Microscope system, imaging method, and imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12061329-B2
Application number	US-202117906363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A microscope system includes: a light source unit that emits linear illumination parallel to a first direction; an objective lens that condenses the linear illumination onto a measurement target region; an acquisition unit that acquires a first optical signal indicating a light intensity value of light emitted from the measurement target region by the linear illumination; and a focus control unit that controls at least one of a relative position or a relative posture of the light source unit and an imaging unit that generates the first optical signal on a basis of a light intensity distribution of the first optical signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microscope system, comprising:
a light source unit configured to emit linear illumination parallel to a first direction;
an objective lens configured to condense the linear illumination onto a measurement target region;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire a first optical signal that indicates a light intensity value of light emitted from the measurement target region by the linear illumination;
a focus control unit configured to control at least one of a relative position or a relative posture of the light source unit; and
an imaging unit configured to generate the first optical signal based on a light intensity distribution of the first optical signal.

2. The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein the focus control unit includes:
a first calculation unit configured to calculate a distribution width of the light intensity distribution of the first optical signal; and
a drive control unit configured to move at least one of a plurality of optical components in at least one of the light source unit or the imaging unit to a relative position, wherein the distribution width is less than or equal to a first threshold value.

3. The microscope system according to claim 2 , wherein the focus control unit is further configured to move a focus lens in the light source unit in an optical axis direction based on the light intensity distribution of the first optical signal.

4. The microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement target region includes:
a specimen and a calibration region configured to emit light of a second specific wavelength range by irradiation with light of a first specific wavelength range,
the imaging unit configured to receive light emitted from the measurement target region via an opening member having a slit parallel to a second direction, and
the focus control unit configured to modify at least one of a relative position or a relative posture of at least one of a plurality of optical components in at least one of the light source unit or the imaging unit based on the light intensity distribution of the first optical signal that indicates a light intensity value of light emitted from the calibration region by the linear illumination.

5. The microscope system according to claim 4 , wherein the focus control unit includes:
a second calculation unit configured to calculate a maximum light intensity value of the light intensity distribution of the first optical signal acquired in a state where a longitudinal direction of an irradiation region of the light emitted from the calibration region by the linear illumination and a longitudinal direction of the slit in the opening member intersect with each other; and
a drive control unit configured to moves at least one of the plurality of optical components to a relative position where the maximum light intensity value is greater than or equal to a second threshold value.

6. The microscope system according to claim 5 , wherein the drive control unit is further configured to modify a relative posture of at least one selected from the light source unit, the imaging unit, or at least one of the plurality of optical components in at least one of the light source unit or the imaging unit so that the longitudinal direction of the irradiation region coincides with the longitudinal direction of the slit.

7. The microscope system according to claim 1 , further comprises:
a third calculation unit configured to calculate a correction coefficient to correct a light intensity value of the first optical signal.

8. An imaging method, comprising:
acquiring, by a computer, a first optical signal that indicates a light intensity value of light emitted from a measurement target region by linear illumination parallel to a first direction; and
modifying, by the computer, at least one of a relative position or a relative posture of at least one of a plurality of optical components in at least one of a light source unit that emits the linear illumination or an imaging unit that generates the first optical signal based on a light intensity distribution of the first optical signal.

9. An imaging device, comprising:
a measurement unit and software to control an operation of the measurement unit, wherein
the software is installed in the imaging device,
the measurement unit includes:
a light source unit configured to emit linear illumination parallel to a first direction;
an objective lens that condenses the linear illumination on a measurement target region; and
an imaging unit, and

the software is configured to:
acquire, from the imaging unit, a first optical signal that indicates_a light intensity value of light emitted from the measurement target region by the linear illumination, and
modify at least one of a relative position or a relative posture of at least one of a plurality of optical components in at least one of the light source unit or the imaging unit based on a light intensity distribution of the first optical signal.

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Matsui Takeshi
• Tatsuta Hirokazu
• Ueda Mitsunori
• Wada Seiji

Classifications

• H04N23/673

  based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method · CPC title

• G02B21/08

  Condensers · CPC title

• G02B21/008

  Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control · CPC title

• G02B21/0032

  Optical details of illumination, e.g. light-sources, pinholes, beam splitters, slits, fibers (G02B21/0036 - G02B21/008; means for illumination of specimens in general G02B21/06) · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title