# US 10,481,374 B2 · Method and microscopy system for scanning a sample > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,374 B2 - Document ID: US10481374B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/426,118 - Filed: 2017-02-07 - Published: 2017-05-25 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-06 - Assignees: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH; Embl European Molecular Biology Laboratory - Applicants: Leica Microsystems Cms GmbH; EMBL European Molecular Biology Laboratory - Inventors: Frank Sieckmann; Urban Liebel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481374B2 ## CPC - G16H 10/40: for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis - G01N 15/1433: using image recognition - G02B 21/0084: {time-scale detection, e.g. strobed, ultra-fast, heterodyne detection} - G02B 21/367: {providing an output produced by processing a plurality of individual source images, e.g. image tiling, montage, composite images, depth sectioning, image comparison} - G06V 20/693: {Acquisition} - G06V 20/698: {Matching; Classification} - G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A method for scanning a sample using an electrically or electronically controllable microscope includes performing a continuous scanning of the sample so as to repeatedly generate a plurality of images of the sample, each of the plurality of images corresponding to a different time, the microscope being controlled via a control computer during the scanning. The plurality of images are analyzed using at least one second computer connected via a network, wherein the at least one second computer is configured to classify each of the plurality of images as one of interesting and non-interesting while the continuous scanning of the sample with the microscope continues. The continuous scanning of the sample is automatically influenced based on the classifying of the images performed by the at least one second computer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for scanning a sample using an electrically or electronically controllable microscope, comprising the steps of: dividing the sample into a plurality of scan fields; performing a scanning of the sample so as to generate a plurality of images of the sample in the scan fields, the plurality of images being generated at different times and/or different locations of the sample, the microscope being controlled via a control computer during the scanning; observing and/or analyzing the generated images using at least one further computer connected via a network so as to identify interesting regions of the sample; and successively limiting the scan fields of the sample based on the identifications of interesting regions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the observing and/or analyzing of yields a classification into the interesting regions and uninteresting regions, and wherein the classification is accomplished by allocating specific geometric properties to interesting objects in the sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the further computers supervises the scanning operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein an adaptation of the scan fields is accomplished in such a way that at least one of the interesting regions is further limited and uninteresting regions still present are removed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying an illumination wavelength based on the observing and/or analyzing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein storage of the image data is limited to the interesting regions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein an object is classified as an unexpected event based on a determination that the object cannot be unequivocally classified as an interesting or uninteresting object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the object classified as the unexpected event is presented to an operator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the scanning of the sample is performed continuously and wherein regions that do not change during the continuous scanning are classified as uninteresting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the scanning is continued during the observing and/or analyzing of the generated images. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated images obtained in chronological succession or at the different locations of the sample are analyzed in parallel fashion by different computers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the control computer is connected to at least one of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile telephones via a network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the observing and/or analyzing includes searching for specific events and classifying associated regions as the interesting regions. ### Claim 14 A method for scanning a sample by means of an electrically or electronically controllable microscope, comprising the steps of: performing a scanning of the sample so as to generate a plurality of images of the sample in the scan fields, the plurality of images being generated at different times and/or different locations of the sample, the microscope being controlled via a control computer during the scanning; identifying, by a classifier, interesting regions within the generated images; determining that a process is occurring in one of the interesting regions; and continuously investigating, over a period of time, the region in which the process is determined to be occurring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the identifying yields a classification into the interesting regions and uninteresting regions, and wherein the classification is accomplished by allocating specific geometric properties to interesting objects in the sample. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the further computers supervises the scanning operation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising adapting a scan region of the scanning in such a way that at least one of the interesting regions is further limited and uninteresting regions still present are removed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising modifying an illumination wavelength based on the identifying. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein storage of the image data is limited to the interesting regions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein an object is classified as an unexpected event based on a determination that the object cannot be unequivocally classified as an interesting or uninteresting object. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the object classified as the unexpected event is presented to an operator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the scanning of the sample is performed continuously and wherein regions that do not change during the continuous scanning are classified as uninteresting. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the scanning is continued during the identifying of the interesting regions. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the generated images obtained in chronological succession or at the different locations of the sample are analyzed in parallel fashion by different computers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the control computer is connected to at least one of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile telephones via a network. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the identifying includes searching for specific events and classifying associated regions as the interesting regions.