Image-acquisition apparatus for reduced blurring via deterioration assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-acquisition systems face challenges in generating high-quality images with reduced blurring and distortion in real-time due to the difficulty in obtaining deterioration information and the high computational requirements for image restoration processing.
Innovation Solution
An image-acquisition apparatus that calculates deterioration levels by moving the specimen intersecting the optical axis and combines images with lower deterioration levels at a higher ratio, reducing computational demands and generating images with reduced blurring and distortion efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If image restoration processing is performed to reduce blurring and distortion in pasted images, then image quality is improved, but the calculation time and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating deterioration levels (motion blur and defocus) for each captured image frame before the pasting process. This pre-assessment allows the system to identify high-quality reference frames in advance, avoiding the need for complex restoration processing later. The deterioration level calculation is performed on individual frames while they are being captured, preparing the data for efficient composite image generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential deterioration information (motion blur level and defocus level) from each captured image frame, rather than performing full image restoration processing. By extracting just the key quality metrics and using them to select reference frames, the system avoids the heavy computational burden of complete image restoration while still achieving high-quality pasted images.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex image restoration processing is applied to correct motion blur and defocus, then image quality is improved, but the device complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple, computationally inexpensive deterioration level calculations instead of complex image restoration algorithms. By using straightforward metrics (motion blur assessment and defocus assessment) that can be computed quickly and easily, the system achieves image quality improvement without requiring sophisticated processing equipment or complex algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/image processing systems with a selection-based approach. Instead of using elaborate restoration mechanisms to correct deteriorated images, the system substitutes this with a simpler method of selecting already-captured frames that have acceptable deterioration levels, thereby avoiding the need for complex restoration processing.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple images are captured and pasted to create a wide-angle image, then the field of view is improved, but motion blur and distortion increase due to stage movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assessing deterioration levels individually for each captured image frame rather than treating all frames uniformly. By calculating motion blur and defocus levels separately for each frame, the system can identify which specific frames have acceptable quality and use those as references for pasting, thereby maintaining high image quality across the entire wide-angle composite image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from attempting to correct deteriorated images to selecting frames based on their deterioration parameters. By evaluating motion blur level and defocus level as specific parameters and using these to guide frame selection, the system optimizes the pasting process to combine only high-quality frames, thereby maintaining image quality while achieving wide field of view.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3C
Figure 3D~3G
AI summary
A pasted image with reduced blurring and distortion is generated, in a short period of time, with a small amount of calculation. Provided is an image-acquisition apparatus 1 that includes: a stage 6 on which a specimen A is mounted; an objective lens 8 that collects light from the specimen A mounted on the stage 6; a stage driving unit 7 that drives the stage 6 in the direction intersecting an optical axis of the objective lens 8; an image capturing unit 9 that acquires images by capturing the light collected by the objective lens 8; a deterioration-level calculation unit 14 that calculates deterioration levels contained in the images acquired by the image capturing unit 9; and an image generating unit 11 that generates a pasted image by pasting the images acquired by the image capturing unit 9, wherein the image generating unit 11 generates the pasted image by combining, for a common region of two images that are mutually pasted, an image with lower deterioration level calculated by the deterioration-level calculation unit at a higher combining ratio.