System, method, and product for pixel clocking in scanning of biological materials

An apparatus, comprising:

• an emission receiving element constructed and arranged to receive an emission signal from a plurality of locations of a probe array;
• a radial position generator constructed and arranged to generate a plurality of radial positions of the emission receiving element;
• a memory unit having stored therein a plurality of position data, each representing a radial position of the emission receiving element;
• and
• a comparator constructed and arranged to generate a clock signal based, at least in part, on comparing one or more of the plurality of radial positions with one or more of the plurality of position data.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• (1) detecting a signal from a plurality of locations of a probe array;
• (2) generating a plurality of radial positions corresponding with two or more of the plurality of locations of the probe array;
• and
• (3) comparing one or more of the plurality of radial positions with one or more of a plurality of position data.

A position-based pixel clock sampling apparatus for enabling the sampling of an emission signal detected using a scanner having a scanning arm, comprising:

• a transducer constructed and arranged to provide an analog position signal representing a plurality of radial positions of the scanning arm;
• a memory unit having stored therein a set of digital position data, each representing a radial position of the scanning arm;
• a comparator constructed and arranged to generate a plurality of clock pulses based, at least in part, on a comparison of the position signal with the position data;
• and
• an analog to digital converter constructed and arranged to sample the emission signal when enabled by the plurality of clock pulses.

A method for sampling an emission signal detected using a scanner having a scanning arm, comprising the steps of:

• providing an analog position signal representing a plurality of radial positions of the scanning arm;
• providing a set of digital position data, each representing a radial position of the scanning arm;
• generating a plurality of clock pulses based, at least in part, on a comparison of the position signal with the position data;
• and
• sampling the emission signal when enabled by the plurality of clock pulses.

A scanning system, comprising:

• (1) a scanner including
• (a) one or more excitation sources constructed and arranged to generate one or more excitation beams,
• (b) an emission receiving element constructed and arranged to receive an emission signal, responsive to the excitation beams, from a plurality of locations of a probe array, and
• (c) a radial position generator constructed and arranged to generate a plurality of radial positions of the emission receiving element;
• and
• (2) a computer including
• (a) a processor, and
• (b) a memory unit having stored therein (i) a plurality of position data, each representing a radial position of the emission receiving element, and (ii) a set of comparator instructions constructed and arranged to generate, in cooperation with the processor, a clock signal based, at least in part, on comparing one or more of the plurality of radial positions with one or more of the plurality of position data.