US 6,982,824 B2
Three-dimensional confocal microscope system
Takayuki Kei, Musashino (Japan); Kenji Hachiya, Musashino (Japan); and Kenta Mikuriya, Musashino (Japan)
Assigned to Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/800,754.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-274520 (JP), filed on Jul. 15, 2003; application No. 2003-303851 (JP), filed on Aug. 28, 2003; and application No. 2003-386449 (JP), filed on Nov. 17, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0012989 A1, Jan. 20, 2005
Int. Cl. G02B 21/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 359—368 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional confocal microscope system comprising:
a confocal scanner for obtaining sliced images of a sample as confocal images;
a video rate camera for converting said confocal images to a video signal;
an image processing unit for converting said video signal to image data;
an actuator for moving the focal position of a microscope's objective lens in the optical-axis direction; and
control means for generating scanning waveform signals used to scan said objective lens in the optical-axis direction through said actuator;
so that sliced images of said sample in the depth direction can be obtained, wherein said control means generates a triangular or step-like scanning waveform signal which has been corrected so that acceleration is kept virtually constant at discontinuous points of change in said scanning waveform signal and said actuator is driven by said scanning waveform signal.