Sample Imaging Deblurring via Controlled Motion

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Solution Overview

Problem

In digital microscopy, relative movement between the image capture device and the sample during exposure leads to motion blur, making image analysis challenging, and increasing light sensitivity to reduce blur introduces visual noise, complicating analysis.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that intentionally cause relative movement between the sample and image capture device at a controlled speed and direction during exposure, allowing for subsequent deblurring using a processor to undo the blur, thereby improving imaging speed and analysis capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the camera is moved relative to the sample during exposure to capture multiple images, then imaging speed is improved, but motion blur occurs making image analysis difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging speedVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-determines the motion parameters (speed and direction) before exposure and uses these known parameters to guide the deblurring algorithm, allowing the camera to move during exposure while maintaining image analyzability through subsequent computational correction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system intentionally allows motion blur to occur during exposure but converts this harmful effect into a beneficial one by using the known motion parameters to drive a deblurring algorithm that can recover and enhance image quality for analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Manufacturing precision

If the camera stops to capture an image, then image quality is maintained, but the imaging process becomes time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidimaging time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The camera maintains continuous motion during exposure rather than stopping, and the useful action of image capture is combined with controlled motion, allowing the imaging process to continue without interruption while still producing analyzable images through deblurring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Speed

If light sensitivity is increased to reduce motion blur, then image capture speed is improved, but visual noise increases making analysis difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage capture speedVSAvoidvisual noise

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the approach from adjusting camera parameters (like light sensitivity) to controlling and utilizing motion parameters (speed and direction), using computational deblurring based on known motion to achieve clear images without increasing noise through higher sensitivity settings

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11282175B2Sample imaging and image deblurring

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 ADVANCED INSTR LTD

AI summary

There is provided an apparatus with a sample holder to hold a sample to be imaged. An image capture device has a field of view and captures an image of the field of view. Also provided is an actuator. A controller controls the actuator to cause relative movement between the sample holder and the image capture device at a given speed and at a given direction during an exposure time of the image capture device such that, in use, the sample moves across at least a portion of the field of view during the exposure time. A processor performs a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using the given speed and the given direction.