University of Washington

F Paul Carlson

Joseph E Ward, Iii

Charles K Lee

Recognizing and counting geometrically distant objects, such as objects of a particular morphological type (e.g., reticulated red blood cells), located in a field of objects of varying types is disclosed. Coherent light is directed toward a monolayer of objects of various types. The light scattered by the objects is collected by a collecting lens and forms a composite Fourier spectrum at the focal plane of the lens. The Fourier spectrum is selectively analyzed on the basis that each object creates a unique portion of the composite Fourier spectrum, and that a family of objects that are geometrically similar have additive spectrums, when their population is large, randomly located, and nonoverlapping. The analysis is performed by making intensity measurements at radial points in the Fourier plane, weighting the measurements, and summing the result. The radial points and weighting factors are determined using regression techniques.

Adaptive coherent optical processing method and apparatus for

A method of forming a minimum mean-square error linear filter photographically is disclosed. The optimum filter may be obtained photographically. In one form, a first photographic negative of a monolayer of cells having a high percentage of cells of the given type is made at the focal plane of a transforming lens mounted so as to collect the light scattered by the monolayer; and, developed for a gamma of unity. Thereafter, a second photographic negative is made at the same focal plane of a monolayer of cells containing a normal percentage of cells of the given type using the first negative as a filter. The second negative is developed for a gamma of two. The resulting photographic plate is a realization of the desired optimum (minimum mean-square error linear) filter. Alternatively, a sandwich of two photographic plates, one positive and obtained from a monolayer of cells having a high percentage of cells of the given type and the other negative obtained from a monolayer of cells having a normal percentage of cells of the given type, is constructed to provide a physical realization of the desired optimum filter.

Minimum mean-square error linear optical filter

Cells of a given type spread among an ensemble of cells of various types are identified and, if desired, counted. Coherent light is directed toward a monolayer of cells of various types. The light scattered by the monolayer of cells is collected by a lens and the collected light is filtered by an optimum filter located in the focal plane of the lens. The optimum filter is a minimum mean-square error linear filter which suppresses light scattered by cells other than the given type of cell whereby the light scattered by the given type is enhanced. The intensity of the light passed by the optimum filter is related to the number of cells of the given type contained in the monolayer of cells. If desired, a second lens may be used to collect the filtered light and focus it toward an integrating and squaring detector. The optimum filter may be obtained photographically. In one form, a first photographic negative of a monolayer of cells having a high percentage of cells of the given type is made at the focal plane of a transforming lens mounted so as to collect the light scattered by the monolayer; and, developed for a gamma of unity. Thereafter, a second photographic negative is made at the same focal plane of a monolayer of cells containing a normal percentage of cells of the given type using the first negative as a filter. The second negative is developed for a gamma of two. The resulting photographic plate is a realization of the desired optimum (minimum mean-square error linear) filter. Alternatively, a sandwich of two photographic plates, one positive and obtained from a monolayer of cells having a high percentage of cells of the given type and the other negative obtained from a monolayer of cells having a normal percentage of cells of the given type, is constructed to provide a physical realization of the desired optimum filter.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

F Paul Carlson