Patent · US Active

Back side plate illumination for biological growth plate scanner

US8759080B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by
89References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 2009
Grant dateJun 24, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 11, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N15/1433
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A biological growth plate scanner includes a multi-color illumination system that illuminates a biological growth plate with different illumination colors. A monochromatic image capture device captures images of the biological growth plate during illumination of the growth plate with each of the illumination colors. A processor combines the images to form a composite multi-color image, and/or individual components of the composite image, and analyzes the composite image to produce an analytical result such as a colony count or a presence/absence result. The biological growth plate scanner may include both front and back illumination components. The back illumination component may include a diffuser element disposed under the biological growth plate. The diffuser element receives light from one or more laterally disposed illumination sources, and distributes the light to illuminate a back side of the biological growth plate. The illumination sources in the front and back illumination components may take the form of sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that can be independently controlled by the processor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.