Point source detection
AssigneeAnastasia Tyurina
InventorAnastasia Tyurina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a technique for accurate detection of objects appearing in the image, such as single fluorescent molecules, cells, microorganisms, nucleotides, DNA strands, or stars in celestial images. The method allows to differentiate between two combined point sources even if they are closer to each other than the optical resolution of the system. The procedure involves computing several coefficients representing decomposition of the intensity data in the basis of Hermit functions. In the case when the objects are distributed randomly and higher yield of accurately detected objects is desired, the method allows for a tenfold increase in such yield.
Claims17
A method for resolving and identifying diffraction limited point source objects in an image, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) picking an object in an image;
- (b) computing coefficients of decomposition of a point-spread function of said object(s) on a an orthogonal basis of functions;
- (c) formulating two competing hypotheses, wherein the first hypothesis states that the object represents a single point-source, and the second hypothesis states that the object represents a pair of proximate point-sources;
- (d) for two competing hypotheses, equating the coefficients of decomposition of step (b) with the coefficients of decomposition derived analytically from the Gaussian models of the two hypotheses;
- (e) solving each of the two sets of equations in close terms for intensity and position of the point sources;
- (f) calculating residual light;
- (g) selecting the hypothesis with minimal residual light
Image analysis apparatus for use in a single point light source detection system comprising:
- (a) an image capture system for receiving optical information;
- (b) a computing means;
- and (c) an algorithm identifying the point sources, performing a determination of the number of sources contributing to the observed point spread function and determining the point source(s) position and intensity;
- and presenting the information about the image as a list of positions and intensities of the point sources detected in the image, wherein said determination is based on computing coefficients of decomposition of a point-spread function of said source(s) on a an orthogonal basis of functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.