Method, apparatus, and computer program product for focus prediction
AssigneeCella Vision AB
InventorsSven Hedlund, Benny Klein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method, an analyzer and a computer program product for focus prediction in a sample arranged on a measuring surface of an analyzer. The method comprises row wise scanning sample positions by means of an optical system of said analyzer, said sample positions being positions in a coordinate system for said measuring surface containing said sample, for the first sample position on each row, determining a focus and storing said focus, and for each subsequent sample position: if a stored difference exists, predicting a focus by adding said stored difference to said stored focus, or if no stored difference exists, determining a focus and storing said focus.
Claims13
Method for focus prediction in a sample arranged on a measuring surface of an analyzer, comprising:
- row wise scanning sample positions of the sample by means of an optical system of said analyzer, said sample positions being positions in a coordinate system for said measuring surface containing said sample,
- for a first sample position on each row, determining a focus of the first sample position using the optical system and storing the position and focus of the first sample position as a latest determined focus position and a latest determined focus, respectively, and
- for each subsequent sample position:
- determining whether there exists a stored focus difference for the subsequent sample position in relation to the latest determined focus position based on differences in focus between adjacent sample positions which have been stored so far during, but not before, the row wise scanning of the sample, and
- if a stored focus difference exists, predicting a focus of the subsequent sample position by adding said stored focus difference to the latest determined focus, or
- if no stored focus difference exists, determining a focus of the subsequent sample position using the optical system, storing the focus and position of the subsequent sample position as the latest determined focus position and the latest determined focus, respectively, and if a focus has been determined and stored by using the optical system for an adjacent sample position on the same row, calculating and storing a difference in focus between the subsequent sample position and the adjacent sample position.
An analyzer for focus surface prediction in a sample comprising:
- a measuring surface arranged for receiving the sample,
- an optical system connected to a processor and arranged to scan sample positions of the sample row wise, said sample positions being positions in a coordinate system for said measuring surface containing said sample,
- wherein the processor is arranged to,
- for the first sample position on each row, determine a focus of the first sample position using said optical system and store the position and focus of the first sample position as a latest determined focus position and a latest determined focus, respectively, and for each subsequent sample position:
- determine whether there exists a stored focus difference for the subsequent sample position in relation to the latest determined focus position based on differences in focus between adjacent sample positions which have been stored so far during, but not before, the row wise scanning of the sample, and
- if a stored focus difference exists, the processor is arranged to predict a focus of the subsequent sample position by adding said stored focus difference to the latest determined focus, or
- if no stored focus difference exists, the processor is arranged to determine a focus of the subsequent sample position using said optical system, store the focus and position of the subsequent sample position as the latest determined focus position and the latest determined focus, respectively, and if a focus has been determined using the optical system and stored for an adjacent sample position on the same row, calculate and store a difference in focus between the subsequent sample position and the adjacent sample position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.