IP Library Granted Patent US 7,158,294
Granted Patent B2
US 7,158,294 · App. 10/310,657 · Granted Jan 2, 2007

Laser scanning confocal microscope apparatus, image recording method, and recording medium

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,158,294
App. No.
10/310,657
Granted
Jan 2, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image recording method for use in a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus is configured to scan a specimen with each of a plurality of laser lights at least having different wavelengths as spotlight, to detect the light from the specimen based on the spotlight, and to partition and record obtained image information.

Claims (50)

1. An image recording method for use in a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, comprising:

time-sequentially scanning a specimen with each of a plurality of laser lights each at least having different wavelengths as spotlight;

detecting, with one photo-detector, light of a wavelength band common among respective lights emitted from the specimen in response to respective spotlights of the plurality of different wavelengths; and

recording obtained image information after partitioning the image information into portions corresponding respectively to at least the plurality of laser lights used for scanning the specimen.

2. The image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein:

in the scanning, the specimen is scanned in pixels with each of the plurality of laser lights as spotlight; and

in the recording, the image information is partitioned in pixels, and recorded.

3. The image recording method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

performing an arithmetic operation with the image information partitioned in pixels; and

displaying a result of the arithmetic operation.

4. The image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein:

in the scanning, the specimen is scanned in lines with each of the plurality of laser lights as spotlight; and

in the recording, the image information is partitioned in lines, and recorded.

5. The image recording method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

performing an arithmetic operation with the image information partitioned in lines; and displaying a result of the arithmetic operation.

6. The image recording method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the light having a common wavelength band emitted from the specimen is a fluorescent light with the same wavelength band generated by the same fluorescent reagent.

7. The image recording method according to claim 1 further comprising calculating an image information ratio by using pieces of the image information respectively in correspondence to the plurality of different wavelengths of light used for scanning the specimen, generating an image in a manner based on the ratio, and displaying the generated image.

8. A recording medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer to execute an image recording control of a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, the image recording control comprising:

time-sequentially scanning a specimen with each of a plurality of laser lights each at least having different wavelengths as spotlight;

detecting, with one photo-detector, light of a wavelength band common among respective lights emitted from the specimen in response to respective spotlights of the plurality of different wavelengths with one photo-detector, based on each spotlight having one of the plurality of different wavelengths; and

recording obtained image information after partitioning the image information into portions corresponding respectively to at least the plurality of laser lights used for scanning the specimen.

9. The recording medium according to claim 8 , wherein:

in the scanning, the specimen is scanned in pixels with each of the plurality of laser lights as spotlight; and

in the recording, the image information is partitioned in pixels, and recorded.

10. The recording medium according to claim 8 , wherein:

in the scanning, the specimen is scanned in lines with each of the plurality of laser lights as spotlight; and

in the recording, the image information is partitioned in lines, and recorded.

11. The recording medium according to claim 8 , wherein:

the light having a common wavelength band emitted from the specimen is a fluorescent light with the same wavelength band generated by the same fluorescent reagent.

12. The recording medium according to claim 8 , wherein the image recording control further comprises calculating an image information ratio by using pieces of the image information respectively in correspondence to the plurality of different wavelengths of light used for scanning the specimen, generating an image in a manner based on the ratio, and displaying the generated image.

13. An image recording method for use in a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, comprising:

scanning a specimen with two laser lights each with a different wavelength in such a manner that each scanning line position is time-sequentially scanned by both of the laser lights each with a different wavelength before moving to a next scanning line position;

detecting a light having a common wavelength band emitted from the specimen with one photo-detector, based on scanning of the two laser lights each with a different wavelength; and

recording image information obtained by the photo-detector together with identification information including wavelength information and scanned position information of the used laser light.

14. An image recording method of a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, comprising:

scanning a specimen for each line with first and second laser lights of different wavelengths in a duplicated manner successively;

recording a first image information obtained by detecting light coming from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with the first laser light for said each line after attaching to first image identification information including wavelength information of the first laser light and scanned position information of the line scanned with the first laser light; and

recording a second image information obtained by detecting light coming from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with the second laser light for said each line after attaching to second image identification information including wavelength information of the second laser light and scanned position information of the line scanned with the second laser light.

15. An image recording method of a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, comprising:

scanning a specimen for each pixel with first and second laser lights of different wavelengths in a duplicated manner successively;

recording a first image information obtained by detecting light coming from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with the first laser light for said each pixel after attaching to first image identification information including wavelength information of the first laser light and scanned position information of the pixel scanned with the first laser light; and

recording a second image information obtained by detecting a light coming from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with the second laser light for said each pixel after attaching to the second image identification information including wavelength information of the second laser light and scanned position information of the pixel scanned for with the second laser light.

16. An image recording method for use in a confocal laser scanning microscope apparatus, comprising:

time-sequentially scanning a specimen with each of a plurality of laser lights each at least having different wavelengths as spotlight;

performing a 1-wavelength measurement by detecting, with one photo-detector, light of a wavelength band common among respective lights emitted from the specimen in response to respective spotlights of the plurality of different wavelengths; and

recording obtained image information after partitioning the image information into portions corresponding respectively to at least the plurality of laser lights used for scanning the specimen.

17. The image recording method according to claim 16 , wherein:

light emitted from the specimen is fluorescence emitted based on one kind of fluorescence dye.

18. The image recording method according to claim 16 further comprising calculating an image information ratio by using pieces of the image information respectively in correspondence to the plurality of different wavelengths of light used for scanning the specimen, generating an image in a manner based on the ratio, and displaying the generated image.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2022
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: EVIDENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061008/0214 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 8, 2007
From: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018992/0760 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2003
From: MOTOMURA, SHINJI; NAKATA, TATSUO
To: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 013855/0882 →