Calibrating the Positions of a Rotating and Translating Two-Dimensional Scanner

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that comprise calibration techniques and associated systems that identify the two-dimensional position, or other alignment or positioning, of sample wells or other calibration objects located in a sample well plate, or other surface or area of interest. In some embodiments, calibration of the plate and/or positioning and/or alignment with respect to detection optics can be performed in multiple stages for two or more dimensions.

1 . A method of calibrating an alignment of a sample support, comprising:
 receiving emission data from calibration objects of the sample support;   determining a center of a set of the calibration objects in a first dimension;   determining a set of translations of the calibration objects in a second dimension;   generating a calibrated alignment of the calibration objects based on the center and the determined set of translations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a center comprises determining a center corresponding to an angular position of an imaging element imaging the calibration objects. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining a center comprises summing or differencing a set of peaks in the emission data for the set of calibration objects in the second dimension at the same angular value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining a center comprises identifying a highest summation of emission data in the second dimension, and associating the center with the angular value corresponding the highest summation of emission data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a set of translations comprises identifying a set of peaks in the emission data for a set of calibration objects in the second dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a statistical measure of the separation distance between pairs of the set of calibration objects. 
     
     
         7 . A system for calibrating an alignment of a sample support and a detection device, comprising:
 an input unit, the input unit being configured to receive emission data from calibration objects of the sample support; and   a processor unit, the processor unit communicating with the input unit and being configured to:
 determine a center of a set of the calibration objects in a first dimension, 
 determine a set of translations of the calibration objects in a second dimension, and 
 generate a calibrated alignment of the calibration objects based on the center and the determined set of translations. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining a center comprises determining a center corresponding to an angular position of an imaging element imaging the calibration objects. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining a set of translations comprises identifying a set of peaks in the emission data for a set of calibration objects in the second dimension. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising generating a statistical measure of the separation distance between pairs of the set of calibration objects. 
     
     
         11 . A calibrated representation of the position of calibration objects of a sample support, the calibrated representation being generated by a method comprising:
 receiving emission data from calibration objects of the sample support;   determining a center of a set of the calibration objects in a first dimension;   determining a set of translations of the calibration objects in a second dimension;   generating a calibrated alignment of the calibration objects based on the center and the determined set of translations.   
     
     
         12 . The calibrated representation of  claim 11 , wherein determining a center comprises determining a center corresponding to an angular position of an imaging element imaging the calibration objects. 
     
     
         13 . The calibrated representation of  claim 11 , wherein determining a set of translations comprises identifying a set of peaks in the emission data for a set of calibration objects in the second dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The calibrated representation of  claim 13 , wherein the set of translations in the second dimension comprises a set of linear offsets. 
     
     
         15 . The calibrated representation of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises generating a statistical measure of the separation distance between pairs of the set of calibration objects. 
     
     
         16 . The calibrated representation of  claim 11 , wherein the calibration objects comprise a set of sample wells. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium being readable to execute a method of:
 receiving emission data from calibration objects of the sample support;   determining a center of a set of the calibration objects in a first dimension;   determining a set of translations of the calibration objects in a second dimension;   generating a calibrated alignment of the calibration objects based on the center and the determined set of translations.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein determining a center comprises determining a center corresponding to an angular position of an imaging element imaging the calibration objects. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises generating a statistical measure of the separation distance between pairs of the set of calibration objects. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the sample support comprises a plate.