Image-splitting devices for sizing instruments

Claim 2

Microscope apparatus, comprising a television camera unit for receiving an optical image, of an object under investigation, formed by means of a microscope objective, and producing from that image a video signal representative thereof, electrical image-splitting circuitry connected to receive the said video signal and operable to produce therefrom, on a television display unit, a pair of images which are not of mutually reversed contrast and which are each representative of the said optical image and are displaced in relation to one another across the image surface of the display unit by a selectively variable distance, so that the said distance can be varied for sizing purposes.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical circuitry has an input terminal, connected to receive said video signal, and comprises time base generation means connected to the input terminal and operable to generate a line time base signal and a frame time base signal, a summing amplifier having two inputs of which one is connected to receive the line time base signal, and a circuit connected to receive the frame time base signal and adapted to provide at an output thereof, which is connected to the other input of the summing amplifier, a signal which during alternate frames defined by the frame time base signal has two potential levels having therebetween a selectively variable potential difference, said electrical circuitry having three output terminals of which a first is connected to said input terminal, a second is connected to the output of the summing amplifier and the third is connected to receive the frame time base signal from the time base generation means, the first output terminal being for connection to an intensity modulation input of the television display unit and the second and third output terminals being for connection to horizontal and vertical deflection inputs respectively of the television display unit.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the television camera unit is operable with an interlaced scan and said electrical circuitry has an input terminal, connected to receive said video signal, and comprises time base generation means connected to the input terminal and operable to generate a line time base signal and a frame time base signal, a summing amplifier having two inputs of which one is connected to receive the line time base signal, and a circuit connected to receive the frame time base signal and adapted to provide at an output thereof, which is connected to the other input of the summing amplifier, a signal which during alternate pairs of consecutive frames defined by the frame time base signal has two potential levels having therebetween a selectively variable potential difference, said electrical circuitry having three output terminals of which a first is connected to the said input terminal, a second is connected to the output of the summing amplifier and the third is connected to receive the frame time base signal from the time base generation means, the first output terminal being for connection to an intensity modulation input of the television display unit and the second and third output terminals being for connection to horizontal and vertical deflection inputs respectively of the television display unit.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a variable delay circuit and a summing amplifier having two inputs, the variable delay circuit and the summing amplifier being connected so that said video signal is applied both to the variable delay circuit and to a first input of the summing amplifier, the output of the variable delay circuit being connected to a second input of the summing amplifier.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical circuitry includes means connected to vary the contrast of said Pair of images.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical circuitry includes means connected to vary said distance cyclically between first and second selected values.

Claim 8

A sizing instrument, comprising a microscope objective which forms an optical image of an object being sized, a television camera unit mounted to receive said optical image and to produce from that image a video signal representative thereof, a television display unit, and electrical image-splitting circuitry which connects said television camera unit and said television display unit and which employs said video signal to produce on an image surface of the television display unit a pair of images which are not of mutually reversed contrast and which are each representative of the said optical image and are displaced in relation to one another across said image surface by a distance which is selectively variable for sizing purposes.

Claim 9

A sizing instrument, comprising a microscope objective which forms an optical image of an object being sized, a television camera unit mounted to receive said optical image and to produce from that image a video signal representative thereof, a television display unit, and electrical image-splitting circuitry which connects said television camera unit and said television display unit and which employs said video signal to produce on an image surface of the television display unit a pair of images which are not of mutually reversed contrast and which are each representative of the said optical image and are displaced in relation to one another across said image surface by a distance which is selectively variable for sizing purposes.

Claim 10

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electrical circuitry has an input terminal, connected to receive said video signal, and comprises time base generation means connected to the input terminal and operable to generate a line time base signal and a frame time base signal, a summing amplifier having two inputs of which one is connected to receive the line time base signal, and a circuit connected to receive the frame time base signal and adapted to provide at an output thereof, which is connected to the other input of the summing amplifier, a signal which during alternate frames defined by the frame time base signal has two potential levels having therebetween a selectively variable potential difference, said electrical circuitry having three output terminals of which a first is connected to said input terminal, a second is connected to the output of the summing amplifier and the third is connected to receive the frame time base signal from the time base generation means, the first output terminal being connected to an intensity modulation input of the television display unit and the second and third output terminals being connected to horizontal and vertical deflection inputs respectively of the television display unit.

Claim 11

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the television camera unit is operable with an interlaced scan and the said electrical circuitry has an input terminal, connected to receive said video signal, and comprises time base generation means connected to the input terminal and operable to generate a line time base signal and a frame time base signal, a summing amplifier having two inputs of which one is connected to receive the line time base signal, and a circuit connected to receive the frame time base signal and adapted to provide at an output thereof, which is connected to the other input of the summing amplifier, a signal which during alternate pairs of consecutive frames defined by the frame time base signal has two potential levels having therebetween a selectively variable potential difference, said electrical circuitry having three output terminals of which a first is connected to the said input terminal, a second is connected to the output of the summing amplifier and the third is connected to receive the frame time base signal from the time base generation means, the first output terminal being connected to an intensity modulation input of the television display unit and the second and third output terminals being connected to horizontal and vertical deflection inputs respectively by the television display unit.

Claim 12

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a variable delay circuit and a summing amplifier having two inputs, the variable delay circuit and the summing amplifier being connected so that said video signal is applied both to the variable delay circuit and to a first input of the summing amplifier, the output of the variable delay circuit being connected to a second input of the summing amplifier.

Claim 13

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein sAid electrical circuitry includes means connected to vary the contrast of said pair of images.

Claim 14

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electrical circuitry includes means connected to vary said distance cyclically between first and second selected values.

Claim 15

An instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the television display unit is capable of providing colored images and the said electrical circuitry includes means for producing the said pair of images in different respective colors.