Systems and Methods for Object Identification

1 . A system for identifying objects in an image, the system comprising:

a database comprising a multi-channel input image of a sample;

a collapsing element utilizing a signal function to transform the multi-channel input image into a single-channel image defining an image domain having a plurality of localized extrema,

a thresholding element to iteratively apply a varying threshold value to the single-channel image to segment objects in the image;

an assignment element utilizing a merit function that assigns merit function values to segmented objects to determine qualified objects in the image;

a classification element for classifying at least some of the qualified objects as detected objects;

an organizing element for creating at least one data structure utilizing the detected objects such that each data structure consists of detected objects at approximately the same location in the image domain; and

an identification element for selecting at least some of the detected objects utilizing the created data structures.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises a biological sample.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the form of the signal function is selected from the group consisting of a rational function, a general non-linear function, a general linear transform, and a linear transform with coefficients computed via a principal component analysis formalism.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold values applied by the thresholding element are predetermined.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the thresholding element utilizes a threshold series comprising the predetermined values.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the threshold series comprises at least one of evenly spaced values between a lower and an upper limit and values computed based on a cumulative distribution function of the single-channel image.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the merit function is based on at least one feature or combination of features of the segmented objects.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the classification element is a pass-through.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the classification element is selected from the group consisting of a single-class classifier and a multi-class classifier.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the classification element performs at least one of computing a confidence value that a qualified object belongs to a target class and estimating a posterior probability that a qualified object belongs to a target class.

11 . A method of identifying objects in an image, the method comprising:

providing a multi-channel image of a sample;

applying a signal function to the multi-channel image to create a single-channel image defining an image domain having a plurality of localized extrema;

iteratively applying a varying threshold value to the single-channel image to segment objects in the image;

iteratively computing merit function values of segmented objects to determine qualified objects in the image;

classifying at least some of the qualified objects as detected objects;

creating at least one data structure utilizing the detected objects such that each data structure consists of detected objects at approximately the same location in the image domain; and

selecting at least some of the detected objects utilizing the created data structures.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sample comprises a biological sample.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the signal function prioritizes at least one of contrasting the localized extrema with background values and minimizing an impact of color variation.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the signal function assigns one of low and high values to the localized extrema.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a series of threshold values are applied in one of an ascending and a descending order.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of computing a series of merit function values for each individual object in view at each threshold value.

17 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of computing a single merit function value for all the objects in at least one section of the single-channel image at each threshold value.

18 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of determining that a segmented object is a qualified object if it achieves one of a local and global maximum of a series of merit function values.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of extracting features from the qualified objects.

20 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of computing at least one of a confidence value that a qualified object belongs to a target class and a posterior probability that a qualified object belongs to a target class.

21 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the steps of accepting the first detected object at each location in the image domain and rejecting any further segmented objects at approximately the same location in the image domain.

22 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of storing detected objects and associated merit function values, confidence values, posterior probabilities, and extracted features in memory.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein a selection algorithm selects at least one of the stored detected objects based on the associated merit function values, confidence values, posterior probabilities, and extracted features of the detected objects which comprise the data structure.

24 . The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of modifying the at least one data structure based on a modification algorithm.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the modification algorithm modifies the at least one data structure based on associated values selected from the group consisting of merit function values, confidence values, posterior probabilities, and extracted features.