Microscopic image pickup apparatus and microscopic image pickup method

Abstract

There is disclosed a microscopic image pickup apparatus to be attached to a microscope device to which a plurality of specular methods are applicable, the apparatus being configured to set conversion coefficients for use in conversion of a color image into a monochromatic image so as to adapt the coefficients to a selected specular method. In the present invention, since the conversion coefficients suitable for the selected specular method are set, monochromatic conversion coefficients suitable for the specular method can easily be set without performing any special image processing. As a result, it is possible to obtain the monochromatic image adapted to the specular method and having an excellent gray-scale characteristic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microscopic image pickup apparatus in a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a photographing operation in the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows one example of a conversion coefficient selection GUI in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows one example of a conversion coefficient selection GUI in a modification;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a microscopic image pickup apparatus in a second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a photographing operation in the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows one example of a conversion coefficient selection GUI in the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows one example of a conversion coefficient selection GUI in a modification;

FIG. 9 shows one example of a conversion coefficient selection GUI in another modification;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a microscopic image pickup apparatus in a third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a photographing operation in the third embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a best conversion coefficient extracting operation.

Claims

1. A microscopic image pickup apparatus to be attached to a microscope device to which a plurality of specular methods are applicable, comprising: an image sensor which outputs a microscopically observed image as a color image;a coefficient setting section which sets color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients adapted to a selected specular method; andan image converting section which converts the color image into a monochromatic image by use of the set color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients.

2. The microscopic image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients are arbitrarily settable by an operator.

3. The microscopic image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient setting section sets conversion coefficients adapted to a selective wavelength of an optical filter interposed in an optical path of an illumination system and/or an observation system.

4. The microscopic image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of specular methods include a fluorescence observation method.

5. A microscopic image pickup method to acquire a monochromatic image by use of a microscopic image pickup apparatus to be attached to a microscope device to which a plurality of specular methods are applicable, comprising: outputting a microscopically observed image as a color image;setting color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients adapted to a selected specular method; andconverting the color image into the monochromatic image by use of the set color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients.

6. The microscopic image pickup method according to claim 5, wherein the color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients are arbitrarily settable.

7. The microscopic image pickup method according to claim 5, wherein as the color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients, conversion coefficients are set which have been adapted to a selective wavelength of an optical filter interposed in an optical path of an illumination system and/or an observation system.

8. The microscopic image pickup method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of specular methods include a fluorescence observation method.

9. A computer-device-readable information record medium recording a program allowing a computer device to control a microscopic image pickup apparatus to be attached to a microscope device to which a plurality of specular methods are applicable, the program causing the microscopic image pickup apparatus to: output a microscopically observed image as a color image;set color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients adapted to a specular method; andconvert the color image into a monochromatic image by use of the set color image/monochromatic image conversion coefficients.

10. The information recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of specular methods include a fluorescence observation method.