Imaging and analyzing parameters of small moving objects such as cells

Claim 2

An imaging system adapted to determine one or more characteristics of an object from an image of the object in which at least one component of the object is detected while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a collection lens disposed so that light traveling from the object passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path, said collection lens substantially collimating light from the object; (b) a light dispersing element disposed in the collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the collection lens, producing dispersed light; (c) an imaging lens disposed to receive the dispersed light, producing an image from the dispersed light; and (d) a time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive the image produced by the imaging lens, said image clearly separately distinguishing components included in the object, producing an output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, said TDI detector producing the output signal by integrating light from at least a portion of the object over time, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs.

Claim 3

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the light dispersing element spectrally disperses the light that has passed through the collection lens, and wherein the dispersed light is spectrally dispersed across the TDI detector.

Claim 4

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the light that has passed through the collection lens is dispersed in a plane that is orthogonal to a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system.

Claim 5

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image of the object produced by the imaging lens moves across the TDI detector as the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs.

Claim 6

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the light from the object comprises an unstimulated emission from the object.

Claim 7

The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a light source that is disposed to provide an incident light that illuminates the object.

Claim 8

The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the object scatters the incident light, said light that is scattered from the object at least in part passing through the collection lens.

Claim 9

The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the incident light illuminating the object stimulates the object to emit the light that passes through the collection lens.

Claim 10

The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the incident light is at least partially absorbed by the object, so that the light passing through the collection lens does not include a portion of the light absorbed by the object.

Claim 11

The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the incident light is reflected from the object toward the collection lens.

Claim 12

The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of: (a) a coherent light source; (b) a non-coherent light source; (c) a pulsed light source; and (d) a continuous light source.

Claim 13

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the object is entrained within a fluid stream that moves the object past the collection lens.

Claim 14

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the object is carried on a support past the collection lens.

Claim 15

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the TDI detector responds to the image of the object by producing a signal that propagates through the TDI detector.

Claim 16

The imaging system of claim 14 , wherein a propagation rate of the signal through the TDI detector is synchronized with a motion of the image of the object on the TDI detector as a result of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system.

Claim 17

The imaging system of claim 14 , wherein a propagation rate of the signal through the TDI detector is not synchronized with a motion of the image of the object on the TDI detector as a result of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system.

Claim 18

The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the dispersing element comprises a prism.

Claim 19

The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising an objective lens disposed between the object and the collection lens, having a focal point at which the object is imaged; and an optical slit aligned with a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system and disposed between the objective lens and the collection lens at the focal point of the objective lens, said slit substantially preventing extraneous light reaching the collection lens by transmitting to the collection lens the light from the object that is focussed on the slit by the objective lens.

Claim 20

An imaging system adapted to determine one or more characteristics of an object from a scatter pattern image of the object while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a light source that produces light incident on the object; (b) a collection lens disposed so that light emitted by the light source and traveling from the object passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path, said collection lens having a focal plane that is conjugate to the object; (c) a cylindrical lens disposed in the collection path to receive the light that has passed through the collection lens from the object, said cylindrical lens having a central axis around which the cylindrical lens is curved, said central axis being generally orthogonal to a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system, so that the cylindrical lens produces a scattered pattern image of the object along a direction that is substantially parallel to said central axis of the cylindrical lens; and (d) a time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive the scattered pattern image produced by the cylindrical lens, producing an output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, said TDI detector producing the output signal by integrating light from at least a portion of the object over time.

Claim 21

An imaging system adapted to determine one or more characteristics of an object from a scatter pattern image of the object while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a light source that produces light incident on the object; (b) a collection lens disposed so that light emitted by the light source and traveling from the object passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path, said collection lens having a focal plane that is conjugate to the object; (c) a cylindrical lens disposed in the collection path to receive the light that has passed through the collection lens from the object, said cylindrical lens having a central axis around which the cylindrical lens is curved, said central axis being generally orthogonal to a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system, so that the cylindrical lens produces a scattered pattern image of the object along a direction that is substantially parallel to said central axis of the cylindrical lens; and (d) a time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive the scattered pattern image produced by the cylindrical lens, producing an output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, said TDI detector producing the output signal by integrating light from at least a portion of the object over time.

Claim 22

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the TDI detector includes a plurality of light sensitive regions arranged in an array of rows and columns, said scattered pattern image being distributed along either a row or a column of the light sensitive regions, said array being oriented with either the rows or the columns of the array aligned with the central axis of the cylindrical lens.

Claim 23

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein light emitted by the light source illuminates a plurality of objects so that the light from the plurality of objects passes through the collection lens and the cylindrical lens, forming a plurality of separate scattered pattern images on the TDI detector, the signals produced by the TDI detector in response to the separate scattered pattern images indicating at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of objects.

Claim 24

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the object is entrained within a fluid stream that moves the object past the collection lens.

Claim 25

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein a signal propagates through the TDI detector, and wherein a propagation rate of said signal through the TDI detector is synchronized with a motion of the scattered pattern image of the object on the TDI detector caused by the relative movement of the object relative to the imaging system.

Claim 26

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein a signal propagates through the TDI detector, and wherein a propagation rate of the signal through the TDI detector is not synchronized with a motion of the scattered pattern image of the object on the TDI detector caused by the relative movement of the object relative to the imaging system.

Claim 27

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the object is carried on a support that moves the object past the collection lens.

Claim 28

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of: (a) a coherent light source; (b) a non-coherent light source; (c) a pulsed light source; and (d) a continuous light source.

Claim 29

The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the scattered pattern image is distributed along the TDI detector along a line that is aligned with the central axis of the cylindrical lens, said line moving across the TDI detector in accord with the relative movement between the object and the imaging system.

Claim 30

An imaging system adapted to determine different characteristics of an object from images of the object in which components of the object are detected while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a first collection lens disposed so that light from the object passes through the first collection lens and travels along a first collection path, said first collection lens substantially collimating the light traveling along the first collection path; (b) a first light dispersing element disposed in the first collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the first collection lens, producing first dispersed light; (c) a first imaging lens disposed to receive the first dispersed light, producing at least one image from the first dispersed light; (d) a first time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive said at least one image produced by the first imaging lens, said at least one image clearly separately distinguishing components included in the object, producing a first output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, said first TDI detector producing the first output signal by integrating the first dispersed light from at least a portion of the object over time, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs; (e) a second collection lens disposed so that light from the object passes through the second collection lens and travels along a second collection path different than the first collection path, said second collection lens substantially collimating the light traveling along the second collection path; (f) a second light dispersing element disposed in the second collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the second collection lens, producing second dispersed light; (g) a second imaging lens disposed to receive the second dispersed light from the second light dispersing element, producing at least one image from said second dispersed light; and (h) a second TDI detector disposed to receive said at least one image produced by the second imaging lens, said at least one image clearly separately distinguishing components included in the object, producing a second output signal that is indicative of at least one other characteristic of the moving object, said second TDI detector producing the second output signal by integrating the second dispersed light from at least a portion of the object over time while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs, said first and second output signals being indicative of substantially different characteristics of the moving object.

Claim 31

An imaging system adapted to determine different characteristics of an object from images of the object in which components of the object are detected while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a first collection lens disposed so that light from the object passes through the first collection lens and travels along a first collection path, said first collection lens substantially collimating the light traveling along the first collection path; (b) a first light dispersing element disposed in the first collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the first collection lens, producing first dispersed light; (c) a first imaging lens disposed to receive the first dispersed light, producing at least one image from the first dispersed light; (d) a first time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive said at least one image produced by the first imaging lens, said at least one image clearly separately distinguishing components included in the object, producing a first output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, said first TDI detector producing the first output signal by integrating the first dispersed light from at least a portion of the object over time, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs; (e) a second collection lens disposed so that light from the object passes through the second collection lens and travels along a second collection path different than the first collection path, said second collection lens substantially collimating the light traveling along the second collection path; (f) a second light dispersing element disposed in the second collection path so as to disperse the light that has passed through the second collection lens, producing second dispersed light; (g) a second imaging lens disposed to receive the second dispersed light from the second light dispersing element, producing at least one image from said second dispersed light; and (h) a second TDI detector disposed to receive said at least one image produced by the second imaging lens, said at least one image clearly separately distinguishing components included in the object, producing a second output signal that is indicative of at least one other characteristic of the moving object, said second TDI detector producing the second output signal by integrating the second dispersed light from at least a portion of the object over time while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs, said first and second output signals being indicative of substantially different characteristics of the moving object.

Claim 32

The imaging system of claim 28 , further comprising a light source that produces light incident on the object, wherein the light from the object includes an emission from the object stimulated by the light from the light source that is incident on the object.

Claim 33

The imaging system of claim 28 , wherein the object is entrained within a fluid stream that moves the object past the first and the second collection lens to achieve the relative movement between the object and the imaging system.

Claim 34

The imaging system of claim 28 , wherein the object is carried on a support.

Claim 35

An imaging system adapted to determine characteristics of an object from images of the object, while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a light source that emits light incident on the object; (b) a collection lens disposed so that light from the light source that has illuminated the object and is traveling from the object passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path; (c) a beam splitter that is disposed in the collection path so that light from the light source that is scattered from the object is directed along a different path, while light that is emitted by the object continues through the beam splitter along the collection path; (d) a spectral dispersing element disposed beyond the beam splitter in the collection path, said spectral dispersing element spectrally dispersing the light emitted by the object, producing spectrally dispersed light; (e) an imaging lens disposed to receive the spectrally dispersed light, producing an image thereof; (f) a cylindrical lens disposed to receive the light scattered from the object, said cylindrical lens having a central axis around which the cylindrical lens is curved, said central axis being generally orthogonal to a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system, so that the cylindrical lens produces a scattered pattern image of the object along a direction that is substantially parallel to said central axis of the cylindrical lens; and (g) at least one time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive the image produced by the imaging lens, producing an output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, and to receive the scattered pattern image produced by the cylindrical lens, producing a different output signal that is indicative of at least one other characteristic of the object, said at least one TDI detector producing said output signals by integrating light from the object over time while the object is moving.

Claim 36

An imaging system adapted to determine characteristics of an object from images of the object, while there is relative movement between the object and the imaging system, comprising: (a) a light source that emits light incident on the object; (b) a collection lens disposed so that light from the light source that has illuminated the object and is traveling from the object passes through the collection lens and travels along a collection path; (c) a beam splitter that is disposed in the collection path so that light from the light source that is scattered from the object is directed along a different path, while light that is emitted by the object continues through the beam splitter along the collection path; (d) a spectral dispersing element disposed beyond the beam splitter in the collection path, said spectral dispersing element spectrally dispersing the light emitted by the object, producing spectrally dispersed light; (e) an imaging lens disposed to receive the spectrally dispersed light, producing an image thereof; (f) a cylindrical lens disposed to receive the light scattered from the object, said cylindrical lens having a central axis around which the cylindrical lens is curved, said central axis being generally orthogonal to a direction of the relative movement between the object and the imaging system, so that the cylindrical lens produces a scattered pattern image of the object along a direction that is substantially parallel to said central axis of the cylindrical lens; and (g) at least one time delay integration (TDI) detector disposed to receive the image produced by the imaging lens, producing an output signal that is indicative of at least one characteristic of the object, and to receive the scattered pattern image produced by the cylindrical lens, producing a different output signal that is indicative of at least one other characteristic of the object, said at least one TDI detector producing said output signals by integrating light from the object over time while the object is moving.

Claim 37

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein the object is entrained within a fluid stream that moves the object past the first and the second collection lens.

Claim 38

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein the object is carried on a support.

Claim 39

The imaging system of claim 32 , further comprising at least one beam conditioning lens disposed so that the light scattered by the object passes therethrough before reaching the cylindrical lens, said at least one beam conditioning lens improving a quality of the scattered pattern image on said at least one TDI detector.

Claim 40

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein a portion of said at least one TDI detector receives the scattered pattern image, and a different portion of said at least one TDI detector receives the image produced by the imaging lens from the spectrally dispersed light.

Claim 41

The imaging system of claim 36 , wherein said at least one TDI detector responds to said images of the object by producing signals that propagate through said at least one TDI detector.

Claim 42

The imaging system of claim 37 , wherein propagation rates of the signals through said at least one TDI detector are synchronized with a motion of the scattered pattern image and of the image of the object on said at least one TDI detector, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs.

Claim 43

The imaging system of claim 37 , wherein propagation rates of the signals through said at least one TDI detector are not synchronized with a motion of the scattered pattern image and of the image of the object on said at least one TDI detector produced from the spectrally dispersed light, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs.

Claim 44

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein said dispersion element comprises a diffraction grating.

Claim 45

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein the beam splitter comprises a dichroic element that reflects the light scattered by the object and transmits the light emitted by the object.

Claim 46

The imaging system of claim 32 , wherein the imaging lens images the spectrally dispersed light on a first TDI detector, and the cylindrical lens images the scattered pattern image on a second TDI detector.

Claim 49

The method of claim 43 , wherein the step of dispersing the light comprises the step of spectrally dispersing the light.

Claim 50

The method of claim 43 , wherein the image of the object produced by the step of focusing moves across the TDI detector, while the relative movement between the object and the imaging system occurs.

Claim 51

The method of claim 43 , wherein the light from the object comprises an unstimulated emission from the object.

Claim 52

The method of claim 43 , further comprising the steps of: (a) providing a light source; and (b) illuminating the object with incident light from the light source while the object is moving.

Claim 53

The method of claim 47 , wherein the object scatters the incident light, said light that is scattered from the object at least in part passing through the collection lens.

Claim 54

The method of claim 47 , wherein the incident light illuminating the object stimulates the object to em it the light from the object that is focussed along the collection path.

Claim 55

The method claim 47 , wherein the incident light is at least partially absorbed by the object, so that the light that is foussed along the collection path does not include light absorbed by the object.

Claim 56

The method of claim 47 , wherein the light focussed along the collection path is the incident light produced by the light source that has been reflected from the object .

Claim 57

The method of claim 47 , where in the light source comprises at least one of: (a ) a coherent light source; (b) a non-coherent light source; (c) a pulsed light source; and (d) a continuous light source.

Claim 58

The method of claim 43 , further comprising the step of entraining the object within a fluid stream that moves the object.

Claim 59

The method of claim 43 , further comprising the step of carrying the object on a substrate during the step of focusing the light from the object along the collection path.

Claim 60

The method of claim 43 , wherein the TDI detector responds to the imag(e of the object by producing a signal that propagates through the TDI detector.

Claim 61

The method of claim 55 , further comprising the step of synchronizing a motion of the image of the object on the TDI detector with a propagation rate of the signal through the TDI detector, while the image of the object moves over the TDI detector.

Claim 62

The met hod of claim 43 , further comprising the step of preventing extraneous light from reaching the TDI detector by transmitting substantially only the light from the object along the collection path.

Claim 65

The method of claim 58 , wherein the TDI detector includes a plurality of light sensitive regions arranged in an array of rows and columns, further comprising the step of distributing said scattered pattern image along either a row or a column of the array.

Claim 66

The method of claim 58 , further comprising the steps of: (a) illuminating a plurality of objects with the light emitted by the light source; (b) forming a plurality of separate scattered pattern images on the TDI detector; and (c) analyzing signals produced by the TDI detector in response to the separate scattered pattern images of the plurality of objects, each signal indicating at least one characteristic of a different one of the plurality of objects.

Claim 67

The method of claim 58 , further comprising the step of entraining the object within a fluid stream that moves the object.

Claim 68

The method of claim 58 , further comprising the step of synchronizing a motion of the scattered pattern image of the object on the TDI detector with a propagation rate of a signal through the TDI detector as the scattered pattern image of the object moves over the TDI detector.

Claim 69

The method of claim 58 , further comprising the step of carrying the object on a support during the step of illuminating the object with light.

Claim 70

The method of claim 58 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of: (a) a coherent light source; (b) a non-coherent light source; (c) a pulsed light source; and (d) a continuous light source.

Claim 71

The method of claim 58 , further comprising the step of distributing the scattered pattern image over the TDI detector along a line aligned with a central axis of the cylindrical lens.

Claim 74

The method of claim 66 , wherein the light emitted from the object is stimulated by light from a light source that is incident on the object.

Claim 75

The method of claim 66 , further comprising the step of entraining the object within a fluid stream that moves the object.

Claim 76

The method of claim 66 , further comprising the step of carrying the object on a support.

Claim 79

The method of claim 70 , further comprising the step of entraining the object within a fluid stream.

Claim 80

The method of claim 70 , further comprising the step of carrying the object on a support.

Claim 81

The method of claim 70 , wherein a portion of the TDI detector receives the scattered pattern image, and a different portion of the TDI detector receives the image produced from the spectrally dispersed light.

Claim 82

The method of claim 70 , wherein the TDI detector responds to said images of the object by producing signals that propagate through the TDI detector.

Claim 83

The method of claim 70 , further comprising the step of synchronizing a motion of the scattered pattern image and of the image of the object on the TDI detector produced by imaging the spectrally dispersed light with propagation rates of the signals through the TDI detector, as the images of the object move over the TDI detector.

Claim 84

The method of claim 70 , wherein the step of splitting comprises the step of using a dichroic element to reflect the light scattered by the object and to transmit the light emitted by the object.