Digital microscope apparatus for reimaging blurry portion based on edge detection

Abstract

A digital microscope apparatus includes: an observation image capturing unit configured to capture an observation image of each of a plurality of small areas, an area containing a sample on a glass slide being partitioned by the plurality of small areas; and a controller configured to set at least one evaluation area for the observation image of each of the plurality of small areas, the observation image being captured by the observation image capturing unit, to perform an edge detection on the at least one evaluation area, and to calculate, using results of the edge detection on two evaluation areas that are closest between two of the observation images adjacently located in a connected image, a difference in blur evaluation amount between the two observation images, the connected image being obtained by connecting the observation images according to the partition.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . An imaging control apparatus, comprising:
 a circuitry configured to:   calculate a first in-focus position based on a phase difference image of a first area of an object captured by an imaging device;   search for a second in-focus position based on the first in-focus position; and   cause the imaging device to capture an output image of the object at the second in-focus position.   
     
     
         10 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the first in-focus position includes a position of an optical axis direction. 
     
     
         11 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the output image is a pathological image. 
     
     
         12 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the output image is an image captured of a living body sample irradiated with at least one of a bright field illumination light or a dark field illumination light. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to store the second in-focus position in a memory. 
     
     
         14 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to move a stage holding the object to capture a second area of the object. 
     
     
         15 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the second area is an area adjacent to the first area. 
     
     
         16 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the output image is an image of a biological sample that includes at least one of blood, epithelial tissues, or tissues including the epithelial tissues and smear cells. 
     
     
         17 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the phase difference image includes information on an amount and orientation of a displacement in an optical axis direction between a focal point of an objective lens of the imaging device and the object. 
     
     
         18 . The imaging control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the imaging device further comprises a splitter lens that splits a light beam used to calculate the first in-focus position. 
     
     
         19 . An imaging control method, comprising:
 calculating a first in-focus position based on a phase difference image of a first area of an object captured by an imaging device;   searching for a second in-focus position based on the first in-focus position; and   capturing, with the imaging device, an output image of the object at the second in-focus position.   
     
     
         20 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:
 an optical assembly configured to split a light transmitted through or reflected from an object into a first light guided to a first image sensor and a second light guided to a second image sensor;   the first image sensor configured to obtain a phase difference image of the object to determine a first in-focus position; and   the second image sensor configured to obtain an image of the object at a second in-focus position, wherein the second in-focus position is determined based on the first in-focus position.   
     
     
         21 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the first light is transmitted through a field lens and a separator lens, and forms a set of images of the object on the first image sensor. 
     
     
         22 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the first light is transmitted through a condenser lens and twin lenses, and forms a set of images of the object on the first image sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the optical assembly is a beam splitter or a movable mirror. 
     
     
         24 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first image sensor or the second image sensor is arranged on an optical axis of an objective lens of the imaging apparatus. 
     
     
         25 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the first image sensor and the second image sensor are one of a one-dimensional imaging device or a two-dimensional imaging device. 
     
     
         26 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising a thumbnail image sensor configured to obtain a thumbnail image of the object. 
     
     
         27 . The imaging apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the imaging apparatus is a microscope.