Abstract: Apparatus for positioning a microscope slide and comprising co-acting first and second clamping jaws attached to a robot arm and adapted to receive and carry a microscope slide.

Abstract: A confocal slide-digitizing apparatus (100) includes a slide handling unit (20) and an imaging unit (10), wherein the slide handling unit (20) has a slide supplier unit (90). The imaging unit (10) has a light source (40) to illuminate the sample to be digitized at the imaging position through an objective (18) arranged in a light path that enables confocal imaging of at least a region of the sample and an image recording unit to receive light with information on at least an illuminated region of the sample through the objective (18) and generate a digital image of a section of a given thickness of said illuminated region. Moreover, said slide handling unit (20) and said imaging unit (10) are joined mechanically together in a tiltable manner relative to one another, thereby correcting the light path of said confocal imaging.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated automated slide processing system, especially to stain, to cover and to digitize one or more microscope slides (49) in one turn.

Abstract: A system for handling slides having a tray moving on a carriage with seats for the slides and with a tray moving mechanism, a slide loading arm, and a slide holding frame having a slide loading arm driving motor. There are outstretched Maltese crosses on the lower side of the tray of the slide feeder and a crank is arranged in the carriage, opposite to and parallel with the crosses. The slide loading arm is arranged movably and tiltably above and a supporting plate is arranged movably and tiltably below the slide holder. The slide holding frame has a lifting means for tilting the slide loading arm and the supporting plate. The lifting means is actuated by a controller arranged on the disk of the crank.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for accessing a slide from a plurality of digitized microscope slides from a remote workstation, wherein the plurality of digitized microscope slides are accessible via a plurality of data station units (DSU), the method comprising: providing a central management station unit (CMSU) connected to a communication network for storing slide information of the plurality of digitized microscope slides, allowing the workstation to connect to the CMSU via the communication network; providing at least a part of the slide information of the plurality of digitized microscope slides to the workstation; allowing the workstation to select a digitized microscope slide based on the provided slide information; and allowing for a direct connection over the communication network between the remote workstation and a DSU enabling access to the selected digitized microscope slide. The invention further relates to a system and a CMSU for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method for realistic stitching and showing image blocks of an electronically recorded multipart image wherein relative positional offset values of the image blocks recorded with overlap are determined in a co-ordinate system in directions x and y and stored in matrix format, and the image blocks to be presented are stitched together on the basis of the stored values the method comprising: subdividing the overlaps of the individual image blocks into smaller regions with fixed relative positions; picking up at least one region most useful for the determination of the stitching; determining the offset goodness value based on the similarity of pattern of the image blocks; stitching the blocks of the image so that first the two image blocks characterized by the best offset goodness values are stitched together and the two image blocks characterized by the worst offset goodness values are stitched together last, whereas only the co-ordinates of the images figuring in a table are modified in the course of the stit

Abstract: A focusing method is provided for the high speed digitalization of microscope slides using an imaging device, wherein the slide is divided into fields of view according to the imaging device and focusing is performed. During rough focusing, several images are captured within the focus range using large focus steps. On the basis of this set of images the position of the best contrast is determined. Fine focusing is performed by adjusting the focus according to the focus distance already determined for another field of view and by focusing with fine steps. A slide displacing device is provided, which enables the displacement of a slide parallel to the optical axis. The slide displacing device includes slide holding elements affixed to one side of a supporting member having two parallel sides, which are connected by stiffening elements defining at least two parallel planes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automated digital image recording system (1) for digitizing slides (6). The image recording system (1) comprises a slide holding means (7, 17), a mechanism for actuating it, a first digital image recording means, a second digital image recording means of high magnification and a control unit (4) for a software-based control of the automated image recording. The image recording system (1) is adapted for digitizing a slide (6) having one or more regions with sample and at least one separate region that comprises a field of information. The first digital image recording means is adapted for reading out the at least one region comprising the field of information and comprises a digital preview camera (2) capturing a low resolution preview image of each of the one or more regions with sample separately. The control unit is provided with a routine for searching points of the low resolution preview images that belong to the sample.

Abstract: A method for realistic stitching and showing image blocks of an electronically recorded multipart image wherein relative positional offset values of the image blocks recorded with overlap are determined in a co-ordinate system in directions x and y and stored in matrix format, and the image blocks to be presented are stitched together on the basis of the stored values the method comprising: subdividing the overlaps of the individual image blocks into smaller regions with fixed relative positions; picking up at least one region most useful for the determination of the stitching; determining the offset goodness value based on the similarity of pattern of the image blocks; stitching the blocks of the image so that first the two image blocks characterised by the best offset goodness values are stitched together and the two image blocks characterised by the worst offset goodness values are stitched together last, whereas only the co-ordinates of the images figuring in a table are modified in the course of the stit

Abstract: A method for the storage ensuring fast retrieval and efficient transfer of interrelated, high volume, mainly 3D, information, whereby the input information is assigned to two files, so that image data information required for histological reconstruction is stored in one file and information regarding predetermined parameters of the image data is stored in the other file, whereas in the course of the storing of the received information, associated information regarding the hierarchical relationship of individual image data is also stored in a further file. A computer program product for the storage ensuring fast retrieval and efficient transfer of interrelated, high-volume, mainly 3D, information, contains a computer-readable storage medium including a computer-readable programme code, further a software tool to store associated information regarding the hierarchical relationship of individual image data, while storing input information.

Abstract: A slide feeding unit for a microscope includes a slide magazine having a base plate; a toothed rack secured to a magazine side wall; and slide guiding elements perpendicular to an open magazine side. The unit further includes a magazine moving mechanism having a magazine-receiving trough including opposite side plates. Two rotary shafts supported by the trough extend along the trough side plates. Magazine-advancing feeding gears are supported by the side plates and may mesh with the toothed magazine rack. Lifting gears, held in the side plates, have pins on which the magazine is supported when raised or lowered. Driving worm gears are rotated by the shafts and mesh with the lifting gears. The unit also includes a slide feeding device having a robot arm displaceable perpendicularly to the direction of advance of the magazine for removing a slide from the magazine.