Scanning computed confocal imager
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A confocal imager comprising:
- a light source emitting light;
light modulating means in optical communication with said light source for producing a spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination consisting of a plurality of discrete illumination sites;
beam splitting means receiving said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination for directing said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination through imaging optics onto a sample and passing reflected and fluorescent emission light from said sample after return passage through said imaging optics and said beam splitting means;
video capturing means receiving said reflected and fluorescent emission light from said imaging optics through said beam splitting means for acquiring a digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light and outputting said digital image; and
computer means receiving said digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light for creating a virtual aperture and synthesizing a composite confocal image of said sample and displaying said confocal image.
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Abstract
There is provided a confocal imager comprising a light source emitting a light, with a light modulator in optical communication with the light source for varying the spatial and temporal pattern of the light. A beam splitter receives the scanned light and direct the scanned light onto a target and pass light reflected from the target to a video capturing device for receiving the reflected light and transferring a digital image of the reflected light to a computer for creating a virtual aperture and outputting the digital image. In a transmissive mode of operation the invention omits the beam splitter means and captures light passed through the target.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A confocal imager comprising:
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a light source emitting light; light modulating means in optical communication with said light source for producing a spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination consisting of a plurality of discrete illumination sites; beam splitting means receiving said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination for directing said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination through imaging optics onto a sample and passing reflected and fluorescent emission light from said sample after return passage through said imaging optics and said beam splitting means; video capturing means receiving said reflected and fluorescent emission light from said imaging optics through said beam splitting means for acquiring a digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light and outputting said digital image; and computer means receiving said digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light for creating a virtual aperture and synthesizing a composite confocal image of said sample and displaying said confocal image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 28)
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15. A confocal image r comprising:
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a light source emitting light; light modulating means in optical communication with said light source for producing-a spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination consisting of a plurality of discrete illumination sites; first light focusing means receiving said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination for focusing said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination to scan across a sample; second light focusing means for receiving light transmitted through said sample and focusing said transmitted light on video capturing means for receiving said transmitted light and outputting a digital image of said transmitted light; computer means receiving said digital image of said transmitted light for creating a virtual aperture and synthesizing a confocal image of said sample and displaying said confocal image. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29)
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Specification