Camera adjustment target and specimen processing device

Abstract

Provided is a technique with which the position and angle of a camera can be adjusted at high resolution on the basis of a video of the camera. The present disclosure relates to a camera adjustment target for adjusting the position of a camera on the basis of a video of the camera. The camera adjustment target is configured from a transparent member filled with a substance having a higher refractive index than air, and comprises a first surface that is a convex curved surface, a second surface on the opposite side from the first surface, two first lines that intersect each other at the center of the first surface, and two second lines that intersect each other at the center of the second surface, the angle of intersection of the first lines being equal to the angle of intersection of the second lines.

Description

Camera adjustment target and specimen processing device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a camera adjustment target and a specimen processing apparatus.

[0002] In biochemical and immunological tests, the appropriateness of the containers used and the quality and quantity of the specimens must be determined before analysis to eliminate unnecessary tests and reduce the consumption of consumables and reagents. To perform this determination automatically and quickly using an image processing system, it is necessary to illuminate the specimen containers with uniform brightness and acquire images of the specimens and specimen containers with sufficient spatial resolution and contrast with minimal preprocessing. Therefore, optical equipment such as cameras and light sources used to acquire images must be installed within the instrument at appropriate positions and angles relative to the specimens.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe techniques for adjusting and checking the angle and direction of a tool such as a camera.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an angle state checking device for visually checking the angle and direction of a jig or tool such as a camera. This angle state checking device is configured by attaching a transparent three-dimensional structure (hereinafter referred to as a target) with cross marks (hereinafter referred to as marks) drawn in the center of the top and bottom surfaces (hereinafter referred to as the front and rear surfaces) to the jig or tool. It is said that by adjusting the angle of the jig or tool so that the marks on the front and rear surfaces appear to overlap, it is possible to ensure that the jig or tool is in a vertical or horizontal state.

[0005] Patent Document 2 describes an imaging device for accurately aligning a photographic lens with a subject. This imaging device is configured by placing a flat prism (hereinafter referred to as a target) with identically shaped notches (hereinafter referred to as marks) on both its front and back (hereinafter referred to as front and back) next to the photographic lens. By adjusting the orientation of the camera so that the intersections of the marks on the front and back surfaces appear to coincide, it is possible to accurately align the optical axis of the camera's photographic lens with the subject.

[0006] JP 2015-148599 A JP 2006-84807 A

[0007] When a camera is positioned offset from a target, the greater the distance between the front and rear surfaces of the target, the greater the deviation of the markings on the front and rear surfaces of the target will appear to the camera. In other words, the camera's adjustment resolution increases. However, since the space available for installing optical equipment within the device is limited, the shooting distance cannot be long. In this case, the camera's depth of field becomes shallow. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, where the target is hollow, if the distance between the front and rear surfaces of the target is large, either the front or rear surface will fall outside the camera's depth of field, making the markings on that surface likely to become unclear. As a result, there is a possibility that sufficient adjustment resolution cannot be ensured.

[0008] One possible solution to this problem is to fill the interior of the target with a transparent material with a refractive index greater than that of air, thereby shortening the air-equivalent distance from the camera to the rear surface of the target. In this case, both the front and rear surfaces of the target are more likely to fit within the camera's depth of field. However, at the same time, light emitted from the markings on the rear surface is refracted by the front surface of the target and enters the camera. Therefore, in Patent Document 2, where the front surface of the target is flat, the markings on the rear surface are closer to the markings on the front surface and are captured by the camera. In other words, the deviation between the marks on the front and rear surfaces of the target is reduced and captured by the camera, potentially reducing the camera's adjustment resolution.

[0009] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a technology that enables the position and angle of a camera to be adjusted easily and with high resolution based on the image from the camera.

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the camera adjustment target of the present disclosure is a camera adjustment target for adjusting the position of a camera based on camera images, and is made of a transparent material filled with a substance having a refractive index higher than that of air, and is characterized in that it has a first surface which is a convex curved surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, two first lines which intersect with each other at the center of the first surface, and two second lines which intersect with each other at the center of the second surface, and the angle of intersection of the first lines is equal to the angle of intersection of the second lines.

[0011] Further features related to the present disclosure will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. Also, aspects of the present disclosure are achieved and realized by the elements and combinations of various elements and the aspects of the following detailed description and the appended claims. The description of this specification is merely exemplary and does not limit the scope or application of the claims of the present disclosure in any way.

[0012] According to the technology of the present disclosure, it is possible to easily adjust the position and angle of a camera with high resolution based on the image captured by the camera. Problems, configurations, and advantages other than those described above will become clear from the description of the following embodiments.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a target according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a method for adjusting a camera using a target according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a method for adjusting a camera using a target according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a target and an imaging element of a camera for explaining the principle of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a target according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view of a target installed at an imaging position of a sample processing apparatus. FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a method for adjusting a camera using a target according to a third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a view for explaining a method for adjusting a camera using a target according to the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic analyzer according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a top view showing an overview of an automatic analyzer when adjusting the position and angle of an optical device using a target.

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, the surface of the target that faces the camera when adjusting the camera position and angle will be referred to as the first surface, and the surface of the target on the opposite side will be referred to as the second surface. In addition, the first surface side of the target may be referred to as the "front" and the second surface side as the "rear" in the description.

[0015] [First Embodiment] <Example of Target Configuration> Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first surface of a target 100 according to a first embodiment, viewed from diagonally above right. In Fig. 1, the refraction of light on the surface of the target 100 is not taken into consideration. The target 100 is composed of a spherical, transparent (translucent) member 90 filled with a substance having a refractive index higher than that of air. The transparent member 90 can be molded, for example, from a single solid material. Alternatively, the member 90 may be composed of a hollow shell filled with water or the like. Examples of materials for the member 90 include acrylic, glass, and polystyrene.

[0016] The target 100 has a first surface 91 and a second surface 92 each having a convex curved shape. Two intersecting lines 91L are provided at the center of the first surface 91. Two intersecting lines 92L are drawn at the center of the second surface 92. The intersection of the two lines 91L coincides with the center of the first surface 91. The intersection of the two lines 92L coincides with the center of the second surface 92. The two lines 91L and the two lines 92L are similar to each other.

[0017] 1, the intersection angle between the two lines 91L and the two lines 92L is 90°, but this is not limited thereto and may be any other intersection angle as long as they are the same. Furthermore, the two lines 91L and the two lines 92L do not necessarily need to be similar, and as long as they are located on surfaces 180° apart and have the same intersection angle, the aspect ratios of the lengths of the lines may be different. However, as will be described later, when photographing with a camera, the line 92L located behind is magnified, so making the size of the line 92L smaller than the line 91L makes it easier to adjust the camera.

[0018] The lines 91L and 92L can be formed by any method, such as by cutting a groove into the member 90 and coloring the groove with ink, by drawing a line with a marker or the like, or by attaching a sticker or the like of the desired line shape.

[0019] It is sufficient that only the first surface 91 of the target 100 is a convex curved surface, and the second surface 92 may be a flat surface. The target 100 may be formed by joining together parts of a plurality of shapes, such as hemispheres and rectangular parallelepipeds.

[0020] <Regarding Camera Adjustment> Figures 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a method for adjusting a camera using the target 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2A is an image of the imaging position (target 100) captured by an unadjusted camera. Figure 2B is an image of the imaging position (target 100) captured by an adjusted camera. On the camera image, plotted lines H and V that pass through the center of the camera's imaging element and are parallel to the horizontal and vertical pixel arrangements are superimposed and displayed. In Figures 2A and 2B, to make it easier to distinguish between the lines, two lines 91L and 92L are shown as outlined lines, and plotted lines H and V are shown as solid black lines.

[0021] When adjusting the camera, first, the target 100 is placed at the imaging position so that the first surface 91 faces the camera. Then, while viewing the camera image or processing the camera image on a computer, the position and angle of the camera are manipulated so that the two lines 91L and the two lines 92L drawn on the target 100 overlap, and so that the intersection of the two lines 91L (the center of the first surface 91) and the intersection of the two lines 92L (the center of the second surface 92) coincide with the intersection of the drawn lines H and V. In this way, the position and angle of the camera can be easily adjusted based on the camera image.

[0022] Alternatively, two lines 91L and 92L may be drawn in two directions parallel to the horizontal and vertical directions of the pixels constituting the image sensor of a properly installed camera, and the position and angle of the camera may be adjusted so that the drawn lines H and V and the lines 91L and 92L all overlap. In this case, the angle around the optical axis of the camera can be adjusted more accurately.

[0023] <Regarding the Principle of the Technology of the Present Disclosure> Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a target 100 and a camera imaging element for explaining the principle of the present disclosure. The cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 illustrates the spherical target 100 cut along a plane that includes an intersection C1 (the center of the first surface 91) of two lines 91L drawn on the first surface 91 and an intersection C2 (the center of the second surface 92) of two lines 92L drawn on the second surface 92, and is parallel to the horizontal alignment of the pixels of the camera imaging element. Fig. 3 also illustrates the path of light incident on the camera, which is positioned offset in a direction parallel to the horizontal alignment of the pixels of the camera imaging element. Solid lines So1 and So2 in Fig. 3 represent the optical paths that pass from the intersection C1 and the intersection C2, respectively, through the principal point P of the camera lens to the camera imaging plane S. The dashed line Da2 is an extension of the light ray of the optical path So2 that is refracted at the first surface 91 and heads toward the principal point P of the lens, toward the inside of the target 100. The dotted line Do2 is an extension of the straight line connecting the intersection point C2 and the principal point P of the camera lens, to the imaging surface S of the camera.

[0024] As described above, the target 100 is composed of a transparent member 90, with the first surface 91 facing the camera as a convex surface, filled with a material having a refractive index higher than that of air. Therefore, the camera sees the intersection point C2 as being on the dashed line Da2. The apparent deviation M' between the intersection points C1 and C2 on the camera's imaging surface S is larger than the deviation M that would occur if the target were composed of a hollow, thin spherical shell. Here, deviation M is the distance between the intersection point of the camera's imaging surface S with the optical path So1 and the intersection point of the camera's imaging surface S with the dotted line Do2. Additionally, the air-equivalent distance between the first surface 91 and the second surface 92 is reduced by the refractive index of the member 90. This makes it easier for both the first surface 91 and the second surface 92 to fall within the camera's depth of field, making it easier for both lines 91L and 92L to be displayed clearly. Therefore, it is possible to provide a camera adjustment target for easily adjusting the position and angle of a camera with high resolution based on the image from the camera.

[0025] <Regarding Lines 91L and 92L> The thickness of line 91L drawn on the first surface 91 can be made thicker than the thickness of line 92L drawn on the second surface 92. In the camera image, line 92L on the second surface 92 appears thicker than it actually is due to refraction at the first surface 91. Therefore, by making the thickness of line 92L thinner than line 91L in advance, it is possible to display lines 91L and 92L with the same thickness in the camera image.

[0026] Furthermore, the color of the line 91L can be different from the color of the line 92L. In this case, it is easy to see in which direction the camera is displaced, making it even easier to adjust the position and angle of the camera.

[0027] Furthermore, the lines 91L and 92L can be colored with two complementary colors, and in addition, the lines 91L and 92L can be made translucent, so that the overlap between the lines 91L and 92L appears black in the camera image, making it easy to see the misalignment between the lines 91L and 92L even after they partially overlap.

[0028] Summary of First Embodiment As described above, the target 100 (camera adjustment target) for adjusting the position of a camera based on an image from the camera according to the first embodiment is made of a transparent member 90 filled with a substance having a refractive index higher than that of air, and includes a first surface 91 that is a convex curved surface, a second surface 92 opposite the first surface 91, two lines 91L (first lines) that intersect with each other at the center of the first surface 91, and two lines 92L (second lines) that intersect with each other at the center of the second surface 92, and the angle of intersection of the lines 91L and 92L is equal.

[0029] As a result, the lines 91L and 92L drawn on the front and rear surfaces of the target 100 are clearly displayed on the camera, and the deviation between the lines 91L and 92L on the front and rear surfaces is magnified. Therefore, the position and angle of the camera can be easily adjusted with high resolution based on the image from the camera. Furthermore, since a camera whose position and angle have been adjusted with high resolution can be mounted on the sample processing device, images of the sample and sample container with sufficient spatial resolution and contrast can be obtained with minimal preprocessing.

[0030] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the lines 91L and 92L provided on the target 100 are solid lines ( FIG. 1 ) has been described. The lines 91L and 92L do not necessarily have to be solid lines, and may be other types of lines. In the second embodiment, a case in which the types of the lines 91L and 92L are changed will be described.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a target 200 according to the second embodiment, viewed from diagonally above right of the first surface 91. Fig. 4 does not take into consideration the refraction of light on the surface of the target 200. In the second embodiment, the type of the two lines 91L drawn on the first surface 91 is different from the type of the two lines 92L drawn on the second surface 92. As an example, the case where the two lines 91L are dashed lines and the two lines 92L are dotted lines is shown.

[0032] The short lines 91Ls constituting the two dashed lines 91L are equal in length and are spaced at equal intervals. On the other hand, the very short lines 92Ls constituting the two dotted lines 92L become shorter toward the periphery. The spacing between the very short lines 92Ls also becomes narrower toward the periphery. The length L1 of the short lines 91Ls and the spacing D1 between the short lines 91Ls are both longer than the length L2 of the longest very short line 92Ls.

[0033] In this embodiment, the position and orientation of the camera are manipulated so that the two lines 91L and 92L appear on the camera as two intersecting solid lines or as two intersecting dashed dotted lines. This allows the camera to be fixed in the appropriate position and orientation. The target 200 of this embodiment is effective for adjusting the position and inclination of a monochrome camera. Therefore, even if the camera is a monochrome camera, a camera adjustment target can be provided that allows the camera position and angle to be easily adjusted with high resolution based on the camera image.

[0034] Third Embodiment In a third embodiment, a method for adjusting the position and angle of a camera installed in a sample processing apparatus using the target 100 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0035] 5A is a front view of a target 100 installed at an imaging position of a sample processing device. The sample processing device includes a sample rack 2 configured to hold a plurality of sample containers 3. Support members 32u and 32l are connected to the sample containers 3 by a connecting member 33. The target 100 is supported by the support members 32u and 32l, with its upper surface joined to the support member 32u and its lower surface joined to the support member 32l. The widths of the support members 32u and 32l are equal to the width of the sample containers 3. The support members 32u and 32l are inserted into the sample rack 2 together with the connected sample containers 3 so that the first surface 91 of the target 100 faces the front of the sample rack 2.

[0036] The size of the target 100 can be a sphere having a diameter approximately equal to the width of the specimen container 3, which is the subject of the image. However, as the size of the target 100 increases, the distance between the first surface 91 (front surface) and the second surface 92 (rear surface) can be increased, thereby improving resolution, but the curvature of the convex curved surface (first surface 91) decreases, resulting in a lower magnification. On the other hand, as the size of the target 100 decreases, the curvature of the convex curved surface (first surface 91) increases, thereby increasing magnification, but the distance between the first surface 91 (front surface) and the second surface 92 (rear surface) decreases, resulting in a lower resolution. Therefore, it is advisable to design the size of the target 100 according to the size of the installation space for the target 100, the desired magnification, or the desired resolution.

[0037] In this embodiment, by reliably inserting not only the support members 32u and 32l but also the connected sample containers 3 to the bottom of the sample rack 2, the target 100 is prevented from being placed tilted at least in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 5A ) of the sample rack 2. Furthermore, the target 100 is formed of a spherical member 90, and is sandwiched between two cylindrical support members 32u and 32l that are divided into upper and lower parts. In this case, by appropriately setting the height of the support member 32l below the target 100, the vertical position of the target 100 when inserted into the sample rack 2 can be appropriately managed.

[0038] In this way, the target 100 can be installed at the correct position and in the correct posture at the imaging position, and therefore a camera adjustment target can be provided for easily and accurately adjusting the position and angle of the camera with high resolution based on the image of the camera.

[0039] 5B and 5C are diagrams illustrating a method for adjusting a camera using a target 100 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 5B is a captured image of the target 100 supported by the support members 32u and 32l and placed in the sample rack 2 before camera adjustment. Fig. 5C is a captured image of the target 100 supported by the support members 32u and 32l and placed in the sample rack 2 after camera adjustment.

[0040] Here, it is advisable to appropriately set the height of the upper support member 32u of the target 100. In this case, the position of the upper end 32ut of the upper support member 32u on the image can be used to accurately adjust the camera's imaging distance. Specifically, as described in the first embodiment, the camera's position and angle are first manipulated so that the two lines 91L and 92L drawn on the target 100 overlap, and the intersection of the two lines 91L (the center of the first surface 91) and the intersection of the two lines 92L (the center of the second surface 92) coincide with the intersection of the drawing lines H and V. Next, a horizontal line HL parallel to the horizontal arrangement of pixels on the camera's imaging element is displayed at a predetermined position, and the front-to-rear position of the optical base is adjusted so that the upper end 32ut of the support member 32u coincides with the horizontal line HL. This allows the camera's imaging distance, as well as its vertical and horizontal positions and angles, to be accurately adjusted ( FIG. 5C ). As long as it is within the imaging range of the camera, the higher the height of the upper support member 32u, the higher the sensitivity with which the imaging distance of the camera can be adjusted.

[0041] Fourth Embodiment In the fourth embodiment, an automatic analyzer equipped with an optical device including a camera adjusted using a camera adjustment target 100 will be described. The automatic analyzer is an apparatus that automatically analyzes samples and is an example of a sample processing apparatus. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein is not limited to automatic analyzers, but can also be applied to other sample processing apparatuses, such as preprocessing apparatuses that perform sample preprocessing, such as centrifugation or subdivision.

[0042] 6 is a top view showing a schematic configuration of an automated analyzer 1 according to a fourth embodiment. The automated analyzer 1 includes a control unit 10, a sample supply unit 12, an analysis module 13, and a transport unit 14. The control unit 10 is configured to control the operation of the automated analyzer 1. A sample rack 2 holding sample containers 3 containing samples 4 is supplied to the sample supply unit 12 from outside the automated analyzer 1. The sample containers 3 are imaged in the sample supply unit 12, and the appropriateness of the sample containers 3 and the quality and quantity of the samples 4 are determined. The analysis module 13 is configured to measure a fixed amount of dispensed sample 4. The transport unit 14 is configured to transport the sample 4 from the sample supply unit 12 to the analysis module 13 or from the analysis module 13 to the sample supply unit 12.

[0043] 6, the control unit 10 is installed inside the sample supply unit 12, but it may be installed at any position in the automatic analyzer 1. The control unit 10 may also be installed outside the automatic analyzer 1 and may control the automatic analyzer 1 by communicating with the automatic analyzer 1.

[0044] The sample 4 is a liquid such as blood or urine, and is contained in a sample container 3. The sample container 3 is cylindrical, and a barcode label for sample identification is affixed to part of the side surface. In the automated analyzer 1, to protect the sample 4 and improve operability, the sample container 3 containing the sample 4 is transported while stored in a sample rack 2. The sample container 3 is inserted into the sample rack 2 with the barcode label facing the back surface 213 of the sample rack 2. Furthermore, arrow D in Figure 6 indicates the transport direction of the sample rack 2.

[0045] The transport unit 14 has a rack transport path 141 for carrying in the sample rack 2 and a rack transport path 142 for carrying out the sample rack 2. The rack transport path 141 transports the sample rack 2 from the sample supply unit 12 to the analysis module 13. The rack transport path 142 transports the sample rack 2 from the analysis module 13 to the sample supply unit 12.

[0046] The sample supply unit 12 has an inlet 123 and an outlet 124 for the sample rack 2, an inlet rack transport path 121, and an outlet rack transport path 122. A barcode reading position 126 and an imaging position 7 are provided on the rack transport path 121. A barcode reader 125 is installed on one side of the rack transport path 121 (the inlet 123 side). On the other side of the rack transport path 121, between the rack transport paths 121 and 122, a plate 15 carrying optical devices such as a camera 5, a light source 6, and a plane mirror 8 is installed. The optical devices are fixed to the plate 15 with their positions and angles adjusted relative to each other so that images of the sample containers 3 and the samples 4 therein can be captured and so that the shadows of the sample rack 2 and the light source 6 are not reflected on the surfaces of the sample containers 3. This enables appropriate analysis of the sample containers 3 or the samples 4.

[0047] On the rack transport path 121, the rear surface 213 of the sample rack 2 faces the barcode reader 125, and the front surface 212 of the sample rack 2 faces the camera 5. The barcode reading position 126 and the imaging position 7 may be the same location.

[0048] The control unit 10 controls the sample supply unit 12, the analysis module 13, the transport unit 14, the barcode reader 125, the camera 5, and the light source 6. First, the control unit 10 pushes the sample racks 2 placed at the entrance 123 of the sample rack 2 one by one onto the rack transport path 121, and transports them to the barcode reading position 126 and the imaging position 7. At the barcode reading position 126, the barcode label attached to the sample container 3 is read by the barcode reader 125 from the rear surface 213 side of the sample rack 2. At the imaging position 7, the light source 6 is caused to emit light to illuminate the sample container 3, and the camera 5 images the sample container 3 and the sample 4 inside the sample container 3.

[0049] Next, the control unit 10 identifies the specimen 4 contained in the specimen container 3 based on the information obtained from the barcode label read by the barcode reader 125. The control unit 10 also determines whether the specimen container 3 is appropriate and whether the quality and quantity of the specimen 4 are appropriate based on the image captured by the camera 5.

[0050] Thereafter, the control unit 10 assigns the sample rack 2 to a destination analysis module 13 in accordance with pre-registered item information, and transports the sample rack 2 on the rack transport path 141. After the test is completed, the control unit 10 stores the sample rack 2 in the outlet 124 via the rack transport path 142 and the rack transport path 122.

[0051] <Regarding Adjustment of Optical Devices> The plate 15 on which the optical devices are placed is fixed to the automatic analyzer 1 after adjusting the position and angle of the optical devices together with the plate 15 based on the image from the camera 5 .

[0052] 7 is a top view showing an overview of the automated analyzer 1 when adjusting the position and angle of the optical equipment using the target 100. A sample rack 2 with a target 100 (not shown) described in the third embodiment inserted therein is stopped at the imaging position 7. In this state, the imaging position 7 is photographed by the camera 5 mounted on the plate 15. The image from the camera 5 is superimposed with drawing lines H and V that pass through the center of the imaging element of the camera 5 and are parallel to the horizontal and vertical pixel arrangements, respectively, and displayed on a display (not shown). Then, the position and angle of the included optical equipment are adjusted together with the plate 15 as described above.

[0053] In this way, by using target 100, the position and angle of the optical device can be adjusted easily and with high resolution based on the image from camera 5. This also makes it possible to provide an automated analyzer equipped with an optical device fixed at an appropriate position and angle. Therefore, since a camera whose position and angle can be adjusted with high resolution can be installed, it is possible to provide a sample processing device that can acquire images of samples and sample containers with sufficient spatial resolution and contrast with minimal preprocessing.

[0054] [Modifications] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present disclosure, and it is not necessary to include all of the described configurations. Furthermore, a part of one embodiment can be replaced with a configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, a configuration of another embodiment can be added to a configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, a part of the configuration of each embodiment can be added to, deleted from, or substituted for a part of the configuration of another embodiment.

[0055] 100, 200 targets 1...automatic analyzer 2...sample rack 3...sample container 4...sample 5...camera 6...light source 7...imaging position 8...plane mirror 10...controller 12...sample supply unit 13...analysis module 14...transport unit 15...plate material 32u, 32l...support member 33...connecting member 90...transparent member 91...first surface 92...second surface 91L...line (first line) 92L...line (second line)

Claims

1. A camera adjustment target for adjusting the position of a camera based on camera images, said camera adjustment target being made of a transparent member filled with a substance having a higher refractive index than air, and comprising: a first surface that is a convex curve; a second surface opposite said first surface; two first lines that intersect with each other at the center of said first surface; and two second lines that intersect with each other at the center of said second surface, wherein the angle of intersection of said first lines is equal to the angle of intersection of said second lines.

2. A camera adjustment target as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first line and the second line are parallel to the horizontal and vertical arrangements of the pixels that make up the camera's imaging element when the camera is installed in the correct position and at the correct angle.

3. A camera adjustment target according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first line is thicker than the thickness of the second line.

4. A camera adjustment target according to claim 1, wherein the color of the first line is different from the color of the second line.

5. A camera adjustment target according to claim 4, wherein the colors of the first line and the second line are complementary to each other and the target is translucent.

6. A camera adjustment target according to claim 1, wherein the type of the first line is different from the type of the second line.

7. A camera adjustment target according to claim 6, wherein the first line is a broken line, the second line is a dotted line, the short lines constituting the broken line are of equal length and arranged at equal intervals, the very short lines constituting the dotted line become shorter as they move towards the periphery, and the intervals between the very short lines become narrower as they move towards the periphery.

8. The camera adjustment target according to claim 1, wherein the camera adjustment target is a sphere.

9. A camera adjustment target according to claim 1, further comprising a support member for supporting a portion that avoids the first line and the second line, the support member being dimensioned so that one end of the support member is included in the image of the camera when the camera adjustment target is placed at the imaging position of the camera.

10. A sample processing device comprising: a sample container connected to the support member of the camera adjustment target described in claim 9 by a connecting member; and a sample rack configured to be able to hold the connected support member and sample container.

11. A sample processing device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: the camera; and a transport mechanism configured to be able to transport the sample rack; wherein the camera adjustment target is held on the sample rack with the first surface facing the side on which the camera is located; the sample rack is transported by the transport mechanism to the imaging position of the camera; and when the camera images the camera adjustment target, the camera is positioned so that two drawing lines passing through the center of the imaging element of the camera and parallel to the horizontal and vertical pixel directions overlap with both the first line and the second line of the camera adjustment target.

12. A specimen processing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the camera is positioned so that the position of the upper end of the support member coincides with the position of a horizontal line displayed at the top of the image captured by the camera.

Images