System for remote viewing and display of a slide

Abstract

A method for creating a virtual slide is provided. A virtual slide is a digital representation of an area of interest of a microscope slide. One method is to use a motorized microscope that can move a specimen with respect to a microscope objective. With such a system, one can capture one or more images through a microscope objective, such that a region of interest is imaged. Each image is then joined together to form a composite or “virtual image.” In one embodiment, after a virtual slide is created, a user may fully utilize the full capabilities of the remote microscope. Among these capabilities is a set of “optical objectives” and “virtual objectives.” Optical objectives are images created by digitizing an image through a microscope objective in real time. Virtual objectives are digitally created magnifications created by utilizing the existing virtual slide data to digitally create a field of view.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for remote displaying of a slide, comprising:
 a microscopy system comprising a microscope having a stage to receive a specimen slide and a camera to couple with the microscope;   a display monitor showing a first image of a portion of the specimen slide and showing a plurality of graphical control features, the plurality of control features comprising:
 one or more first selections to command the microscopy system to capture a real time version of a second image of at least part of the specimen slide and to transmit the captured second image to the display monitor; and 
 one or more second selections to command a previously-captured version of the second image to be transmitted to the display monitor, wherein the previously-captured version of the second image includes an image of a portion of a virtual slide, the virtual slide comprising a plurality of previously-captured images stitched together to form a composite virtual image. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the display monitor is further showing a thumbnail view of the specimen slide. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the thumbnail view of the slide comprises multiple images joined together. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more first selections are further to specify a microscope objective of the microscope through which the microscope system is to capture the real time version of the second image. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more second selections are further to specify a magnification of the previously-captured version of the second image to be transmitted. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more second selections are further to specify a region of interest of the slide, the region of interest to be shown by the previously-captured version of the second image. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein if the first image of the portion of the specimen slide to be shown on the display monitor comprises part of the specified region of interest, then the previously-captured version of the second image to be transmitted to the display monitor is to not include the part of the specified region of interest. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of graphical control features further comprises one or more third selections to specify qualifying information for at least one of the real time version of the second image and the previously-captured version of the second image. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the qualifying information comprises an x, y microscope position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the qualifying information comprises an x, y, z microscope position. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the qualifying information comprises image dimensions. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the qualifying information comprises an exposure setting. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the qualifying information comprises a compression level. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the qualifying information comprises a compression type. 
     
     
         16 . A method for remote displaying of a slide, comprising:
 capturing a plurality of images through a microscope objective, each of the plurality of images corresponding to a portion of a specimen slide;   joining the plurality of images together to form a composite, virtual slide;   providing a display monitor showing a first image of a portion of the specimen slide and showing a plurality of graphical control features;   receiving, by receipt of a selection of one or more of the graphical control features, a command to obtain a second image of at least part of the specimen slide on the display monitor, the command specifying the second image as either a previously-captured second image or a for-capture second image; and   in response to the command:
 if the command specified the second image as a previously-captured second image, retrieving and transmitting a portion of the virtual slide to the display monitor; and 
   if the command specified the second image as for capture, capturing the second image in real time through the microscope objective and transmitting the second image to the display monitor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the display monitor further shows a thumbnail view of the slide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the command specifying the second image as a previously-captured second image further specifies a magnification of the second image, and wherein if the command specifies the other image as a previously-captured second image, the previously-captured second image that is retrieved is at the specified magnification. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the command further specifies the second image with qualifying information. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the qualifying information comprises an x, y microscope position. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the qualifying information comprises an x, y, z microscope position.