Slide scanning device and its operating method

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a slide scanning device that may include a slide tray slot for receiving one or more slide trays, a fork for transporting the slide trays, a preview camera for capturing a preview image of the slide trays, and an optical device for capturing a scan image of one or more slides placed on the slide trays.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a slide scanning apparatus and an operation method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] The pathology department plays a role of providing a basis for the treatment direction of clinicians by observing and analyzing morphological changes in a patient's cells, tissues, tissue fluids, etc. and making a diagnosis. In the existing cell examination or tissue examination in the pathology department, it has been common for a specialist to visually interpret and diagnose a patient's cell slide or tissue slide using a microscope. Recently, however, with the introduction of a digital slide scanner into pathological diagnosis and in combination with pathological diagnosis using a microscope, pathological diagnosis using a digital image obtained by scanning a cell-stained slide or a tissue-stained slide has been carried out.

[0003] A slide having a patient's specimen is housed in a tray, the slide tray is housed in a slide tray slot, and the slide tray housed in the slide tray slot is scanned by a digital slide scanner or the like, and by performing the scan, information on the slide housed in the slide tray can be obtained and pathological diagnosis can be carried out.

[0004] In order to obtain information on more slides within a short period of time, much research has been conducted on the automation of slide scanning apparatuses.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide an automated slide scanning apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One embodiment of the present disclosure aims to provide an automated slide scanning apparatus and a slide scanning method using the same.

[0007] A slide scanning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, A slide tray slot for accommodating one or more slide trays, A fork for transporting the aforementioned slide tray, A preview camera that acquires a preview image of the slide tray, An optical device for acquiring scanned images of one or more slides placed in the slide tray, It may include.

[0008] In one embodiment, the fork is The slide tray housed in the slide tray slot may be extracted and moved to at least one of the locations where the preview image can be acquired and the location where the scan image can be acquired.

[0009] In one embodiment, the scanned images of one or more slides are: This may be obtained after the aforementioned preview image has been acquired.

[0010] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device is The system further includes a shuttle positioned at a location corresponding to the optical device, The aforementioned shuttle, This may also be a device that moves in the xy plane to acquire scanned images of one or more of the aforementioned slides.

[0011] In one embodiment, the optical device is It includes a scanning camera, a microscope tube, a z-axis transfer unit, and an objective lens. The aforementioned objective lens is, The z-axis transfer unit may move along the z-axis according to an autofocus algorithm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device is The display and Memory for storing one or more instructions, and Includes at least one processor that performs one or more instructions stored in the memory, The at least one processor performs the one or more instructions, The display can be controlled to output an image for at least one of the preview image and the scanned images of one or more slides.

[0013] In one embodiment, the display is It may be provided on the door of the slide scanning device.

[0014] In one embodiment, the door is It may also be installed in a way that allows it to slide.

[0015] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a slide scanning method for the slide scanning apparatus, The steps include obtaining a scan request for the first slide tray, The steps include: moving the fork to a position where a preview image can be acquired, the first slide tray housed in the slide tray slot is moved to a position where a preview image can be acquired; The steps include: the preview camera acquiring a preview image of the first slide tray; The steps include: the fork moving the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired; The present invention provides a method comprising the step of the optical device acquiring a scanned image of one or more slides placed in the first slide tray.

[0016] In one embodiment, the step of the fork moving the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired is: The step may include the fork transferring the first slide tray to the shuttle.

[0017] In one embodiment, the step of the optical device acquiring a scan image of one or more slides disposed on the first slide tray may include: (a) extracting the ROI (region of interest) of the first slide; (b) performing IAF (Image Autofocusing) at a first point of the ROI to determine the reference focus position (RFP); (c) performing LAF (Laser Autofocusing) at a second point of the ROI based on the determined RFP; (d) acquiring a scan image of the ROI of the first slide by repeating step (c) for the entire ROI of the first slide. In one embodiment, the first point may be determined as a point where a sample exists in the ROI.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first point may be determined as the centroid point of the sample or the center point of the ROI by the autofocus device.

[0019] In one embodiment, the scan image acquisition step may further include identifying the centroid of the sample, determining whether a sample exists at the centroid, and if it is determined that no sample exists at the centroid, determining the point where the sample closest to the centroid exists as the first point.

[0020] In one embodiment, the scan image acquisition step may further include identifying the coordinates of the center point of the ROI, determining whether a sample exists at the center point of the ROI, and if it is determined that no sample exists at the center point of the ROI, determining the point where the sample closest to the center point of the ROI exists as the first point.

[0021] In one embodiment, the RFP may be determined based on the peak level of the laser reflected from the upper surface of the cover glass, the lower surface of the cover glass, the upper surface of the slide glass, or the lower surface of the slide glass.

[0022] One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a program stored on a recording medium to perform on a computer the method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for performing a method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure on a computer.

[0024] One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a computer-readable recording medium that stores a database used in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, scanned information of a large number of slides can be obtained quickly and easily. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0026] [Figure 1] This is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device for acquiring a preview image according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a drawing illustrating a method for extracting or inserting a slide tray from a slide tray slot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a drawing showing a slide tray, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, being transported to a shuttle. [Figure 6] This is a drawing illustrating a method for obtaining a scanned image according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7a]These drawings illustrate a method for determining a reference focal position (RFP) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7b] This is an example graph of peak information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a drawing showing a camera module that performs an autofocus procedure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating a method for scanning slides using a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a block diagram of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] This is a drawing illustrating a slide tray according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] This is a drawing illustrating a slide according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] This is a drawing illustrating a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] This diagram illustrates a method for extracting ROI (Region of Interest) according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 16] This flowchart shows a method for scanning an ROI according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17a] This diagram illustrates a method for determining a first point for performing passive autofocus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17b] This diagram illustrates a method for determining a first point for performing passive autofocus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] To clarify the technical concept of this disclosure, embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing this disclosure, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known function or component would unnecessarily obscure the gist of this disclosure, such detailed description will be omitted. Components having substantially the same functional configuration in the drawings have been assigned the same reference numerals and symbols whenever possible, even if they appear in other drawings. For convenience of explanation, the apparatus and method will be described together where necessary. The operations of this disclosure do not necessarily have to be performed in the order described, and may be performed in parallel, selectively, or individually.

[0028] The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure has been selected to be as widely used and general as possible, taking into account the function of this disclosure, although this may change depending on the intent of the articulators, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In certain cases, the applicant may have arbitrarily selected some terms, in which case their meaning will be described in detail in the description of the embodiment. Therefore, the terms used herein must be defined not merely as names of terms, but based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of this disclosure.

[0029] Throughout this disclosure, singular expressions may include plural expressions unless they are intended to be clearly different in context. Terms such as “contains” or “has” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof, and should be understood not to pre-exist the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof. In other words, when a part of this disclosure “contains” a component, this means, unless otherwise specifically stated, that it does not exclude other components, but rather that it may further contain other components.

[0030] Expressions like "at least one" modify the entire list of components, not the individual components within that list. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" and "at least one of A, B, or C" mean just A, just B, just C, either A and B, either B and C, either A and C, either A, B, and C, or any combination thereof.

[0031] Furthermore, terms such as "...part" and "...module" as used in this disclosure mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware or software, or in combination of hardware and software.

[0032] Wherever a part of this disclosure is described as being “connected” to another part, this includes not only cases where they are “directly connected” but also cases where they are “electrically connected” through other elements in between. Wherever a part is described as “including” a component, this means, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, that it does not exclude other components, but that it may include other components.

[0033] Throughout this disclosure, the expression "configured to" may be replaced, depending on the context, with other expressions such as "suitable for," "having the capacity to," "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" does not necessarily mean "specifically designed to" in terms of hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression "a system configured to" means that the system, together with other devices or components, "can do." For example, the phrase "a processor configured to perform A, B, and C" means a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) for performing the operations in question, or a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) that can perform the operations in question by running one or more software programs stored in memory.

[0034] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe a variety of components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the invention, the first component may be named as the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named as the first component. The terms "and / or" include a combination of multiple related items or any item among multiple related items.

[0035] Throughout this disclosure, "slide" refers to a thin, flat piece of glass used to fix a specimen, and may include a microscope slide, a glass slide, a specimen slide, a microscope slide, a slide with a specimen placed on it and covered with a coverslip, etc., but is not limited to the examples above.

[0036] Throughout this disclosure, a slide tray is a case for transporting or storing slides, and may also be referred to as a tray, glass plate, slide plate, slide holder, glass holder, slide case, glass case, slide folder, glass folder, etc.

[0037] As used herein, the term “sample” is interchangeable with “specimen” and may include all things observable by optical or light microscopes and all things known to the art. For example, “specimen” may include, but is not limited to, cells or tissues (including all general or pathological cells / tissues, such as animal, plant, fungal, protist, and bacterial cells or tissues), cell components (e.g., nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, etc.), microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, protists, certain birds and fungi, etc.), organoids, etc.

[0038] As used in this disclosure, the term “about” means within 10%, preferably within 5%, and more preferably within 1% of a given number or range.

[0039] Figure 1 is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Referring to Figure 1, the slide scanning device 100 may include a door 110. In one embodiment, the door 110 may include a display 120 and a handle 130. For example, the display 120 may include a touch monitor or touchscreen. Alternatively, the display 120 may be fixed to a bracket so that the bracket performs the function of a door. In one embodiment, the door 110 may be slidably installed.

[0041] In one embodiment, the information displayed on the display 120 may be designed to change depending on whether the door 110 is fully open, open, or closed. That is, the slide scanning device 100 can identify at least one of the closed, open, and fully open states of the door 110 and control the display 120 to output a user interface (UI) corresponding to the door state. For example, if the door 110 is open or fully open, the scanning operation of the slide scanning device may be disabled because the slide tray may be exposed to the outside or safety may not be guaranteed due to the movement of the equipment. Thus, if the door 110 is open or fully open, information that the slide scanning process is impossible due to the door's open state may be displayed on the display 120.

[0042] In one embodiment, unlike conventional equipment that requires a large installation space for the equipment because the scan information of the slides is provided on a separate monitor, a slide scanning device can be provided in which the monitor is integrated in the form of a door, making it possible to miniaturize the device.

[0043] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Referring to Figure 2, the slide scanning device 100 may include a slide tray slot 210 that houses one or more slide trays 260, a fork 220 for transporting the slide tray, a fork support 270 to which the fork is slidably connected so that the fork 220 can move up and down, a preview camera 230 for acquiring a preview image of the slide tray, an optical device 240 for acquiring a scan image of one or more slides placed on the slide tray, a shuttle 250 positioned to correspond to the optical device for acquiring a scan image and moving in the xy plane according to a predetermined algorithm during slide scanning, an illumination unit 280, and so on. However, none of the components shown in Figure 2 are essential components of the slide scanning device 100. The slide scanning device 100 may be realized with more components than those shown in Figure 2, or with fewer components than those shown in Figure 2.

[0045] In one embodiment, the slide tray slot 210 is a device for storing slide trays and may be referred to as a cabinet for storing slide trays, a slide tray cabinet, a slide tray storage cabinet, a slide tray rack, etc. The slide tray slot 210 may include a plurality of slide tray storage sections arranged in a vertical stack.

[0046] In one embodiment, the fork 220 can remove the slide tray 260 housed in the slide tray slot 210 and transport it to a position where a preview image can be acquired. Furthermore, once a preview image has been acquired, the fork 220 can then place the slide tray 260 back into the slide tray housing section of the slide tray slot 210.

[0047] In one embodiment, the fork 220 can remove the slide tray 260 housed in the slide tray slot 210 and transport it to a position where a scanned image of the slide can be acquired. Furthermore, once a scanned image has been acquired, the fork 220 can then place the slide tray 260 back into the slide tray housing section of the slide tray slot 210.

[0048] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can acquire a preview image of the slide tray 260, recognize information about the slide tray, slide, or pathology sample from the preview image, acquire a slide scan image based on this information, and save the slide scan image in association with the information about the slide tray, slide, or pathology sample. That is, the scan image of the slide can be acquired after the preview image has been acquired. Specifically, the slide scanning device 100 can acquire a preview image by using the preview camera 230 to photograph the slide tray 260, which has been moved by the fork 220 to a position where a preview image can be acquired, and then acquire a scan image after moving the slide tray 260 through the fork 220 to a position where a scan image can be acquired.

[0049] In one embodiment, with the slide tray 260 placed on the fork 220, preview images of multiple slides can be acquired using the preview camera 230, and scan images of the pathological samples contained in each slide can be acquired using the optical device 240.

[0050] In one embodiment, the fork 220 can move the slide tray 260 to a position where a preview image can be acquired by the preview camera 230, and after acquiring the preview image, the fork 220 can further move the slide tray 260 to a position where an image of the pathology sample can be acquired using the optical device 240. In another embodiment, a first fork can move the slide tray 260 to a position where a preview image can be acquired by the preview camera 230, and after acquiring the preview image, a second fork (separate from the first fork) can move the slide tray 260 to a position where an image of the pathology sample can be acquired using the optical device 240.

[0051] In one embodiment, the preview camera 230 can acquire preview images of multiple slides placed on the fork 220. For example, the preview camera 230 can acquire an image of the entire slide tray 260 as a preview image. In another example, the preview camera 230 can acquire an image of only some of the slides placed on the slide tray 260 as a preview image.

[0052] In one embodiment, the fork 220 can stop at a predetermined distance from the preview camera 230 so that the preview camera 230 can acquire preview images for multiple slides. That is, for example, the fork 220 can move the slide tray 260 to a predetermined position so that the preview camera 230 can acquire an image of the entire slide tray 260. In one embodiment, the preview camera 230 can have a resolution suitable for acquiring the information to be derived from the preview image. For example, the preview camera 230 can be a camera with a lower resolution than the optical device 240.

[0053] In one embodiment, the preview camera 230 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a focus control unit. The preview camera 230 can use the focus control unit to adjust the focus on the slide tray and acquire an image from the image sensor that has passed through one or more lenses.

[0054] In one embodiment, the fork 220 can move the slide tray 260 to a predetermined position so that the optical device 240 can scan a region of the slide. For example, the fork 220 can transport the slide tray 260 onto the shuttle 250.

[0055] In one embodiment, the optical device 240 can acquire scan images of pathological samples contained in each slide. The specific configuration of the optical device 240 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 8. In one embodiment, the optical device 240 can divide a slide into multiple regions, acquire scan images for each region, and then combine them to acquire an image of the entire slide. For example, the optical device 240 can divide the slide region into a square tile shape and acquire scan images for each region. As another example, the optical device 240 can divide the slide region into multiple lines, acquire scan images using a line scan method, and then combine them. As yet another example, the optical device 240 can acquire an image of the entire slide at once. However, the method by which the optical device 240 acquires images of slides is not limited to these, and two or more of the methods exemplified above may be used in combination.

[0056] In one embodiment, the optical device 240 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a focus control unit. The optical device 240 can use the focus control unit to adjust the focus for each area of ​​the slide to be scanned, and acquire an image that has passed through one or more lenses with the image sensor. The method by which the optical device 240 acquires the scanned image will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 6 to 8.

[0057] In one embodiment, a slide tray 260 can be placed on the upper surface of the fork 220. The fork 220 may be equipped with fixing means (not shown) that can secure the slide tray 260 to its upper surface. For example, the fork 220 may be equipped with means for fixing all or part of the slide tray 260 vertically or horizontally.

[0058] In one embodiment, the shuttle 250 can move so that the optical device 240 can scan the next area of ​​the slide after it has completed scanning one area of ​​the slide. For example, the shuttle 250 can move in the scanning direction when the optical device 240 is performing LAF (Laser AutoFocus). In another example, if the optical device 240 is using a line scanning method, the shuttle 250 can be moved together with the slide tray 260 for line scanning. For example, the shuttle 250 with the slide tray 260 can be moved in accordance with the line scanning speed of the optical device 240.

[0059] In another embodiment, the fork 220 or shuttle 250 does not move, and the preview camera 230 or optical device 240 moves to a predetermined position to acquire a preview image or slide image. For example, after the fork 220 or shuttle 250 is fixed in a predetermined position, the preview camera 230 or optical device 240 is mounted on a movable arm and can move to a position for acquiring a preview image or slide scan image.

[0060] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 may include an illumination unit 280 for providing illumination to the slide tray 260 and / or the slides. The illumination unit 280 can provide illumination to the top or bottom surface of the slide tray 260. In another embodiment, the illumination unit can provide illumination to both the top and bottom surfaces of the slide tray 260.

[0061] In one embodiment, the acquired preview image or scanned image can be output to the display 120 in Figure 1.

[0062] Figure 3 is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device for acquiring a preview image according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to Figure 3, when the slide tray is located at the position 300 where a preview image can be acquired, the preview camera 230 can acquire a preview image of the slide tray.

[0064] In one embodiment, when the slide scanning device 100 receives a scan request for the first slide tray, it can use the fork 220 to move the first slide tray, which is housed in the slide tray slot 210, to a preview image acquisition position 300, and use the preview camera 230 to acquire a preview image of the moved first slide tray. Furthermore, once the acquisition of the preview image is complete, the slide scanning device 100 can control the fork 220 to house the first slide tray in the slide tray slot 210 again, or control the fork 220 to move it to a scan image acquisition position so that a scan image can be acquired immediately.

[0065] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for extracting or inserting a slide tray from a slide tray slot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Referring to Figure 4, a method for extracting or inserting the slide tray 260 into the slide tray housing of the slide tray slot 210 is illustrated. In one embodiment, when the slide scanning device 100 attempts to acquire a preview image, acquire a scan image, or for any other reason attempts to extract the slide tray from the slide tray slot, the slide tray 260 can be extracted from the slide tray slot 210 using the fork 220.

[0067] In one embodiment, the slide tray slot 210 may include a plurality of slide tray housings. For example, the slide tray slot 210 may include 20 slide tray housings capable of housing slide trays. When the slide scanning device 100 receives an extraction request for a first slide tray (e.g., a preview image acquisition request), it can identify which slide tray housing the first slide tray is housed in and use the fork 220 to extract the slide tray housed in that corresponding slide tray housing.

[0068] Similarly, when the slide scanning device 100 receives a storage request for the first slide tray (e.g., a scan completion signal), it can identify the slide tray storage unit where the first slide tray is stored and control the fork 220 to insert the first slide tray into the corresponding slide tray storage unit.

[0069] Figure 5 is a diagram showing a slide tray, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, being transported to a shuttle.

[0070] Referring to Figure 5, the slide scanning device 100 can use the fork 220 to position the slide tray on the shuttle 250 in order to acquire a scan image of the slide tray. In one embodiment, the fork 220 can transport the slide tray while moving along the z-axis by the fork support 270. Therefore, when the slide scanning device 100 receives a request to acquire a scan image of a slide, it can use the fork 220 to position the slide tray on the shuttle 250. For example, the lowest point to which the fork 220 can move may be the height of the shuttle. After the slide tray is placed on the shuttle 250, the slide must be moved to a position corresponding to the optical device 240 and illumination unit 280 in order to acquire a scan image of the slide. Therefore, after the slide tray is placed on the shuttle 250, the shuttle 250, not the fork 220, can move in the xy plane. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 6.

[0071] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a method for obtaining a scanned image according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Referring to Figure 6, the slide scanning device 100 can acquire a scan image of the slide tray by controlling the shuttle 250 to move in the xy plane after the slide tray has been fixed to the shuttle 250 by the fork 220. In one embodiment, the scan image can be acquired after the automatic focusing process.

[0073] Autofocus systems for automatically focusing images can be broadly divided into active and passive systems. Active systems use an external measuring device to measure the distance to the object and focus based on this information. This system determines the focus through direct distance measurement, and typically uses lasers, infrared, or ultrasonic sensors. Passive systems use a physical measuring device to measure the precise distance to the object and adjust the lens focus based on this information. Typical examples include infrared (IR) based systems and Laser AutoFocus (LAF). This system has a relatively fast response characteristic but a disadvantage in that it is relatively less precise. In particular, with transparent layer samples that are thin in thickness, ambiguity in the focal position can occur with objective lenses of a certain magnification, further reducing precision. This is because light reflected from the top and bottom surfaces of the transparent object enters the light-receiving part together, causing the focal point of the condensing lens to be at a similar position.

[0074] In contrast, the passive method is a system in which the camera automatically focuses by analyzing the image data itself, without using external measuring devices (such as lasers or ultrasonic sensors). The objective lens, which is located at a predetermined distance from the sample, is moved a fixed distance relative to its current position, while the image sensor is used to acquire an image of the sample. The image sharpness is calculated from these multiple images to determine the image sharpness at the moving position. The position showing the greatest image sharpness becomes the focal position of the sample. If the camera moves to the position with the greatest image sharpness at the current position, the observed object will be in focus. While this method can precisely find the focal position, it is slow to find the focus because it acquires multiple images while moving a predetermined distance and analyzes them to find the focal position. A typical passive method is the Image AutoFocus (IAF) method.

[0075] Generally, the LAF method can quickly find the Reference Focus Position (RFP), but due to the effects of sample thickness and flatness, the initially detected RFP may not be the optimal focal position. Therefore, in one embodiment of this disclosure, the slide scanning apparatus 100 can adopt a method in which the RFP is determined via IAF, and then LAF is performed based on this RFP. This will be discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 7a and 7b.

[0076] In one embodiment, by considering the flatness of the instrument (e.g., feed system, tray, etc.), instrument vibration, and thickness variations of the sample within the slide, the optimal focal length can be searched before scanning the ROI (Region of Interest), enabling a more precise and faster scanning procedure.

[0077] Figure 7a is a diagram illustrating a method for determining a reference focal position (RFP) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 7b is an illustrative graph of peak information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0078] Referring to Figure 7a, the slide 750 may include a slide glass 760 which is a transparent bottom plate with a thickness of approximately 1T (Thickness) = 1 mm, a sample placed on top of the slide glass 760, and a cover glass 770 with a thickness of approximately 0.1T to 0.2T that covers the sample. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can determine a reference focal point (RFP) for performing LAF via IAF prior to scanning the region of interest (ROI) of the slide. For example, after performing IAF and confirming the z-axis position of the objective lens where the sharpest image is obtained, this can be determined as the RFP. At this time, since the objective lens moves together with the LAF module by a single motor (i.e., it is moved together as a Focus transfer unit set; this is described in detail in Figure 8), the RFP can be searched by measuring the peak level of the laser by performing LAF at the point where a sharp image is obtained via IAF. For example, the slide scanning device 100 can search for the RFP by measuring the peak level of the laser reflected from the upper surface 772 of the cover glass 770, the lower surface 774 of the cover glass 770, the upper surface 762 of the slide glass 760, and the lower surface 764 of the slide glass 760, and then checking the z value of the LAF module at that time. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can search for the RFP by measuring the peak level of the laser reflected from the lower surface 774 of the cover glass 770 or the upper surface 762 of the slide glass 760, which are the central interface surfaces where the sample is located. For example, the slide scanning device 100 can measure the peak level of the laser reflected from the lower surface 774 of the cover glass 770 and determine the z value at that time as the RFP.

[0079] In a more specific embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can perform IAF at a first point 710 to determine the RFP. For example, the slide scanning device 100 can adjust the height of the objective lens at the first point 710 to acquire multiple images and then determine the focal position for acquiring the sharpest image. For example, the slide scanning device 100 can determine a first focus 740 as the focus for acquiring the sharpest image at the first point 710, and the position of the objective lens or LAF module (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "focus transfer unit set") at this time can be determined as the reference focal position (RFP). In one embodiment, the reference focal position (RFP) may be the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the sample for acquiring the first focus 740, or it may be the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the upper surface of the cover glass, the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the lower surface of the cover glass, the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the upper surface of the slide glass, or the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the lower surface of the slide glass. In one embodiment, the reference focal position (RFP) may be the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the upper surface of the cover glass or the distance between the focus transfer unit set and the lower surface of the slide glass.

[0080] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can acquire the clearest image of the first point 710 at a first focal point 740 (i.e., the image obtained by performing IAF), and determine the z position relative to the laser peak obtained through the laser emitter and receiver at the first focal point 740 as the RFP. For example, according to Figure 7b, if the z position relative to the laser peak of the LAF for the first point obtained in the above example is 1350, this is determined as the RFP.

[0081] In one embodiment, once the RFP is determined at a first point 710, the slide scanning device 100, more specifically the optical device 240, can move to a second point 720 to acquire images in other areas of the ROI and perform LAF based on the RFP. In one embodiment, the optical device 240 can move along a reference focal plane 730 determined under the assumption that the RFP determined by the first focal point 740 is the optimal focal position for the entire ROI. After moving to the second point 720 along the reference focal plane 730, the optical device 240 can perform LAF to adjust the z position of the focus transfer unit set to match the RFP and then acquire an image. By performing LAF for all areas of the ROI in the manner described above, high-quality scan images of the ROI can be obtained.

[0082] In another embodiment, the optical device 240 may be fixed, with only the objective lens moving along the z-axis, and the slide tray being moved by the shuttle 250 so that the optical device 240 performs LAF and scans at a second point. Similarly, the movement of the slide tray may proceed along the reference focal plane 730.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7b, if the RFP is determined as the z position 1350 of the laser peak, when performing LAF at a second location, if the position of the focus transfer unit set deviates from RFP 1350, it is adjusted to the RFP position. By repeating this method at each point in the remaining ROI area, a faster and clearer image can be obtained.

[0084] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can determine the center point of the ROI region or the center of gravity of the sample in order to determine a first point for performing a passive autofocus procedure. If the sample is located at the center point of the ROI region or the center of gravity of the sample, the slide scanning device 100 can determine this point as the first point and perform the passive autofocus procedure at the first point.

[0085] For example, a slide scanning device 100, such as an optical device 240, can identify the centroid of a sample in the ROI, and if it identifies that a sample is present at the centroid, it can determine the centroid point as the first point to perform IAF. However, if the sample is not present at that point, it is impossible to evaluate the focal position and passive autofocus, such as IAF, cannot be performed. Thus, if the sample is not present at the centroid or the central region of the ROI, or if the area where the sample is detected is partial, the slide scanning device 100, such as an optical device 240, can search for the nearest location coordinates where the sample is present from the central coordinates or centroid coordinates of the ROI. For example, the slide scanning device 100 can identify a white pixel area in a binary image as the location where the sample is present. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can convert the location coordinates where the sample is present from image reference coordinates to feed system reference coordinates and perform a passive autofocus procedure such as IAF at those coordinates.

[0086] In other words, in one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100, for example, the optical device 240, can identify the center of gravity of the sample, determine whether or not the sample is present at the center of gravity, determine that location as the first location if the sample is present, and determine the location where the sample is present closest to the center of gravity as the first location if the sample is not present.

[0087] In another embodiment, the slide scanning device 100, for example, the optical device 240, can identify the coordinates of the center point of the ROI, determine whether or not a sample exists at the center point of the ROI, determine that point as the first point if a sample exists, and determine the point where a sample is closest to the center point of the ROI as the first point if no sample exists.

[0088] Figure 8 is a diagram showing a camera module that performs an autofocus procedure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] Referring to Figure 8, the optical device 240 may include a scan camera 810, a microscope tube 820, a z-axis transfer unit 830, an objective lens 840, and the like. In one embodiment, the z-axis transfer unit 830 includes a motor, which can be used to move the objective lens 840 in the z-axis direction. At this time, the scan camera 810 and the microscope tube 820 can be fixed without being moved in the z-axis direction. In addition, LAF modules 852 and 854 may be provided on both sides of the objective lens 840. For example, an LAF laser emitter 852 may be provided on the left side of the objective lens 840, and when the LAF laser emitter 852 emits light, the light is reflected by the sample, slide glass, cover glass, etc., and the reflected light can be detected by the LAF light receiver 854. As a result, peak information as shown in Figure 7b can be obtained.

[0090] In one embodiment, LAF modules 842 and 854 can be moved by a motor together with the objective lens 840. Thus, the objective lens 840 and the LAF modules 852 and 854 can be referred to as a focus transfer unit set 850. A control unit 856 that controls the motor and the focus transfer unit set may be provided next to the objective lens.

[0091] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method by which a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure scans a slide.

[0092] Referring to Figure 9, in operation 910, the slide scanning device can obtain a scan request for the first slide tray. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can obtain a scan request for the first slide tray based on user input touching the display 120. For example, user input touching the display 120 may include user input requesting the start of scanning for the first slide tray, user input requesting the acquisition of a preview image for the first slide tray, and user input requesting the start of scanning for all slide trays placed in the slide tray slot, including the first slide tray.

[0093] In operation 930, the slide scanning device can use a fork to move the first slide tray housed in the slide tray slot to a position where a preview image can be acquired. In one embodiment, the fork can move along the z axis by the fork support 270, and the fork support 270 can move along the x axis. This allows the fork 220 to move along both the x and z axes. In one embodiment, after the fork support 270 moves along the x axis and the fork 220 removes the first slide tray housed in the slide tray slot, the fork 220 moves along the z axis to move the first slide tray to a position where a preview image can be acquired.

[0094] In operation 950, the slide scanning device can acquire a preview image of the first slide tray using a preview camera. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can acquire a preview image of the first slide tray and recognize information about the slide tray, slides, or pathology samples from the preview image. Information recognized from the preview image may include identification information for the first slide tray (e.g., numbers, barcodes, or QR codes®), orientation information for the slide tray, identification information for each slide storage compartment, information about the slides, and information about the pathology samples. Information about the slides may include whether or not a slide is present in each slide storage compartment, whether or not the slides in each slide storage compartment are damaged, whether or not the slides are stored in the correct position in each slide storage compartment, or information about the region of interest where a pathology sample is present within the slide. Information about the pathology samples may also include the specimen site of the pathology sample, the time of specimen collection, whether or not staining is performed, the name of the staining reagent, and patient information corresponding to the pathology sample.

[0095] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 100 can control the display 120 so that the acquired preview image, information acquired from the preview image, etc., are output to the display 120.

[0096] In operation 970, the slide scanning device can use a fork to move the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired. In one embodiment, the fork 220 can move the first slide tray so that it is placed on the shuttle 250.

[0097] In operation 990, the slide scanning device can acquire scan images of one or more slides placed on the first slide tray using an optical device. In one embodiment, the optical device 240 is synchronized with the shuttle 250 and can acquire scan images of one or more slides by moving the objective lens along the z-axis and moving the shuttle 250 in the xy-plane.

[0098] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a slide scanning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0099] Referring to Figure 10, the slide scanning device 100 may include a transmitting / receiving unit 1010, an input device 1020, a memory 1030, and a processor 1040. However, none of the components shown in Figure 10 are essential components of the slide scanning device 100. The slide scanning device 100 can be realized with more components than those shown in Figure 10, or with fewer components than those shown in Figure 10. Furthermore, the transmitting / receiving unit 1010, the input device 1020, the memory 1030, and the processor 1040 can all be realized in the form of a single chip.

[0100] In one embodiment, the transmitting / receiving unit 1010 can communicate with a slide tray slot, a user terminal, or other electronic device that is connected to the slide scanning device 100 by wire or wireless.

[0101] In one embodiment, the input device 1020 may include a touch display, a preview camera, a scanning camera, an image acquisition device, and the like.

[0102] Memory 1030 can store and configure various types of data, such as applications, programs, and files. The processor 1040 can access and utilize the data stored in memory 1030, or it can store new data in memory 1030. In one embodiment, memory 1030 may include a database. For example, the memory or database can store preview images of the slide tray or scanned images of the ROI.

[0103] The processor 1040 controls the overall operation of the slide scanning device 100 and may include at least one processor, such as a CPU or GPU. The processor 1040 can control other components included in the slide scanning device 100 to perform operations for operating the slide scanning device 100. For example, the processor 1040 can execute a program stored in memory 1030, read a stored file, or save a new file. In one embodiment, the processor 1040 can execute a program stored in memory 1030 to obtain a scan request for a first slide tray, identify the slide tray housing in which the first slide tray is housed, control a fork to move the first slide tray housed in the slide tray slot to a position where a preview image can be acquired, control a preview camera to acquire a preview image of the first slide tray, control a fork to move the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired, and acquire a scan image of one or more slides placed on the first slide tray while moving a shuttle. In one embodiment, the processor 1040 can extract the ROI (region of interest) of the first slide by executing a program stored in the memory 1030, perform IAF (Image Autofocusing) at the first point of the ROI to determine the Reference Focus Position (RFP) value, and perform LAF (Laser Autofocusing) based on the RFP to scan the ROI of the first slide.

[0104] One embodiment of the present disclosure may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing computer-executable instructions, such as program modules performed by a computer. Computer-readable media may be any available medium accessible by a computer, and include all volatile and non-volatile media, isolated and non-isolated media. Computer-readable media may also include all computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include all volatile and non-volatile, isolated and non-isolated media implemented by any method or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Communication media typically include computer-readable instructions, data structures, or program modules, and include any information transmission medium.

[0105] Figure 11 is an illustrative diagram of a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0106] Referring to Figure 11, the slide scanning device 2000 can acquire a preview image of the slide tray, recognize information about the slide tray 2400, slide 2500, or pathology sample from the preview image, acquire a slide scan image based on this, and save the slide scan image in association with the information about the slide tray, slide, or pathology sample.

[0107] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 may include a preview camera 2100, a scan camera 2200, and a slide tray stage 2300. For example, with the slide tray 2400 placed on the slide tray stage 2300, the preview camera 2100 can be used to acquire preview images of multiple slides, and the scan camera 2200 can be used to acquire images of the pathology samples contained in each slide 2500.

[0108] In one embodiment, the slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a position where a preview image can be acquired by the preview camera 2100, and after acquiring the preview image, the slide tray stage 2300 can further move the slide tray 2400 to a position where an image of the pathology sample can be acquired using the scan camera 2200. In another embodiment, the first slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a position where a preview image can be acquired by the preview camera 2100, and after acquiring the preview image, the slide tray 2400 can be moved to a position where an image of the pathology sample can be acquired using the scan camera 2200 by a second slide tray stage (not shown, separate from the first slide tray stage 2300).

[0109] In one embodiment, the preview camera 2100 can acquire preview images of multiple slides placed on the slide tray stage 2300. For example, the preview camera 2100 can acquire an image of the entire slide tray 2400 as a preview image. In another example, the preview camera 2100 can acquire an image of only some of the slides placed on the slide tray 2400 as a preview image.

[0110] In one embodiment, the preview camera 2100 can be positioned at a predetermined distance from the slide tray stage 2300 so as to be able to acquire a preview image of the slide tray 2400 containing multiple slides. The preview camera 2100 can have a resolution suitable for acquiring the information to be derived from the preview image. For example, the preview camera 2100 can be a camera with a lower resolution than the scan camera 2200.

[0111] In one embodiment, the preview camera 2100 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a focus control unit. The preview camera 2100 can use the focus control unit to adjust the focus on the slide tray and acquire an image that has passed through one or more lenses with the image sensor.

[0112] In one embodiment, the scan camera 2200 can acquire scan images of pathological samples contained in each slide 2500. The scan camera 2200 can divide a single slide 2500 into multiple regions, acquire scan images for each region, and then combine them to acquire an image of the entire slide 2500. For example, the scan camera 2200 can divide the region of the slide 2500 into a square tile shape and acquire scan images for each region. As another example, the scan camera 2200 can divide the slide region into multiple lines, acquire scan images using a line scan method, and then combine them. As yet another example, the scan camera 2200 can acquire an image of the entire slide at once. However, the method by which the scan camera 2200 acquires images of the slide 2500 is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0113] In one embodiment, the scan camera 2200 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a focus control unit. The scan camera 2200 can use the focus control unit to adjust the focus on each area of ​​the slide to be scanned, and the image sensor can acquire an image that has passed through one or more lenses. In one embodiment, the scan camera 2200 can perform an autofocus process using either an active or passive autofocus method, and then scan a specific area of ​​the slide. This will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 7a to 7b and Figure 16.

[0114] In one embodiment, a slide tray 2400 can be placed on the upper surface of the slide tray stage 2300. In one embodiment, the slide tray stage 2300 may be equipped with fixing means (not shown) that can fix the slide tray 2400 to its upper surface. For example, the slide tray stage 2300 may be equipped with means for fixing all or part of the slide tray 2400 vertically or horizontally.

[0115] In one embodiment, the slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a position where the preview camera 2100 or the scan camera 2200 can acquire an image. For example, the slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a predetermined position where the preview camera 2100 can acquire an image of the entire slide tray 2400. Alternatively, the slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a predetermined position so that the scan camera 2200 can scan a region of the slide 2500. Furthermore, after the scan camera 2200 has completed scanning one region, the slide tray 2400 can be moved to allow it to scan the next region.

[0116] In another embodiment, the first slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a position where the preview camera 2100 or the scan camera 2200 can acquire an image. For example, the first slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 to a predetermined position where the preview camera 2100 can acquire an image of the entire slide tray 2400. Thereafter, a second slide tray stage (not shown, separate from the first slide tray stage 2300) can move the slide tray 2400 to a predetermined position so that the scan camera 2200 can scan a region of the slide 2500. The second slide tray stage (not shown) can also move the slide tray 2400 so that the scan camera 2200 can scan the next region after it has completed scanning one region.

[0117] In one embodiment, when the scan camera 2200 uses a line scan method, the slide tray stage 2300 can move the slide tray 2400 for line scanning. For example, the slide tray 2400 can be moved in accordance with the line scan speed of the scan camera 2200.

[0118] In another embodiment, the slide tray stage 2300 does not move, and the preview camera 2100 or scan camera 2200 moves to a predetermined position to acquire a preview image or slide image. For example, the slide tray stage 2300 is fixed in position, and the preview camera 2100 or scan camera 2200 is mounted on a movable arm and can move to a position for acquiring a preview image or slide scan image.

[0119] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 may further include an illumination unit 2600 for providing illumination to the slide tray 2400 and / or slides 2500. For example, as illustrated in Figure 11, the illumination unit 2600 can provide illumination to the top surface of the slide tray 2400. In another example, the illumination unit 2600 can provide illumination to the bottom surface of the slide tray 2400. In yet another example, the illumination unit 2600 can provide illumination to both the top and bottom surfaces of the slide tray 2400.

[0120] Figure 12 is a drawing illustrating a slide tray according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0121] Referring to Figure 12, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize information for the slide tray 2400 from the preview image acquired through the preview camera 2100.

[0122] In one embodiment, the slide tray 2400 may consist of a plurality of slide storage sections 2450, each capable of storing a slide, and may include identification information 2410, 2420 for the slide tray 2400, direction indicator information 2430, 2440 for the slide tray 2400, and identification information 2460 for each slide storage section. For example, the identification information 2410, 2420 for the slide tray 2400 may be printed as letters or numbers, or included in the form of a barcode or QR code. If the identification information 2410, 2420 for the slide tray 2400 is printed as letters or numbers, it can be identified from a preview image using optical character recognition (OCR) technology, and if it is in the form of a barcode or QR code, it can be recognized to obtain the identification information for the corresponding slide tray 2400. The slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the identification information 2410, 2420 for the slide tray 2400 and accurately identify the slide tray 2400 currently being scanned.

[0123] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can determine whether or not the slide tray 2400 is located on the slide tray stage 2300 in the preview image. For example, if a marker is placed at a predetermined position on the slide tray stage 2300, and the marker is positioned so that it is hidden when the slide tray 2400 is placed on the slide tray stage 2300, the presence or absence of the slide tray 2400 can be easily determined by whether or not the marker is recognizable in the preview image. Furthermore, if the marker is positioned so that it is hidden only when the slide tray 2400 is placed correctly, it can also be determined whether or not the slide tray 2400 is in the correct position by whether or not the marker is recognizable in the preview image. As another example, the slide scanning device 2000 can determine the presence or absence of the slide tray 2400 by whether or not the identification information 2410, 2420 or the direction indication information 2430, 2440 for the slide tray 2400 is recognizable in the preview image.

[0124] In one embodiment, the direction indication information 2430 and 2440 for the slide tray 2400 may include indications for the up / down or left / right directions, and can be displayed as arrows in the corresponding directions or as predetermined identifiers in one of the specific directions. For example, referring to Figure 12, the direction indication information 2430 for the slide tray 2400 can be displayed by an arrow representing the up / down direction of the slide tray 2400. As another example, the direction indication information 440 for the up / down and left / right directions can be displayed by displaying a predetermined identifier (for example, a black dot in Figure 12) in the upper left corner of the slide tray 2400. The slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the direction indication information 2430 and 2440 for the slide tray 2400 by recognizing the direction of the arrow in the preview image or by recognizing a specific identifier at a predetermined position. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can use the direction indication information 2430 and 2440 for the slide tray 2400 to recognize the direction in which the slide tray stage 2300 is placed.

[0125] In one embodiment, the identification information 2460 for each slide storage section 2450 of the slide tray 2400 can be represented by numbers, the number of dots, the length of a line, etc. For example, the identification information 2460 for each slide storage section 2450 can be represented by numbers, and the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the identification information 2460 for each slide storage section 2450 from the preview image using OCR technology. As another example, if the identification information 2460 for each slide storage section 2450 is represented by predetermined symbols such as the number of dots or the length of a line, the device can recognize the corresponding symbols from the preview image and recognize the identification information for each slide storage section 2450.

[0126] In one embodiment, if a specific slide 2500 housed in the slide tray 2400 is damaged or detached from the slide housing 2450 in the preview image, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the corresponding slide housing 2450 using identification information 2460. For example, if the fourth slide from the left in the upper slide row is damaged, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the identification information 2460 of the corresponding slide housing 2450 and recognize that the slide at position 4 is damaged.

[0127] Figure 13 is a drawing illustrating a slide according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0128] Referring to Figure 13, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize information for each slide 2500 contained in the slide tray 2400 from a preview image acquired through the preview camera 2100. In one embodiment, the slide 2500 may include an information display section 2510 for displaying information about the slide 2500 and a sample storage section 2550 for containing pathological samples. The information display section 2510 of the slide 2500 can display information about the slide 2500 using characters, numbers, symbols, barcodes, or QR codes. For example, if the information is displayed using characters and / or numbers, it can be recognized using OCR technology; if it is represented by predetermined symbols, it can be recognized using camera vision technology; and if it is displayed using a QR code or barcode, it can be decoded to recognize the information.

[0129] In one embodiment, the information section 2510 of slide 2500 can contain information about the patient corresponding to slide 2500, information about the pathology sample, information about the scanning method, etc. For example, information about the patient corresponding to slide 2500 may include the patient's name, age, resident registration number, patient ID (or patient number), medical department, disease name, etc. Information about the pathology sample may include the specimen site of the sample (e.g., liver tissue), whether or not it is stained, the name of the staining reagent, the time of sample collection, etc. Information about the scanning method may include information about the priority of the sample (e.g., whether or not it is an emergency test), scan resolution, scan area, scan method, etc.

[0130] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the position of the pathology sample on the slide 2500 using a preview image and pre-determine the region of interest (ROI) that the scanning camera 2200 will scan. For example, the slide scanning device 2000 can recognize the position of the pathology sample in the sample storage section 2550 of the slide 2500, save it, and then have the scanning camera 2200 scan the region of interest to acquire an image of the pathology sample. For example, the region of interest can be set as a rectangle containing the pathology sample, as illustrated in Figure 13, or along the outline of the pathology sample, depending on the scanning method.

[0131] Figure 14 is a drawing illustrating a slide scanning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] Referring to Figure 14, the slide scanning device 2000 may include a preview camera 2100, a scan camera 2200, a slide tray stage 2300, an illumination unit 2600, a processor 2710, a display unit 2720, an input unit 2730, a communication unit 2740, and a storage unit 2750. However, none of the components shown in Figure 14 are essential components of the slide scanning device 2000.

[0133] In one embodiment, the processor 2710 can be configured as a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor. The processor 2710 can read and execute program modules stored in the storage unit 2750. For example, the processor 2710 can control the preview camera 2100, scan camera 2200, slide tray stage 2300, illumination unit 2600, etc., by executing program modules stored in the storage unit 2750. The processor 2710 can also output the current status of the slide scanning device 2000, the progress of the slide scanning, and / or the completed slide images to the display unit 2720 by executing program modules stored in the storage unit 2750. Furthermore, the processor 2710 can send and receive information with external devices via the communication unit 2740 by executing program modules stored in the storage unit 2750. In addition, the processor 2710 can receive user input from the input unit 2730 by executing program modules stored in the storage unit 2750. In one embodiment, the input unit 2730 can be configured as a touchscreen on the display unit 2720.

[0134] In one embodiment, the storage unit 2750 stores program modules, namely an image recognition module 2810, a scanner control module 2820, and an image storage module 2830, which can be accessed through a processor. For example, the storage unit 2750 can consist of memory, an SSD, an HDD, or a combination thereof.

[0135] In one embodiment, the image recognition module 2810 can recognize information about the slide tray 2400, slides 2500, and / or pathological samples using a preview image acquired through the preview camera 2100. For example, the image recognition module 2810 can divide the slide tray area, slide areas, information description sections 2510 for the slide areas, and sample storage sections 2550, extract information about the slide tray 2400 from the slide tray area, extract information about the slides from each slide area, and recognize information about the corresponding pathological sample from the information description sections 2510 and sample storage sections 2550 for each slide area.

[0136] In one embodiment, the image recognition module 2810 can recognize information about the slide tray 2400 in a preview image. Here, the information about the slide tray 2400 may include whether or not the slide tray 2400 is present on the slide tray stage 2300, identification information for the slide tray 2400, orientation information for the slide tray 2400, or identification information 2460 for each slide housing section 2450 of the slide tray 2400. For example, whether or not the slide tray 2400 is present on the slide tray stage 2300 (hidden when the slide tray 2400 is placed in the correct position) can be determined by whether or not a mark located on the upper surface of the slide tray stage 2300 is recognized. For example, the identification information for the slide tray 2400, orientation information for the slide tray 2400, or identification information 2460 for each slide housing section 2450 of the slide tray 2400 can be recognized by characters, numbers, symbols, barcodes, or QR codes displayed on the upper surface of the slide tray 2400.

[0137] In one embodiment, the image recognition module 2810 can recognize information about the slide 2500 in the preview image. Here, the information about the slide 2500 may include whether or not the slide 2500 is present in each slide housing 2450, whether or not the slide 2500 in each slide housing 2450 is damaged, whether or not the slide 2500 is housed in the correct position in each slide housing 2450, or information about the region of interest in which a pathological sample exists within the slide 2500. For example, the presence or absence of the slide 2500 in each slide housing 2450, whether or not it is damaged, and whether or not it is in the correct position can be obtained through analysis of the preview image, and specific marks can be added to predetermined positions on each slide housing and / or slide for the convenience of image analysis. For example, information about the region of interest in which a pathological sample exists within the slide 2500 can be obtained by recognizing the outline of the pathological sample in the sample housing 2550 of each slide 2500 and setting the region of interest to include this outline.

[0138] In one embodiment, the image recognition module 2810 can recognize information about a pathology sample in a preview image. Here, the information about the pathology sample may include the site of the sample, the time of sample collection, whether or not it is stained, the name of the staining reagent, or patient information corresponding to the pathology sample. The patient information corresponding to the pathology sample may include the patient's name, age, resident registration number, patient number, department of the patient, or name of the patient's disease. In one embodiment, the information about the pathology sample may include information about the priority of the pathology sample, scan resolution, scan area, or scan method. For example, information about pathological tissue (or pathology sample) can be obtained by recognizing characters, numbers, symbols, barcodes, or QR codes written in the information section 2510 of each slide 2500.

[0139] In one embodiment, the scanner control module 2820 controls the preview camera 2100 to acquire a preview image, and uses the information about the slide tray 2400, slide 2500, and / or pathology sample recognized by the image recognition module 2810 to control the slide scanning device 2000 and acquire a scan image of the pathology sample. For example, the scanner control module 2820 can use the information about the slide tray 2400, slide 2500, and / or pathology sample to control the scan camera 2200, slide tray stage 2300, and illumination unit 2600 to acquire a scan image.

[0140] In one embodiment, the scanner control module 2820 can determine the lens magnification, scan resolution, scan area size, scan method, illumination intensity, and illumination method of the illumination unit 2600, taking into consideration the disease name of the patient corresponding to the pathological sample, the name of the biological tissue of the pathological sample, whether or not it is stained, the name of the staining reagent, the time of sample collection, etc., and control the slide scanning device 2000 based on these. In another embodiment, the scanner control module 2820 can control the slide scanning device 2000 based on information regarding the scan method (e.g., priority, scan resolution, scan area, scan method, etc.) recognized by the image recognition module 2810 in the information description section 2510 of the slide 2500.

[0141] In one embodiment, the scanner control module 2820 can provide the user with a preview image along with information about the slide tray 2400, slides 2500, and / or pathology samples, and can obtain user input from the user regarding selections for slide scanning. In this case, the scanner control module 2820 can control slide scanning based on the user's selections. For example, the user may choose to perform scanning only on some of the slides contained in the slide tray. As another example, the user may choose to prioritize scanning on specific slides contained in the slide tray. As yet another example, the user may choose a scanning method for specific slides.

[0142] In one embodiment, the image storage module 2830 can store scan images obtained by the scanner control module 2820 in relation to information about the pathological sample obtained by the image recognition module 2810. For example, the image storage module 2830 can store the corresponding scan image, including macro information such as the patient's name, age, resident registration number, patient ID (or patient number), medical department, and disease name obtained by the image recognition module 2810. For example, the image storage module 2830 can store the corresponding scan image, including macro information such as the name of the biological tissue of the sample (e.g., liver tissue), whether or not it is stained, the name of the staining reagent, and the time of sample collection, obtained by the image recognition module 2810. For example, the image storage module 2830 can store the corresponding scan image, including macro information such as priority (e.g., whether or not it is an emergency examination), scan resolution, scan area, and scan method obtained by the image recognition module 2810.

[0143] In one embodiment, the image storage module 2830 can store the scanned image by including macro information such as the scan resolution, scan area, and scan method used in the process of obtaining the scanned image in the scanner control module 2820.

[0144] In one embodiment, the image storage module 2830 can transmit the scan image obtained by the scanner control module 2820 to an external device using the communication unit 2740, based on the information about the pathology sample obtained by the image recognition module 2810. For example, if the information about the pathology sample indicates that the sample is subject to urgent examination, the image storage module 2830 can transmit the scan image of the pathology sample to the external device in association with the information about the pathology sample. As a result, medical personnel who have requested urgent examination can be given priority access to the image of the pathology sample.

[0145] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating a method for extracting ROI (Region of Interest) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0146] Referring to Figure 15, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform the process of acquiring a preview image in order to determine the ROI area to be actually scanned from among the slides located in the slide tray. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can capture an image of the entire slide tray using a preview camera 2100.

[0147] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can correct the preview image acquired using the preview camera 2100 through a perspective conversion and lens distortion correction process performed by the camera. Furthermore, the slide scanning device 2000 can extract images for each slide located in the slide tray based on the corrected image. For example, each slide image of the corrected preview image can be cropped.

[0148] In one embodiment, the slide scanner 2000 can recognize the background and sample portions in each extracted slide image and extract the outline and ROI region of the sample. For example, the slide scanner 2000 can extract the outline and ROI region of the sample by utilizing the color and brightness difference between the background and sample portions of each slide image.

[0149] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can convert image reference coordinates to feed system reference coordinates for the extracted ROI region. The converted feed system reference coordinates can be used by the slide scanning device 2000 to perform autofocus and scan. The method by which the slide scanning device 2000 performs autofocus and scan will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 7a to 7b and Figures 16 to 17b.

[0150] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing a method for scanning an ROI according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0151] Referring to Figure 16, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform steps 610 to 670. However, the fact that the slide scanning device 2000 performs steps 610 to 670 includes the fact that detailed devices included in the slide scanning device 2000 but not described in detail in this application perform steps 610 to 670, and although Figure 16 describes the slide scanning device 2000 as performing steps 610 to 670, it is of course also possible that other devices outside the slide scanning device 2000 can perform steps 610 to 670. Furthermore, although one embodiment of this disclosure is described by example as being performed by the slide scanning device 2000, it can be performed by detailed devices included in the slide scanning device 2000 or by external devices. For example, steps 610 to 670 can be performed by an autofocus device included in the slide scanning device 2000, or by an autofocus device outside the slide scanning device 2000.

[0152] In step 610, the slide scanning device 2000 can extract the ROI of the first slide. In one embodiment, the method for extracting the ROI of the first slide can be described with reference to Figure 15. For example, the slide scanning device 2000 can acquire an image of the slide tray through a preview camera, perform perspective conversion and lens distortion correction on the slide tray image using the preview camera, extract individual images of the corrected image, and extract the outline and ROI region of the sample from the individual images by utilizing the color difference, brightness difference, etc., between the background and the sample. In this way, the ROI of the first slide can also be acquired.

[0153] In step 630, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform a passive autofocus procedure at the first location of the extracted ROI to determine the Reference Focus Position (RFP). For example, the passive autofocus procedure may include the Image Autofocus (IAF) procedure. The IAF procedure is a method that selects the image with the best focus from among multiple images acquired by adjusting the positions of the subject and the lens. Since the IAF method searches for the focal plane based on the image data actually input to the camera, it is possible to search for the optimal focal plane more accurately than laser autofocus (LAF), and can perform a precise autofocus procedure. However, the IAF method requires a long comparison time with LAF. Therefore, performing the IAF autofocus procedure at all locations may be inefficient.

[0154] In one embodiment, the first location may be a location within the ROI where the sample is present. For example, the slide scanning device 2000 can determine the center of the ROI or the center of gravity of the sample as the first location. If the sample is not present at the center of the ROI or the center of gravity of the sample, the slide scanning device can determine another location where the sample is present as the first location. This will be described in more detail later with reference to Figure 17b.

[0155] In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can search for a focal position based on the image data input to the actual camera and determine a reference focal position (RFP) corresponding to the searched focal position. Here, the reference focal position (RFP) is a focal position that is generally used as a reference when performing LAF, and is a focal position that is searched by measuring the laser intensity level reflected at the interface through the LAF laser module, or the laser peak. The reference focal position (RFP) will be described in more detail later with reference to Figures 7a and 7b.

[0156] In step 650, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform an active autofocus procedure (e.g., LAF) with respect to a reference focal point (RFP). In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform LAF using the reference focal point (RFP) determined as a first point. For example, once the RFP is determined at the first point, the slide scanning device 2000 is moved to a second point, and at the second point, LAF is performed with respect to the RFP to acquire an image.

[0157] In step 670, the slide scanning device 2000 can repeatedly perform LAF on each point of the overall ROI of the first slide by repeating step 650, thereby acquiring a scan image of the ROI. In one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000 can perform a more precise focusing process than if it only performed an active autofocus procedure, based on having performed a passive autofocus procedure at the first point, and can perform an active autofocus procedure in other areas other than the first point or in all areas including the first point based on a predetermined RFP, thereby enabling faster scanning than if it only performed a passive autofocus procedure.

[0158] Figure 17a is a diagram illustrating a method for determining a first point for performing passive autofocus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0159] Referring to Figure 17a, the slide scanning device 2000 can determine the center point of the ROI region or the center of gravity of the sample in order to determine the first point at which to perform a passive autofocus procedure. If the sample is located at the center point of the ROI region or the center of gravity of the sample, as shown in Figure 17a, the slide scanning device 2000 can determine this point as the first point and perform the passive autofocus procedure at the first point.

[0160] Taking Figure 17a as an example, the slide scanning device 2000, for example, the camera module 2800, can identify the centroid of the sample in the ROI, and if it identifies that the sample is present at the centroid, it can determine the centroid point as the first point to perform IAF. However, if the sample is not present at that point, it is impossible to evaluate the focal plane, and passive automatic focusing, such as IAF, cannot be performed. Therefore, the method for determining the first point when the sample is not present at the centroid or the central region of the ROI will be described in detail in Figure 17b.

[0161] Figure 17b is a diagram illustrating a method for determining a first point for performing passive autofocus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0162] Referring to Figure 17b, if the sample is not present at the centroid or center of the ROI, or if the detected sample area is partial, it is not possible to locate the coordinates where the actual tissue is located using simple coordinates such as the ROI's center coordinates or centroid coordinates. This allows the slide scanner 2000, for example, the camera module 2800, to locate the position coordinates where the nearest sample is located from the ROI's center coordinates or centroid coordinates. For example, the slide scanner 2000 can identify the location of the sample as a white pixel area in a binary image. In one embodiment, the slide scanner 2000 can convert the position coordinates where the sample is located from image reference coordinates to feed system reference coordinates and perform a passive autofocus procedure such as IAF at those coordinates.

[0163] In other words, in one embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000, for example, the camera module 2800, can identify the center of gravity of a sample, determine whether or not a sample exists at the center of gravity, determine that location as the first location if a sample exists, and determine the location where a sample is closest to the center of gravity as the first location if a sample does not exist.

[0164] In another embodiment, the slide scanning device 2000, for example, the camera module 2800, can identify the coordinates of the center point of the ROI, determine whether or not a sample exists at the center point of the ROI, determine that point as the first point if a sample exists, and determine the point where a sample is closest to the center point of the ROI as the first point if no sample exists.

[0165] The descriptions of this disclosure set forth herein are illustrative, and a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs will understand that the invention can be easily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical idea or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described herein should be understood in all respects as illustrative and not limiting. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0166] The scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims set forth below rather than by the detailed description above, and all modified or altered forms derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and the concept of equivalents thereof should be interpreted as being included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A slide tray slot for accommodating one or more slide trays, A fork for transporting the aforementioned slide tray, A preview camera that acquires a preview image of the slide tray, An optical device for acquiring scanned images of one or more slides placed in the slide tray, The display and Memory for storing one or more instructions, A slide scanning device comprising at least one processor that performs one or more instructions stored in the memory, The display is provided on the door of the slide scanning device. The at least one processor performs the one or more instructions, A slide scanning device that controls the display to output an image for at least one of the preview image and the scanned images of one or more slides.

2. The aforementioned fork is The slide scanning apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it extracts the slide tray housed in the slide tray slot and transports it to at least one of the positions where the preview image can be acquired and the positions where the scan image can be acquired.

3. The scanned images of the aforementioned one or more slides are The slide scanning apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is acquired after acquiring the aforementioned preview image.

4. The slide scanning device, The system further includes a shuttle positioned at a location corresponding to the optical device, The aforementioned shuttle, The slide scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that it moves in the xy plane to acquire a scanned image of one or more slides.

5. The optical device is It includes a scanning camera, a microscope tube, a z-axis transfer unit, and an objective lens. The aforementioned objective lens is, The slide scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the z-axis transfer unit moves along the z-axis according to an autofocus algorithm.

6. The aforementioned door is The slide scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is installed in a slidable manner.

7. A slide scanning method for a slide scanning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The steps include obtaining a scan request for the first slide tray, The steps include: moving the fork to a position where a preview image can be acquired, the first slide tray housed in the slide tray slot is moved to a position where a preview image can be acquired; The steps include: the preview camera acquiring a preview image of the first slide tray; The steps include: the fork moving the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired; A method comprising the step of the optical device acquiring a scanned image of one or more slides arranged in the first slide tray.

8. The step of the fork moving the first slide tray to a position where a scan image can be acquired is: The method according to claim 7, comprising the step of the fork transferring the first slide tray to a shuttle.

9. The step of the optical device acquiring a scanned image of one or more slides placed on the first slide tray is: (a) A step of extracting the ROI (region of interest) of the first slide, (b) A step of performing IAF (Image Autofocusing) at a first location of the ROI to determine a reference focal point (RFP), (c) A step of performing Laser Autofocus (LAF) at a second location of the ROI based on the determined RFP, The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of (d) obtaining a scanned image of the ROI of the first slide by repeating step (c) for the entire ROI of the first slide.

10. A program stored on a recording medium that can be read by a computer to perform the method described in claim 7 on a computer.

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