Disclosed is a method of determining a volume of liquid in a sample tube, comprising the steps of capturing an image of the sample tube, determining a first region of interest within the sample tube based upon pre-stored information concerning dimensional properties of the sample tube, scanning the first region of interest to detect the position of a meniscus indicative of an upper extent of the liquid, and using said meniscus position together with certain pre-stored properties of the sample tube to determine a volume of liquid in the tube, and outputting said volume. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method.

Claims

18 · 2 independent · depth 2

18 granted claims

›1.independentA method of determining a volume of liquid in a sample tube, comprising the steps of:ncapturing an image of the sample tube;determining a first region…+8

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the step of scanning the first region of interest comprises the use of an edge-detect algorithm to locate a discontinuit…d2

›3.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the volume comprises inputting the measured meniscus position to a table of pre-stored data to d…d2

›4.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the step of outputting said volume comprises outputting to a database for further analysis.d2

›5.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the step of outputting said volume comprises outputting via a display device to a user.d2

›6.↳ 1The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:ndefining a second region of interest, positioned below the meniscus position;scanning said seco…d2

›7.↳ 1The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of detecting the presence or absence of a cap on the sample tube and recording the cap presence or …d2

›8.↳ 1The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of reading a bar code associated with one or more sample tubes and recording the result.d2

›9.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the step of capturing an image of the sample tube includes capturing the image of a plurality of sample tubes simultaneo…d2

›10.independentAn apparatus operable to determine a volume of liquid in a sample tube, comprising:na camera for capturing an image of the sample tube; andan image pr…+8

›11.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable to scan the first region of interest, and to use an edge-detect algorithm to locate …d2

›12.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable to input the measured meniscus position to a table of pre-stored data to determine a…d2

›13.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable to output to a database for further analysis.d2

›14.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable to output via a display device to a user.d2

›15.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable tondefine a second region of interest positioned below the meniscus position,scan sa…d2

›16.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the image processor is operable to detect the presence or absence of a cap on the sample tube, and to record the cap…d2

›17.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a bar code reader for reading a bar code associated with one or more sample tubes.d2

›18.↳ 10The apparatus of claim 10 operable to capture a plurality of sample tube images simultaneously.d2

Classifications

2 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section G — Physics

G01F23/292
G01F22/00

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Pendency

2.6 y

932 days filing → grant

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non-final + final

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1 RCE

Examiner

Lisa Caputo

art unit 2855 · TC 2800

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Citations: 6 back · 0 forward

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1 priority documents

›Priority documents — 1

Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20130263656 A1	10 Oct 2013

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