Arithmetically operating device, arithmetically operating method, arithmetically operating program, and microscope

An arithmetically operating method comprising:

• acquiring reference and comparative phase difference images of a sample;
• dividing the reference phase difference image and the comparative phase difference image into a plurality of corresponding division regions;
• designating a two dimensional array of pixels in a given division region of the reference phase difference image as representative pixels, and designating a one dimensional array of pixels other than the representative pixels in a corresponding division region of the comparative phase difference image as comparative pixels;
• calculating correlations between the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image, and the comparative pixels in the comparative phase difference image;
• and
• calculating parallaxes for the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image in accordance with the correlations thus calculated;
• wherein the dividing step includes setting the shapes and sizes of the division regions based on difference comparisons between the determined parallaxes of adjacent representative pixels such that if a difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels exceeds a threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may not be included in the same division region, whereas if the difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels is less than the threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may be included in the same division region, and
• wherein the retrieval range setting step includes setting a sub-comparative pixel array for the comparative phase difference image that is narrower than that set for the comparative pixels in accordance with the parallaxes calculated for the representative pixels in each of the division regions.

An arithmetically operating computer program product including executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor perform steps for:

• acquiring reference and comparative phase difference images of a sample;
• dividing the reference phase difference image and the comparative phase difference image into a plurality of corresponding division regions;
• designating a two dimensional array of pixels in a given division region of the reference phase difference image as representative pixels, and designating a one dimensional array of pixels other than the representative pixels in a corresponding division region of the comparative phase difference image as comparative pixels;
• calculating correlations between the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image, and the comparative pixels in the comparative phase difference image;
• and
• calculating parallaxes for the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image in accordance with the correlations thus calculated;
• wherein the dividing step includes setting the shapes and sizes of the division regions based on difference comparisons between the determined parallaxes of adjacent representative pixels such that if a difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels exceeds a threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may not be included in the same division region, whereas if the difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels is less than the threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may be included in the same division region, and
• wherein the retrieval range setting step includes setting a sub-comparative pixel array for the comparative phase difference image that is narrower than that set for the comparative pixels in accordance with the parallaxes calculated for the representative pixels in each of the division regions.

A microscope comprising:

• a mirror for causing an incident light from an objective lens either to travel in a straight line or to be reflected;
• a first image pickup element for capturing a subject image imaged on said objective lens and projected on one of a direct course side or a reflection side of said mirror;
• openings provided at a back of the other of the direct course side or the reflection side of said mirror with one pair as a unit, and each having a size becoming a subject depth wider than that of said objective lens;
• separator lenses provided at respective backs of said openings for forming phase difference images on a surface on which a subject image is intended to be imaged, the subject image being projected on the other of the direct course side or the reflection side of said mirror;
• a second image pickup element provided with the surface on which the subject image is intended to be imaged as an image capturing surface;
• an image acquiring portion configured to acquire reference and comparative phase difference images of a sample from said second image pickup element;
• a dividing portion configured to divide the reference phase difference image and the comparative phase difference image into a plurality of corresponding division regions;
• a retrieval range setting portion configured to designate a two dimensional array of pixels in a given division region of the reference phase difference image as representative pixels, and to designate a one dimensional array of pixels other than the representative pixels in a corresponding division region of the comparative phase difference image as comparative pixels;
• a correlation calculating portion configured to calculate correlations between the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image, and the comparative pixels in the comparative phase difference image;
• and
• a parallax calculating portion configured to calculate parallaxes for the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image in accordance with the correlations thus calculated;
• wherein the dividing portion sets the shapes and sizes of the division regions based on difference comparisons between the determined parallaxes of adjacent representative pixels such that if a difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels exceeds a threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may not be included in the same division region, whereas if the difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels is less than the threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may be included in the same division region, and
• wherein said retrieval range setting portion also sets a sub-comparative pixel array for the comparative phase difference image that is narrower than that set for the comparative pixels in accordance with the parallaxes calculated for the representative pixels in each of the division regions.

An arithmetically operating device comprising:

• image acquiring means for acquiring reference and comparative phase difference images of a sample;
• a dividing means configured to divide the reference phase difference image and the comparative phase difference image into a plurality of corresponding division regions;
• retrieval range setting means for designate a two dimensional array of pixels in a given division region of the reference phase difference image as representative pixels, and to designate a one dimensional array of pixels other than the representative pixels in a corresponding division region of the comparative phase difference image as comparative pixels;
• correlation calculating means for calculating correlations between the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image, and the comparative pixels in the comparative phase difference image;
• and
• parallax calculating means for calculating parallaxes for the representative pixels for the reference phase difference image in accordance with the correlations thus calculated;
• wherein the dividing means sets the shapes and sizes of the division regions based on difference comparisons between the determined parallaxes of adjacent representative pixels such that if a difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels exceeds a threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may not be included in the same division region, whereas if the difference in parallaxes between adjacent representative pixels is less than the threshold value said adjacent representative pixels may be included in the same division region, and
• wherein said retrieval range setting means also sets a sub-comparative pixel array for the comparative phase difference image that is narrower than that set for the comparative pixels in accordance with the parallaxes calculated for the representative pixels in each of the division regions.