IP Library Granted Patent US 12693530
Granted Patent B2
US 12693530 · App. 18/208,947 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Microscope system

Inventors: Yoshihiro Kazama (Kamiina-gun, JP); Kenichi Kusaka (Kamiina-gun, JP)
Assignee: Evident Corporation
G02B27/0101G02B21/02G02B21/06G02B21/361G02B21/367G06T11/00G06V20/69H04N23/55G02B2027/0138G02B2027/014G02B2027/0141
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693530
App. No.
18/208,947
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A microscope system includes an eyepiece-side observation optical system that forms an image of a sample on an object side of an eyepiece, a camera-side observation optical system that forms an image of the sample on an image sensor, a diaphragm that limits a numerical aperture on the emission side of the camera-side observation optical system, and a processor that analyzes the image of the sample captured by the image sensor. In a case where a numerical aperture on an object side of an objective lens is denoted by NA, the numerical aperture on the emission side of the camera-side observation optical system determined by a light flux emitted from the camera-side observation optical system toward the image sensor at capturing the image is denoted by NA′, and a total magnification of the camera-side observation optical system is denoted by M1, the following is satisfied. M 1×NA′<NA  (1)

Claims (129)

1 . A microscope system comprising:

an image sensor;

an eyepiece-side observation optical system that includes an objective lens and an eyepiece and that is configured to form an image of a sample observed through the eyepiece on an object side of the eyepiece with light entering from the sample through the objective lens;

a camera-side observation optical system that shares the objective lens with the eyepiece-side observation optical system and that is configured to form an image of the sample on the image sensor with the light entering from the sample through the objective lens;

a diaphragm that is configured to limit at least a numerical aperture on an emission side of the camera-side observation optical system;

a processor that is configured to analyze the image of the sample captured by the image sensor; and

a superimposing optical system that is configured to superimpose a result obtained by analyzing the image by the processor on the image formed on the object side of the eyepiece,

wherein the following conditional expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied:

M 1×NA′<NA  (1)

4

×

(

2

5

0

0

0

0

×

0

.

0

0

1

4

M

2

×

N

A

+

λ

2

×

N

A

2

)

λ

(

M

1

×

NA

)

2

2

5

0

0

0

0

×

0

.

0

0

1

4

M

2

×

N

A

+

λ

2

×

N

A

2

(

2

)

where:

NA denotes a numerical aperture on an object side of the objective lens as defined by a specification of the objective lens,

NA′ denotes the numerical aperture on the emission side of the camera-side observation optical system as determined by a light flux emitted from the camera-side observation optical system toward the image sensor when capturing the image,

M1 denotes a total magnification of the camera-side observation optical system,

λ denotes a central wavelength of the light from the sample, and

M2 denotes a total magnification of the eyepiece-side observation optical system.

2 . The microscope system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an optical path splitting element that is configured to split an optical path of the light from the sample into an optical path leading to the eyepiece and an optical path leading to the image sensor,

wherein the diaphragm is provided on an optical path between the optical path splitting element and the image sensor.

3 . The microscope system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the camera-side observation optical system includes a relay optical system that is configured to relay a primary image of the sample formed by the light from the sample, and

the diaphragm is provided at a position that is on an optical path of the relay optical system and is optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective lens or in a vicinity thereof.

4 . The microscope system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the processor controls the diaphragm, and

the processor changes an aperture diameter of the diaphragm in synchronization with an operation for switching the objective lens.

5 . The microscope system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an optical path splitting element that is configured to split an optical path of the light from the sample into an optical path leading to the eyepiece and an optical path leading to the image sensor,

wherein:

the processor controls the diaphragm,

the diaphragm is provided on a common optical path on an object side with respect to the optical path splitting element, and

the processor changes an aperture diameter of the diaphragm in synchronization with an image-capturing timing by the image sensor.

6 . The microscope system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

an illumination optical system that illuminates the sample,

wherein the diaphragm is provided on an optical path of the illumination optical system.

7 . The microscope system according to claim 5 , wherein the diaphragm is provided in the objective lens.

8 . The microscope system according to claim 5 , wherein the processor electrically controls transmittance of the diaphragm.

9 . The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein;

the processor detects a region of interest in the sample, and

the result obtained by analyzing the image includes information for identifying the region of interest.