Method and Apparatus for Sharpening a Laser Image

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that include an optical device for providing information about one or more samples. The system includes well(s) for holding the sample(s), and in one embodiment, the optical device(s) have non-parallel sidewalls optically contacting the well(s) for providing the information about the sample(s) in the well(s). In some embodiments the optical devices may be truncated prism(s). In some embodiments the optical devices are part of a unibody structure with the well(s).

1 - 54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . A method of processing an initial image to produce a sharper final image, the method comprising: 
 providing laser illumination to form an initial image;    transforming said initial image to a frequency domain;    removing high frequency components, and    transforming said frequency domain information back to a final image.    
   
   
       56 . A method as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said transforming utilizes a discrete cosine transform.  
   
   
       57 . A method as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said initial image comprises a refractometry image.  
   
   
       58 . A method as recited in  claim 57 , further comprising analyzing said refractometry image to determine information about a sample in a well.  
   
   
       59 . A method as recited in  claim 58 , wherein said well is part of a microplate.  
   
   
       60 . A method as recited in  claim 58 , wherein said initial image comprises an interferometry image.  
   
   
       61 - 62 . (canceled)  
   
   
       63 . A method of sharpening a laser image comprising the steps of 
 providing laser illumination to form an initial image;    acquiring an electronic equivalent of said initial image;    transforming said equivalent to frequency domain data;    removing high frequency components from said frequency domain data to provide residual frequency data, and    transforming the residual frequency data to a final image that is sharper than the initial image.    
   
   
       64 . The method defined in  claim 63  including the additional step of cropping the image prior to transforming said electronic equivalent.  
   
   
       65 . The method defined  claim 63  wherein the transforming to the final image includes a thresholding step.  
   
   
       66 . The method defined in  claim 63  wherein the removing step comprises removing substantially all frequency domain data except the fundamental frequency domain data.  
   
   
       67 . The method defined in  claim 63  wherein the transforming step utilizes a discrete cosine transform.  
   
   
       68 . The method defined in  claim 67  where in the transforming to the final image includes utilizing an inverse discrete cosine transform.  
   
   
       69 . Apparatus for sharpening a laser image comprising 
 a laser to form an initial laser image;    a device for acquiring an electronic equivalent of the initial image;    a circuit for transforming said equivalent to frequency domain data;    a circuit for removing high frequency components from the frequency domain data to provide residual frequency domain data, and    a circuit for transforming the residual frequency domain data to a final image that is sharper than the initial image.    
   
   
       70 . The apparatus defined in  claim 69  including means for cropping the initial image.  
   
   
       71 . The apparatus defined in  claim 69  wherein the circuit for transforming the residual frequency domain data includes a thresholding circuit.