Digital Microscope Illumination Control for Image Stack Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscopy techniques face issues with unadapted illumination leading to overexposed or underexposed regions in microscopic images, which result in reflections or shadows, when acquiring image stacks from different focus positions.
Innovation Solution
A method and digital microscope system that adjust the focus position and illumination settings for each focus position to minimize reflections and shadows, using a combination of manual or motorized focus control and varying illumination settings, such as selection of illumination types, illuminance levels, and light source directions, to ensure optimal image quality across the image stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If unadapted illumination is used when acquiring image stacks from different focus positions, then the acquisition process is simple and fast, but overexposed or underexposed regions appear in the images causing reflections or shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination settings are dynamically adjusted for each focus position in the image stack. The system automatically varies illumination parameters (intensity, angle, type) based on the current focus position to prevent overexposure or underexposure, ensuring optimal image quality across all focal planes without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes illumination parameters (intensity, direction, type) as variables corresponding to different focus positions. By establishing a correspondence between focus position parameters and illumination parameters, the system adapts the illumination settings to match the optical conditions at each focal plane, eliminating reflections and shadows.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple illumination settings are adjusted for each focus position, then reflections and shadows are minimized, but the acquisition time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the correspondence between focus positions and illumination parameters before actual image acquisition. This pre-established mapping allows the system to automatically select appropriate illumination settings for each focus position without trial-and-error adjustments, reducing acquisition time while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor image quality and adjust illumination settings in real-time. By evaluating the acquired images and comparing them against quality criteria, the system automatically fine-tunes illumination parameters to minimize reflections and shadows while optimizing acquisition speed through adaptive control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the generation of image stacks with extended depth of field and improved three-dimensional images by avoiding overexposed or underexposed regions, resulting in sharper, more accurate representations of specimens.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor for converting an image reflected directly or indirectly from the objective lens onto the image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates firstly to a method for acquiring a stack of microscopic images of a specimen. The microscopic images of the stack are acquired from different focus positions. According to the invention, a plurality of the microscopic images of the specimen are respectively acquired from at least some of the focus positions using different settings of an illumination unit for illuminating the specimen. According to the invention, the illumination settings with which the microscopic images of the specimen are acquired is decided upon individually in each case at least for several of the focus positions. The invention further relates to a digital microscope for microimaging a specimen.