Biological growth plate scanner

Abstract

A biological growth plate scanner includes a multi-color illumination system that illuminates a biological growth plate with different illumination colors. A monochromatic image capture device captures images of the biological growth plate during illumination of the growth plate with each of the illumination colors. A processor combines the images to form a composite multi-color image, and/or individual components of the composite image, and analyzes the composite image to produce an analytical result such as a colony count or a presence/absence result. The biological growth plate scanner may include both front and back illumination components. The back illumination component may include a diffuser element disposed under the biological growth plate. The diffuser element receives light from one or more laterally disposed illumination sources, and distributes the light to illuminate a back side of the biological growth plate. The illumination sources in the front and back illumination components may take the form of sets of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that can be independently controlled by the processor.

1 . A device for scanning biological growth plates, the device comprising: 
 a multi-color illumination system that selectively illuminates a biological growth plate with one or more different illumination colors;    a monochromatic camera oriented to capture an image of the biological growth plate; and    a processor that controls the camera to capture one or more images of the biological growth plate during illumination with each of the different illumination colors.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor combines two or more of the images captured by the camera to form a composite image of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the different illumination colors are red, green and blue, and the camera captures images of the biological growth plate during the red, green and blue illumination.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-color illumination system includes a first illumination component that illuminates a first side of the biological growth plate and a second illumination component that illuminates a second side of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the biological growth plate carries a biological agent in the group consisting of aerobic bacteria,  E. coli , coliform, enterobacteriaceae, yeast, mold,  Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria, and Campylobacter.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to sequentially illuminate the biological growth plate with each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to control an illumination duration for each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to control an illumination intensity of each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the illumination system includes: 
 a set of red light emitting diodes to produce red illumination;    a set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination; and    a set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination    
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a set of programmable controllers to independently control illumination durations and illumination intensities for each of the sets of light emitting diodes.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor drives the controllers to selectively control illumination durations and illumination intensities according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor drives the controllers to selectively control illumination of a first side and a second side of the biological growth plate according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first set of red light emitting diodes oriented to produce red illumination for a first side of the biological growth plate;    a first set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination for the first side of the biological growth plate;    a first set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination for the first side of the biological growth plate;    a second set of red light emitting diodes oriented to produce red illumination for a second side of the biological growth plate;    a second set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination for the second side of the biological growth plate; and    a second set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination for the second side of the biological growth plate.    
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the biological growth plate is a thin film culture plate.  
     
     
         15 . A method for scanning biological growth plates, the method comprising: 
 selectively illuminating a biological growth plate with one or more different illumination colors; and    capturing one or more images of the biological growth plate, using a monochromatic camera, during illumination with each of the different illumination colors.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising combining two or more of the images captured by the camera to form a composite image of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the different illumination colors are red, green and blue, the method further comprising capturing images of the biological growth plate during the red, green and blue illumination.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising illuminating a first side of the biological growth plate and illuminating a second side of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the biological growth plate carries a biological agent in the group consisting of aerobic bacteria,  E. coli , coliform, enterobacteriaceae, yeast, mold,  Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria, and Campylobacter.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sequentially illuminating the biological growth plate with each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising controlling an illumination duration for each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising controlling an illumination intensity of each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the biological growth plate is a thin film culture plate.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising controlling illumination durations and illumination intensities according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selectively controlling illumination of a first side and a second side of the biological growth plate according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         26 . A device for scanning biological growth plates, the device comprising: 
 means for selectively illuminating a biological growth plate with different illumination colors; and    means for capturing images of the biological growth plate, using a monochromatic camera, during illumination with each of the different illumination colors.    
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for combining two or more of the images captured by the camera to form a composite image of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the different illumination colors are red, green and blue, and the capturing means captures images of the biological growth plate during the red, green and blue illumination.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for illuminating a first side of the biological growth plate and means for illuminating a second side of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the biological growth plate carries a biological agent in the group consisting of aerobic bacteria,  E. coli , coliform, enterobacteriaceae, yeast, mold,  Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria, and Campylobacter.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for sequentially illuminating the biological growth plate with each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for controlling an illumination duration for each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for controlling an illumination intensity of each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the biological growth plate is a thin film culture plate.  
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for controlling illumination durations and illumination intensities according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 26 , further comprising means for selectively controlling illumination of a first side and a second side of the biological growth plate according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         37 . A device for scanning biological growth plates, the device comprising: 
 a multi-color illumination system that selectively illuminates a biological growth plate with one or more different illumination colors;    a camera oriented to capture an image of the biological growth plate; and    a processor that controls the camera to capture one or more images of the biological growth plate during illumination with each of the different illumination colors, and controls the illumination system to produce desired illumination intensities and illumination durations.    
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the processor combines two or more of the images captured by the camera to form a composite image of the biological growth plate.  
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the different illumination colors are red, green and blue, and the camera captures images of the biological growth plate during the red, green and blue illumination.  
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the camera includes a two-dimensional area camera.  
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the biological growth plate carries a biological agent in the group consisting of aerobic bacteria,  E. coli , coliform, enterobacteriaceae, yeast, mold,  Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria, and Campylobacter.  
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to sequentially illuminate the biological growth plate with each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to control an illumination duration for each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the processor controls the illumination system to control an illumination intensity of each of the different illumination colors.  
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the illumination system includes: 
 a set of red light emitting diodes to produce red illumination;    a set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination; and    a set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination    
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 45 , further comprising a set of programmable controllers to independently control illumination durations and illumination intensities for each of the sets of light emitting diodes.  
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 46 , wherein the processor drives the controllers to selectively control illumination durations and illumination intensities according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 46 , wherein the processor drives the controllers to selectively control illumination of a first side and a second side of the biological growth plate according to requirements of different biological growth plates.  
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a first set of red light emitting diodes oriented to produce red illumination for a first side of the biological growth plate;    a first set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination for the first side of the biological growth plate;    a first set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination for the first side of the biological growth plate;    a second set of red light emitting diodes oriented to produce red illumination for a second side of the biological growth plate;    a second set of green light emitting diodes to produce green illumination for the second side of the biological growth plate; and    a second set of blue light emitting diodes to produce blue illumination for the second side of the biological growth plate.    
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the biological growth plate is a thin film culture plate.