Microscope Stage Position Correction for Optical Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscope systems face challenges in maintaining accurate observation and image stitching when optical members, such as objective lenses or trinocular tubes, are switched, leading to misalignment and disruption in the creation of wide-field-angle combined images.
Innovation Solution
A microscope system that includes a stage with a position detecting unit, an imaging unit, an image generating unit, a position searching unit, a switching detecting unit, and a control unit, which detects and corrects for position shifts caused by optical member switching, ensuring continuous accurate patching and combining of images by calculating and applying correction values to maintain alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If optical members are switched to change magnification or observation conditions, then observation flexibility is improved, but image position alignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs feedback by detecting the stage position before and after optical member switching, calculating the position shift, and using this information to correct subsequent image stitching. The position detecting unit continuously monitors stage position, and the control unit adjusts the stitching calculation based on detected position changes, ensuring accurate combined images despite optical member switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of stage position correction based on the detected position shift. When optical members are switched, the control unit modifies the position parameter by adding the calculated shift amount to the detected stage position, allowing the system to adapt to position changes caused by optical member switching while maintaining accurate image alignment.
2Measurement precision
If stage position is continuously tracked for image stitching, then combined image accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the stage position before optical member switching and storing this information. This pre-detected position is used as a reference for calculating position shifts, allowing the system to maintain accurate image stitching without requiring continuous complex monitoring during the switching process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary by receiving position detection data, calculating position shifts caused by optical member switching, and providing corrected position information to the image generating unit. This intermediary processing simplifies the overall system by centralizing the correction logic in one component rather than requiring complex coordination across multiple units.
Data Source
AI summary
A microscope system includes: a stage for placing a sample and movable in a direction; a position detecting unit that detects the stage position; an imaging unit that captures an image of the sample; an image generating unit that combines the acquired image based on the detected position; a position searching unit that searches for the position of an image on the generated combined image as the stage position; a switching detecting unit that detects switching of an optical member; and a control unit that corrects, when switching is detected, the stage position based on a difference between the stage position detected by the position detecting unit and the stage position searched by the position searching unit so that the stage position detected by the position detecting unit coincides with the stage position searched by the position searching unit.