IP Library Granted Patent US 9,482,855
Granted Patent B2
US 9,482,855 · App. 14/061,027 · Granted Nov 1, 2016

Microscope system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,482,855
App. No.
14/061,027
Granted
Nov 1, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

In order to properly perform smoothing depending on depth-of-field so as to provide a 3D image with improved display image quality, a microscope system comprises: a microscope device 1 for acquiring a plurality of observation images with different focal points; a 3D image constructing unit 17 for constructing 3D image data based on the observation images; a smoothing strength calculating unit 18 for calculating smoothing strength for smoothing the 3D image data, based on optical information of the microscope device 1 ; and a smoothing unit 19 for smoothing the 3D image data with the smoothing strength calculated in the smoothing strength calculating unit 18.

Claims (56)

1. A microscope system comprising:

a microscope device comprising an objective lens placed in a light path of observation light and configured to acquire a plurality of observation images with different focal points;

a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to:

construct 3D image data based on the observation images,

calculate smoothing strength for smoothing the 3D image data, based on optical information of the microscope device, and

smooth the 3D image data with the calculated smoothing strength,

wherein the smoothing strength is calculated by means of the following equation (1):

α=depth-of-field/field-of-view  (1)

wherein α is smoothing strength, and

wherein the depth-of-field (DOF) is a value calculated by the following equation (5):

DOF

=

λ

2

NA

2

(

5

)

wherein NA is a numerical aperture of the objective lens and λ is a wavelength of light.

2. The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein the smoothing of the 3D image data with the calculated smoothing strength is a Gaussian-filter defined by means of the following equation (3):

h

(

i

,

j

)

=

1

2

πσ

2

exp

(

-

i

2

+

j

2

2

σ

2

)

(

3

)

where σ is Gaussian strength: σ=kα, where k is a constant.

3. The microscope system according to claim 2 , wherein, if the Gaussian strength σ is larger than a predetermined threshold value m, the smoothing of the 3D image data with the calculated smoothing strength is the Gaussian-filter defined by means of the equation (3) with σ=m.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2023
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: EVIDENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062492/0267 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 29, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040179/0872 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 23, 2013
From: SHIBATA, MOTOHIRO
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031460/0851 →