System and method for acquiring images at maximum acquisition rate while asynchronously sequencing microscope devices

A method for acquiring images using an optical microscope system comprising the steps of:

• a) configuring an optical microscope system, which comprises a camera, a microscope, an information handling system and at least one device external to the microscope, which operates to vary at least one image acquisition parameter;
• b) acquiring images at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera;
• c) during the acquiring of images, operating at least one said system device at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera, whereby at least one image acquisition parameter is altered and whereby the acquired images display said altering of at least one image acquisition parameter;
• d) storing the acquired images as at least one stack of digitized data images;
• wherein configuring an optical microscope system comprises:
• (i) initializing said system so as to input the rate of image acquisition of said camera and to input the rate at which said external devices operate to vary the image acquisition parameters,
• (ii) initializing a range of values over which said image acquisition parameters will vary during the acquiring of images,
• (iii) initializing a duration of time during which images will be acquired,
• (iv) comparing the operation rate of said external devices in varying said image acquisition parameters with the rate of said camera to determine whether said configured system can acquire images at or near the acquisition rate of said camera while said external devices are varying said image acquisition parameters,
• (v) deciding whether said system contains enough memory to store the stack of digitized images that will be acquired while and as said system devices will operate to vary the image acquisition parameters over said range of microscope.

A computer program product within a computer readable medium having instructions for acquiring images using an automated optical microscope system, comprising:

• instructions within said computer readable medium for configuring an optical microscope system, which comprises a camera, a microscope, an information handling system and at least one device external to the microscope which operates to vary at least one image acquisition parameter;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for acquiring images at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for operating, during the acquiring of images, at least one said system device at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera, whereby at least one image acquisition parameter is altered and whereby the acquired images display said altering of at least one image acquisition parameter;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for storing the acquired images as at least one stack of digitized data images;
• wherein the instructions for configuring an optical microscope system comprise
• instructions for initializing said system so as to input the rate of image acquisition of said camera and to input the rate at which said external devices operate to vary the image acquisition parameters,
• instructions for initializing a range of values over which said image acquisition parameters will vary during the acquiring of images,
• instructions for comparing the operation rate of said external devices in varying said image acquisition parameters with the rate of said camera to determine whether said configured system can acquire images at or near the acquisition rate of said camera while said external devices are varying said image acquisition parameters,
• instructions for deciding whether said system contains enough memory to store the stack of digitized images that will be acquired while and as said system devices will operate to vary the image acquisition parameters over said range of values.

A computer program product within a computer readable medium having instructions for acquiring images using an automated optical microscope system, comprising:

• instructions within said computer readable medium for configuring an optical microscope system, which comprises a camera, a microscope, an information handling system and at least one device external to the microscope which operates to vary at least one image acquisition parameter;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for acquiring images at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for operating, during the acquiring of images, at least one said system device at a rate substantially close to the maximum image acquisition rate of said camera, whereby at least one image acquisition parameter is altered and whereby the acquired images display said altering of at least one image acquisition parameter;
• instructions within said computer readable medium for storing the acquired images as at least one stack of digitized data images;
• wherein the instructions for configuring an optical microscope system comprise:
• instructions for initializing said system so as to input the rate of image acquisition of said camera and to input the rate at which said external devices operate to vary the image acquisition parameters,
• instructions for initializing a range of values over which said image acquisition parameters will vary during the acquiring of images,
• instructions for initializing a duration of time during which images will be acquired,
• instructions for comparing the operation rate of said external devices in varying said image acquisition parameters with the rate of said camera to determine whether said configured system can acquire images at or near the acquisition rate of said camera while said external devices are varying said image acquisition parameters,
• instructions for deciding whether said system contains enough memory to store the stack of digitized images that will be acquired while and as said system devices will operate to vary the image acquisition parameters over said range of values.