Patent ID: 7116809

Claim:
A method for analyzing an array of probes including biological polymers, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting the array with targets including biological polymers under conditions effective for binding between the targets and the probes; (b) detecting an association between the targets and probes using an imaging system to produce data that represents the association, the data being capable of forming an image; (c) associating the data with a grid that defines a first set of locations for a plurality of elements each bounded by axes of the grid; (d) determining a first group of one or more of the elements and a second group of one or more of the elements at the first set of locations; (e) analyzing the data associated with the first and second groups of the elements to determine a measure of contrast at the first set of locations; (f) re-associating the data with the grid that defines a second set of locations for the elements; (g) analyzing the data associated with the first and second groups of the elements to determine a measure of contrast at the second set of locations; and (h) selecting the association of the data with the grid at the second set of locations when the treasure of contrast for the second set of locations indicates a higher degree of contrast than the measure of contrast for the first set of locations.