System and method for enhanced predictive autofocusing
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDavid LaVan Henderson, Kevin Bernard Kenny, Siavash Yazdanfar
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Abstract
In an imaging device having an objective and a stage for holding a sample to be imaged, a method for autofocusing is presented. The method includes determining a measured focus value corresponding to at least a first of a plurality of logical image segments. Further, the method includes imaging the first logical image segment using the measured focus value. The method also includes determining a predicted focus value for a second of the plurality of logical image segments using the measured focus value and a stored focus variation parameter. In addition, the method includes imaging the second logical image segment using the predicted focus value.
Claims21
In an imaging device having an objective and a stage for holding a sample to be imaged, a method for autofocusing, comprising:
- determining a measured focus value corresponding to at least a first of a plurality of logical image segments;
- imaging the first logical image segment using the measured focus value;
- determining a predicted focus value for a second of the plurality of logical image segments using the measured focus value and a stored focus variation parameter;
- and
- imaging the second logical image segment using the predicted focus value.
An imaging device, comprising:
- an objective lens;
- a primary image sensor configured to generate a primary image of a sample at a primary frame rate;
- an auxiliary image sensor configured to generate one or more auxiliary images of the sample at an auxiliary frame rate that is faster than the primary frame rate;
- a controller configured to adjust a focus value between the objective lens and the sample along an optical axis to autofocus the image of the sample;
- a scanning stage to support the sample and move the sample in at least a lateral direction that is substantially orthogonal to the optical axis,
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- determine a measured focus value corresponding to at least a first of a plurality of logical image segments;
- image the first logical image segment using the measured focus value;
- determine a predicted focus value for a second of the plurality of logical image segments using the measured focus value and a stored focus variation parameter;
- and
- image the second logical image segment using the predicted focus value.
An imaging device, comprising:
- an objective lens;
- a primary image sensor configured to generate a primary image of a sample at a primary frame rate;
- an auxiliary image sensor configured to generate one or more auxiliary images of the sample at an auxiliary frame rate that is faster than the primary frame rate;
- a controller configured to adjust a focus value between the objective lens and the sample along an optical axis to autofocus the image of the sample;
- a scanning stage to support the sample and move the sample in at least a lateral direction that is substantially orthogonal to the optical axis,
- wherein the controller comprises:
- a macro image and scan planning component to determine a scan plan of the sample;
- an autofocusing component to acquire and process auxiliary images;
- a motion control component to control motion of the sample relative to the objective;
- and
- a timing component to synchronize timing for acquisition of the auxiliary images, the primary images, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.