1. A method in microscopy for generating a position signal, comprising the steps of:
recording at least one first image;
recording, by means of an image sensor, a second image which reproduces a second area of an object,
comparing image information from the second recorded image with image information from the at least one previously recorded first image, which reproduces a first area of the object, which partly overlaps the second area,
registering the second image with the first image on the basis of the result of the comparison, pixels in the second image being assigned coordinates in a pixel coordinate system, in which pixels in the first image have previously been assigned coordinates, and
generating a position signal, which comprises coordinates of a point in the second image, wherein the position signal is used to indicate the relative position of the image sensor and the object when recording the second image.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position signal is used to indicate the position of a partial object in the second image.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of sequentially repeating the recording step, the comparing step and the registering step a desired number of times with relative displacement of the image sensor and the object between repetitions.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recording step, the comparing step and the registering step are repeated until a predetermined area of the object has been scanned.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of generating the position signal is performed once each time the recording step is performed.
6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recording step, the comparing step and the registering step are repeated until a predetermined relative position of the image sensor and the object has been reached.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of generating the position signal is performed once each time the recording step is performed.
8. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of generating the position signal is performed once each time the recording step is performed.
9. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of controlling, by means of the position signal, the relative displacement of the object and the image sensor between repetitions of the recording step.
10. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of correcting the relative position of the object and image sensor by means of the position signal.
11. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the steps of looking in the image, for each recorded second image, for partial objects of interest and, when a partial object of interest has been identified, storing the pixel coordinates of a point which is related to the partial object.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of controlling the relative displacement of the image sensor and the object to a position which corresponds to the stored pixel coordinates of a point which is related to a first partial object by, starting from a reference position, controlling the displacement on the basis of the pixel coordinates, and by repeating, during the displacement, the recording step, the comparing step, the registering step and the generation of the position signal and by comparing the position signal with the pixel coordinates.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of controlling the relative displacement of the image sensor and the object to a position which corresponds to the stored pixel coordinates of a point which is related to a second partial object by using the pixel coordinates for the first partial object as a reference point.
14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein information from the object is collected in two phases, a first phase comprising scanning a predetermined area by sequentially repeating the recording step, the comparing step and the registering step with relative displacement of the image sensor and the object between repetitions, examining each recorded first image for identification of partial objects of interest, and storing the positions of identified partial objects, and a second phase comprising displacing the image sensor and the object relative to each other so that the positions of the identified partial objects are reached, and reproducing the partial objects in these positions.
15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position signal is inputted as an actual value signal to a control unit for controlling the position of a microscope stage in relation to the image sensor.
16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is carried out during manual relative displacement of the image sensor and the object.
17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of comparing image information comprises comparing the image information from the first and the second image for different relative displacements between the images, the first and the second image being registered with the relative displacement which minimises the sum of the squares of the differences between the pixel values for overlapping pixels.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the comparison of the image information is carried out a first time for a first resolution of the images and a second time for a second resolution of the images.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step of spatially filtering the second image.
20. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the image information from the second image by projecting the pixel values of the second image on an edge line of the second image, at which edge line the second image is to be registered with the first image, the image information from the first image being provided correspondingly.
21. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the step of calculating a set of covariance values for different relative displacements of the first and the second image parallel with said edge line, and determining an ideal relative displacement of the first and the second image as the relative displacement that corresponds to a maximum covariance value in the set.
22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a plurality of images have been recorded previously and wherein ideal relative displacements have been determined for each pair of images which reproduce a common area of the object, further comprising the step of determining a compromise for the registration of all images so that the total deviation from the ideal relative displacements of all the images is minimised, and registering the first and the second image with a relative displacement in accordance with the compromise.
23. A microscope which can generate a position signal comprising:
an optical system for reproducing an object;
an image sensor for recording at least first and second images of the object reproduced by means of the optical system; and
a signal-processing unit for processing the recorded images, wherein the signal-processing unit is adapted to compare image information from the second recorded image, which reproduces a second area of the object, with at least one previously recorded first image, which reproduces a first area of the object, which partly overlaps the second area, register the second image with the first image, pixels in the second image being assigned coordinates in a pixel coordinate system, in which pixels in the first image have previously been assigned coordinates, and generate a position signal, which comprises coordinates of a point in the second image, wherein the position signal is used to indicate the relative position of the image sensor and the obiect when recording the second image.
24. A microscope as claimed in claim 23, further comprising a microscope stage for carrying the object, the position signal being used to control the displacement of the microscope stage.
25. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for generating a position signal comprising program code which, during execution in a computer, is adapted to record a first recorded microscope image, compare image information from a second recorded microscope image, which reproduces a second area of a microscope object, with at least one previously recorded first microscope image, which reproduces a first area of the microscope object, which partly overlaps the second area, register the second microscope image with the first image, pixels in the second microscope image being assigned coordinates in a pixel coordinate system, in which pixels in the first microscope image have previously been assigned coordinates, and generate a position signal, which comprises coordinates of a point in the second microscope image, wherein the position signal is used to indicate the relative position of the image sensor and the obiect when recording the second image.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for determining instances when a vehicle’s indicated speed exceeds a governing speed, comprising:
a receiver to receive information from which a vehicle’s location envelope, indicated direction of travel, and indicated speed can be derived;
a processor configured to:
ascertain a location envelope in which the vehicle is located, an indicated speed of the vehicle, and a direction of travel of the vehicle at a sample time;
select the governing speed for the vehicle at the sample time, comprising:
ascertain possible route segments comprising at least a portion within the location envelope,
eliminate route segments comprising a route segment direction of travel inconsistent with the indicated direction of travel,
select as the governing speed a speed associated with a remaining route segment; and
determine if the indicated speed exceeds the governing speed.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein select a governing speed comprises generate an inferred governing speed using suggestive information that suggests a speed for the remaining route segment, compare the inferred governing speed and the speed associated with the remaining route segment, and determine which value should be used, or if the determination should be abandoned for that sample time.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter to transmit the information from the vehicle to a remote processor.
4. The system of claim 1, comprising a notification transmitter to transmit speeding exception information to the vehicle, and a notification receiver in a vehicle to receive the speeding exception information, wherein upon determination of a speeding exception, a notification is sent to a driver that the speeding exception has been ascertained.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information from which a vehicle’s location envelope can be derived comprises latitude and longitude, and wherein the information from which a vehicle’s indicated speed can be derived comprises a value determined by the vehicle, or geodetic information from which the speed can be calculated.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed associated with the remaining route segment is supplied by a third party or by an administrator.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein an altitude envelope of the vehicle can be derived from the information, and wherein the processor ascertains an indicated vehicle altitude envelope, and wherein select a governing speed further comprises eliminating route segments comprising elevations inconsistent with the altitude envelope of the vehicle.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein select a governing speed comprises eliminating route segments inconsistent with a pre-planned route.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein select a governing speed comprises generating a most-feasible route comprising at least two location envelopes utilizing route-optimization software, and eliminating route segments inconsistent with the most-feasible route.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the route-optimization software is based on at least one of a Djikstra optimization algorithm and a Belman-Ford optimization algorithm.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein select a governing speed comprises locating nearby points-of-interest of a type that impose a localized speed limit on the remaining route segment, and determining if the localized speed limit should be selected as the governing speed.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the localized speed limit is supplied by a third party or by an administrator.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to develop a statistical model to identify patterns associated with speeding exceptions.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to locate points-of-interest nearby a location of speeding exceptions.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to develop a statistical model to identify patterns between speeding exceptions and the points-of-interest nearby the location of speeding exceptions.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to process the speeding exceptions and locations for speeding exceptions for a plurality of vehicles.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to supply pattern information regarding patterns associated with the speeding exceptions to a route optimization program database thereby enabling the route optimization program to consider the pattern information when optimizing a route.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to supply pattern information regarding patterns between the speeding exceptions and the points-of-interest nearby the location of speeding exceptions to a route optimization program database, thereby enabling the route optimization program to consider the pattern information when optimizing a route.
19. A computer readable medium comprising program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer system to determine when a vehicle’s indicated speed exceeds a governing speed, comprising:
ascertaining a location envelope, an indicated speed of the vehicle, and an indicated direction of travel of the vehicle at a sample time using geodetic data;
selecting a governing speed for vehicle at the sample time, comprising: and
ascertaining possible route segments comprising at least a portion within the location envelope,
eliminating route segments comprising a direction of travel
inconsistent with the indicated direction of travel,
selecting as the governing speed a speed associated with a remaining route segment;
determining if a value of the indicated speed is greater than the value of the governing speed.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises generating an inferred governing speed using suggestive information that suggests a speed for the remaining route segment, comparing the inferred governing speed and the speed associated with the remaining route segment, and determining which value should be used, or if the determination should be abandoned for that sample time.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising ascertaining an indicated elevation envelope of the vehicle, and selecting a governing speed comprises eliminating route segments comprising elevations inconsistent with the indicated elevation envelope of the vehicle.
22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein select a governing speed comprises eliminating route segments inconsistent with a pre-planned route.
23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises generating a most-feasible route comprising at least two location envelopes utilizing route-optimization software, and eliminating route segments inconsistent with the most-feasible route.
24. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises locating nearby points-of-interest of a type that impose a localized speed limit on the remaining route segment using a geodetic database, and determining if the localized speed limit should be selected as the governing speed.
25. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns associated with speeding exceptions.
26. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising locate points-of-interest nearby a location of speeding exceptions.
27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns between the speeding exceptions and the points-of-interest nearby the location of speeding exceptions.
28. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising processing speeding exceptions and locations for speeding exceptions for a plurality of vehicles.
29. The computer readable medium of claim 19, comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns related to instances of speeding and supplying pattern information to a route optimization program database, thereby enabling the route optimization program to consider the pattern information when optimizing a route.
30. A method for determining when a vehicle’s indicated speed exceeds a governing speed, the method comprising:
ascertaining a location envelope, an indicated speed of the vehicle, and an indicated direction of travel of the vehicle at a sample time using geodetic data;
selecting a governing speed for the vehicle at the sample time, comprising: and
ascertaining possible route segments comprising at least a portion within the location envelope,
eliminating route segments comprising a direction of travel
inconsistent with the indicated direction of travel,
selecting as the governing speed a speed associated with a remaining read route segment;
determining if a value of the indicated speed is greater than the value of the governing speed.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises generating an inferred governing speed using suggestive information that suggests a speed for the remaining route segment, comparing the inferred governing speed and the speed associated with the remaining route segment, and determining which value should be used, or if the determination should be abandoned for that sample time.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises ascertaining an indicated elevation envelope of the vehicle, and selecting an accepted posted speed comprises eliminating route segments comprising elevations inconsistent with the indicated elevation envelope of the vehicle.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein select a governing speed comprises eliminating route segments inconsistent with a pre-planned route.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises generating a most-feasible route comprising at least two location envelopes utilizing route-optimization software, and eliminating route segments inconsistent with the most-feasible route.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein selecting a governing speed comprises locating nearby points-of-interest of a type that impose a localized speed limit on the remaining route segment using a geodetic database, and determining if the localized speed limit should be selected as the governing speed.
36. The method of claim 30, the method comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns associated with speeding exceptions.
37. The method of claim 30, the method comprising locating points-of-interest nearby a location of speeding exceptions.
38. The method of claim 37, the method comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns between speeding exceptions and the points-of-interest nearby the location of speeding exceptions.
39. The method of claim 30, the method comprising processing speeding exceptions and locations for speeding exceptions for a plurality of vehicles.
40. The method of claim 30, the method comprising developing a statistical model to identify patterns related to speeding exceptions and supplying pattern information to a route optimization program database, thereby enabling the route optimization program to consider the pattern information when optimizing a route.