OPTICAL IMAGE MEASURING DEVICE

• US 20110286003A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Ono, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,970,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/495
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/22 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/0203 With imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02044 Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02063 by particular alignment of focus position, e.g. dynamic focussing in optical coherence tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02068 Auto-alignment of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02089 Displaying the signal, e.g. for user interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B

Abstract

An optical image measuring device includes: an optical system that generates and detects interference light; an image forming part that forms a tomographic image based on the detection; an alignment part that performs alignment of the optical system with respect to an object; a focusing part that focuses the optical system with respect to the region of interest; a determining part that determines the suitability of the position of the optical system by the alignment part, the suitability of the focus state by the focusing part, and the suitability of the position of the tomographic image in a frame; a control part that, when it is determined that all of the positions of the optical system, position of focus state and the position in said frame are appropriate, controls the optical system and the image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of the region of interest.

Claims

1. An optical image measuring device comprising:

an optical system that splits a low-coherence light beam into signal light and reference light, generates interference light by causing said signal light propagated through a measured object and said reference light propagated through a reference object to interfere, and generates detection signals by detecting said interference light; and

an image forming part that forms a tomographic image of said measured object based on said detection signals;

said optical image measuring device comprising;

an alignment part that performs alignment of said optical system with respect to the measured object;

a focusing part that focuses said optical system with respect to the region of interest of said measured object;

a determining part that determines the suitability of the position of said optical system by said alignment part, the suitability of the focus state by said focusing part, and the suitability of the position of the tomographic image of said region of interest in a frame that is formed by said image forming part; and

a control part that, when it is determined that all of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state and the position in said frame are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

2. The optical image measuring device according to claim 1, wherein:

said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state and the position in said frame is not appropriate, prohibits the acquisition of the tomographic image of said measured object.

3. The optical image measuring device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a display part,

wherein said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state and the position in said frame is not appropriate, causes said display part to display warning information.

4. The optical image measuring device according to claim 1, wherein:

said determining part further analyzes the tomographic image that is formed by said image forming part and determines the suitability of the image quality of said tomographic image, and

said control part, when it is determined that all the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state and the position in said frame are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

5. The optical image measuring device according to claim 4, wherein:

said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position in said frame and the image quality of said tomographic image is not appropriate, prohibits acquisition of the tomographic image of said measured object.

6. The optical image measuring device according to claim 4 further comprising:

a display part,

wherein said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position in said frame and the image quality of said tomographic image is not appropriate, causes said display part to display warning information.

7. The optical image measuring device according to claim 4, wherein:

said optical system comprises a polarizing plate on an optical path of said reference light,

wherein said control part, when it is determined that the image quality of said tomographic image is not appropriate, controls said polarizing plate such that the image quality becomes its maximum.

8. The optical image measuring device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a tracking part that, based on the tomographic image that is formed by said image forming part, causes the irradiation position of said signal light with respect to said measured object to track movement of said measured object such that the tomographic image of said region of interest is disposed in substantially the middle inside of said frame,

wherein

said determining part further determines the suitability of the tracking state of the irradiation position of said signal light, and

said control part, when it is determined that all of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position in said frame, and said tracking state are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

9. The optical image measuring device according to claim 1 further comprising:

an imaging part that images a 2-dimensional image of said measured object on the surface that is substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of said signal light with respect to said measured object; and

a tracking part that, based on said 2-dimensional image that is imaged, causes the irradiation position of said signal light with respect to said measured object to track movement of said measured object such that the tomographic image of said region of interest is disposed in substantially the middle inside of said frame,

wherein

said determining part further determines the suitability of the tracking state of the irradiation position of said signal light, and

said control part, when it is determined that all of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position in said frame, and said tracking state are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

10. The optical image measuring device according to either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein:

said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position in said frame and said tracking state is not appropriate, prohibits acquisition of the tomographic image of said measured object.

11. The optical image measuring device according to either claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising:

a display part,

wherein said control part, when it is determined that at least one of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position inside said frame and said tracking state is not appropriate, causes said display part to display warning information.

14. The optical image measuring device according to either claim 1, claim 4, claim 8, claim 9, claim 12, or claim 13, wherein:

said control part, when it is determined that all of the conditions are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, causing them to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

12. An optical image measuring device comprising:

an optical system that splits a low-coherence light beam into signal light and reference light, generates interference light by causing said signal light propagated through a measured object and said reference light propagated through a reference object to interfere, and generates detection signals by detecting said interference light; and

an image forming part that forms a tomographic image of said measured object based on said detection signals;

said optical image measuring device comprising;

an alignment part that performs alignment of said optical system with respect to the measured object;

a focusing part that focuses said optical system with respect to the region of interest of said measured object;

a tracking part that, based on the tomographic image that is formed by said image forming part, causes the irradiation position of said signal light with respect to said measured object to track movement of said measured object such that the tomographic image of said region of interest is disposed in substantially the middle inside of said frame,

a determining part that determines the suitability of the position of said optical system by said alignment part, determines the suitability of the focus state by said focusing part, determines the suitability of the position of the tomographic image of said region of interest that is formed by said image forming part in a frame, determines the suitability of the image quality of said tomographic image by analyzing the tomographic image that is formed by said image forming part, and determines the suitability of the tracking state of the irradiation position of said signal light; and

a control part that, when it is determined that all of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position inside said frame, the image quality of said tomographic image, and said tracking state are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.

13. An optical image measuring device comprising:

an optical system that splits a low-coherence light beam into signal light and reference light, generates interference light by causing said signal light propagated through a measured object and said reference light propagated through a reference object to interfere, and generates detection signals by detecting said interference light;

an image forming part that forms part for forming a tomographic image of said measured object, based on said detection signals; and

an imaging part that images a 2-dimensional image of said measured object on the surface that is substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of said signal light, with respect to said measured object; and

said optical image measuring device comprising;

an alignment part that performs alignment of said optical system with respect to the measured object;

a focusing part that focuses said optical system with respect to the region of interest of said measured object;

a tracking part that, based on said 2-dimensional image that is imaged, causes the irradiation position of said signal light with respect to said measured object to track movement of said measured object such that the tomographic image of said region of interest is disposed in substantially the middle inside of said frame;

a determining part that determines the suitability of the position of said optical system by said alignment part, determines the suitability of the focus state by said focusing part, determines the suitability of the position of the tomographic image of said region of interest that is formed by said image forming part in a frame, determines the suitability of the image quality of said tomographic image by analyzing the tomographic image that is formed by said image forming part, and determines the suitability of the tracking state of the irradiation position of said signal light; and

a control part that, when it is determined that all of the position of said optical system, the position of said focus state, the position inside said frame, the image quality of said tomographic image, and said tracking state are appropriate, controls said optical system and said image forming part, making it possible to obtain the tomographic image of said region of interest.