Slide Scanner GUI with Carousel Status Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current slide scanning systems lack an efficient graphical user interface for managing workflow, leading to difficulties in tracking the status of slide racks and prioritizing processing tasks.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface is developed for a slide scanning system that displays a carousel representation with status indicators for each rack slot, allowing users to select and prioritize tasks, rotate the carousel, and execute functions such as Z-stacking and setting scan protocols, while animating delay periods for user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a graphical user interface is implemented to display carousel status and rack slot information, then workflow management capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a graphical representation (copy) of the physical carousel and rack slots on a display screen. This virtual model allows users to monitor and control the scanning workflow without physically interacting with each component, thereby improving ease of operation while the underlying physical system remains unchanged
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the user and the slide scanning system. It translates complex system states into visual representations and provides simplified control mechanisms, allowing users to manage workflows without needing to understand the underlying mechanical and computational complexity
2Loss of information
If real-time status updates are provided for each rack slot, then information availability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the actual status of each rack slot and carousel position, then feeds this information back to the graphical display. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the visual representation always reflects the current system state, providing real-time information updates without requiring complex manual tracking by the user
3Productivity
If carousel rotation and function execution are automated, then processing efficiency is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs carousel rotation and function execution based on user selections and system state. When users initiate scanning operations or prioritize tasks through the graphical interface, the system autonomously executes the necessary mechanical movements and processing functions, improving productivity while abstracting away the control complexity from the user
Data Source
AI summary
Graphical user interface for managing a workflow of a slide scanning system. In an embodiment, the graphical user interface comprises a graphical representation of a carousel used by the scanning system. The graphical representation of the carousel comprises a graphical representation of each of a plurality of rack slots, configured to receive slide racks. The graphical representation of the carousel indicates a position of the carousel, and the graphical representation of each of the plurality of rack slots indicates a status of the represented rack slot and/or a slide rack within the represented rack slot.