Patents by Inventor Dirk Sönksen

Dirk Sönksen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8165363
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving quality assurance in pathology using automated quality assessment and digital image enhancements on digital slides prior to analysis by the pathologist are provided. A digital pathology system (slide scanning instrument and software) creates, assesses and improves the quality of a digital slide. The improved digital slide image has a higher image quality that results in increased efficiency and accuracy in the analysis and diagnosis of such digital slides when they are reviewed on a monitor by a pathologist. These improved digital slides yield a more objective diagnosis than reading the corresponding glass slide under a microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Aperio Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Soenksen, Kathy Zirker-Smith
  • Publication number: 20110090223
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional digital slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. These two dimensional digital slide images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: APERIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Steven Hashagen, Dirk Soenksen, Mark Wrenn
  • Patent number: 7860292
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Aperio Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Dirk Soenksen, Steven Hashagen, Mark Wrenn
  • Publication number: 20100177166
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: APERIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Steven Hashagen, Dirk Soenksen, Mark Wrenn
  • Patent number: 7689024
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Aperio Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Dirk Soenksen, Steven Hashagen, Mark Wrenn
  • Patent number: 7623698
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of learning a knowledge-based database used in automatic defect classification. According to this method, the user is spared a series of entries as the system carries out an automatic learn mode, which requires a reduced number of user entries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor MIE GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Soenksen, Ralf Friedrich, Andreas Draeger, Detlef Schupp, Thin Van Luu, Wolfgang Langer
  • Publication number: 20090116733
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: APERIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Steven Hashagen, Dirk Soenksen, Mark Wrenn
  • Patent number: 7463761
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Aperio Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Steven Hashagen, Dirk Soenksen, Mark Wrenn
  • Publication number: 20080273788
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving quality assurance in pathology using automated quality assessment and digital image enhancements on digital slides prior to analysis by the pathologist are provided. A digital pathology system (slide scanning instrument and software) creates, assesses and improves the quality of a digital slide. The improved digital slide image has a higher image quality that results in increased efficiency and accuracy in the analysis and diagnosis of such digital slides when they are reviewed on a monitor by a pathologist. These improved digital slides yield a more objective diagnosis than reading the corresponding glass slide under a microscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Aperio Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Soenksen, Kathy Zirker-Smith
  • Publication number: 20070274603
    Abstract: Systems and methods for image pattern recognition comprise digital image capture and encoding using vector quantization (“VQ”) of the image. A vocabulary of vectors is built by segmenting images into kernels and creating vectors corresponding to each kernel. Images are encoded by creating a vector index file having indices that point to the vectors stored in the vocabulary. The vector index file can be used to reconstruct an image by looking up vectors stored in the vocabulary. Pattern recognition of candidate regions of images can be accomplished by correlating image vectors to a pre-trained vocabulary of vector sets comprising vectors that correlate with particular image characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: APERIO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Dirk Soenksen
  • Patent number: 7271889
    Abstract: A device and method for inspecting an object (2) uses a bright field illumination beam path (4) of a bright field light source (5), said beam path being formed so that it passes through the projection optics (3), and a dark field illumination beam path (6) of a dark field light source (7), this beam path being formed so that it also passes through the projection optics (3). The object (2) can be projected by the projection optics (3) onto the least one detector (8), and the object (2) is simultaneously illuminated by both light sources (5, 7). In order to simultaneously detect bright field images and dark field images without involving complicated filtering operations, the light used for the dark field illumination is pulsed and the pulse intensity of the light used for the dark field illumination is greater by at least one order of magnitude than the intensity of the continuous light, which is used for the bright field illumination, during a pulsed interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Cemic, Lambert Danner, Uwe Graf, Robert Mainberger, Dirk Sönksen, Volker Knorz
  • Patent number: 7247825
    Abstract: The invention is based on an apparatus and a method for scanning specimens (1) using an optical imaging system (3) and a scanning stage (2), images of the specimen (1) being acquired by means of a camera (4), and/or measurements on the specimen (1) being made by means of an optical measurement device (5), at specimen points Xp, Yp. For that purpose, the scanning stage (2) is calibrated by obtaining and storing height values Z at different calibration positions X, Y of the scanning stage (2), and thereby generating a running height profile of the scanning stage (2). For the scanning of specimens (1), the specimen height positions Zp at specimen points Xp, Yp are determined by means of a reference height Zref of the specimen (1) together with the running height profile of the scanning stage (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Sönksen, Robert Mainberger, Guenter Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20070036462
    Abstract: A data management system and method for processing, storing, and viewing the extremely large imagery data that is rapidly produced by a linear-array-based microscope slide scanner is provided. The system receives, processes, and stores imagery data produced by the linear-array-based microscope slide scanner at approximately 3 GB per minute. The data are received as a series of overlapping image stripes and combined into a seamless and contiguous baseline image. The baseline image is logically mapped into a plurality of regions that are individually addressed to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the baseline image. The data management system enables imagery data compression while scanning and capturing new image stripes. This advantageously eliminates the overhead associated with storing uncompressed image stripes. The image compression also creates intermediate level images, thereby organizing the baseline image into a variable level pyramid structure referred to as a virtual slide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Greg Crandall, Ole Eichhorn, Allen Olson, Dirk Soenksen
  • Publication number: 20060245634
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of learning a knowledge-based database used in automatic defect classification. According to this method, the user is spared a series of entries as the system carries out an automatic learn mode, which requires a reduced number of user entries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Dirk Soenksen, Ralf Friedrich, Andreas Draeger, Detlef Schupp, Thin Van Luu, Wolfgang Langer
  • Publication number: 20060007345
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing virtual microscope slide image quality are provided. In order to determine whether a virtual slide image has any out of focus areas and is therefore a candidate for manual inspection, the various focus points used to scan the virtual slide image are used to calculate a best fit surface for the virtual slide image. The distance of each focus point from the best fit surface is then calculated and the largest distance is compared to a predetermined value. If the largest distance from a focus point to the best fit surface is larger than the predetermined value, then the virtual slide image is designated as needing a manual inspection and possible re-scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Allen Olson, Kiran Saligrama, Dirk Soenksen
  • Publication number: 20060007533
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and viewing three dimensional virtual slides are provided. One or more microscope slides are positioned in an image acquisition device that scans the specimens on the slides and makes two dimensional images at a medium or high resolution. This two dimensional images are provided to an image viewing workstation where they are viewed by an operator who pans and zooms the two dimensional image and selects an area of interest for scanning at multiple depth levels (Z-planes). The image acquisition device receives a set of parameters for the multiple depth level scan, including a location and a depth. The image acquisition device then scans the specimen at the location in a series of Z-plane images, where each Z-plane image corresponds to a depth level portion of the specimen within the depth parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Ole Eichhorn, Greg Crandall, Steven Hashagen, Dirk Soenksen, Mark Wrenn
  • Publication number: 20050270638
    Abstract: Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image. The invention also provides a method for statically displaying sub-regions of this large digital image at different magnifications, together with a reduced magnification macro-image of the entire sample. The invention further provides a method for dynamically displaying, with or without operator interaction, portions of the contiguous digital image. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, all elements of the scanner are part of a single-enclosure that has a primary connection to the Internet or to a local intranet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventor: Dirk Soenksen
  • Patent number: 6165734
    Abstract: A method of in situ analysis of a biological sample comprising the steps of (a) staining the biological sample with N stains of which a first stain is selected from the group consisting of a first immunohistochemical stain, a first histological stain and a first DNA ploidy stain, and a second stain is selected from the group consisting of a second immunohistochemical stain, a second histological stain and a second DNA ploidy stain, with provisions that N is an integer greater than three and further that (i) if the first stain is the first immunohistochemical stain then the second stain is either the second histological stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; (ii) if the first stain is the first histological stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; whereas (iii) if the first stain is the first DNA ploidy stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second histological stain; and (b) using a spectral data collec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Applied Spectral Imaging Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuval Garini, George McNamara, Dirk Soenksen, Dario Cabib, Robert A Buckwald
  • Patent number: 6007996
    Abstract: A method of in situ analysis of a biological sample comprising the steps of (a) staining the biological sample with N stains of which a first stain is selected from the group consisting of a first immunohistochemical stain, a first histological stain and a first DNA ploidy stain, and a second stain is selected from the group consisting of a second immunohistochemical stain, a second histological stain and a second DNA ploidy stain, with provisions that N is an integer greater than three and further that (i) if the first stain is the first immunohistochemical stain then the second stain is either the second histological stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; (ii) if the first stain is the first histological stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second DNA ploidy stain; whereas (iii) if the first stain is the first DNA ploidy stain then the second stain is either the second immunohistochemical stain or the second histological stain; and (b) using a spectral data collec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Applied Spectral Imaging Ltd.
    Inventors: George McNamara, Dirk Soenksen, Dario Cabib, Robert A. Buckwald