Patent ID: 8815537
Filing Date: 2014-08-26
Classification: G01N,G06K,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. An automated method for analyzing a fluid comprising blood cells, the method comprising: a. transporting a substrate with a substrate mover from a feeder where the substrate is stored to a first station where the fluid is dispensed onto the substrate; b. filling an applicator tip with a volume of the fluid; c. positioning the applicator tip at a height above the substrate; d. dispensing a known volume of fluid out of the applicator tip and while the fluid is dispensed onto the substrate, maintaining relative movement between the tip and the substrate and at a constant height between the tip and the substrate to lay down the known volume of fluid in two or more rows over an area of the substrate, wherein the fluid is dispensed such that the blood cells in a given row settle adjacent to blood cells in an adjacent row to minimize the formation of any gaps between the rows, such that the cells in the two or more rows settle onto the substrate in a layer that is about one cell thick, and such that damage to the cells is minimized and cell morphology is sufficiently preserved to enable image-based cell analysis; e. after dispensing the fluid onto the substrate, using the substrate mover to move the substrate to a second station and applying a quantity of stain solution onto the substrate to stain the blood cells; f. using the substrate mover to position the substrate relative to a light source at a third station; g. activating a first LED in the light source to generate illumination light in a first wavelength interval and illuminating the substrate to obtain a first digital image of the cells in the rows with a light receiving device, wherein the first image corresponds to light transmitted or reflected by the cells in the first wavelength interval; h. activating a second LED in the light source to generate illumination light in a second wavelength interval and illuminating the substrate to obtain a second digital image of the cells in the rows with a light receiving device, wherein the second image corresponds to light transmitted or reflected by the cells in the second wavelength interval; i. combining the first and second digital images to generate a multi-color digital image for analysis; and j. automatically analyzing the multi-color digital image with an automated imaging system to automatically provide a complete blood count (CBC), and at least one of a red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, a reticulocyte count, WBC differential, and a platelet count.