US 12,449,346 B2
System and method for imaging and classifying small aquatic organisms
Milton Dean, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US); Eric Steimle, St Petersburg, FL (US); and William Arnold, St Petersburg, FL (US)
Assigned to OceanSpace LLC, St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Appl. No. 18/839,533
Filed by OceanSpace LLC, St Petersburg, FL (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 5, 2023, PCT No. PCT/US2023/034531
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 19, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2024/076668, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 11, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/378,468, filed on Oct. 5, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0244225 A1, Jul. 31, 2025
Int. Cl. G06V 40/10 (2022.01); G01N 15/0227 (2024.01); G01N 15/1433 (2024.01); G01N 15/1434 (2024.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/05 (2022.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); A01K 61/90 (2017.01); G01N 15/14 (2006.01); G02B 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 15/1434 (2013.01) [G01N 15/0227 (2013.01); G01N 15/1433 (2024.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/05 (2022.01); G06V 40/10 (2022.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); A01K 61/90 (2017.01); G01N 2015/144 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1486 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1493 (2013.01); G02B 5/0278 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image acquisition system for environmental sampling of aquatic organisms comprising:
a fluid flow chamber comprising an inlet port end and an outlet port end;
at least two clear or transparent windows positioned between the inlet port end and the outlet port end;
a line scan camera configured to acquire images through one of the transparent windows, namely the proximal transparent window;
an illuminating assembly comprising a first-surface mirror, a line scan slot section, a plurality of heat dissipators, a first front light assembly, a second front light assembly and a back light assembly, wherein the line scan slot section is placed in space between said first front light assembly and said second front light assembly;
a diffuser element connected to one of the clear windows; and
a back light window placed in between said clear windows and said diffuser element, wherein said back light window provides a surface to said diffuser element.