# US 9,517,004 B2 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer readable storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,004 B2 - Document ID: US9517004B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/279,685 - Filed: 2014-05-16 - Published: 2014-11-27 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-27 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroshi Imamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517004B2 ## CPC - A61B 3/0016: {Operational features thereof} - A61B 3/0033: {characterised by user input arrangements} - A61B 3/0058: {for multiple images} - A61B 3/102: {for optical coherence tomography [OCT]} - A61B 3/1025: {for confocal scanning} - A61B 3/14: Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An information processing apparatus for controls, in one image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region. A presentation unit presents for selection a plurality of basic patterns each representing a distribution of positions at which to respectively capture high-magnification images. An adjustment unit adjusts, in accordance with an instruction of the operator, an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images associated with the basic pattern selected from the plurality of basic patterns. A control unit causes an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the adjusted image capture condition. An obtaining unit analyzes an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and obtains information representing a feature of the image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus for controlling, in one image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the apparatus comprising: a presenter configured to present to an operator for selection a plurality of basic patterns each representing a distribution of positions at which to respectively capture high-magnification images; an adjuster configured to adjust, in accordance with an instruction of the operator, an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images associated with the basic pattern selected from the plurality of basic patterns; a controller configured to cause an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the adjusted image capture condition; and an obtainer configured to analyze an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and to obtain information representing a feature of the image, wherein said adjuster further adjusts the image capture condition based on the information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjuster adjusts the image capture condition based on at least one of a position of a point representing the selected basic pattern in the image capture region, a constraint condition designated by the operator and defining a range that the image capture condition can take, and a change amount of the image capture condition designated by the operator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said obtainer obtains the feature of a region included in one of a closed region and an annular region in the image representing the entire image capture region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display controller configured to superimpose the plurality of captured high-magnification images on the image representing the entire image capture region and to cause a display to display the images. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said display controller causes said display to display at least one blood vessel image out of the captured high-magnification images based on the feature of the image associated with one of a blood vessel and a region where a blood cell moves obtained by said obtainer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said display controller causes said display to display the plurality of captured high-magnification images in synchronism with a periodical timing represented by a biomedical signal measured from a subject. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture condition includes at least one of a position to capture the high-magnification image in the image capture region, an order of image capture, the number of images to be captured at the same position, the viewing angle of the high-magnification image, a pixel size of the high-magnification image, the number of frames of image capture, a frame rate, and an in-focus position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a judger configured to judge a frame in which at least one of a degree of luminance abnormality, a magnitude of distortion, a level of noise with respect to a signal, and a displacement amount with respect to a reference frame exhibits a value not less than a predetermined value as an exceptional frame from frames of the high-magnification image, and a necessity of re-obtaining of the plurality of high-magnification images is determined based on the judgment result. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller causes the image capture apparatus to capture a tomogram in the image capture region as the high-magnification image. ### Claim 10 An information processing apparatus for controlling, in one image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the apparatus comprising: an obtainer configured to analyze an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and to obtain information representing a feature of the image; a determining device configured to determine an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images based on the information; a controller configured to cause an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the determined image capture condition; and a display controller configured to superimpose the plurality of captured high-magnification images on the image representing the entire image capture region and to cause a display to display the superimposed images in synchronism with a periodical timing represented by a biomedical signal measured from a subject. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said obtainer obtains the feature of a region included in one of a closed region and an annular region in the image representing the entire image capture region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said display controller causes said display to display at least one blood vessel image out of the captured high-magnification images based on the feature of the image associated with one of a blood vessel and a region where a blood cell moves obtained by said obtainer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image capture condition includes at least one of a position to capture the high-magnification image in the image capture region, an order of image capture, the number of images to be captured at the same position, the viewing angle of the high-magnification image, a pixel size of the high-magnification image, the number of frames of image capture, a frame rate, and an in-focus position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a judger configured to judge a frame in which at least one of a degree of luminance abnormality, a magnitude of distortion, a level of noise with respect to a signal, and a displacement amount with respect to a reference frame exhibits a value not less than a predetermined value as an exceptional frame from frames of the high-magnification image, and a necessity of re-obtaining of the plurality of high-magnification images is determined based on the judgment result. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controller causes the image capture apparatus to capture a tomogram in the image capture region as the high-magnification image. ### Claim 16 An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus for controlling, in a given image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the method comprising: presenting to an operator for selection a plurality of basic patterns each representing a distribution of positions at which to respectively capture high-magnification images; adjusting, in accordance with an instruction of the operator, an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images associated with the basic pattern selected from the plurality of basic patterns; causing an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the adjusted image capture condition; and analyzing an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images to obtain information representing a feature of the image, wherein the image capture condition is adjusted based on the information. ### Claim 17 An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus for controlling, in a given image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the method comprising: analyzing an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and obtain information representing a feature of the image; determining an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images based on the information; causing an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the determined image capture condition; and superimposing the plurality of captured high-magnification images on the image representing the entire image capture region and causing a display unit to display the superimposed images in synchronism with a periodical timing represented by a biomedical signal measured from a subject. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for controlling, in one image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the computer program causing the computer to function as units comprising: a presenter configured to present to an operator for selection a plurality of basic patterns each representing a distribution of positions at which to respectively capture high-magnification images; an adjuster configured to adjust, in accordance with an instruction of the operator, an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images associated with the basic pattern selected from the plurality of basic patterns; a controller configured to cause an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the adjusted image capture condition; and an obtainer configured to analyze an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and to obtain information representing a feature of the image, wherein said adjuster further adjusts the image capture condition based on the information. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to control an information processing apparatus for controlling, in one image capture region, image capture of a plurality of high-magnification images having a viewing angle smaller than the viewing angle of the image capture region, the computer program causing the computer to function as units comprising: an obtainer configured to analyze an image representing the entire image capture region of a magnification lower than that of the high-magnification images and to obtain information representing a feature of the image; a determining device configured to determine an image capture condition of the plurality of high-magnification images based on the information; a controller configured to cause an image capture apparatus to capture the plurality of high-magnification images in the image capture region in accordance with the determined image capture condition; and a display controller configured to superimpose the plurality of captured high-magnification images on the image representing the entire image capture region and to cause a display unit to display the superimposed images in synchronism with a periodical timing represented by a biomedical signal measured from a subject.