System, method, and product for dynamic noise reduction in scanning of biological materials

A method comprising the steps of:

• (1) directing an excitation beam to a plurality of pixel locations on a substrate;
• (2) determining one or more representative excitation values, each related to a value of the excitation beam as directed to at least one of the plurality of pixel locations;
• (3) detecting an emission signal having one or more emission values;
• (4) correlating each of the one or more emission values with one or more of the representative excitation values;
• (5) providing at least one excitation reference value;
• (6) comparing the excitation reference value to at least one representative excitation value, thereby generating a normalization factor;
• and
• (7) adjusting at least one emission value based, at least in part, on the normalization factor.

A system for processing an emission signal having one or more emission values, comprising:

• an excitation signal generator constructed and arranged to provide an excitation signal having one or more representative excitation values representative of an excitation beam;
• an excitation reference provider constructed and arranged to provide at least one excitation reference value;
• a normalization factor generator constructed and arranged to compare the excitation reference value to at least one representative excitation value, thereby generating a normalization factor;
• and
• a comparison processor constructed and arranged to adjust at least one emission value corresponding to the at least one representative excitation value based, at least in part, on the normalization factor.

A method for processing an emission signal having one or more emission values, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one excitation reference value;
• comparing the excitation reference value to at least one excitation value,
• thereby generating a normalization factor;
• and
• adjusting at least one emission value corresponding to the at least one excitation value based, at least in part, on the normalization factor.

A scanning system, comprising:

• one or more excitation sources constructed and arranged to generate one or more excitation beams;
• an excitation signal generator constructed and arranged to provide an excitation signal having one or more representative excitation values representative of the excitation beam;
• an excitation reference provider constructed and arranged to provide at least one excitation reference value;
• a normalization factor generator constructed and arranged to compare the excitation reference value to at least one representative excitation value,
• thereby generating a normalization factor;
• and
• a comparison processor constructed and arranged to adjust at least one emission value corresponding to the at least one representative excitation value based, at least in part, on the normalization factor.

A computer program product for use with a computer having a processor and a memory unit, comprising:

• a set of normalization factor generating instructions stored in the memory unit and executed in cooperation with the processor, constructed and arranged to compare at least one excitation reference value to at least one representative excitation value, thereby generating a normalization factor;
• and
• a set of comparison processing instructions stored in the memory unit and executed in cooperation with the processor, constructed and arranged to adjust at least one emission value corresponding to the at least one representative excitation value based, at least in part, on the normalization factor;
• wherein the at least one emission value results from excitation of a labeled receptor at a probe location of a probe array.