The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Aperio, Vista, Calif., patent No. 7,826,649 entitled, “Data Management in a Linear-array-based Microscope Slide Scanner.”

The patent describes techniques invented by Aperio for processing large image files—during the scanning process—to create a single high-quality digital slide image. The ability to create a single digital slide, including image compression, during the scanning process results in faster overall scanning and streamlines digital pathology workflow, the company reports.

“This patent highlights our ability to create a single digital slide image during the scanning process, which is why our scanners continue to be the fastest on the market,” comments Dirk G. Soenksen, CEO of Aperio. “Our sub-95 second scan time includes all steps required to create a single digital slide image file by the scanning instrument. This patent requires others to divide the scanning process between the scanning instrument and a dedicated server, and to post-compress the imagery data on the server. Doing so takes much longer than their advertised scanning time, complicates the workflow, and requires moving and storing gigabytes of imagery data.”

The company’s family of ScanScope scanners are based on line-scanning, which produces seamless digital slide images.

The patent strengthens Aperio’s comprehensive intellectual property portfolio comprising more than 80 issued and pending patents world-wide, and provides the company with ownership of key innovations that address critical pathology imaging needs.

Release Date: April 20, 2011
Source: Aperio