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Cytological imaging systems and methods

  • US 7,446,935 B2
  • Filed: 09/25/2007
  • Issued: 11/04/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An automatic focusing method for an optical system, comprising:

  • performing an initial coarse focus action along a focal axis at a scan position corresponding to a point on a surface of a slide, wherein the slide comprises at least three fiducial points;

    determining a global focal plane by determining positions of the at least three fiducial points, and determining a scan axis slope, index axis slope, and focus intersect of the global focal plane based on the positions of the at least three fiducial points; and

    respectively performing a plurality of subsequent fine focus actions along a plurality of focal axes at a plurality of scan positions corresponding to different points on the slide surface, wherein the performance of at least one of the fine focus actions comprises estimating an initial coordinate along the respective focal axis as a function of the global focal plane, and obtaining images of the slide at a plurality of coordinates relative to the initial coordinate along the respective focal axis.

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