Microscope control device, image management server, image processing method, program, and image management system

An image management server comprising:

• an image data storage processing unit that obtains data for a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample captured by a microscope and stores the obtained data in a predetermined storage region;
• a load calculation unit that, prior to the image management server obtaining the obtained digital enlarged image data, provides an image management server load value to a microscope control device;
• an image data provision processing unit that provides the data for the digital enlarged image stored in the predetermined storage region to an external device;
• and
• a digital work processing unit that performs a predetermined digital work process for the digital enlarged image when the image data storage processing unit determines that the predetermined digital work process has not been performed and requests that the digital work processing unit perform the predetermined digital work process.

An image processing method comprising:

• a microscope control device generating a microscope control device load value representing a load which is necessary for a capturing process of a digital enlarged image corresponding to a predetermined sample by a microscope;
• the microscope control device obtaining an image management server load value for a server which stores the digital enlarged image corresponding to the predetermined sample;
• and
• the microscope control device determining whether or not a predetermined digital work process is performed by the microscope control device for the digital enlarged image based on a comparison of the microscope control device load value and the image management server load value, wherein the predetermined digital work process is performed by the microscope control device if the microscope control device load value is lower than the image management server load value, and the predetermined digital work process is performed by the image management server if the microscope control device load value is higher than the image management server load value.

An image processing method comprising:

• an image management server providing an image management server load value to a microscope control device;
• the image management server obtaining data for a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample captured by a microscope controlled by the microscope control device;
• the image management server determining whether or not a predetermined digital work process has been performed based on identification information provided as part of the obtained data for the digital enlarged image;
• the image management server performing the predetermined digital work process for the digital enlarged image when an image data storage processing unit of the image management server determines that the predetermined digital work process has not been performed and requests that a digital work processing unit of the image management server perform the predetermined digital work process;
• and
• storing in a storage unit data for the digital enlarged image having undergone the predetermined digital work process in a predetermined storage region.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer readable program for controlling a microscope capturing a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample, the computer readable program structured to cause the apparatus to:

• control driving of the microscope to generate a captured digital enlarged image;
• calculate a microscope control device load value representing the load necessary for the capturing process of the digital enlarged image;
• obtain an image management server load value from an image management server;
• determine whether or not a predetermined digital work process is to be performed based on a comparison of the microscope control device load value and the image management server load value;
• perform the predetermined digital work process for the captured digital enlarged image based on the comparison of the microscope control device load value and the image management server load value, wherein the predetermined digital work process is performed by the microscope control device if the microscope control device load value is lower than the image management server load value, and the predetermined digital work process is performed by the image management server if the microscope control device load value is higher than the image management server load value;
• and
• output digital enlarged image data from the microscope control device to the image management server.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer readable program for controlling an image management server connected to another information processing apparatus over a network, the computer readable program structured to cause the apparatus to:

• obtain data for a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample captured by a microscope and store the obtained data in a predetermined storage region;
• provide an image management server load value to a microscope control device prior to obtaining the digital enlarged image data;
• provide the data for the digital enlarged image stored in the predetermined storage region to an external device;
• and
• perform a predetermined digital work process for the digital enlarged image when an image data storage processing unit of the image management server determines that the predetermined digital work process has not been performed and requests that a digital work processing unit of the image management server perform the predetermined digital work process.

An image management system comprising:

• a microscope control device including
• a driving control unit that controls driving of a microscope which captures a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample and outputs digital enlarged image data to an external image management server;
• a load calculation unit that calculates a microscope control device load value representing a load which is necessary for the capturing process of the digital enlarged image;
• a digital work determination unit that determines whether or not a predetermined digital work process is to be performed based on a comparison of the microscope control device load value calculated by the load calculation unit and an image management server load value for the corresponding server obtained from the server;
• and
• a digital work processing unit that, when requested by the digital work processing unit, performs a digital work process for the captured digital enlarged image based on the comparison of the microscope control device load value and the image management server load value;
• the image management server including
• an image data storage processing unit that obtains data for a digital enlarged image of a predetermined sample captured by a microscope and stores the obtained data in a predetermined storage region;
• a load calculation unit that, prior to the image management server obtaining the obtained digital enlarged image data, provides an image management server load value to a microscope control device;
• an image data provision processing unit that provides the data for the digital enlarged image stored in the predetermined storage region to an external device;
• a digital work processing unit that performs a predetermined digital work process for the digital enlarged image when the image data storage processing unit determines that the predetermined digital work process has not been performed and requests that a digital work processing unit of the image management server perform the predetermined digital work process.