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Publication Number
US-10318845-B2
Publication Date
2019-06-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of reading a coupon channel that displays a test section pattern after being exposed to a target substance, the method uses a device having a computer readable memory, digital camera, logic assembly and user interface; providing a pixel target intensity profile; placing the coupon in the device and exposing the coupon channel to a test fluid mixture; automatically using the digital camera to take a digital image of the coupon channel test section after the exposure. The improvement in the method includes finding the contiguous set of pixels from the test section of the coupon channel that best matches the intensity profile of the target pattern representation and determining if this best match set of pixels exceeds a similarity threshold and in response to a best match set of pixels passing the similarity threshold, automatically providing a human perceptible indication that the target substance has been detected.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a method of reading a coupon channel that displays a test pattern in a test section after being exposed to a target substance. The method uses a device having a computer readable memory, a digital camera, a logic assembly, and a user interface, and the digital camera automatically takes a digital image of the coupon channel test section after exposure, where the digital image is formed of color pixels with at least two sub-pixels representing the intensity of two different colors.
A color-ratio pixel target pattern representation is provided and stored in the computer readable memory. For each color pixel in the digital image, the method forms a color-ratio pixel by forming the ratio of a first one of the two sub-pixels with the other, and the logic assembly automatically compares the color-ratio pixels in the test section, as shown in the digital image, to the stored color-ratio pixel target pattern representation.
The comparison is used to determine if the test section passes a similarity threshold, and in response to the test section passing the similarity threshold, the method automatically provides a human perceptible indication that the target substance has been detected. The comparison is performed to locate and evaluate a best matching contiguous set of pixels relative to a stored reference intensity profile using least-squares nonlinear correlation and a goodness-of-fit parameter, and the result is evaluated against the similarity threshold to decide detection.
Claims Coverage
The provided claims describe one independent claim and dependent refinements, with the independent claim defining the core inventive method and the dependent claims specifying how the target-pattern representation is obtained and how thresholding is handled. Three inventive features are identified below.
Ratio-based color-ratio pixel target pattern comparison
For each color pixel forming a color-ratio pixel by forming the ratio of a first one of said two subpixels with the other, and automatically using said logic assembly to compare said color-ratio pixels in said test section as shown in said digital image to said color-ratio pixel target pattern representation to determine if said test section passes a similarity threshold.
Similarity threshold decision with human perceptible indication
In response to a test section passing said similarity threshold, automatically providing a human perceptible indication that the target substance has been detected.
Automated imaging of the coupon channel test section with color sub-pixels
Automatically using said digital camera to take a digital image of said coupon channel test section after said exposure, said digital image formed of color pixels, each containing at least two sub-pixels representing the intensity of two different colors.
Across the claims, detection is based on forming color-ratio pixels from color pixels with at least two color sub-pixels, comparing a test-section color-ratio pixel representation to a stored color-ratio pixel target pattern representation, deciding pass/fail using a similarity threshold, and generating a human perceptible indication when passing the threshold. Dependent claims further specify that the target-pattern representation can be generated from a control-section target pattern or obtained from digital imagery after a predetermined development time, and that the similarity threshold can be user adjustable.
Stated Advantages
Provides an immediate human perceptible indication that the target substance has been detected.
Reduces illumination/background nonuniformity by using ratiometric color-based processing via color-ratio pixels.
Supports determination of a best-matching contiguous set of pixels using least-squares nonlinear correlation and a goodness-of-fit parameter for similarity-threshold comparison.
Supports time integration and early/multiple image acquisition to reduce time-to-result.
Uses control lines to validate correct exposure/assay functioning.
Documented Applications
Reading a coupon channel for a lateral-flow immunoassay-style coupon that displays a test pattern in a test section after being exposed to a target substance, including validation using a control section/control line.
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