Microscopic image capturing apparatus, microscopic image capturing method, and storage medium recording microscopic image capturing program

• US 20050046905A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Sakurai, Junzo, Kojima, Jitsunari, Aizaki, Shinichiro
• Application Number:
  US10/924,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046905A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/296
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/365 Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/401 Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head H04N1/403 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/409 Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression

Abstract

In a correction data storing unit of a digital camera which captures a microscopic image, image data of a light image without a sample, image data obtained by using a filter for removing a defective portion for the light image without a sample, image data where a region without being corrected (or a region being corrected) is set in the light image without the sample, and shading correction data calculated from image data obtained by setting a mask region where data after being corrected is set to 0 are stored. An operator obtains, captures, records, and stores an observation image satisfactory for great-looking by using arbitrary shading correction data. In this way, a captured image satisfactory for great-looking is obtained by making a suitable shading correction according to a shading characteristic, which is caused by an optical system.

Claims

1. A microscopic image capturing apparatus comprising a microscope obtaining a light image with a sample illuminated by a light source, which exists within a viewing field, and a light image without the sample removed from the viewing field, which is captured in a state of being only illuminated by the light source, with an objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample, and a digital camera which is attached to the microscope and captures the light images obtained by the microscope, the digital camera comprising an A/D converting unit A/D-converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, a shading correction processing unit executing a shading correction process for digital image data converted by the A/D converting unit, a correction data storing unit storing shading correction data used when the shading correction process is executed by the shading correction processing unit, and a controlling unit, wherein:

the correction data storing unit stores first shading correction data obtained based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, in correspondence with a selection of non-removing a defective portion, and second shading correction data obtained based on an image acquired by using a median filter for the image data of the light image without the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, in correspondence with a selection of removing a defective portion; and

the controlling unit sets selected shading correction data in the shading correction processing unit from the correction data storing unit in correspondence with an externally input selection of using one of the first and the second shading correction data, when the shading correction process is executed for a image data of the light image with the sample obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit.

2. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the correction data storing unit stores, as the second shading correction data, shading correction data obtained based on data of the light image without the sample with a region for which a median filter is specified not to be used for a screen of the light image without the sample obtained by shooting the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit.

3. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the correction data storing unit stores a predetermined factor for modifying the first or the second shading correction data; and

the controlling unit modifies the first or the second shading correction data based on the factor according to external specification.

4. A microscopic image capturing apparatus comprising a microscope obtaining a light image with a sample illuminated by a light source, which exists within a viewing field, and a light image without the sample removed from the viewing field, which is captured in a state of being only illuminated by the light source, with an objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample, and a digital camera which is attached to the microscope and captures the light images obtained by the microscope, the digital camera comprising an A/D converting unit A/D-converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, a shading correction processing unit executing a shading correction process for digital image data converted by the A/D converting unit, a correction data storing unit storing shading correction data used when the shading correction process is executed by the shading correction processing unit, and a controlling unit, wherein

the correction data storing unit stores shading correction data obtained by making a calculation based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, and a restriction value set for the shading correction data.

5. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the controlling unit restricts a maximum value of the shading correction data to a value smaller than the maximum value based on the restriction value.

6. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the controlling unit records information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifies an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is not restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing unit.

7. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the controlling unit records information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifies an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing unit.

8. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the controlling unit makes a comparison between the restriction value and a maximum value of the shading correction data, and replaces with 0 correction data of a marginal portion of an image having the maximum value of the shading correction data, which is larger than the restriction value.

9. A microscopic image capturing apparatus comprising a microscope obtaining a light image with a sample illuminated by a light source, which exists within a viewing field, and a light image without the sample removed from the viewing field, which is captured in a state of being only illuminated by the light source, with an objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample, and a digital camera which is attached to the microscope and captures the light images obtained by the microscope, the digital camera comprising an A/D converting unit A/D-converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, a shading correction processing unit executing a shading correction process for digital image data converted by the A/D converting unit, a correction data storing unit storing shading correction data used when the shading correction process is executed by the shading correction processing unit, and a controlling unit, wherein

the controlling unit makes the correction data storing unit store data, which is obtained by using an average value filter for shading correction data, as final shading correction data, after the shading correction data is created from image data of the light image without the sample obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, and correction data except for a specified region in the shading correction data is replaced with 1, when the region to which the shading correction is to be made is specified in the image obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit.

10. A microscopic image capturing apparatus comprising a microscope obtaining a light image with a sample illuminated by a light source, which exists within a viewing field, and a light image without the sample removed from the viewing field, which is captured in a state of being only illuminated by the light source, with an objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample, and a digital camera which is attached to the microscope and captures the light images obtained by the microscope, the digital camera comprising an A/D converting unit A/D-converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, a shading correction processing unit executing a shading correction process for digital image data converted by the A/D converting unit, a correction data storing unit storing shading correction data used when the shading correction process is executed by the shading correction processing unit, and a controlling unit, wherein

the controlling unit separates defective portion component data from the shading correction data, and corrects the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded.

11. The microscopic image capturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the controlling unit obtains filtered image data having only a shading component by using a median filter for image data of the light image without the sample, obtains extracted image data having only a defective portion component, which is obtained by extracting only the defective portion component by subtracting the filtered image data from the image data of the light image without the sample or dividing the image data of the light image without the sample by the filtered image data for each pixel, obtains filtered shading correction data by performing a normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the filtered image data, and obtains defective portion component correction data for the defective portion component by performing the normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the extracted image data having only the defective portion component;

the controlling unit stores the filtered shading correction data and the defective portion component correction data in the correction data storing unit; and

the controlling unit corrects the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded.

12. A microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, comprising:

storing, in the correction data storing device, first shading correction data obtained based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, in correspondence with a selection of non-removing a defective portion, and second shading correction data obtained based on an image, which is acquired by using a median filter for the image data of the light image without the sample acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, in correspondence with a selection of removing a defective portion; and

reading from the shading correction data storing device the first or the second shading data, which is selected according to an externally input selection of using one of the first and the second shading correction data in the shading correction process, and using the read first or second shading correction data in the shading correction process.

13. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 12, wherein

the second shading correction data stored in the correction data storing device is shading correction data obtained based on data of the light image without the sample, for which the median filter is used, after a region for which the median filter is not used is set for a screen of the light image without the sample obtained by shooting the light image without the sample with the digital camera.

14. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 12, further comprising

storing a predetermined factor for modifying the first or the second shading correction data in the correction data storing device, and modifying the first or the second shading correction data based on the factor according to external specification in the shading correction process.

15. A microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is incorporated in an image capturing unit attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a view of field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the view of field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for digital image data of the light image with the sample, comprising

storing, in the correction data storing device, shading correction data obtained by making a calculation based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, and a restriction value set for the shading correction data.

16. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 15, further comprising

restricting a maximum value of the shading correction data to a value smaller than the maximum value of the shading correction data based on the restriction value in the shading correction process.

17. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 15, further comprising

recording information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifying an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is not restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing device, in the shading correction process.

18. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 15, further comprising

recording information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifying an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing device, in the shading correction process.

19. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 15, further comprising

making a comparison between the restriction value and a maximum value of the shading correction data, and replacing with 0 correction data of a marginal portion of an image having the maximum value of the shading correction data, which is larger than the restriction value, in the shading correction process.

20. A microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, comprising

storing data, which is obtained by using an average value filter for shading correction data, in the correction data storing device as final shading correction data, after the shading correction data is created from the image data of the light image without the sample obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, and correction data except for a specified region in the shading correction data is replaced with 1, when the region to which the shading correction is to be made is specified in the image obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, in the shading correction process.

21. A microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, comprising

separating defective portion component data from the shading correction data, and correcting the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded, in the shading correction process.

22. The microscopic image capturing method according to claim 21, further comprising

in the shading correction process,

obtaining filtered image data having only a shading component by using a median filter for image data of the light image without the sample, obtaining extracted image data having only a defective portion component, which is obtained by extracting only the defective portion component by subtracting the filtered image data from the image data of the light image without the sample or dividing the image data of the light image without the sample by the filtered image data for each pixel, obtaining filtered shading correction data by performing a normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the filtered image data, and obtaining defective portion component correction data for the defective portion component by performing the normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the extracted image data having only the defective portion component,

storing the filtered shading correction data and the defective portion component correction data in the correction data storing device, and

correcting the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded.

23. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer, which executes a microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, to execute a process, the process comprising:

storing, in the correction data storing device, first shading correction data obtained based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, in correspondence with a selection of non-removing a defective portion, and second shading correction data obtained based on an image, which is acquired by using a median filter for the image data of the light image without the sample acquired by capturing the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit, in correspondence with a selection of removing a defective portion; and

reading from the shading correction data storing device the first or the second shading data, which is selected according to an externally input selection of using one of the first and the second shading correction data in the shading correction process, and using the read first or second shading correction data in the shading correction process.

24. The storage medium according to claim 23, the process further comprising

storing, as the second shading correction data, in the correction data storing device shading correction data obtained based on data of the light image without the sample, for which a median filter is used, after a region for which the median filter is not used is set for a screen of the light image without the sample obtained by shooting the light image without the sample with the image capturing unit.

25. The storage medium according to claim 23, the process further comprising

storing a predetermined factor for modifying the first or the second shading correction data in the correction data storing device, and modifying the first or the second shading correction data based on the factor according to external specification in the shading correction process.

26. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer, which executes a microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, to execute a process, the process comprising

storing in the correction data storing device shading correction data obtained by making a calculation based on image data of the light image without the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, and a restriction value set for the shading correction data.

27. The storage medium according to claim 26, the process further comprising

restricting a maximum value of the shading correction data to a value smaller than the maximum value based on the restriction value in the shading correction process.

28. The storage medium according to claim 26, the process further comprising

recording information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifying an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is not restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing device, in the shading correction process.

29. The storage medium according to claim 26, the process further comprising

recording information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, to an image file of the image data of the light image with the sample, which is acquired by executing the shading correction process, and notifying an external device of the information, which indicates that the restriction value is not used, if the shading correction process is executed for the image data of the light image with the sample, which is obtained by capturing the light image with the sample with the image capturing unit by using the shading correction data that is restricted with the restriction value, when the restriction value is stored in the correction data storing device, in the shading correction process.

30. The storage medium according to claim 26, the process further comprising

making a comparison between the restriction value and a maximum value of the shading correction data, and replacing with 0 correction data of a marginal portion of an image having the maximum value of the shading correction data, which is larger than the restriction value, in the shading correction process.

31. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer, which executes a microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, to execute a process, the process comprising

storing data, which is obtained by using an average value filter for shading correction data, in the correction data storing device as final shading correction data, after the shading correction data is created from the image data of the light image without the sample obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, and correction data except for a specified region in the shading correction data is replaced with 1, when the region to which the shading correction is to be made is specified in the image obtained by capturing the light image without the sample with the digital camera, in the shading correction process.

32. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer, which executes a microscopic image capturing method in a digital camera, which is attached to a microscope, capturing a light image with a sample where the light image of the sample is within a viewing field, and light image without the sample, from which the sample is removed and which is only illuminated by the light source, within the viewing field of an objective lens, the light images being obtained by the microscope with the objective lens arranged as opposed to the sample illuminated by the light source, generating digital image data by A/D (analog/digital) converting an image signal of each of the captured light images, and executing a shading correction process by using shading correction data prestored in a correction data storing device for the digital image data of the light image with the sample, to execute a process, the process comprising

separating defective portion component data from the shading correction data, and correcting the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded, in the shading correction process.

33. The storage medium according to claim 32, the process further comprising

in the shading correction process,

obtaining filtered image data having only a shading component by using a median filter for image data of the light image without the sample, obtaining extracted image data having only a defective portion component, which is obtained by extracting only the defective portion component by subtracting the filtered image data from the image data of the light image without the sample or dividing the image data of the light image without the sample by the filtered image data for each pixel, obtaining filtered shading correction data by performing a normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the filtered image data, and obtaining defective portion component correction data for the defective portion component by performing the normal arithmetic operation of shading correction data creation for the extracted image data having only the defective portion component,

storing the filtered shading correction data and the defective portion component correction data in the correction data storing device, and

correcting the separated defective portion component data with a gain different from a gain of remaining component data to be shaded.