Combination reader

Abstract

An imaging system for collecting images of signals associated with a sample tile comprising a stage supporting the sample tile, a ring illuminator system emitting a uniform excitation energy upon an entirety of the sample tile causing at least a first signal to be generated from the sample tile, and an image collecting device collecting a first image of the first signal. The image collecting device further collecting a second image of a second signal emitted from the sample tile, wherein the second signal being different than the first signal.

1 . An imaging system for collecting images of signals associated with a sample tile, the imaging system comprising:
 a stage supporting the sample tile;   a ring illuminator system emitting a uniform excitation energy upon an entirety of the sample tile causing at least a first signal to be generated from the sample tile; and   an image collecting device collecting a first image of the first signal, the image collecting device further collecting a second image of a second signal emitted from the sample tile, the second signal being different than the first signal.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an active autofocus system actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile.   
     
     
         3 . The imaging system according to  claim 2  wherein said active autofocus system compares a contrast of said first image to a contrast of the second image and outputs a control signal to optimize a contrast of a third image. 
     
     
         4 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the stage is movable from a first position to a second position, the second position being generally under the image collecting device. 
     
     
         5 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the stage is movable from a first position to a second position, the movement of the stage from the first position to the second position being in a direction generally coaxial with the image collecting device. 
     
     
         6 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the ring illuminator system floods the entirety of the sample tile from a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         7 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the ring illuminator system comprises a plurality of sources outputting the uniform excitation energy such that the sample tile is flooded with the uniform excitation energy from a plurality of directions. 
     
     
         8 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the ring illuminator system is positioned between the image collecting device and the stage. 
     
     
         9 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the image collecting device is a charge-coupled device (CCD). 
     
     
         10 . The imaging system according to  claim 1  wherein the first signal is a fluorescent signal and the second signal is a chemiluminescent signal. 
     
     
         11 . A method for collecting images of emissions using an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
 placing a sample tile on a stage of the imaging apparatus, the sample tile having an array including a plurality of features, at least a portion of the features having a fluorophore;   flooding an entirety of the sample tile with uniform-field light utilizing an ring illuminator of the imaging apparatus, the uniform-field light exciting the fluorophore in the array to output an emission; and   collecting images of at least a portion of the emission utilizing an image collecting device of the imaging apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 comparing a first of the images to a second of the images to determine an optimized focus of the sample tile relative to the collecting device and outputting a control signal.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the comparing a first of the images to the second of the images comprises comparing a contrast of the first of the images to a contrast of the second of the images and outputting a control signal to optimize a contrast of a third of the images. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 actuating the sample tile relative to the image collecting device to achieve an optimized focus.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile simultaneously with the collecting images of at least a portion of the emission.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the collecting images of at least a portion of the emission comprises:
 collecting a first portion of the emission simultaneously with the flooding an entirety of the sample tile with uniform-field light; and   collecting a second portion of the emission at a time when the uniform-field light is absent the sample tile.   
     
     
         18 . A method for collecting images of emissions using an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
 placing a sample tile on a stage of the imaging apparatus, the sample tile having an array including a plurality of features, at least a portion of the features having a fluorescent marker;   flooding an entirety of the sample tile with light defining a uniform-field utilizing an ring illuminator of the imaging apparatus, the uniform-field light exciting the fluorescent markers in the array;   collecting images of at least a portion of the array utilizing an image collecting device of the imaging apparatus, the images selectively showing fluorescent signals emitted by the fluorescent markers when the ring illuminator floods the array with light; and   actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile simultaneously with the collecting images of at least a portion of the array.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of features further comprises chemiluminescent markers such that the collecting images of at least a portion of the array further comprises images selectively showing chemiluminescent signals emitted by the chemiluminescent markers absent light from the ring illuminator. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile comprises actively focusing the image collecting device relative to the sample tile by automatically positioning the stage in relation to the image collecting device.