Method and apparatus for screening chemical compounds
First Claim
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1. A method for processing biological sample image data, comprising:
- acquiring a digital image of a biological sample using a imaging system, wherein the digital image includes a target object and a background, wherein the digital image has a plurality of digital image pixels, and wherein each digital image pixel has a digital image intensity value represented by a plurality of bits;
converting the digital image to a bitmap, wherein the bitmap has a plurality of bitmap pixels, wherein each bitmap pixel has a bitmap intensity value represented by a single bit, and wherein the digital image pixels and bitmap pixels have coordinates;
performing bitmap operations on the bitmap to isolate the target object from the background and to thereby identify those bitmap pixels having a set of related coordinates belonging to the target object; and
using the set of related coordinates to perform calculations on the digital image pixels having those coordinates.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for screening large numbers of chemical compounds and performing a wide variety of fluorescent assays, including live cell assays. The methods utilize a laser linescan confocal microscope with high speed, high resolution and multi-wavelength capabilities and real time data-processing. Imaging may be done at video-rates and with use of ultraviolet illumination.
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12 Claims
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1. A method for processing biological sample image data, comprising:
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acquiring a digital image of a biological sample using a imaging system, wherein the digital image includes a target object and a background, wherein the digital image has a plurality of digital image pixels, and wherein each digital image pixel has a digital image intensity value represented by a plurality of bits;
converting the digital image to a bitmap, wherein the bitmap has a plurality of bitmap pixels, wherein each bitmap pixel has a bitmap intensity value represented by a single bit, and wherein the digital image pixels and bitmap pixels have coordinates;
performing bitmap operations on the bitmap to isolate the target object from the background and to thereby identify those bitmap pixels having a set of related coordinates belonging to the target object; and
using the set of related coordinates to perform calculations on the digital image pixels having those coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification