Method and apparatus for fast focus imaging biologic specimens

1. A method for imaging a biologic fluid sample quiescently residing within a chamber, comprising the steps of:

positioning the chamber at a Z-axis position relative to an objective lens having a lens axis, wherein the Z-axis is parallel to the lens axis;

moving one or both of the chamber and the objective lens relative to one another at a velocity along the Z-axis; and

periodically creating one or more images of the biologic fluid sample as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another within a focus search range along the Z-axis, wherein each image is associated with a known Z-axis position within the focus search range, and wherein each image has a quantifiable focus index, and the quantifiable focus index is contrast;

wherein one or both of the chamber and the objective lens move relative to one another at a constant velocity along the Z-axis at the time the images are created;

comparing the focus index of the images to determine a relative amount of focus index in each of the images;

fitting a polynomial equation to the relative amount of focus index in each image versus the Z-axis position of the respective images for the images taken within the focus search range;

identifying a change in sign of the slope of the polynomial equation; and

analyzing the sample using the image taken at the Z-axis position associated with the change in slope.

2. A method for imaging a biologic fluid sample quiescently residing within a chamber, comprising the steps of:

positioning the chamber at a Z-axis position relative to an objective lens having a lens axis, wherein the Z-axis is parallel to the lens axis;

moving one or both of the chamber and the objective lens relative to one another at a velocity along the Z-axis;

creating an image of the biologic fluid sample as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another within a focus search range along the Z-axis, wherein the single image is created by continuously imaging the sample within the focus search range, wherein the image includes a plurality of portions, each associated with a Z-axis position within the focus search range, wherein each image portion has a quantifiable focus index, and wherein the quantifiable focus index is contrast;

comparing the focus index of the image portions, which image portions are created as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another, to determine a relative amount of focus index in each of the image portions; and

determining the image portions having greater relative amounts of focus index than other image portions;

fitting a polynomial equation to the relative amount of focus index in each image portion versus the Z-axis position of the respective image portion;

identifying a change in sign of the slope of the polynomial equation; and

analyzing the sample using the image portion taken at the Z-axis position associated with the change in slope.

3. A method for imaging a biologic fluid sample quiescently residing within a chamber, comprising the steps of:

positioning the chamber at a Z-axis position relative to an objective lens having a lens axis, wherein the Z-axis is parallel to the lens axis;

moving one or both of the chamber and the objective lens relative to one another at a velocity along the Z-axis; and

creating one or more images of the biologic fluid sample as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another within a focus search range along the Z-axis;

wherein one or both of the chamber and the objective lens move relative to one another at a constant velocity along the Z-axis at the time the images are created; and

wherein the constant velocity is less than a distance between positions along the Z-axis adjacent images are created, divided by an amount of time spent creating one of the images.

4. A method for imaging a biologic fluid sample quiescently residing within a chamber, comprising the steps of:

positioning the chamber at a Z-axis position relative to an objective lens having a lens axis, wherein the Z-axis is parallel to the lens axis;

moving one or both of the chamber and the objective lens relative to one another at a velocity along the Z-axis;

creating one or more images of the biologic fluid sample as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another within a focus search range along the Z-axis;

wherein each image is associated with a known Z-axis position within the focus search range, and wherein each image has a quantifiable focus index;

comparing the focus index of the images, which images are created as one or both of the chamber and the objective lens are moving at a velocity relative to one another, to determine a relative amount of focus index in each of the images;

determining the images having greater relative amounts of focus index than other images;

wherein one or both of the chamber and the objective lens move relative to one another at a constant velocity along the Z-axis at the time the images are created;

wherein the step of creating the images includes periodically creating discrete images of sample within the focus search range disposed in the first portions of the chamber, and continuously imaging sample within the focus search range disposed in one or more second portions of the chamber, to create a single image of the sample;

wherein the discrete images of sample disposed in the first portions of the chamber are each associated with a known Z-axis position and each has a quantifiable focus index; and

wherein the continuous image of the sample disposed in the second portion of the chamber has subportions, each associated with a known Z-axis position and each has a quantifiable focus index.