IMAGE-BASED LASER AUTOFOCUS SYSTEM

摘要

Accurate, reliable, and robust laser-based autofocus solutions are presented for through-the-lens microscope applications using slides or micro-titer plates. The laser-based autofocus solutions solve many of the problems that have arisen due to multiple reflective surfaces at varying distances relative to a sample of interest. The laser-based autofocus solutions provide a unique solution to resolve the ambiguity caused by these multiple reflective surfaces by using an image-based approach.

主权项

1. A method of focusing, by an HCI system, a biological sample positioned on a plate, the plate having inner and outer surfaces, the HCI system having an imaging component and a camera for imaging biological samples, the method comprising:
shining a laser light beam through the imaging component toward the plate to cause reflections of the laser light from the inner and outer surfaces of the plate to pass back through the imaging component and to the camera; producing, by the camera, an image of the received reflections; processing the image by a computerized device to estimate the z-distance between the imaging component and the inner surface of the plate; and moving the imaging component to a z-position at which the biological sample is focused, based on the estimated z-distance.