Patent ID: 7646482

Claim:
A method of optically analyzing samples in a biological sample container, comprising the steps of: providing a biological sample container containing a plurality of samples located at respective sample locations distributed over the biological sample container, each sample location being coincident with, or vertically offset from, a base of the biological sample container, wherein the base is defined by upper and lower surfaces; providing an optical acquisition device comprising a detector and an objective which collectively define a focal plane for optical acquisition; measuring the position of at least one of the upper and lower surface of the base at each of the sample locations by focusing a continuum of wavelengths of polychromatic light to a continuum of respective pre-calibrated positions along an axis extending through the base, and by collecting and spectrally decomposing those components of the polychromatic light scattered from said axis; and collecting light from each of the sample locations by adjusting the focal plane to be coincident with, or vertically offset from, the upper surface of the base based on the position of the at least one of the upper and lower surface of the base measured at that sample location, wherein light is collected from each of the sample locations by moving the sample container or the optical acquisition device in a continuous motion between some or all of the sample locations.