figure 18 differs from the application screen of the embodiment described above in that, in addition to the dimensional value of the sample S, the size of the image display area where the image is displayed can be specified.

[0081] When a user uses the input device 40 to operate the spin buttons on the window 58 to numerically input the dimensions of the object to be observed, and further specifies the size of the image display area, and then presses the OK button, the processor (acquisition unit 21) acquires information regarding the dimensions of the object to be observed specified by the spin buttons and the size of the specified image display area (hereinafter referred to as display area information) (step S41). In this example, the processor acquires 160 μm as the dimension value and "screen 50%" as the display area information. Note that screen 50% means 50% of the screen size of the output device 30. The display area information may be specified as a percentage of the image display area, as in this example, or it may be specified as the actual length, similar to the dimensions of the object to be observed.

[0082] The processor reads information about the image sensor 18 from the registered information stored in memory and obtains the size of the image sensor 18 (step S42). In this example, the processor obtains 1 / 2 inch as the size of the image sensor 18.

[0083] The processor calculates the optical magnification (step S43) based on the dimensional values ​​and display area information obtained in step S41 and the size of the image sensor 18 obtained in step S42. In this example, the processor calculates the diagonal length of the image sensor 18 as 8 mm × screen size 50% / dimensional value 160 μm and obtains an optical magnification of 25x.

[0084] The optical magnification calculated in step S43 is a value obtained by adjusting the optical magnification calculated in the above-described embodiment by the ratio of the screen size (image display area). This is because, as shown in Figure 19, for example, if an image is to be displayed in 50% of the monitor area, assuming the monitor magnification is fixed, it is necessary to project the sample onto 50% of the image sensor area.

[0085] Note that the processing from step S44 to step S47 is the same as the processing from step S34 to step S37 shown in Figure 14. After the above processing is completed, the application screen (window 59) of the microscope system shown in Figure 20 will be displayed.

[0086] Subsequently, when the user selects one setting candidate by pressing the selection button on window 59 shown in Figure 20, the processor outputs control information containing information about the selected setting candidate to the controller (control unit 19) of the microscope 10. Upon receiving the control information, the controller changes the settings of the microscope 10 to the setting candidate selected by the user. Furthermore, when the user selects full-screen display, the output device 30 displays the image IM4 of the sample S in full screen using the image display area specified by the user in step S41, as shown in Figure 21. That is, the image IM4 is displayed using 50% of the total area. Note that the image IM4 shown in Figure 21 is an image obtained by extracting only the information of the area corresponding to the dimensional value of the sample from the image acquired by camera 17, and then enlarging it at the monitor magnification.

[0087] As described above, the same effects as those of the second embodiment can be obtained with the microscope system according to this embodiment. Furthermore, with the microscope system according to this embodiment, the user can easily specify the size of the image that is ultimately displayed on the monitor (output device 30). The image size suitable for observation may differ depending on the user. Also, the size of the monitor may differ depending on the microscope system used. Even in such cases, with the microscope system according to this embodiment, the user can observe the sample at a size that is easy to view.

[0088] In this embodiment, an example was shown in which the size of the image displayed on the monitor is adjusted by adjusting the optical magnification. However, the image size may be adjusted by methods other than adjusting the optical magnification. For example, if the monitor magnification is not fixed and the correspondence between the pixels of the image sensor and the pixels of the monitor can be adjusted, the same size adjustment may be achieved by changing the monitor magnification. This method allows the image size to be adjusted solely by image processing (digital processing) without changing the settings of the microscope 10. Therefore, it is particularly effective when the display size needs to be changed frequently.

[0089] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 22 shows the relationship between the number of pixels in the image sensor and the monitor. Figure 23 is an example of an application screen displayed in the magnified observation system according to this embodiment. The microscope system according to this embodiment differs from the microscope system according to the above-described embodiment in that it supports pixel-for-pixel display. In other respects, the configuration of the microscope system according to this embodiment is the same as that of microscope system 1. Therefore, the components of the microscope system are referred to by the same reference numerals as the components of microscope system 1.

[0090] In the embodiments described above, an example was shown in which the image is enlarged or reduced by the monitor magnification determined by the monitor size and the image sensor size to display the image on the monitor. However, the microscope system according to this embodiment supports pixel-for-pixel display. Pixel-for-pixel display means that the information of one pixel of the image sensor is displayed using one pixel of the monitor.

[0091] The number of pixels in the image sensor 18 may be greater than the number of pixels in the monitor (output device 30). In this case, when displaying at 1:1 pixel magnification, only a portion of the image acquired by the camera 17, including the image sensor 18, will be displayed on the monitor, as shown in Figure 22.

[0092] Therefore, as shown in Figure 23, when pixel-for-pixel display is selected on the application screen (window 61) of the microscope system, the optical magnification should be determined so that the image of the sample is projected onto the area 30p corresponding to the number of pixels on the monitor, out of the total pixel area 18p of the image sensor, as shown in Figure 22. Note that areas 18p and 30p in Figure 22 represent the total area of ​​the image sensor and the area corresponding to the number of pixels on the monitor, respectively, when the pixels of the image sensor and the pixels of the monitor are represented as the same size.

[0093] As described above, the microscope system according to this embodiment can also obtain the same effects as in the second embodiment.

[0094] Figure 24 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer 100 for realizing the control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment. The hardware configuration shown in Figure 24 includes, for example, a processor 101, memory 102, storage device 103, reader 104, communication interface 106, and input / output interface 107. The processor 101, memory 102, storage device 103, reader 104, communication interface 106, and input / output interface 107 are connected to each other, for example, via a bus 108.

[0095] The processor 101 may be a single processor, a multi-processor, or a multi-core processor. The processor 101 reads and executes the program stored in the memory device 103, thereby performing the control processes exemplified in Figures 4, 5, 9, 14, 17, etc.

[0096] Memory 102 is, for example, a semiconductor memory and may include a RAM area and a ROM area. Storage device 103 is, for example, a hard disk, a semiconductor memory such as flash memory, or an external storage device.

[0097] The reader 104 accesses the removable storage medium 205, for example, according to instructions from the processor 101. 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), a Blu-ray Disc, etc. (Blu-ray is a registered trademark).

[0098] The communication interface 106 communicates with other devices, for example, according to instructions from the processor 101. The input / output interface 107 is an interface between, for example, the microscope 10, the output device 30, and the input device 40.

[0099] The program executed by processor 101 is provided to the computer in the following form, for example. (1) It is pre-installed on the storage device 103. (2) Provided by a removable storage medium 105. (3) Provided from a server such as a program server.

[0100] The computer hardware configuration for realizing the control device described with reference to Figure 24 is illustrative, and the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, some of the above configurations may be deleted, or new configurations may be added. In another embodiment, for example, some or all of the functions of the above-described processing unit may be implemented as hardware such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), SoC (System-on-a-Chip), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and PLD (Programmable Logic Device).

[0101] 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, each embodiment can be modified in terms of its components without departing from its spirit and scope. Furthermore, new embodiments can be implemented by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in one or more embodiments. In addition, some components may be deleted from the components shown in each embodiment, or some components may be added to the components shown in an embodiment. Moreover, the processing steps shown in each embodiment may be performed in a different order, as long as they do not contradict each other. That is, the magnified observation system, magnified observation method, and program of the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0102] In the embodiments described above, examples were shown in which the microscope system automatically changes settings and in which setting candidates are suggested to the user, but these may be combined. For example, the microscope system may first change the settings of the microscope 10 to what it considers to be the optimal setting, and then display one or more setting candidates on the monitor along with the image acquired with the changed setting. This allows the user to consider whether or not to further change the settings while viewing the image acquired with the setting that the microscope system has determined to be optimal. If the user decides that they should change the settings, they can change the settings with a single touch, as in the second embodiment.

[0103] In the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which only images acquired after a setting change were displayed. However, in addition to images acquired after a setting change, information about the optical system used to acquire those images may also be displayed. The information about the optical system may be the same as the information displayed as setting candidates as described above, or more detailed information may be displayed. Furthermore, the display of information about the optical system may be performed in response to explicit instructions from the user (e.g., pressing a button) or specific operations (detection of mouseover on the image), or it may be displayed without user instructions. This allows the user to check at any time what settings were used to acquire the displayed image.

[0104] Although not specifically mentioned in the embodiments described above, when displaying one or more setting candidates, it may be indicated whether or not it is necessary to change the objective lens on the revolving nosepiece. This is because, even if an objective lens is registered as registered information, if it is not mounted on the revolving nosepiece, the user must change the objective lens themselves. By indicating whether or not a change is necessary, the user can select a setting from the setting candidates while taking into account the need to change the objective lens. Alternatively, instead of, or in addition to, indicating whether or not it is necessary to change the objective lens on the revolving nosepiece, it may be indicated whether or not it is necessary to switch the objective lens. This is because switching the objective lens manually, like changing the objective lens, places a significant burden on the user.

[0105] In the embodiments described above, an example was shown in which the optical magnification was displayed when displaying one or more setting candidates, but the display of optical magnification is not mandatory. The display of optical magnification may be omitted, or the overall magnification may be displayed instead of the optical magnification.

[0106] In the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the dimensional values ​​of a sample are entered from the application screen, but the application screen may also be made selectable for the observation method. By specifying the observation method along with the dimensional values, the control device 20 may change the observation method and magnification simultaneously. This reduces the burden on the user when making setting changes that involve changing the observation method.

[0107] In the embodiments described above, magnification and image quality were exemplified as first criteria for calculating priority and determining one setting candidate from one or more setting candidates. However, the first criteria used by the control device 20 may include other criteria. Below, typical examples of criteria that the control device 20 can use and that may be included in the first criteria will be given, and the advantages of using them as criteria will be explained.

[0108] As mentioned above, the first criterion may include magnification. Here, magnification refers to optical magnification, or in other words, the ratio of the object being observed to the actual field of view of the microscope 10. By including optical magnification in the first criterion, users can easily set the microscope to observe the object at a size suitable for observation.

[0109] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the first criterion may include image quality, or more specifically, the quality of the image quality. By including image quality as the first criterion, users can easily set up their devices to observe the object with good image quality.

[0110] Furthermore, the first criterion may include the number of settings that need to be changed, or more specifically, the number of settings that need to be changed. By including the number of settings that need to be changed in the first criterion, users can easily achieve settings that are suitable for observation with minimal effort, even if the settings are changed manually.

[0111] Furthermore, the first criterion may include whether or not the objective lens needs to be replaced. Replacing the objective lens can easily cause focus shifts and other problems, making the adjustment work after changing the settings burdensome. By including whether or not the objective lens needs to be replaced in the first criterion, and changing the settings while minimizing the need to replace the objective lens, the burden of adjustment work after changing the settings can be reduced.

[0112] Furthermore, the first criterion may include the magnification adjustment range provided by the zoom system. The magnification adjustment range may be considered as the deviation from the center value within the magnification range of the zoom optical system 14 included in the microscope 10. By including the magnification adjustment range provided by the zoom system in the first criterion, a large margin can be left for fine-tuning the magnification after changing the settings.

[0113] In this specification, the expression "based on A" does not mean "based solely on A," but rather "based on at least A," and further, "based at least partially on A." That is, "based on A" may also mean based on B in addition to A, or based on a part of A. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1. Microscope System 10 Microscopes 11, 12, 13 Objective lenses 14 Zoom Optics 15. Imaging lens 16 Camera Adapters 17 Cameras 18 Image sensor 18p, 30p size 19 Control Unit 20 Control device 21 Acquisition Department 22 Memory section 23 Decision Section 24 Output section 30 Output device 31 Display section 40 Input devices 41 Input section 50-61 windows 100 Computers 101 Processors 102 memory 103 Storage device 104 Reading device 105 Storage medium 106 Communication Interface 107 Input / Output Interfaces 108 Bus S Sample Images IM1~IM4

Claims

1. The input section operated by the user, An acquisition unit that acquires the dimensional value of an object to be observed and a first reference based on input using the input unit, wherein the first reference is a set of priority items predetermined in order of priority, including the degree of agreement with a target magnification calculated from the dimensional value and the quality of the image generated by the imaging device. A determination unit determines one or more setting candidates for the magnification observation device for observing the object, based on the dimensional values ​​acquired by the acquisition unit and the registration information of the magnification observation device for projecting an enlarged image of the object to be observed onto the imaging device, which can achieve the target magnification or an acceptable magnification close to it. An output unit that prioritizes the one or more setting candidates determined by the determination unit according to the first criterion acquired by the acquisition unit, selects the one setting candidate with the highest priority from the one or more prioritized setting candidates, and outputs control information including information about the selected setting candidate, A control unit that changes the settings of the magnification observation device to one of the setting candidates based on the control information output from the output unit, is provided. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

2. In the magnified observation system described in claim 1, The first criterion mentioned above includes the ratio of the object being observed to the actual field of view of the magnified observation device. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

3. In the magnified observation system described in claim 1, The first criterion mentioned above includes whether or not the objective lens needs to be replaced. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

4. In the magnified observation system described in claim 1, The first criterion mentioned above includes the number of settings that have been changed. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

5. In the magnified observation system described in claim 1, The first criterion includes the magnification adjustment range provided by the zoom system included in the magnification observation device. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

6. In the magnified observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The acquisition unit further acquires display area information relating to the size of the image display area on the display unit that displays the image acquired by the imaging device, which is specified using the input unit. The determination unit determines one or more setting candidates based on the dimension values ​​and display area information acquired by the acquisition unit and the registration information. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

7. In the magnified observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The output unit outputs to the display unit the dimensional range of the actual field of view of the magnifying observation device, which is calculated based on the registration information of the magnifying observation device. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

8. In the magnified observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The registration information includes information on multiple optical systems registered in the magnification observation device, Each of the one or more setting candidates includes information that identifies a combination of optical systems from the plurality of optical systems to be placed on the observation light path. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

9. In the magnified observation system according to claim 8, Each of the one or more setting candidates further includes information that identifies the state of the optical system to be placed on the observation light path. A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

10. In the magnified observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further, Includes the aforementioned magnification observation device A magnified observation system characterized by the following features.

11. The system obtains the dimensional values ​​of the object to be observed and a first criterion through user input, and the first criterion is a set of pre-specified priority items, including the degree of agreement with the target magnification calculated from the dimensional values ​​and the quality of the image generated by the imaging device. Based on the acquired dimensional values ​​and the registration information of the magnification observation device that magnifies and projects the image of the object to be observed onto the imaging device, one or more setting candidates for the magnification observation device for observing the object to be observed are determined, and one or more setting candidates that realize the target magnification or an acceptable magnification close to it. The determined one or more setting candidates are prioritized according to the first criterion, the one setting candidate with the highest priority is selected from the prioritized one or more setting candidates, and control information including information about the selected setting candidate is output. Based on the output control information, the settings of the magnification observation device are changed to one or more of the setting candidates. A magnified observation method characterized by the following features.

12. On the computer of the magnified observation system, The system obtains the dimensional values ​​of the object to be observed and a first criterion through user input, and the first criterion is a set of pre-specified priority items, including the degree of agreement with the target magnification calculated from the dimensional values ​​and the quality of the image generated by the imaging device. Based on the acquired dimensional values ​​and the registration information of the magnification observation device that magnifies and projects the image of the object to be observed onto the imaging device, one or more setting candidates for the magnification observation device for observing the object to be observed are determined, and one or more setting candidates that realize the target magnification or an acceptable magnification close to it. The determined one or more setting candidates are prioritized according to the first criterion, the one setting candidate with the highest priority is selected from the prioritized one or more setting candidates, and control information including information about the selected setting candidate is output to the magnifying observation device in order to change the setting of the magnifying observation device to one or more setting candidates. A program characterized by executing a process.

Images