Systems and methods for distributed video microscopy

• US 10,200,657 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inscopix, Inc. (Bruker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inscopix, Inc. (Bruker Corporation)
• Inventors: Ghosh, Kunal
• Primary Examiner(s): Teitelbaum, Michael E
• Application Number:
  US15/687,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20180220106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/365 Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

System and methods are provided for distributed microscopy. A plurality of microscopes may capture images and send them to a media server. The microscopes and the media server may be part of a local area network. The microscopes may each have a distinct network address. The media server may communicate with an operations console, which may be used to view images captured by the microscopes. The operations console may also accept user input which may be used to selectively control the microscopes.

Claims

1. A system for distributed microscopy comprising:

a plurality of microscopes, each microscope;

(1) configured to capture an image of an imaging site,

(2) having a network address,

(3) having a volume of 50 cubic centimeters or less, and

(4) configured to be mounted on a live being while capturing the image;

a media server in communication with the plurality of microscopes over a network, wherein the plurality of microscopes are configured to simultaneously provide image data to the media server;

an operations console in communication with the media server, comprising an interface configured to display at least one image based at least in part on the image data and accept user input;

one or more devices in communication with the operations console, configured to provide therapeutic treatment to the imaging site; and

one or more processors in communication with the operations console, configured to (i) process the user input, (ii) designate the plurality of microscopes into two or more groups according to the respective network address of each of the plurality of microscopes, and (iii) provide instructions to the one or more devices to provide the therapeutic treatment to the imaging site.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations console comprises the interface for a user to issue commands to control microscopes within a same group simultaneously.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the commands cause the microscopes within the same group to zoom in.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices are operatively coupled to the plurality of microscopes, and wherein the operations console comprises an interface to issue commands to control devices of the one or more devices operably coupled to microscopes within a same group simultaneously.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices are therapeutic devices or drug delivery devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide analytics regarding the designation of the plurality of the microscopes into the two or more groups.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate a signal to indicate impropriety of the designation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to group the plurality of microscopes according to predetermined criteria.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined criteria depends on one or more of one or more objects being imaged by the plurality of microscopes, a characteristic of the live being, and a location of the plurality of microscopes.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to simultaneously process information gathered from the plurality of microscopes and adjust operation of the plurality of microscopes based on information gathered.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically adjust operation of the plurality of microscopes based on information gathered, thereby improving a quality of images captured by the plurality of microscopes.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations console is configured to display view feeds from a selected group of the two or more groups.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microscopes comprises a network priority level, wherein the network priority level is used to preferentially allocate network resources.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of microscopes is configured to deliver the captured images over the network as the live being moves.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein each microscope of the plurality of microscopes weighs less than or equal to about 5 grams.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein each microscope of the plurality of microscopes has a footprint of about 5 cm² or less.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of microscopes are located within different facilities.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide analytics on the image data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust at least a subset of the plurality of microscopes based at least in part on the analytics on the image data.

20. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more devices are configured to deliver a drug to the live beings, and wherein the user input adjusts an amount of drug being delivered to the live beings.