Dual Processor Digital Slide Scanning Autofocus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital slide scanning apparatuses face processor overload when implementing real-time autofocus, leading to increased scanning times due to the processing intensity required for image analysis.
Innovation Solution
The use of a dual-processor system, where the main CPU controls the scanning process and autofocus, while offloading specific image-analysis tasks to a secondary GPU for processing-intensive tasks such as generating average contrast vectors from image data, allowing for parallel processing and reducing the CPU's workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If real-time autofocus is implemented with intensive image processing, then autofocus accuracy is improved, but processor overload occurs and scanning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the processing system into two separate processors: a main processor that handles scanning control and a secondary processor that handles image processing for autofocus. This segmentation allows parallel processing of scanning and autofocus tasks, preventing processor overload while maintaining real-time autofocus accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secondary processor as an intermediary component between the imaging system and the main processor. This secondary processor acts as a mediator that performs intensive image analysis tasks (contrast calculation, autofocus determination) and returns results to the main processor, thereby protecting the main processor from overload while enabling real-time autofocus.
2Device complexity
If real-time autofocus processing is performed by a single processor, then system complexity is reduced, but processor overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing functions into two distinct processors with clearly defined roles: the main processor manages scanning stage control and coordinates operations, while the secondary processor handles intensive image processing. This functional segmentation distributes the processing load, preventing overload and ensuring reliable real-time operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary processor serves as an intermediary that offloads intensive image processing tasks from the main processor. It receives image data, performs contrast calculations and autofocus analysis, then returns results to the main processor. This intermediary architecture maintains system reliability by ensuring that no single processor becomes a bottleneck.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
AI summary
A digital slide scanning apparatus that includes a scanning stage, a focusing sensor, an imaging sensor, and at least two processors. A main processor is configured to control the scanning stage to move a sample relative to the focusing sensor and the imaging sensor. The main processor controls the secondary processor to process focus buffers generated by the focusing sensor and image buffers generated by the imaging sensor. The secondary processor access each buffer and processes the data in the buffer to generate an average contrast vector for the buffer. The average contrast vectors for the focus and image buffers are then provided to the main processor for further processing in connection with autofocus and/or generation of a digital slide image.