Method, device and application of slice initial position determination

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method, device and application for determining the initial position of a slice. The method includes collecting signals through a light source and a CCD sensor, setting the initial light intensity and the light blocking threshold to determine the light blocking position, analyzing the light intensity change curve to determine the slice position, and also calculating the sample position according to the thickness of the cover glass, analyzing the curve using an image processing algorithm, and having an alarm function to prompt that the device is abnormal or there is no slice. The device includes a laser projection module, a scanning platform, a concave lens, a CCD sensor and a control unit. The electronic device executes the method by running a program through a processor, and a readable storage medium stores related computer programs. The present invention can easily and quickly determine the initial position of the slice, and improve focusing accuracy and work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pathological slice scanning, and in particular to a method and device for determining the initial position of a slice and application thereof. Background Art

[0002] The analysis of pathological sections plays a vital role in medical diagnosis and other fields. Currently, the scanning method of pathological sections is mainly to obtain the initial position information of the sections by moving the objective lens to shoot. However, in actual operation, this method has many significant problems.

[0003] First, the initial height position of the slice is uncertain. When the initial moving position of the objective lens is too low, it is very likely to touch the slice, which will not only damage the precious pathological slice and affect the subsequent analysis work, but also may cause equipment failure, increase maintenance costs and time costs, and seriously affect work efficiency. For example, in some medical testing institutions, there have been many cases where the slices were damaged due to the initial position of the objective lens being too low, forcing the relevant testing work to be interrupted and the slices to be re-prepared, which has brought great inconvenience to both patients and medical institutions.

[0004] Secondly, if the initial movement position of the objective lens is too high, the position of the slice cannot be accurately obtained, resulting in initial focus failure. This will directly affect the quality of subsequent image acquisition, making the acquired pathological slice image blurred and unable to provide a reliable basis for accurate medical diagnosis. In the field of scientific research, inaccurate research data caused by initial focus failure often occurs, which seriously hinders the progress of related scientific research work.

[0005] Existing technologies show obvious deficiencies in determining the initial position of slices. They are inefficient and often require a lot of time to adjust the position of the objective lens in an attempt to obtain accurate initial position information. The operation process is also relatively complicated, requiring high technical skills of the operator, increasing labor costs and operational difficulty. Moreover, this technology is easily affected by slice thickness and position uncertainty, which may lead to various unpredictable problems in different slice scanning operations, greatly limiting the accuracy and stability of pathological slice scanning. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a solution that can easily and quickly obtain the initial position of the slice, so as to improve the efficiency and quality of pathological slice scanning, reduce operational risks and costs, and meet the growing needs of medical diagnosis, scientific research and other fields. Summary of the invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present invention provide a method and device for determining the initial position of a slice and applications thereof, in order to solve the problems existing in the current technology that the initial position information is obtained by relying on the moving objective lens for shooting, the initial height position of the slice is uncertain, resulting in the initial position of the objective lens being too low and easily damaging the slice and equipment, and the initial position of the objective lens being too high and causing focusing failure and affecting the image acquisition quality, and the initial position determination being inefficient, complicated to operate, and easily affected by the slice thickness and position uncertainty.

[0007] The core technology of the present invention is mainly to achieve accurate judgment of the initial position of the slice through a specific light source, CCD sensor and a series of related modules and algorithms, including setting the light intensity threshold, analyzing the light intensity change curve, using image processing, etc., and having an alarm prompt function to improve the accuracy and efficiency of pathological slice scanning.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for determining an initial position of a slice, the method comprising the following steps:

[0009] S00, collecting signals from the sliced ​​sample by turning on the light source and CCD sensor of the scanner;

[0010] Wherein, the light source is capable of projecting a light beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample;

[0011] S10, by setting the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity, the position where the light is blocked by the slice is determined, and when the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position;

[0012] Among them, when the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower threshold, and the lower threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold;

[0013] S20, identifying the sudden change area of ​​light intensity by analyzing the light intensity change curve, so as to determine the accurate position of the slice;

[0014] The light intensity variation curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through a CCD sensor over time or during a scanning process.

[0015] Furthermore, in step S20, the specific position of the upper surface of the cover glass of the sliced ​​sample is determined by the sudden change area of ​​the light intensity, and then the position of the sliced ​​sample is calculated according to the thickness of the cover glass.

[0016] Furthermore, in step S00, a concave lens is used to magnify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample so as to facilitate reception by the CCD sensor.

[0017] Furthermore, in step S20, the light intensity variation curve is analyzed by an image processing algorithm.

[0018] Furthermore, the light source can project a light beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample with a line width of 3 mm.

[0019] Furthermore, the receiving length of the CCD sensor is 14 mm, the use range is 12 mm, and the accuracy of each pixel is 1.7 um / pixel.

[0020] Furthermore, the method further includes step S30, in which when the light intensity signals collected by the CCD sensor are all less than the alarm threshold, the alarm device is abnormal, prompting the detection of the light source or the CCD sensor.

[0021] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a device for determining an initial position of a slice, comprising:

[0022] The laser projection module is used to project a beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample with a line width of 3 mm;

[0023] A scanning platform for placing sliced ​​samples;

[0024] A concave lens is located above the scanning platform and is used to amplify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample;

[0025] The CCD sensor is arranged on the side of the concave lens away from the slice sample, and is used to receive the amplified light beam projection and detect the area of ​​sudden change of light intensity;

[0026] The control unit is respectively connected to the CCD sensor and the laser projection module for communication; it is used to set the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity to determine the position where the light is blocked by the slice, and when the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position; wherein, when the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower limit threshold, and the lower limit threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold;

[0027] The control unit is also used to analyze the light intensity variation curve and identify the sudden change area of ​​the light intensity, so as to determine the exact position of the slice; wherein the light intensity variation curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through the CCD sensor over time or during the scanning process.

[0028] In a third aspect, the present invention provides an electronic device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to execute the above-mentioned method for determining the initial position of a slice.

[0029] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. The computer program includes a program code for controlling a process to execute the process, and the process includes the above-mentioned method for determining the initial position of the slice.

[0030] The main contributions and innovations of the present invention are as follows:

[0031] 1. Improve the accuracy of position judgment

[0032] It can accurately determine the initial position of the slice. By analyzing the light intensity change curve and calculating the pixel accuracy, the accuracy of the position of the upper surface of the cover glass on the pathological slice can be controlled within 10μm. The sample position is calculated based on the thickness of the cover glass. The overall detection accuracy can reach within 50μm. Compared with the existing technology, the accuracy of position judgment is greatly improved, and problems such as focusing failure caused by inaccurate position are effectively avoided, thereby ensuring the quality of subsequent image acquisition and providing more reliable data for medical diagnosis and scientific research.

[0033] 2. Simplify the operation process

[0034] The prior art is inefficient and complex in determining the initial position of a slice. The present invention uses a relatively simple system and method, such as utilizing the coordinated work of a specific laser light source, a CCD sensor, and a control unit to directly determine the slice position through information such as light intensity changes. There is no need to perform tedious repeated adjustments of the objective lens position as in the prior art, which simplifies the process of obtaining the initial position of the slice, reduces the technical requirements for operators, and improves work efficiency.

[0035] 3. Reduce the risk of equipment damage

[0036] In the prior art, improper initial movement position of the objective lens can easily damage the slice or equipment. The present invention can accurately control the initial movement position of the objective lens by accurately judging the slice position, ensuring that the objective lens does not touch the slice, thereby reducing the risk of slice damage and equipment failure, reducing the maintenance cost and time cost caused by equipment damage, and improving the stability and reliability of the entire pathology slice scanning system.

[0037] 4. Enhance adaptability and versatility

[0038] By analyzing light intensity data through image processing algorithms, it can adapt to slices of different types and thicknesses, improving the versatility and adaptability of the equipment. It overcomes the defects of existing technologies that are easily affected by slice thickness and position uncertainty, allowing it to work more effectively in various pathological slice scanning scenarios and providing more flexible solutions for different application needs.

[0039] 5. Complete alarm function

[0040] It has an alarm function when the CCD collects abnormal light intensity signals, which can promptly prompt equipment abnormalities (such as detection light source or CCD sensor problems) and no slice situations, making it convenient for operators to discover and solve problems in a timely manner, avoiding work delays caused by equipment failure or operating errors, and further improving the reliability and operability of the entire scanning work. Compared with existing technologies, it has a more intelligent monitoring and feedback mechanism.

[0041] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following drawings and description so that other features, objects, and advantages of the invention are more readily apparent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a method for determining an initial position of a slice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a device for determining an initial position of a slice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of light beam projection of a linear array CCD sensor behind a concave lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 4 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with one or more embodiments of this specification. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of one or more embodiments of this specification as detailed in the appended claims.

[0048] It should be noted that: in other embodiments, the steps of the corresponding method are not necessarily performed in the order shown and described in this specification. In some other embodiments, the steps included in the method may be more or less than those described in this specification. In addition, a single step described in this specification may be decomposed into multiple steps for description in other embodiments; and multiple steps described in this specification may be combined into a single step for description in other embodiments.

[0049] The existing technology is inefficient in determining the initial position of the slice, is complex to operate, and is easily affected by the uncertainty of the slice thickness and position.

[0050] Based on this, the present invention solves the problems existing in the prior art based on a CCD sensor.

[0051] Embodiment 1

[0052] The present invention aims to propose a method for determining the initial position of a slice, specifically, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the method comprising:

[0053] S00, collecting signals from the sliced ​​sample by turning on the light source and CCD sensor of the scanner;

[0054] Among them, the light source can project a light beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample (from top to bottom, the cover glass, the slice, the slide, this is the prior art and will not be repeated here);

[0055] S10, by setting the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity, the position where the light is blocked by the slice is determined, and when the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position;

[0056] Among them, when the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower threshold, and the lower threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold;

[0057] S20, identifying the sudden change area of ​​light intensity by analyzing the light intensity change curve, so as to determine the accurate position of the slice; wherein, the light intensity change curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through the CCD sensor over time or during the scanning process.

[0058] In this embodiment, since the laser light source has good directivity, we can assume that the light emitted by the light source propagates in a straight line before and after passing through the concave lens. Figure 3 As shown, when the laser passes through the sliced ​​sample, the light is blocked by the sliced ​​sample, forming two parallel light beams, which are projected onto the CCD sensor after passing through the concave lens. Specifically, in the imaging range of 14mm of the CCD sensor, the present invention only uses the middle 12mm area, leaving 1mm blank space at the top and bottom. During the initial adjustment process, we adjust the position of the concave lens to ensure that the 3mm light emitted by the light source can be projected onto the 12mm area of ​​the CCD sensor. Through preliminary calculations, we can derive the different positions on the 3mm light corresponding to each pixel, with an accuracy of 1.7um / pixel. Because the position of the light source is fixed, the position of the light is known, so as long as we know the pixel on the CCD sensor corresponding to the position where the slice blocks the light, we can deduce the position of the glass slide.

[0059] When the light is blocked by the slice, there will be a sudden change in light intensity on the CCD sensor, that is, the signal changes from strong to weak. The corresponding pixel point is the position of the cover glass surface on the slice.

[0060] Preferably, the specific calculation method includes:

[0061] 1. Judgment of light intensity mutation:

[0062] The initial light intensity is set to 220 / 255 by adjusting the exposure time. When the light is blocked, the light intensity is reduced to <50. The threshold is set to 140, and when the light intensity is just less than this value, it is considered to be a light-blocking position. By analyzing the light intensity change curve, the sudden change area of ​​light intensity can be quickly identified, and the exact position of the slice can be determined accordingly.

[0063] Among them, 220 / 255 is a parameter used to set the initial light intensity. In the light intensity mutation judgment part, the initial light intensity is set to 220 / 255 by adjusting the exposure time. The 255 here can be understood as the full-scale value of the light intensity (similar to quantifying the maximum value of the light intensity as 255), and 220 is the specific value of the set initial light intensity within this quantification range. When the light is blocked by the slice, the light intensity will drop to <50, and the threshold is set to 140. When the light intensity is just less than this value, it is considered to be a light-blocking position. Through this quantitative setting and monitoring of light intensity changes, the system can quickly identify the mutation area of ​​light intensity by analyzing the light intensity change curve, so as to accurately determine the position of the slice.

[0064] It is worth mentioning that since the main focus is on the relative change of light intensity (such as the initial light intensity of 220 / 255, the light intensity drops to <50 after being blocked, etc.), which is used to determine the sudden change of light intensity to locate the position of pathological sections, there is no need to specify the specific light intensity unit in the design and use of this system. The focus is on the threshold setting and comparative analysis of light intensity changes.

[0065] The light intensity change curve is a linear array CCD sensor used to receive the light beam projection after being magnified by the concave lens and detect the light intensity. During operation, when the translation stage moves the slice to the specified position, the control unit turns on the light source and CCD at the same time for signal acquisition. The CCD sensor will continuously acquire light intensity data over time or during the scanning process. These data are the basis of the light intensity change curve. As the scanning process progresses and the light blocking situation of the slice changes, the light intensity data recorded by the CCD sensor will change accordingly. These light intensity data are arranged in a certain order (such as time order or scanning position order) to form a light intensity change curve.

[0066] 2. Sample position calculation:

[0067] According to the previously calculated results, the initial moving position of the objective lens can be accurately adjusted to ensure the accuracy of the sample position. Through the above method, the control unit can achieve efficient and accurate slice position judgment and sample position calculation, providing support for the subsequent imaging process.

[0068] When the light is blocked by the slice, there will be a sudden change in light intensity on the CCD, from a strong signal to a weak signal. The corresponding pixel point is the position of the cover glass surface on the slice.

[0069] Positioning is done by judging the sudden change in light intensity. The initial light intensity is set to 220 / 255. When the light is blocked, the light intensity drops to <50. The threshold is set to 140. When the light intensity is just less than this value, it is considered to be a light-blocking position. By analyzing the light intensity change curve, the pixel position corresponding to this sudden change in light intensity is determined, and the position of the upper surface of the cover glass on the CCD is obtained.

[0070] According to pre-calculation, the accuracy of each pixel is 1.7μm / pixel. Since the position of the light source is fixed and the position of the light is known, the position of the slide can be deduced as long as the pixel on the CCD corresponding to the position where the slice blocks the light is known.

[0071] It is known that the thickness of the standard cover glass currently on the market is 140-170 μm, and conventional tissue samples are located within 10 μm of the lower surface of the cover glass.

[0072] After determining the position of the upper surface of the coverslip, the position of the sample can be inferred by considering the range of the coverslip thickness and the positional relationship of the sample near the lower surface of the coverslip. For example, given the position of the upper surface of the coverslip (calculated using pixel position and an accuracy of 1.7μm / pixel), assuming the coverslip thickness is 150μm, and the sample is within 10μm of the lower surface of the coverslip, the sample position is the position of the upper surface of the coverslip plus a value between 150-10μm and 150μm, depending on the specific depth of the sample under the coverslip. In this way, the system can infer the actual position of the sample based on the thickness of the coverslip in order to accurately adjust the initial movement position of the objective lens and ensure the accuracy of the sample position.

[0073] The pre-calculation steps are as follows:

[0074] First, the pixel size of the linear array CCD sensor is 7μm, the pixel is 2×2048, and the receiving length of the entire CCD sensor is 14mm. In actual application, the spot size is magnified 4 times and projected on the CCD, that is, the use range of the CCD sensor is 3mm×4=12mm.

[0075] When calculating accuracy, the actual physical length of the light spot (3mm) is divided by the physical length of the pixel on the CCD sensor used to detect this light spot.

[0076] Based on the number of pixels used, the resolution can be calculated as follows:

[0077] 3mm / (12 / 14×2048 pixels)=1.7um / pixel.

[0078] Through this calculation, the physical length accuracy corresponding to each pixel can be obtained, so that the position of the light spot can be inferred according to the position change of the pixel on the CCD sensor, and then the position of the slice can be determined.

[0079] In this embodiment, the laser emits a parallel beam perpendicular to the height direction of the pathological slice and with a line width of about 3 mm. The beam passes through the pathological slice placed on the scanning platform, and the unblocked part of the beam is magnified by a concave lens and projected onto the linear array CCD sensor. The control unit determines the specific position of the upper surface of the cover glass according to the light intensity mutation area, and calculates the position of the sample according to the thickness of the cover glass, and derives the position of the sample accordingly, so that the initial focusing error can be controlled to be less than 50 μm, ensuring that the objective lens does not touch the slice and can focus accurately. According to the calculation in the previous text, the mirror accuracy of each pixel of our device is 1.7um. Considering the transition of the occlusion area, the accuracy of our device in judging the position of the upper surface of the cover glass on the pathological slice by the light spot occlusion position can be controlled within 10um. The thickness of the standard cover glass on the market is 140-170um, and the conventional tissue sample is located within 10um of the lower side of the cover glass, so our detection accuracy can reach 10um+30um+10um=50um.

[0080] The light intensity data obtained by the linear array CCD sensor is analyzed through an image processing algorithm to further improve the accuracy of detection. That is, by photographing the light blocking conditions of slices of different types and thicknesses on the CCD, different conditions of the mutation curve are obtained, and the actual value corresponding to the upper surface of the cover glass is obtained. The system can adapt to slices of different types and thicknesses, which improves the versatility and adaptability of the equipment. Because our pixel resolution accuracy is 1.7um, but there is a transition in the position where the light spot is blocked in the actual process, the signal change on the CCD may not be steep enough, which affects the judgment. Therefore, the detection accuracy of our equipment for the light spot blocking position is currently only 10um. We can further improve the detection accuracy to close to 1.7um through data analysis of light spot blocking on a large number of slides and image processing.

[0081] For example, the specific steps are as follows:

[0082] 1. Data Collection Phase

[0083] 1. Diversified sample collection

[0084] Collect pathological sections of different types (such as different tissue sources, staining methods, etc.) and different thicknesses. Place these sections one by one on the scanning platform, and use the laser to emit a beam perpendicular to the height of the section, so that the beam passes through the section and is received by the CCD sensor.

[0085] 2. Record light intensity data and image information

[0086] For each slice, the CCD sensor continuously acquires light intensity data at different time points or during the scanning process, and records the corresponding image information. These data include the light intensity distribution with and without slices, the position and amplitude of the sudden change in light intensity, etc.

[0087] 2. Data Analysis Phase

[0088] 1. Build a mutation curve database

[0089] For slices of different types and thicknesses, their light blocking conditions on the CCD are analyzed to obtain their respective light intensity mutation curves. These mutation curves are organized into a database, including information such as the shape of the curve, change trend, and corresponding slice characteristics.

[0090] 2. Feature extraction and pattern recognition

[0091] Extract key features from the mutation curve, such as the location of the mutation point, the slope, the overall shape of the curve, etc. Use pattern recognition algorithms to classify and identify the features of slices of different types and thicknesses, and establish a relationship model between the features and the slice type and thickness.

[0092] 3. Image processing stage

[0093] 1. Image enhancement and filtering

[0094] The image collected by CCD is enhanced to improve the contrast and clarity of the image and make the light intensity change more obvious. The filtering algorithm is used to remove the noise in the image and reduce the influence of interference on the judgment of light intensity mutation.

[0095] 2. Edge detection and segmentation

[0096] The edge detection algorithm is used to accurately determine the edge position where the light intensity changes suddenly, that is, the position where the slice blocks the light. The image is segmented to separate the slice area from the background area, and further focus on the light intensity change of the slice.

[0097] 4. Model Optimization and Verification Phase

[0098] 1. Model training and optimization

[0099] Use a large amount of slice data to train the established relationship model, continuously adjust the model parameters, and improve the accuracy and generalization ability of the model. Use optimization algorithms such as gradient descent and genetic algorithms to find the optimal combination of model parameters.

[0100] 2. Verification and evaluation

[0101] A portion of slice data that was not used in the training was selected for verification to evaluate the performance and detection accuracy of the model. The difference between the upper surface position of the coverslip predicted by the model and the actual measured value was compared to calculate the detection accuracy.

[0102] 3. Continuous Improvement

[0103] According to the verification results, the image processing algorithm and model are continuously improved, the data sample size is increased, and the detection accuracy is further improved to approach the 1.7μm level. Through the above steps, the light intensity data of the linear array CCD sensor can be analyzed through the image processing algorithm, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the equipment for slices of different types and thicknesses, and improving the versatility and adaptability of the equipment.

[0104] Embodiment 2

[0105] Based on the same concept, the present invention also proposes a slice initial position determination device, comprising:

[0106] The laser projection module is used to project a beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample with a line width of 3 mm;

[0107] A scanning platform for placing sliced ​​samples;

[0108] A concave lens is located above the scanning platform and is used to amplify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample;

[0109] The CCD sensor is arranged on the side of the concave lens away from the slice sample, and is used to receive the amplified light beam projection and detect the area of ​​sudden change of light intensity;

[0110] The control unit is respectively connected to the CCD sensor and the laser projection module for real-time processing of sensor data, determining the specific position of the slice, and controlling the initial moving position of the objective lens; it is used to set the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity to determine the position where the light is blocked by the slice, and when the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position; wherein, when the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower limit threshold, and the lower limit threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold;

[0111] The control unit is also used to analyze the light intensity variation curve and identify the sudden change area of ​​the light intensity, so as to determine the exact position of the slice; wherein the light intensity variation curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through the CCD sensor over time or during the scanning process.

[0112] In this embodiment, the laser light source is the GCI-07-780-15 laser of Daheng Optoelectronics, and then the spot shape is changed into a rectangular spot with a length of 3 mm through a self-made hole plate with a length of 3 mm and a width of 0.5 mm. As shown in Figure 2, the light source is located on the side of the scanning platform, and can be vertically irradiated onto the pathological section.

[0113] The concave lens is GCL-010901 from Daheng Optoelectronics, with a diameter of 10 mm and a focal length of -15 mm.

[0114] The linear array CCD sensor selected is Hikvision's MV-CL024-91GM, with a pixel size of 7um and 2×2048 pixels. Therefore, the receiving length of the entire CCD sensor is 14mm. In actual applications, the spot size is magnified 4 times and projected on the CCD sensor, that is, the use range of the CCD sensor is 3mm×4=12mm.

[0115] In specific work, when the slide is in different positions, the projection position of the light spot on the CCD sensor will change. The position of the pathological slide is determined according to the upper edge position of the light blocked area on the CCD sensor. According to the number of pixels used, the resolution can be calculated as follows:

[0116] 3mm / (12 / 14×2048 pixels)=1.7um / pixel.

[0117] When there is no blocked area on the CCD sensor, the system will alarm that there is no slide.

[0118] Among them, the control unit connects the translation stage, optical module and CCD sensor to process sensor data in real time. When the translation stage moves the slice to the specified position, the control unit turns on the light source and CCD sensor at the same time to collect signals. The control unit determines the position of the slice by analyzing the area of ​​light intensity mutation, and calculates the actual position of the sample based on the thickness of the coverslip. When the light is blocked by the slice, a mutation of light intensity will appear on the CCD sensor, that is, from a strong signal to a weak signal. The corresponding pixel point is the position of the cover glass surface on the slice.

[0119] Preferably, an alarm system is also included: when the signals collected on the CCD sensor are all less than 200, an alarm device is abnormal, and a prompt is given on the operating system display screen to detect the light source or CCD sensor. When the detection signal on the CCD sensor has no image area (from greater than 200 to less than 50), an alarm is given that there is no slice, and a prompt is given on the operating system display screen to detect whether to place the slice.

[0120] Among them, in this device, the value of the light intensity signal is used to judge different situations. The judgment of whether there is a slice is based on the detection value of the light intensity signal on the CCD (linear array charge coupled device). When the light intensity signal is greater than 200, it indicates a normal light state, which may correspond to the light intensity not blocked by the slice or other normal working conditions. When the light intensity signal is less than 50, it means that the light intensity has become significantly weaker, which may be due to being blocked by the slice or other abnormal conditions.

[0121] Judgment logic for the absence of a slice: The key is the change from "greater than 200 to less than 50". Under normal circumstances, if a slice is present, the light intensity signal will suddenly change (from the initially set higher value, such as 220 / 255, to a sudden change below the threshold of 140 to determine the position of the coverslip).

[0122] However, if all light intensity signals are greater than 200 and there is no light intensity mutation area used to determine the slice position (because there is no slice to block the light and cause such a mutation), the system will determine that there is no slice.

[0123] Alarm and prompt operation: Once it is determined that there is no slice, the alarm system will be activated. The operating system screen will prompt whether to place the slice to remind the operator to check whether the pathological slice is forgotten to be placed on the scanning platform or whether there is a problem with the slice placement, so as to ensure that the scanning work can proceed normally.

[0124] Embodiment 3

[0125] This embodiment also provides an electronic device, referring to Figure 4 , comprises a memory 404 and a processor 402, wherein the memory 404 stores a computer program, and the processor 402 is configured to run the computer program to execute the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0126] Specifically, the processor 402 may include a central processing unit (CPU), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be configured to implement one or more integrated circuits of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0127] Among them, the memory 404 may include a large capacity memory 404 for data or instructions. For example, but not limitation, the memory 404 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, a solid state drive (SSD), a flash memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a tape, or a universal serial bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. In appropriate cases, the memory 404 may include a removable or non-removable (or fixed) medium. In appropriate cases, the memory 404 may be inside or outside the data processing device. In a specific embodiment, the memory 404 is a non-volatile memory. In a specific embodiment, the memory 404 includes a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). Where appropriate, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory, PROM for short), an erasable PROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, EPROM for short), an electrically erasable PROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, EEPROM for short), an electrically alterable ROM (Electrically Alterable Read-Only Memory, EAROM for short) or a flash memory (FLASH) or a combination of two or more of these. In appropriate circumstances, the RAM may be a static random access memory (SRAM) or a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), wherein the DRAM may be a fast page mode dynamic random access memory 404 (FPMDRAM), an extended data output dynamic random access memory (EDODRAM), a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.

[0128] The memory 404 may be used to store or cache various data files required for processing and / or communication, as well as possible computer program instructions executed by the processor 402 .

[0129] The processor 402 reads and executes the computer program instructions stored in the memory 404 to implement any one of the slice initial position determination methods in the above embodiments.

[0130] Optionally, the electronic device may further include a transmission device 406 and an input / output device 408 , wherein the transmission device 406 is connected to the processor 402 , and the input / output device 408 is connected to the processor 402 .

[0131] The transmission device 406 can be used to receive or send data via a network. The specific examples of the above-mentioned network may include a wired or wireless network provided by a communication provider of the electronic device. In one example, the transmission device includes a network adapter (Network Interface Controller, referred to as NIC), which can be connected to other network devices through a base station so as to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the transmission device 406 can be a radio frequency (Radio Frequency, referred to as RF) module, which is used to communicate with the Internet wirelessly.

[0132] Input / output devices 408 are used to input or output information.

[0133] Embodiment 4

[0134] This embodiment further provides a readable storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. The computer program includes a program code for controlling a process to execute the process. The process includes the method for determining the initial position of a slice according to the first embodiment.

[0135] It should be noted that the specific examples in this embodiment can refer to the examples described in the above embodiments and optional implementation modes, and this embodiment will not be described in detail here.

[0136] In general, various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects of the invention may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device, but the invention is not limited thereto. Although various aspects of the invention may be shown and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other graphical representation, it should be understood that, as non-limiting examples, the boxes, devices, systems, techniques, or methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuits or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0137] Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by computer software that is executable by a data processor of a mobile device, such as in a processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Computer software or programs (also referred to as program products) including software routines, applets and / or macros may be stored in any device-readable data storage medium, and they include program instructions for performing specific tasks. A computer program product may include one or more computer executable components configured to perform an embodiment when the program is run. One or more computer executable components may be at least one software code or a portion thereof. In addition, at this point, it should be noted that, for example, Figure 1 Any block of the logic flow in the program may represent program steps, or interconnected logic circuits, blocks and functions, or a combination of program steps and logic circuits, blocks and functions. The software may be stored on physical media such as memory chips or storage blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media such as, for example, DVDs and their data variants, CDs, etc. Physical media are non-transitory media.

[0138] Those skilled in the art should understand that the technical features of the above embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0139] The above embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for those of ordinary skill in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining the initial position of a slice, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S00, collecting signals from the sliced ​​sample by turning on the light source and CCD sensor of the scanner; The light source can project a light beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample; a concave lens is used to magnify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample so as to facilitate reception by the CCD sensor; S10, by setting the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity, the position where the light is blocked by the slice is determined, and when the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position; Among them, when the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower threshold, and the lower threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold; S20, analyzing the light intensity variation curve through an image processing algorithm, identifying a mutation area of ​​the light intensity, determining the specific position of the upper surface of the cover glass of the sliced ​​sample through the mutation area of ​​the light intensity, and then calculating the position of the sliced ​​sample according to the thickness of the cover glass; Wherein, the light intensity variation curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through a CCD sensor over time or during a scanning process; S30: When the light intensity signals collected by the CCD sensor are all less than the alarm threshold, the alarm device is abnormal, prompting the detection of the light source or CCD sensor.

2. A method for determining the initial position of a slice according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light source can project a light beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample and having a line width of 3 mm.

3. A method for determining the initial position of a slice according to claim 2, characterized in that: The receiving length of the CCD sensor is 14 mm, the use range is 12 mm, and the accuracy of each pixel is 1.7 um / pixel.

4. A slice initial position determination device, characterized in that: include: The laser projection module is used to project a beam perpendicular to the height direction of the sliced ​​sample with a line width of 3 mm; A scanning platform for placing sliced ​​samples; A concave lens is located above the scanning platform and is used to amplify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample. The concave lens is used to amplify the light beam passing through the sliced ​​sample so that it can be received by the CCD sensor. The CCD sensor is arranged on the side of the concave lens away from the slice sample, and is used to receive the amplified light beam projection and detect the area of ​​sudden change of light intensity; A control unit is respectively connected to the CCD sensor and the laser projection module for communication; It is used to set the initial light intensity and the initial light blocking threshold of the light intensity to determine the position where the light is blocked by the slice. When the light intensity is just less than the initial light blocking threshold, it is the light blocking position. When the light is blocked, the light intensity is less than the lower limit threshold, and the lower limit threshold is less than the initial light blocking threshold. The control unit is also used to analyze the light intensity variation curve through an image processing algorithm, identify the mutation area of ​​the light intensity, determine the specific position of the upper surface of the cover glass of the sliced ​​sample through the mutation area of ​​the light intensity, and then calculate the position of the sliced ​​sample according to the thickness of the cover glass; wherein the light intensity variation curve is obtained by continuously acquiring light intensity data through the CCD sensor over time or during the scanning process; The control unit is also used to alarm the device abnormality when the light intensity signals collected by the CCD sensor are all less than the alarm threshold, prompting the detection of the light source or the CCD sensor.

5. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, characterized in that: The memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to execute the slice initial position determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A readable storage medium, characterized in that: The readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program includes a program code for controlling a process to execute a process, wherein the process includes the method for determining an initial position of a slice according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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