Patent US4453266A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4453266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for measuring mean cell volume of red blood cells
Assignee: Rush Presbyterian St Lukes Medical Center
•
Filing: 1980-04-21
•
Granted: 1984-06-05
•
Expires: 2000-04-21
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are provided for producing signals representative of the mean cell volume of red blood cells in a blood specimen. The apparatus includes means for generating signals repesentative of the area of the cells and means for measuring the optical density of the individual cells and for generating signals representative of the hemoglobin content or mass of the cells. The central pallor is measured for cells having central pallors and means generate a signal representative of the central pallor of these cells. The representative area signals, hemoglobin signals and central pallor signals are sent to a means which generates an output representative of the mean cell volume of the cells.
Inventors
- 👤 James W. Bacus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/60; G06T7/62; G06T7/64; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/40; G06V10/42; G06V20/00; G06V20/60; G06V20/69; G06V20/698; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/01; G01N2015/012; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30004; G06T2207/30024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells, some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for generating signals representative of the area of the cells; means for measuring the optical density of the individual cells and for generating signals representative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; means for generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and means for generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells, some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for generating signals representative of the area of the cells; means for measuring the optical density of the individual cells and for generating signals representative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; means for generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and means for generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which a means provides an offset factor for use by said means for generating an output representative of the mean cell volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which means generates for each of said area, hemoglobin and central pallor signals a predetermined proportional weight signal for weighting each of said signals by a predetermined value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for generating signals representative of the cells having central pallors comprises means for determining central pallor as a percentage of the volume of indentation of a cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells comprises means for multiplying each of said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals by a proportional weight value, means for summing the products of said multiplications, and means for adding an offset factor to said sum from said last-mentioned means.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells, some of which have central pallors with automated equipment having means for measuring cell area and means for measuring optical density, said method comprising the steps of: measuring the area of cells with said cell measuring means and generating signals representative of the area of the cells; measuring the optical density of the individual cells with said optical density measuring means and generating signals represenative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells, some of which have central pallors with automated equipment having means for measuring cell area and means for measuring optical density, said method comprising the steps of: measuring the area of cells with said cell measuring means and generating signals representative of the area of the cells; measuring the optical density of the individual cells with said optical density measuring means and generating signals represenative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, in which the step of generating an output representative of the mean cell volume includes the step of using an offset factor to compensate for drying of the red blood cells.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 7, including the further step of generating for each of said area, hemoglobin and central pallor signals a predetermined proportional weight signal for weighting each of said signals by a predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, in which the step of generating signals representative of the cells having central pallors comprises the further step of: determining central pallor as a percentage of the volume of indentation of a cell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, in which the step of generating an output representative of the mean cell volume of said cells comprises the further steps of: multiplying each of said representative area signals, said hemoglobin signals, and said central pallor signals by a proportional weight value; summing the products of said multiplications; and adding an offset factor to said sum from said last-mentioned multiplication step.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; and determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; and determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, and examining the central pallors of the red blood cells and determining the mean cell volume for a subpopulation of cells having central pallors by using the central pallor measurement as a negative indentation value.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, and examining the central pallors of the red blood cells and determining the mean cell volume for a subpopulation of cells having central pallors by using the central pallor measurement as a negative indentation value.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, generating a mean cell area measurement and a mean cell hemoglobin measurement and a mean cell pallor measurement; multiplying each of these measurements by a predetermined and respectively different weight value, summing the products of these multiplications; and, adding an offset factor to the mean cell volume for correlation purposes.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, generating a mean cell area measurement and a mean cell hemoglobin measurement and a mean cell pallor measurement; multiplying each of these measurements by a predetermined and respectively different weight value, summing the products of these multiplications; and, adding an offset factor to the mean cell volume for correlation purposes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, determining the mean cell volumes of the subpopulations to provide a mean cell volume for the specimen; adjusting the main cell volume of the specimen by a correlation factor; and reporting a correlated mean cell volume for the specimen.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells, comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen with said means for examining red blood cells, classifying individual red blood cells by multiple respective features including shape and central pallor into a plurality of subpopulations; determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells, determining the mean cell volumes of the subpopulations to provide a mean cell volume for the specimen; adjusting the main cell volume of the specimen by a correlation factor; and reporting a correlated mean cell volume for the specimen.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
70 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; and means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
70 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; and means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells; and means for examining the central pallors of the red blood cells and determining the mean cell volume for a subpopulation of cells having central pallors by using the central pallor measurement as a negative indentation value.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells; and means for examining the central pallors of the red blood cells and determining the mean cell volume for a subpopulation of cells having central pallors by using the central pallor measurement as a negative indentation value.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells; means for generating a mean cell area measurement and a mean cell hemoglobin measurement and a mean cell pallor measurement; means for multiplying each of these measurements by a predetermined constant; means for summing the products of these multiplications; and, means for adding an offset factor to mean cell volume for correlation purposes.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells of a particular subpopulation from a blood specimen, said apparatus comprising: means for examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen; means for classifying individual blood cells by their individual shape and pallor features into a plurality of subpopulations; means for determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of red blood cells; means for generating a mean cell area measurement and a mean cell hemoglobin measurement and a mean cell pallor measurement; means for multiplying each of these measurements by a predetermined constant; means for summing the products of these multiplications; and, means for adding an offset factor to mean cell volume for correlation purposes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15, including means for determining the mean cell volumes of at least one subpopulation and means for reporting a mean cell volume for said subpopulation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for examining said cells by image analysis; means for generating signals representative of the mean cell area for the cells examined by said examining means; means for modifying the mean cell area information signals of said cells to produce mean cell volume signals for correlation purposes; and means for generating from said mean cell volume signals an output representative of the mean cell volume range of said cells.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell volume from a specimen of red blood cells some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for examining said cells by image analysis; means for generating signals representative of the mean cell area for the cells examined by said examining means; means for modifying the mean cell area information signals of said cells to produce mean cell volume signals for correlation purposes; and means for generating from said mean cell volume signals an output representative of the mean cell volume range of said cells.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 19 in which said means for generating an output representative of the size range provides an output indicating that the cell size range is microcytic, normocytic or macrocytic.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of determining a cell volume classification of red blood cells from a blood specimen with automated equipment having image analysis means for examining red blood cells and means for reporting out cell size classification comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen by image analysis with said image analysis means; extracting area features and generating signals representative of the mean cell area of said cells; generating signals for adjusting the measured mean cell area to a correlated mean cell volume; determining a correlated cell volume classification for said cells; reporting out a correlated cell volume classification for said cells with said means for reporting out cell size classification.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of determining a cell volume classification of red blood cells from a blood specimen with automated equipment having image analysis means for examining red blood cells and means for reporting out cell size classification comprising the steps of: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen by image analysis with said image analysis means; extracting area features and generating signals representative of the mean cell area of said cells; generating signals for adjusting the measured mean cell area to a correlated mean cell volume; determining a correlated cell volume classification for said cells; reporting out a correlated cell volume classification for said cells with said means for reporting out cell size classification.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 in which the step of determining a cell size classification comprises the further steps of classifying the cell size information as being representative of microcytic, normocytic or macrocytic cells.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells and means for measuring central pallors of the cells and means for measuring size and hemoglobin content of the cells, comprising the steps: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen, examining individual blood cells by respective features thereof including central pallors, determining a central pallor measurement indicating the percent of volume indentation due to the central pallor, generating size information for said cells, generating hemoglobin information for said cells, and determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of cells by calculating the volume using said hemoglobin and said size information and deducting the central pallor measurement due to central pallor indentation.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of determining the mean cell volume of red blood cells from a blood specimen with automated equipment having means for examining red blood cells and means for measuring central pallors of the cells and means for measuring size and hemoglobin content of the cells, comprising the steps: examining a plurality of red blood cells in the blood specimen, examining individual blood cells by respective features thereof including central pallors, determining a central pallor measurement indicating the percent of volume indentation due to the central pallor, generating size information for said cells, generating hemoglobin information for said cells, and determining the mean cell volume for a given subpopulation of cells by calculating the volume using said hemoglobin and said size information and deducting the central pallor measurement due to central pallor indentation.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 23, including determining the mean cell area for individual cells and determining the mean cell hemoglobin for individual cells.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell size from a specimen of red blood cells some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for generating signals representative of the area of the cells; means for measuring the optical density of the individual cells and for generating signals representative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; means for generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and means for generating an output size classification representative of the mean cell size of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus for producing a signal representing the mean cell size from a specimen of red blood cells some of which have central pallors, said apparatus comprising: means for generating signals representative of the area of the cells; means for measuring the optical density of the individual cells and for generating signals representative of the hemoglobin content or mass of said cells; means for generating signals representative of the central pallor of the cells having central pallors; and means for generating an output size classification representative of the mean cell size of said cells using said representative area signals, hemoglobin signals, and central pallor signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2656508A
Cited
US3259842A
Cited
US3851156A
Cited
US3944797A
Cited
US4052596A
Cited
US4086631A
Cited
US3982183A
Cited
US4128884A
Cited
US4063309A
Cited
US4097845A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-12-05 | 1988-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-05 | 1991-12-05 | 1992-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-05 | 1995-12-05 | 1996-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |