Image acquisition device, and imaging device that scans an object with illumination light to acquire an image of the object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9423601-B2
Application number	US-201414413602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

An image acquisition system 1 includes: a light source 3 which outputs illumination light; an optical scanner 7 which scans a sample S with the illumination light; an optical scanner control unit 9 ; a detection optical system 15, 17 which focuses fluorescence from the sample S; an imaging device 19 which has a light receiving surface 19 c in which a plurality of pixel rows 19 d are arranged, and an imaging control section 19 b , and which can perform signal readout of each of the plurality of pixel rows 19 d from the light receiving surface 19 c ; and a calculation unit 21 which calculates an interval of signal readout between adjacent pixel rows 19 d , based on a moving speed of an illuminated region on the light receiving surface 19 c ; the imaging control section 19 b controls signal readout of each pixel row 19 d , based on the interval of the signal readout thus calculated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for scanning an object with illumination light to acquire an image of the object, comprising:
a light source configured to output the illumination light;
an optical scanner configured to receive the illumination light from the light source, and scan the object with the illumination light;
a light scan controller configured to control the optical scanner;
an optical system configured to guide light from the object;
an imaging device comprising a light receiving section in which a plurality of pixel rows configured to capture the light guided by the optical system are arranged, and an imaging control section configured to control signal readout of the light receiving section, and configured to perform signal readout by rolling readout of each of the plurality of pixel rows from the light receiving section; and
a calculator configured to calculate an interval of signal readout between adjacent pixel rows, based on a moving speed of an illuminated region on the light receiving section with scanning by the optical scanner,
wherein the imaging control section controls signal readout of each pixel row, based on the interval of the signal readout thus calculated.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging control section is configured so that the signal readout is controlled based on a driving clock, and
wherein the driving clock is set based on the interval of the signal readout.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the driving clock includes a delay period.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the delay period is set prior to the signal readout.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein a frequency of the driving clock is variably set.

6. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging control section is configured so that the signal readout is controlled based on a driving clock, and
wherein the imaging control section counts a count of the driving clock defining a period of the signal readout.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a period of the signal readout is set based on the interval of the signal readout.

8. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the imaging control section is configured so that the signal readout is controlled based on a driving clock, and
wherein the imaging control section counts a count of the driving clock defining the interval of the signal readout.

9. The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the calculation unit sets an exposure period by the light receiving section, based on the moving speed of the illuminated region, a width of the pixel row, and a number of the pixel rows corresponding to the illuminated region.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the number of the pixel rows corresponding to the illuminated region is variably set.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device variably sets a number of pixels to be subjected to signal readout, out of a plurality of pixels forming each of the pixel rows.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device variably sets the number of pixel rows in an exposure region on a light receiving section to be simultaneously exposed.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device variably sets exposure periods for the respective pixel rows.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device further comprising an external synchronization section configured to couple to the optical seamier.

15. An apparatus for capturing an image of an object, comprising:
a light receiving section in which the plurality of pixel rows are arranged; and
an imaging control section configured to control signal readout of the light receiving section and to perform signal readout by rolling readout of each of a plurality of pixel rows,
wherein the imaging control section is configured to control the signal readout, based on a driving clock, and to variably set an interval of signal readout between adjacent pixel rows, and
wherein the interval of the signal readout between adjacent pixel rows is set based on a moving speed of an illuminated region on the light receiving section.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 ,
wherein the interval of the signal readout is calculated based on the moving speed of an illuminated region on the light receiving section.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the driving clock includes a delay period.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the delay period is set prior to the signal readout.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein a frequency of the driving clock is variably set.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the imaging control section counts a count of the driving clock defining a period of the signal readout.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the period of the signal readout is set based on the interval of the signal readout.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the imaging control section counts a count of the driving clock defining the interval of the signal readout.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein an exposure period by the light receiving section is set, based on a moving speed of an illuminated region on the light receiving section, a width of the pixel row, and a number of the pixel rows corresponding to the illuminated region.

24. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the number of the pixel rows corresponding to the illuminated region is variably set.

25. The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising an external signal receiving section configured to receive an external signal, wherein the interval of the signal readout between adjacent pixel rows is set based on the external signal.

26. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the imaging control section variably sets a number of pixels to be subjected to signal readout, out of a plurality of pixels forming each of the pixel rows.

27. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the number of pixel rows in an exposure region on the light receiving section to be simultaneously exposed is variably set.

28. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein an exposure period for the respective pixel rows is variably set.

29. The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
an external synchronization section configured to couple to an optical scanner for scanning with the illumination light.

30. A system for scanning an object with illumination light to acquire an image of the object, comprising:
an optical scanner configured to scan the object with the illumination light; and
an imaging device comprising a plurality of pixel rows to capture the image of the object and configured to perform signal readout by rolling readout of each of the plurality of pixel rows,
wherein an interval of signal readout between adjacent pixel rows of the imaging device is set so as to synchronize the signal readout by the rolling readout with scanning with the illumination light by the optical scanner,
wherein the imaging device further comprises a imaging control section configured to control signal readout of the imaging device based on a driving clock, and
wherein the imaging control section counts a count of the driving clock defining the interval of the signal readout.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Toda Eiji
• KAMEYAMA Takuo

Classifications

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N25/531

  by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS · CPC title

• G02B21/002 Primary

  Scanning microscopes (scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18) · CPC title

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title