Systems and methods for autofocus
Assignee10x Genomics, Inc.
InventorDavid P. Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for maintaining focus of an optical system on a target surface is provided. The method includes directing at least one beam of light through an objective lens to a sample, wherein the at least one beam of light is associated with at least two effective numerical apertures and receiving at least one reflected beam at the objective lens. The at least one reflected beam is associated with the at least two effective numerical apertures. The method also includes determining at least one image based on the at least one reflected beam, determining a baseline of a feature for each of the one or more objects, and when the feature differs from the baseline, adjusting a working distance between the objective lens and the sample.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- directing at least one beam of light through an objective lens to a sample, wherein the at least one beam of light is associated with at least two different effective numerical apertures simultaneously;
- receiving at least one reflected beam at the objective lens, wherein the at least one reflected beam is associated with the at least two different effective numerical apertures;
- determining at least one image based on the at least one reflected beam, wherein the at least one image comprises one or more objects from the at least one reflected beam;
- determining a baseline of a feature for each of the one or more objects, wherein the baseline is associated with a focal plane of the objective lens;
- and
- when the feature differs from the baseline, adjusting a working distance between the objective lens and the sample.
A system comprising:
- a sample stage;
- at least one light source configured to emit at least one beam of light;
- an objective lens configured to direct the at least one beam of light to a sample disposed on the sample stage and receive at least one reflected beam, wherein the at least one beam of light is associated with at least two different effective numerical apertures simultaneously, wherein the at least one reflected beam is associated with the at least two different effective numerical apertures;
- at least one sensor configured to receive the at least one reflected beams;
- and
- a computing system comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions executable by at least one processor of the computing system to cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
- determining at least one image based on the at least one reflected beam, wherein the at least one image comprises one or more objects from the at least one reflected beam;
- determining a baseline of a feature for each of the one or more objects, wherein the baseline is associated with a focal plane of the objective lens;
- and
- when the feature differs from the baseline, adjusting a working distance between the objective lens and the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.