Microorganism evaluation system
AssigneeScanlogx, Inc
InventorJohn Miles Brubacher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microorganism evaluation system comprising a viewing section for image acquisition, the viewing section comprising a viewing port configured to accommodate a fluid flow, at least one independently controlled imaging light source operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively illuminate the viewing port, and at least one independently controlled light stimulation device operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively emit light for invoking a motile response in a microorganism within the fluid flow in the viewing port, whereby the system synchronizes illumination of the at least one imaging light source and the at least one light stimulation device of the viewing section.
Claims20
A microorganism evaluation system comprising a viewing section for image acquisition, the viewing section comprising:
- a viewing section body inlet and an opposite viewing section body outlet and a viewing port therebetween, the viewing port configured to accommodate a fluid flow therethrough from the viewing section body inlet to and out of the viewing section body outlet;
- imaging equipment operably installed on the viewing section adjacent to the viewing port;
- at least one independently controlled imaging light source operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively illuminate the viewing port, the viewing section being configured in cooperation with the imaging equipment and the at least one imaging light source such that multiple image acquisition events relating to the fluid flow and a discrete microorganism therein are undertaken via the imaging equipment for analysis;
- and
- at least one independently controlled light stimulation device operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively emit visible light, the at least one light stimulation device being configured as a wavelength stimulator for selectively emitting narrow band light energy, wherein:
- a first illumination event is associated with operation of the at least one imaging light source;
- a second illumination event is associated with operation of the at least one light stimulation device;
- and
- the first and second illumination events and at least one image acquisition event occur within a single cycle of the system defined as the time period from the start of one discrete first illumination event of the at least one imaging light source to the next, whereby the system allows for continuous viewing section flow throughput and synchronizes illumination of the at least one imaging light source and the at least one light stimulation device of the viewing section for multiple illumination events in the single cycle and improved image acquisition by the imaging equipment.
A method of illumination synchronization within a microorganism evaluation system comprising a viewing section for fluid flow therethrough and image acquisition, the method comprising:
- flowing a fluid through a viewing port from a viewing section body inlet to and out of a viewing section body outlet, imaging equipment being operably installed on the viewing section adjacent to the viewing port;
- independently controlling an at least one imaging light source operably installed in the viewing section to selectively illuminate the viewing port, the viewing section being configured in cooperation with the imaging equipment and the at least one imaging light source such that multiple image acquisition events relating to the fluid flow and a discrete microorganism therein are undertaken via the imaging equipment for analysis;
- independently controlling an at least one light stimulation device operably installed in the viewing section to selectively emit visible light, the at least one light stimulation device being configured as a wavelength stimulator for selectively emitting narrow band light energy, a first illumination event being associated with operation of the at least one imaging light source, and a second illumination event being associated with operation of the at least one light stimulation device, the first and second illumination events and at least one image acquisition event occurring within a single cycle of the system defined as the time period from the start of one discrete first illumination event of the at least one imaging light source to the next;
- and
- acquiring an image of a microorganism during the single cycle, whereby use of the system allows for continuous viewing section flow throughput and synchronizing illumination of the at least one imaging light source and the at least one light stimulation device of the viewing section for multiple illumination events in the single cycle and improved image acquisition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.