Optical tomographic image generating apparatus and optical tomographic image generating method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical tomographic image generating method including: obtaining signals for a plurality of frames; obtaining respective complex number data by performing Fourier transformation of the signals for the plurality of frames; synthesizing the plurality of frames using the respective complex number data; generating a tomographic image based on the synthesized data. This configuration enables easy enhancement of the image quality in an optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An image generating apparatus comprising:
 a unit arranged to obtain a plurality of complex number data by performing Fourier transformation of signals of a plurality of frames obtained by irradiating an object with light;   a unit arranged to convert the plurality of complex number data into a plurality of real number data; and   a unit arranged to average a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames other than a frame determined to have a measurement error.   
     
     
         11 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a unit arranged to take out a frame determined to have the measurement error from the plurality of frames, wherein a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames after the taking out of the frame are averaged. 
     
     
         12 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the complex number data are averaged based on at least one of parallel displacement and rotational displacement between the plurality of frames. 
     
     
         13 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the object is an eye, and   wherein the displacement is derived by a movement of the eye.   
     
     
         14 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the unit arranged to average a plurality of the complex number data subjects the respective complex number data to averaging after frame displacement information is obtained using a mean square. 
     
     
         15 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the object is an eye,   wherein the plurality of frames are set at different positions in a direction crossing an optical axis of the eye, and   wherein a positional difference between the frames are no more than several times a traverse resolution.   
     
     
         16 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a unit arranged to generate an image based on the averaged complex number data. 
     
     
         17 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the generated image is a tomographic image, and   wherein the apparatus further comprises a unit arranged to display the tomographic image.   
     
     
         18 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising a device arranged to convert the averaged complex number data into real number data, wherein the generated image is based on the real number data into which the averaged complex number data is converted. 
     
     
         19 . An image generating system comprising:
 a unit arranged to obtain a plurality of complex number data by performing Fourier transformation of signals of a plurality of frames obtained by irradiating an object with light;   a unit arranged to convert the plurality of complex number data into a plurality of real number data; and   a unit arranged to average a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames other than a frame determined to have a measurement error.   
     
     
         20 . The image generating system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a unit arranged to take out a frame determined to have the measurement error from the plurality of frames, wherein a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames after the taking out of the frame are averaged. 
     
     
         21 . The image generating system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a unit arranged to transfer the plurality of data to a computer, wherein the transferred data is averaged. 
     
     
         22 . An image generating method comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of complex number data by performing Fourier transformation of each signal of a plurality of frames obtained by irradiating an object with light;   converting the plurality of complex number data into a plurality of real number data; and   averaging a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames other than a frame determined to have a measurement error.   
     
     
         23 . The image generating method according to  claim 22 , further comprising taking out a frame determined to have the measurement error from the plurality of frames, wherein a plurality of the complex number data which correspond to a plurality of the frames after the taking out of the frame are averaged. 
     
     
         24 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a unit arranged to determine whether the measurement error has occurred to the frames using the plurality of real number data. 
     
     
         25 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein falling-out of data caused by strain in a frame is determined as the measuring error. 
     
     
         26 . The image generating apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the object is an eye, and wherein falling-out of data caused by closing the eye is determined as the measuring error. 
     
     
         27 . The image generating system according to  claim 19 , further comprising a unit arranged to determine whether the measurement error has occurred to the frames using the plurality of real number data. 
     
     
         28 . The image generating system according to  claim 27 , wherein falling-out of data caused by strain in a frame is determined as the measuring error. 
     
     
         29 . The image generating system according to  claim 27 , wherein the object is an eye, and wherein falling-out of data caused by closing the eye is determined as the measuring error. 
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer program causing a programmable apparatus, upon execution of the program by the apparatus, to perform the image generating method as claimed in  claim 22 . 
     
     
         31 . The image generating method according to  claim 22 , further comprising determining whether the measurement error has occurred to the frames using the plurality of real number data. 
     
     
         32 . The image generating method according to  claim 31 , wherein falling-out of data caused by strain in a frame is determined as the measuring error. 
     
     
         33 . The image generating method according to  claim 31 , wherein the object is an eye, and wherein falling-out of data caused by closing the eye is determined as the measuring error.