# US 10,502,941 B2 · Two-dimensional and three-dimensional fixed Z scanning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,941 B2 - Document ID: US10502941B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/147,476 - Filed: 2018-09-28 - Published: 2019-04-04 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-29 - Assignees: Leica Biosystmes Imaging, Inc. - Applicants: Leica Biosystems Imaging, Inc. - Inventors: Yunlu Zou; Peyman Najmabadi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502941B2 ## CPC - G02B 21/008: {Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control} - 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} - G02B 21/002: {Scanning microscopes (scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18)} - G02B 21/0032: {Optical details of illumination, e.g. light-sources, pinholes, beam splitters, slits, fibers (G02B21/0036 - G02B21/008; means for illumination of specimens in general G02B21/06)} - G02B 21/26: Stages; Adjusting means therefor - H04N 23/84: for processing colour signals - G02B 21/0076: {arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Apparatus and methods for scanning a 2D or 3D image of a specimen without relative Z-axis motion between the specimen and the objective lens. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a tilted camera having individual lines of pixels. Each line of pixels can be separately processed and is at a different image plane with respect to the stage. The depth of field of each line of pixels abuts, slightly overlaps, or is slightly spaced apart from the adjacent lines of pixels in the tilted camera. The angle of the tilt determines the relationship (abut, overlapping, or spaced) of the adjacent lines of pixels. The individual image lines produced by each line of pixels can be combined into a 3D volume image of a sample. Also, the highest-contrast line at each X-Y location can be combined into an in-focus 2D image of the sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A digital scanning apparatus comprising: a motorized stage configured to support a specimen and move the specimen at a substantially constant velocity; an illumination system configured to illuminate a field of view; an objective lens defining an optical path that optically couples the illuminated field of view to a camera; the camera comprising a plurality of light-responsive elements disposed in a plurality of linear arrays, wherein the camera is tilted with respect to the optical path such that each of the plurality of linear arrays is positioned in a different one of a plurality of image planes, with respect to the optical path, than any of the other plurality of linear arrays; and at least one processor configured to, while a specimen is supported by the motorized stage, for each of one or more passes of the motorized stage under the objective lens at the substantially constant velocity, during the pass, simultaneously sense light intensities from all of the plurality of linear arrays, for each of the plurality of linear arrays, process the light intensities, sensed by that linear array during the pass, to generate an image of a portion of the specimen in the image plane in which that linear array is positioned, and align the images of the portion of the specimen in the plurality of image planes into a contiguous volume image of the portion of the specimen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of linear arrays is greater than two. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays substantially abuts a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays that are adjacent to that linear array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays overlaps a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays that are adjacent to that linear array. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein a depth of field of the plurality of linear arrays encompasses an entire thickness of the specimen. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 5, wherein, for each of the one or more passes, the contiguous volume image encompasses the entire thickness of the portion of the specimen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to align a plurality of contiguous volume images of portions of the specimen into a contiguous volume image of the entire specimen. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of linear arrays comprises a color linear array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of linear arrays comprises a time delay integration (TDI) linear array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 9, wherein the TDI linear array comprises a color TDI linear array. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein, during each pass, the objective lens remains stationary so as to maintain a fixed distance between the objective lens and the specimen. ### Claim 12 A digital scanning apparatus comprising: a motorized stage configured to support a specimen and move the specimen at a substantially constant velocity; an illumination system configured to illuminate a field of view; an objective lens defining an optical path that optically couples the illuminated field of view to a camera; the camera comprising a plurality of light-responsive elements disposed in a plurality of linear arrays, wherein the camera is tilted with respect to the optical path such that each of the plurality of linear arrays is positioned in a different one of a plurality of image planes, with respect to the optical path, than any of the other plurality of linear arrays, wherein each of the plurality of linear arrays is configured to generate a plurality of lines of image data in synchrony with the substantially constant velocity of the motorized stage, and wherein each of the plurality of lines of image data in each of the plurality of linear arrays corresponds to one of the plurality of lines of image data in each of the other plurality of linear arrays; and at least one processor configured to, for a specimen on the motorized stage, for each of the plurality of linear arrays, determine a contrast value for each of the plurality of lines of image data generated by that linear array, compare the contrast values for each set of corresponding lines of image data generated by the plurality of linear arrays to determine a highest-contrast line of image data for each set of corresponding lines of image data, wherein the highest-contrast line of image data has a highest contrast value among the respective set of corresponding lines of image data, and combine the highest-contrast lines of image data from each set of corresponding lines of image data to generate an image of at least a portion of the specimen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein a number of the plurality of linear arrays is greater than two. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays substantially abuts a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays that are adjacent to that linear array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays overlaps a depth of field of each of the plurality of linear arrays that are adjacent to that linear array. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein a depth of field of the plurality of linear arrays is at least 100 microns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to align a plurality of images of portions of the specimen into an image of the entire specimen. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of linear arrays comprises a color linear array. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of linear arrays comprises a time delay integration (TDI) linear array. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The digital scanning apparatus of claim 19, wherein the TDI linear array comprises a color TDI linear array.