# US 9,495,577 B2 · Network-based pathology system with desktop slide scanner

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,495,577 B2
- Document ID: US9495577B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/853,763
- Filed: 2015-09-14
- Published: 2016-01-07
- Granted: 2016-11-15
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-20
- Assignees: Mikroscan Technologies
- Applicants: MikroScan Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Victor Casas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9495577B2

## CPC

- G02B 21/367: {providing an output produced by processing a plurality of individual source images, e.g. image tiling, montage, composite images, depth sectioning, image comparison}
- G02B 21/0008: {Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes}
- G02B 21/002: {Scanning microscopes (scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18)}
- G02B 21/025: {with variable magnification (variable magnification G02B15/00)}
- G02B 21/34: Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides
- G02B 21/365: {Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes (G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence)}
- G06T 5/20: using local operators
- G06T 5/73: Deblurring; Sharpening
- G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection}
- G06V 20/693: {Acquisition}
- G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- H04N 1/00095: {Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal}
- H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source}
- H04N 23/64: {Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image}
- G02B 21/16: adapted for ultraviolet illumination {; Fluorescence microscopes (G02B21/0076 takes precedence)}
- G06T 2207/10061: from scanning electron microscope
- G06T 2207/30024: Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro
- H04N 2201/0082: Image hardcopy reproducer (H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A method for processing, saving and viewing a digital image of a microscope slide includes inserting a microscope slide into a digital slide scanner connected to an acquisition computer. A pre-scan formed from a plurality of image tiles uploaded to a network server while the pre-scan is being generated. The network server analyzes the image tiles in realtime to identify an area of interest. The acquisition computer generates a high magnification local scan of the area of interest. The local scan is formed from a plurality of local image tiles that are uploaded to the network server while the local scan is being generated. Each local image tile is viewable by a client computer in communication with the computer network while the plurality of local image tiles is being uploaded. A raw final image is then saved on the network server independent of the acquisition computer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing, saving and viewing a digital image of a sample comprising:
providing an acquisition computer connected to a network server in communication with a computer network;
inserting at least one sample into a digital scanner connected to the acquisition computer;
the acquisition computer generating a first image of the sample at a first magnification and resolution;
the acquisition computer uploading the first image to the network server;
the network server analyzing the first image while the first image is being generated to identify an area of interest in the first image;
the acquisition computer generating a local scan of the area of interest at a second magnification higher than the first magnification, the local scan comprising a plurality of local image tiles;
the acquisition computer uploading each of the plurality of local image tiles to the network server while the local scan is being generated, each local image tile being viewable by a client computer in communication with the computer network in real time while the plurality of local image tiles are being uploaded;
the network server stitching each local image tile together as the image tiles are being uploaded and assembling a raw final image of the local scan from a mosaic of the plurality of local image tiles; and
saving the raw final image on the network server independent of whether the raw final image is saved on the acquisition computer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
sharpening each local image tile to create a plurality of sharpened local image tiles while the plurality of local image tiles are being uploaded;
the network server assembling a sharpened final image from the plurality of sharpened local image tiles while the plurality of local image tiles are being uploaded; and
the client computer selecting between the raw final image and the sharpened final image for viewing immediately without saving the raw final image and the sharpened final image locally and without transferring the raw final image or the sharpened final image after the acquisition computer generates the local scan.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the digital scanner comprises a microscope and a stage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the area of interest comprises analyzing the first image at a low resolution in real time to automatically identify the area of interest.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a tissue sample.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the tissue sample is from a patient.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a user of the client computer views the local tile images in real time.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the user is a pathologist.