Neopath, Inc.

Other

Robert C Schmidt

Shih-Jong James Lee

Chih-Chau L Kuan

Mikel D Rosenlof

Jon W Hayenga

James A Stephanick

Richard Stephen Johnston

Keith L Frost

Paul V Budak

Coverslip detection locating all four coverslip edges. A field of view processor receives image data from a charge coupled device camera. The charge coupled device camera images a slide and coverslip that is mounted on a movable frame. The slide and coverslip are illuminated from below with a uniform light source. The moveable frame is under computer control and moves in response to the field of view processor. The field of view processor locates the coverslip by first positioning the movable frame to view a portion of the slide on a predetermined potion of the slide within a predetermined area of the slide. The slide is then re-imaged after the movable frame moves the slide toward a chosen edge of direction. Edge type objects are located and followed over multiple fields of view. If the edge object satisfies a set of predetermined criteria the coverslip edge has been found. The edge is extended to find all four corners of the coverslip. The edge objects are processed using morphological operators.

Method and apparatus for detecting a microscope slide coverslip

A method for high speed morphological processing in a computerized image processing system starts by acquiring a binary image and selecting feature and height values corresponding to a desired morphological processing of an image. The image is scanned in a raster scanning sequence so as to produce a scanned image including a plurality of pixels. A sequential labeling transformation is performed on each of the plurality of pixels of the scanned image so as to produce a transformed image. A thresholding operation is performed on the transformed image. The resultant image is translated.

Apparatus for high speed morphological processing

Field of views of a slide are examined to assess the likelihood of existence of detectable single cells, groups, and thick groups of cells to locate objects of interest by an automated microscope. The FOV features consists of features selected from the distribution profiles of size, shape, layout arrangement, texture and density of all objects within a FOV which are compared against pre-determined criteria. Each field of view is assigned a likelihood value based on FOV features. Areas that are blank, or contain air bubbles, or are too dense for analysis are identified and excluded for further analysis. Each FOV is ranked according to its likelihood of containing SIL (Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion) cells or cell groups of interest. These results, such as SIL, single cell ranking, group ranking are used to arrange the further examination of FOVs in a priority order.

Field prioritization apparatus and method

A method for automatically focusing on a slide includes the steps of locating a coverslip, acquiring images from predetermined focal depths in the slide, and starting at an initial focal depth proximate the surface of the coverslip. A set of predetermined characteristics within each of the images are measured to generate at least one image measurement for each of the plurality of images. A focus measure is computed for each of the images, where each focus measure is a function of at least one image measurement. A best focus location is determined relative to a focal depth where an acquired image has a highest focus measure.

Automatic focusing of biomedical specimens apparatus

A circuit is provided for correcting an image signal received from a camera wherein the camera includes a plurality of charge coupled devices, each for providing a light signal indicative of the intensity of light incident thereon and wherein the plurality of light signals from the plurality of charge coupled devices are indicative of an image received by the camera. The correction circuit includes a gain memory for storing a plurality of gain correction factors wherein each gain correction factor is associated with a respective charge coupled device of the camera. The correction circuit further includes an offset memory for storing a plurality of offset correction factors wherein each offset correction factor is associated with a respective one of the plurality of charged coupled devices. The gain memory is responsive to a control circuit for multiplying the plurality of electric signals by the appropriate gain correction factor. Similarly, the offset memory is responsive to a control circuit for adding the appropriate one of the plurality of offset correction factors with the signal from its respective charge coupled device. A light detection circuit is also provided for normalizing the corrected plurality of signal to make the resulting measurement a measurement of the percentage of transmission of the focused slide specimen.

Method and apparatus for dynamic correction of microscopic image signals

Improved method and apparatus are provided for performing parallel and pipeline processing of data sequences. The apparatus includes a plurality of memory circuits and a plurality of data processors wherein each data processor is constructed for parallel and pipeline processing of data sequences. Address controllers are provided for routing data between the memory circuits and the pixel processors. The address controllers are capable of directly coupling any memory circuit to any pixel processor so that data may be simultaneously transferred from a plurality of memory circuits to a plurality of pixel processors. Further, the pixel processors are provided with processing elements for performing data processing on neighboring data words of a data sequence. The address controller is constructed for providing data from the memory circuits in a plurality of sequences so that the data may be provided to the pixel processor first and second times in respective first and second sequences to enable two dimensional processing of the data sequence. A feature processor is provided for extracting specific information from the processed image data, relating to features of objects contained therein.

Method and apparatus for rapidly processing data sequences

An aiming post light for artillery and mortar operations at night wherein an ordinary GI flashlight may be used, without modification, as a post light when mounted on a support and wherein its original ordinary lightbulb is replaced with a novel bulb of same base outer configuration in which the bulb has encapsulated solid state circuitry to provide a blinking and/or steady light emitting diode (LED) as the light source. Depending upon the particular LED and circuitry selected, the light may be continuous or intermittent and may be a selected color. In one embodiment several options are available when using a single bulb.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Robert C Schmidt