Abstract:
Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample using a computer controlled microscope slide scanner for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. The method provides for statically displaying sub-regions of this large digital image at different magnifications, together with a reduced magnification macro-image of the entire sample. The method also provides for dynamically displaying portions of the contiguous digital image. In one preferred embodiment all elements of the scanner are in single-enclosure with a primary connection to the Internet or to a local intranet. In this embodiment, the preferred sample type is a microscope slide with illumination and imaging optics consistent with transmission mode optics for diffraction-limited digital imaging.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for calibrating a peripheral device having a scanner and document feeder is provided. A target page is printed having a target at a known location on the page. The target page is then fed into the document feeder for scanning by the scanner. A calibration value is determined by determining the lateral position of the scanned target within the scanner. The calibration value is then used to adjust the lateral position of a scan line window width of the scanner to scan substantially only the entire width of a document page to be scanned.
Abstract:
A scanner module for use in an imaging system includes a laser scanner operable under control of the imaging system for scanning a laser spot along a scan line to write a plurality of pixels along the scan line. The scanner further includes a scanner module memory including pixel placement correction data downloadable to the imaging system for use in controlling the placement of pixels along the scan line. The scanner module memory may further include output power correction data downloadable to the imaging system for use in controlling the output power of the laser scanner in the generation of the plurality of pixels along the scan line. Imaging systems use the correction data stored in the one or more replaceable scanner modules for use in controlling the placement of pixels along the scan line and/or for use in controlling output pwer of the laser scanner. Systems and methods for generating the correction data for the laser scanner modules are also described. Scan correction data can be used to reduce differences in the scan profiles of multiple scanners, such that the multiple scanners produce substantially the same scan profile. In this manner, color planes formed using multiple scanners can be placed in substantial registration with one another, thereby alleviating the visual effects of scan profile differences from scanner-to-scanner.
Abstract:
Scanner apparatus is disclosed for scanning a beam of radiation across a receiving medium. The apparatus comprises a source of radiation (12), such as a diode laser, which is adapted to provide an input beam to a rotatable polygon scanner (20). The beam is reflected from the polygon (20) to an f- THETA lens (24), and from the f- THETA lens (24), the beam passes to a cylindrical mirror (26) which directs the beam onto a receiving medium (30). In order to provide a line-start signal in the apparatus, a second cylindrical mirror (40) is positioned to intercept the beam from the polygon (20) and to direct the beam to a photodetector (44). When the beam is in a predetermined position, the photodetector (44) provides a signal which is used to control the modulation of the input beam.
Abstract:
A scanner system includes a light source for producing a light beam and a scanner for directing the light beam to a spot on a surface to a be scanned and for moving the spot across the surface along a scan line of predetermined length in a series of scan cycles. A reference clock produces a train of M reference pulses during each of the scan cycles such that each of the reference pulses represents the occurrence of a respective one of M segments of the scan cycle. An oscillator produces a train of clock pulses for use in controlling the light beam at a predetermined number of desired pixel positions along the scan line while a frequency control circuit responsive to the reference pulses varies the frequency of the oscillator during the occurrence of each of the M segments of the scan cycle in order to approximate an ideal frequency variation curve the entire scan cycle.
Abstract:
The invention concerns an image reader (10) for a device designed to scan with laser beams a circular image plate (12) which has image elements (40) produced by irradiation with X-rays at a radial distance R from the centre of the plate. The reader has a fixture (13) on which the plate (12) is detachably mounted and which is driven by an adjustable-speed electric motor (11). The reader also has an image-element scanning unit (15; 15) which can be displaced radially by a drive (14; 18) at a pre-selected speed across the plate (12) and includes a laser-light supply (42) and an electro-optical signal-transmission device with an optical image-element scanning device (30a) and a photoelectric multiplier (36). In addition, the reader has a signal-processing device. The aim of the invention is to improve a reader of this kind so that, when the plate is scanned by the laser beam to record the image stored on the plate, the amount of light produced is maximized. In addition, the invention aims to produce a compact reader which is thus easier to use. To achieve this, it is proposed that the image-element scanning unit (15; 115) is moved over the image plate to scan each image element (40) at the same tangential speed. The laser-light supply (42) preferably has two laser sources (43a, 43b) the light from which passes through an optical filter (46) and is subsequently focused by a convergent lens (44). In addition, the drive shaft (18) of the electric motor (11) is preferably connected through gearing (23) to a spindle (26) by means of which the image-element scanning unit (15) is driven to execute translational motion radial to the image plate (12).
Abstract:
An electronic imaging system for light exposing a linear image zone at relatively high resolution which comprises a light source array having a plurality of selectively activatable pixel exposing elements of approximately equal width (W) spaced at generally equal linear intervals (S), means for forming an image of the light source array at a linear image zone and means for scanning the light source array image linearly along the image zone in number of successive increments (M) wherein M is an integer approximately equal to (S DIVIDED W)xX, and X is the number of different colors to be exposed during a line scan.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus of correcting image distortion using an orthogonal transfer charge-coupled device array is provided. A wide field of view line-scan remote sensing system includes an array of orthogonal transfer charge-coupled devices (OTCCDs) configured to record image data of an optical image of a moving object received from a lens. Further, the system includes a processor coupled to the array of OTCCDS, in which the processor is configured to scan the optical image across the array of OTCCDs; and shift pixel charges along a first axis and a second axis that substantially matches an actual image motion of the moving object while the optical image is being scanned in order to reduce an amount of image distortion across the array of OTCCDs.
Abstract:
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for correcting systematic errors in positional data of electronic devices configured to navigate across a surface. An apparatus configured to correct positional errors may comprise one or more navigation sensors, and a position module configured to control the one or more navigation sensors to capture a plurality of navigational measurements and adjust the navigational measurements by one or more scaling factors to determine a translation path of the apparatus over a medium. The one or more scaling factors may be constructed by capturing a plurality of navigational measurements to determine a detected translation path of an apparatus, comparing an actual translation path of the apparatus to the detected translation path of the apparatus, and generating the one or more scaling factors based at least in part on a difference between the actual translation path and the detected translation path. Other embodiments also are described.