Patents by Inventor Heimo Soitamo

Heimo Soitamo 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).

  • Method and apparatus relating to sample card punching
    Patent number: 8374418
    Abstract: The invention relates to method and apparatus for determining from a sample carrier containing an impregnated biological sample a sample region to be removed. The method comprises optically imaging the sample carrier into a digital matrix form, where the optical brightness of each physical location of the sample is represented by elements of the matrix; determining a first threshold value at least partly on the basis of the elements of the matrix; and calculating coordinates corresponding to the sample region to be removed from the sample carrier, the coordinates being such that the sample region contains only areas of the sample carrier having an optical brightness lower than or equal to said first threshold value. The invention allows for more efficient use of samples in sample cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Wallac Oy
    Inventors: Heimo Soitamo, Ari-Pekka Kitinoja, Vesa Erkkila
  • Method and apparatus relating to sample card punching
    Publication number: 20110158500
    Abstract: The invention relates to method and apparatus for determining from a sample carrier containing an impregnated biological sample a sample region to be removed. The method comprises optically imaging the sample carrier into a digital matrix form, where the optical brightness of each physical location of the sample is represented by elements of the matrix; determining a first threshold value at least partly on the basis of the elements of the matrix; and calculating coordinates corresponding to the sample region to be removed from the sample carrier, the coordinates being such that the sample region contains only areas of the sample carrier having an optical brightness lower than or equal to said first threshold value. The invention allows for more efficient use of samples in sample cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: WALLAC OY
    Inventors: Heimo Soitamo, Ari-Pekka Kitinoja, Vesa Erkkila