Method for assessing image focus quality
US7769219B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 11, 2006 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 30, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30168
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for determining the quality of focus of a digital image of a biological specimen includes obtaining a digital image of a specimen using a specimen imaging apparatus. A measure of image texture is calculated at two different scales, and the measurements are compared to determine how much high-resolution data the image contains compared to low-resolution data. The texture measurement may, for example, be a Brenner auto-focus score calculated from the means of adjacent pairs of pixels for the high-resolution measurement and from the means of adjacent triples of pixels for the low-resolution measurement. A score indicative of the quality of focus is then established based on a function of the low-resolution and high-resolution measurements. This score may be used by an automated imaging device to verify that image quality is acceptable. The device may adjust the focus and acquire new images to replace any that are deemed unacceptable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.