Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and imaging apparatus including optical microscope

An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• storing coordinates of a plurality of luminance change points in which luminances are changed, in a calibration pattern that has a luminance distribution in which luminances are regularly changed in two axis directions orthogonal to each other;
• generating standard pattern information on a luminance distribution of a calibration image generated by capturing an image of the calibration pattern by an imaging means capable of capturing an image obtained by an optical microscope;
• determining coordinates of a luminance change point of the calibration image, the luminance change point corresponding to each of the plurality of luminance change points of the calibration pattern, as coordinates of a correction luminance change point, by matching processing between the luminance distribution of the calibration image and the generated standard pattern information;
• calculating a difference between the stored coordinates of the plurality of luminance change points and the coordinates of the correction luminance change points determined by the determination means in accordance with the plurality of luminance change points, as a distortion vector field;
• calculating a component obtained by removing a translation component and a rotational component from the distortion vector field, as a correction vector field;
• and
• correcting an image captured by the imaging means by using the calculated correction vector field.

A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor performs steps for:

• storing coordinates of a plurality of luminance change points in which luminances are changed, in a calibration pattern that has a luminance distribution in which luminances are regularly changed in two axis directions orthogonal to each other;
• generating standard pattern information on a luminance distribution of a calibration image generated by capturing an image of the calibration pattern by an imaging means capable of capturing an image obtained by an optical microscope;
• determining coordinates of a luminance change point of the calibration image, the luminance change point corresponding to each of the plurality of luminance change points of the calibration pattern, as coordinates of a correction luminance change point, by matching processing between the luminance distribution of the calibration image and the generated standard pattern information;
• calculating a difference between the stored coordinates of the plurality of luminance change points and the coordinates of the correction luminance change points determined by the determination means in accordance with the plurality of luminance change points, as a distortion vector field;
• calculating a component obtained by removing a translation component and a rotational component from the distortion vector field, as a correction vector field;
• and
• correcting an image captured by the imaging means by using the calculated correction vector field.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• an optical microscope;
• an imaging means capable of capturing an image obtained by the optical microscope;
• a storage means for storing coordinates of a plurality of luminance change points in which luminances are changed, in a calibration pattern that has a luminance distribution in which luminances are regularly changed in two axis directions orthogonal to each other;
• a generation means for generating standard pattern information on a luminance distribution of a calibration image generated by capturing an image of the calibration pattern by the imaging means;
• a determination means for determining coordinates of a luminance change point of the calibration image, the luminance change point corresponding to each of the plurality of luminance change points of the calibration pattern, as coordinates of a correction luminance change point, by matching processing between the luminance distribution of the calibration image and the generated standard pattern information;
• a first calculation means for calculating a difference between the stored coordinates of the plurality of luminance change points and the coordinates of the correction luminance change points determined by the determination means in accordance with the plurality of luminance change points, as a distortion vector field;
• a second calculation means for calculating a component obtained by removing a translation component and a rotational component from the distortion vector field, as a correction vector field;
• and
• a correction means for correcting an image captured by the imaging means by using the calculated correction vector field.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• a first storage section configured to store coordinates of a plurality of luminance change points in which luminances are changed, in a calibration pattern that has a luminance distribution in which luminances are regularly changed in two axis directions orthogonal to each other;
• a generation section configured to generate standard pattern information on a luminance distribution of a calibration image generated by capturing an image of the calibration pattern by an imaging section capable of capturing an image obtained by an optical microscope;
• a determination section configured to determine coordinates of a luminance change point of the calibration image, the luminance change point corresponding to each of the plurality of luminance change points of the calibration pattern, as coordinates of a correction luminance change point, by matching processing between the luminance distribution of the calibration image and the generated standard pattern information;
• a first calculation section configured to calculate a difference between the stored coordinates of the plurality of luminance change points and the coordinates of the correction luminance change points determined by the determination section in accordance with the plurality of luminance change points, as a distortion vector field;
• a second calculation section configured to calculate a component obtained by removing a translation component and a rotational component from the distortion vector field, as a correction vector field;
• and
• a correction section configured to correct an image captured by the imaging section by using the calculated correction vector field.