Image quality

Abstract

A magnified image is improved by integrating the wavelength specific component into that image. A magnified images obtained, and at least one wavelength specific component images also obtained. The different images are converted in color space, and different channels, indicative of the different parts of the image shows, are also obtained. For example, the image may be converted to and L*a*b* color space, and the luminance channel of the wavelength specific component may be used to enhance or replace the luminance channel of the magnified image.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 obtaining a first image comprising a microscope image indicative of a sample;    obtaining a second image indicative of the same sample but which covers substantially only a single spectrum;    dividing said second image into component parts indicative of the second image; and    using at least one of said component parts to enhance said first image.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said information from said second image is a luminance component from the second image which is used to modify a luminance component in the first image.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising converting said microscope image in said second image to a second color space, separating channels in said separate color space, and using at least one of said channels from said second image to replace at least one of said channels in said microscope image.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 3 , wherein said second color space is a device independent color space.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 3 , wherein said second color space is an L*a*b* color space.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 3 , after said using, combining said channels to form a new image, and transforming said new image to another color space.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said second image is at substantially 420 nm.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said second image is at  720  nm.  
     
     
         9 . A device comprising: 
 a computer, obtaining an image of a microscope, and obtaining another image having a relationship to said microscope, but over substantially only a single spectrum, said computer operating to provide information from the another image into component parts indicative of the another image and to use information from at least one of said component parts, but not all of said component parts to enhance said image from said microscope.    
     
     
         10 . A device as in  claim 9 , further comprising a microscope, producing said image.  
     
     
         11 . A device as in  claim 9 , further comprising a single spectrum camera, producing at least one output indicative of a single spectrum image.  
     
     
         12 . A device as in  claim 10 , further comprising a multi-spectrum camera, which produces a number of output images, each representative of a single spectrum image.  
     
     
         13 . A device as in  claim 9 , wherein said at least one component part is a component part indicative of luminance within the image.  
     
     
         14 . A device as in  claim 9 , wherein said computer further operates to convert said microscope image and said another image, into a device independent color space.  
     
     
         15 . A device as in  claim 14 , wherein said second color space is an L*a*b* color space.  
     
     
         16 . A device as in  claim 9 , wherein said computer operates to combine said component parts to form a new image, and to transform said new image to another color space.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein said single spectrum image is at substantially 420 nm.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein said single spectrum image is at  720  nm.  
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising: 
 obtaining a first image from a first camera indicative of full color image of a magnified sample;    obtaining a second image indicative of a single spectrum image of the magnified sample;    converting said first and second images into a device independent color space;    separating channels of the first and second images in said device independent color space;    using at least one of said channels of the second image to enhance a quality of said first image; and    creating a new image based on said first image, and said at least one of said channels.    
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 19 , wherein said using comprises using said one channel from said a second image to replace a corresponding channel in said first image.