Abstract: An apparatus includes a probe configured to provide at least a portion of capacitance of an inductance-capacitance (LC) circuit of a detection circuit, the capacitance of the LC circuit being dependent on a distance between the probe and a surface of a liquid in a biochemical analysis system. The apparatus includes a movement mechanism configured to move the probe. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to perform operations that include causing the movement mechanism to move the probe with respect to the liquid; measuring one or more characteristics of an output signal of the detection circuit, the one or more characteristics being dependent on the capacitance of the LC circuit; and detecting, based on the one or more characteristics of the output signal, a contact between the probe and the surface of the liquid.

Abstract: A system for compressing an image. The system determines a set of commonly occurring color values in the image and associates a designator with each commonly occurring color value. For each pixel in the image, the system identifies a color value for the pixel. If the pixel has a commonly occurring color value, the system substitutes the associated designator for the commonly occurring color value. Otherwise, if the pixel does not have a commonly occurring color value, the system adds the color value to a rare color list, and substitutes a special designator for the color value to indicate that the color value for the pixel is contained in the rare color list.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for compressing an image. During operation, the system determines a set of commonly occurring color values in the image and associates a designator with each commonly occurring color value. Next, for each pixel in the image, the system identifies a color value for the pixel. If the pixel has a commonly occurring color value, the system substitutes the associated designator for the commonly occurring color value. Otherwise, if the pixel does not have a commonly occurring color value, the system adds the color value to a rare color list, and substitutes a special designator for the color value to indicate that the color value for the pixel is contained in the rare color list.