Abstract: An ink pinning assembly comprises a source of UV radiation suitable for pinning ink on a record medium. A radiation guide device has an inlet facing the source and an outlet through which radiation is emitted towards a record medium, in use, the length of the inlet being greater that the length of the radiation source. The radiation guide device has a substantially rectangular or square wall in plan surrounding a cavity extending between the inlet and outlet, the internal surface of the wall being reflective to the pinning radiation so that pinning radiation with a substantial uniform intensity is emitted from the outlet.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for controlling a microscope to scan a microscope slide. By analysing an overview image it is determined quantatively which swathe contains the most image detail and an optimum scanning order can subsequently be determined relative to the swathe determined as having the most detail. By scanning the swathe with the most detail first a good focus characteristic can be established for a dynamic focussing system and prediction errors in the dynamic focus system are likely to be low when scanning subsequent swathes.

Abstract: A method of producing a multiple focus stack image of a target, the stack image comprising a plurality of images of the target, each image having a corresponding focal range or position, wherein the method comprises causing relative scanning movement between the target and an array of light detectors, the array being used to repeatedly receive image information from the target during the scan in the form of scan lines; and causing the relative focus between the target and the array to be modified between the said focal ranges or positions of the respective images during the scan so as to obtain scan lines corresponding to each focal range or position during the scan, thereby obtaining the images in the stack, wherein each image is formed from the image information obtained as scan lines at the respective focal range or position during the scan.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus comprises a time delay integration sensor for obtaining first image information from a target and a scan device for causing relative motion between the time delay integration sensor and the target. The image scanning apparatus is characterized by detector array for obtaining second image information from a target, wherein the first image information corresponds to a first portion of light received from the target and the second image information corresponds to a second portion of light received from the target.

Abstract: A method of generating a digital representation of a portion of an object from sets of digital data defining the colour content of individually stored, overlapping swathes of pixels of an image of the object portion. The method comprises: (a) selecting a portion of the object; (b) determining the swathes which contain pixels within the selected portion; (c) correlating adjacent ones of said swathes; (d) if necessary, adjusting the relative positions of the adjacent swathes in accordance with the results of the correlating step (c); and, (e) generating a digital representation of pixels of the selected portion from the correlated swathes.

Abstract: An ink pinning assembly comprises a source of UV radiation suitable for pinning ink on a record medium. A radiation guide device has an inlet facing the source and an outlet through which radiation is emitted towards a record medium, in use, the length of the inlet being greater that the length of the radiation source. The radiation guide device has a substantially rectangular or square wall in plan surrounding a cavity extending between the inlet and outlet, the internal surface of the wall being reflective to the pinning radiation so that pinning radiation with a substantial uniform intensity is emitted from the outlet.