Slide Rack Orientation Detection for Safe Digital Slide Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital slide scanning apparatuses often damage glass slides due to variations in slide rack characteristics from different manufacturers, leading to potential misorientation and improper handling during scanning.
Innovation Solution
A slide rack determination system within the digital slide scanning apparatus, utilizing a clamp with sensors to identify the manufacturer and orientation of the slide rack, preventing improper processing by generating alerts and controlling the motor to ensure correct engagement and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple camera devices are arranged in a matrix to cover a wide area, then the surveillance coverage area is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single camera device performs multiple functions: it captures images in its primary orientation and, through the image rotation unit, processes and outputs images in multiple orientations (portrait, landscape, inverted). This multi-functionality allows one camera to effectively cover surveillance needs that would traditionally require multiple cameras arranged in a matrix, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining wide coverage area
2Adaptability or versatility
If the camera rotates to capture images in different orientations, then the versatility of a single camera is improved, but the reliability may deteriorate due to increased mechanical complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical rotation system with a digital image processing system. Instead of physically rotating the camera to capture images in different orientations, the camera remains stationary and the image rotation unit digitally rotates the captured images to various orientations. This substitution eliminates mechanical wear and failure risks while maintaining the versatility of capturing images in multiple orientations, thereby improving reliability while preserving adaptability
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A slide rack determination system for a digital slide scanning apparatus. In an embodiment, a motor drives a slide rack at a known rate toward an engagement surface. The elapsed time until engagement may be used to detect the presence or absence of the slide rack and/or the height of the slide rack. In addition, one or more sensors may detect one or more features of the slide rack, and these feature(s) may be used to determine the presence or absence of a slide rack, whether usage of the slide rack is supported or unsupported by the digital slide scanning apparatus, the orientation of the slide rack, and/or the manufacturer and/or model of the slide rack.