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 biological sample support using a system comprising a spectral photodetector, comprising:
 receiving fluorescent 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 fluorescent 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, 
   wherein the calibrated alignment is configured to be used to calibrate the system to analyze a plurality of biological samples contained within the calibration objects.   
     
     
         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 for use by a diagnostic instrument, the calibrated representation being generated by a method comprising:
 receiving fluorescent 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 to calibrate the diagnostic instrument to analyze a plurality of samples contained within the calibration objects.   
     
     
         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 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The calibrated representation of  claim 11 , wherein the sample support comprises a plate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calibration objects comprise sample wells configured to contain biological samples. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the calibration objects comprise sample wells. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the sample support comprises a plate.