Remote Microscopy Control With Synchronized Stage Motion and Video
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote control systems for microscopic machinery suffer from time delays and asynchronism between the captured image and its display at the remote host, primarily due to the need for image compression and transmission of multiple images, which leads to a lag in real-time image viewing.
Innovation Solution
A system that sends direct, uncompressed video images from the microscopic camera device to the remote host, accompanied by movement commands for the motorized stage to automatically move to the next preset position after capturing each image, thereby offsetting the delay in image transmission and ensuring synchronized image display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If multiple images are collected, compressed and then sent to remote host, then the image data transmission is optimized for bandwidth, but time delay increases and real-time display is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the compression step from the image transmission process, sending only the essential image data without compression. This removes the time-consuming compression operation while maintaining efficient bandwidth utilization through selective data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-coordinating the motorized stage movement with image capture and transmission timing. The stage moves to the next position in advance, and the timing is synchronized so that movement time offsets transmission delay, ensuring real-time display without compression overhead.
2Ease of operation
If remote desktop software is used to send control commands, then the system is easy to implement, but the control is asynchronous and the displayed image does not match the captured image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the remote host receives real-time status information about image capture and stage position. This feedback loop ensures that the displayed images correspond to the actual captured images and current stage position, maintaining synchronization while keeping the remote control interface simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer that coordinates between the remote control commands and local device actions. This intermediary ensures proper sequencing and timing of capture commands and stage movements, guaranteeing that displayed images match captured images while maintaining ease of remote operation.
3Quantity of substance
If image compression is applied before transmission, then data size is reduced, but image quality and transmission speed are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the compression step from the transmission pipeline, sending image data in its original format. This extraction eliminates the trade-off between compression and speed, allowing faster transmission of essential image data while maintaining quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for remotely controlling microscopic machinery and a method thereof are provided. The system includes at least one local device and a remote host for sending a control command thereto. A microslide is placed on a microscopic camera device in the local device, and the microscopic camera device captures an image of the microslide according to a capture command in the control command. The local device transmits the image to the remote host in a video format. A motorized stage moves to a next preset position according to a movement command in the control command to capture another image of the microslide. The steps of capturing and transmitting the image and the step of moving are repeated until the microslide is captured completely. The invention can solve the problem of time delay when the image captured by the remote control microscopic camera device is displayed.