Adaptive coherent optical processing method and apparatus for recognizing and counting objects
US4139303A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1977 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/4716
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Recognizing and counting geometrically distant objects, such as objects of a particular morphological type (e.g., reticulated red blood cells), located in a field of objects of varying types is disclosed. Coherent light is directed toward a monolayer of objects of various types. The light scattered by the objects is collected by a collecting lens and forms a composite Fourier spectrum at the focal plane of the lens. The Fourier spectrum is selectively analyzed on the basis that each object creates a unique portion of the composite Fourier spectrum, and that a family of objects that are geometrically similar have additive spectrums, when their population is large, randomly located, and nonoverlapping. The analysis is performed by making intensity measurements at radial points in the Fourier plane, weighting the measurements, and summing the result. The radial points and weighting factors are determined using regression techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.