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Automated methods and systems for determining an in-focus-distance for a position on the surface of a molecular array substrate using a molecular array scanner are provided. A signal from a first position of an array substrate is detected and noise is filtered out of the detected signal using a symm

Automated methods and systems for determining an in-focus-distance for a position on the surface of a molecular array substrate using a molecular array scanner are provided. A signal from a first position of an array substrate is detected and noise is filtered out of the detected signal using a symmetrical filter to produce an in-focus-distance. In one embodiment, the in-focus-distance is utilized as an estimated in-focus-distance at a second position of the array substrate. The method finds use in maintaining the focus of a light source while scanning the array by the scanner. Also provided are methods of assaying a sample using the methods and systems of the invention, and kits for performing the invention. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications, including both genomics and proteomics applications.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of determining an in-focus-distance for a first position on a surface of a biopolymeric array, said method comprising: detecting a signal from said first position of said surface; and filtering said signal using a symmetrical filter to determine said in-focus-distanc

What is claimed is: 1. A method of determining an in-focus-distance for a first position on a surface of a biopolymeric array, said method comprising: detecting a signal from said first position of said surface; and filtering said signal using a symmetrical filter to determine said in-focus-distance for said first position. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said in-focus-distance is used as an estimate of an in-focus-distance of a second position of said biopolymeric array. 3. The method of claim 1, whereby said symmetrical filter utilizes secondary signals from at least one side-position on each side of said first position to filter said signal from said first position. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first position and said side-positions on each side of said first position are located on a single scan line. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said side-positions are arranged in pairs of side-positions that are equidistant from the first position. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said symmetrical filter is a zero phase filter. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal is the sum of a first component signal of an absolute position measuring device and a second component signal of a focus error measuring device. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said absolute position measuring device is a quadrature position encoder. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein said focus error measuring device is a position sensitive detector. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said in-focus-distance is within about +/-3-5μm of the focal plane of a focused light. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said filtering step removes noise from said signal to allow an accurate determination of said in-focus-distance. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said noise is at a frequency of approximately 150-1000 Hz. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal is a fluorescent signal. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the biopolymeric array is an array of polynucleotides or polypeptides. 15. A method of focusing a light source onto a second position on a surface of a biopolymeric array, the method comprising: (a) predicting an in-focus-distance for a second position on a surface of said biopolymeric array using the method of claim 2; and (b) focusing said light said onto said second position using said predicted in-focus-distance. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said focusing step is automatic. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said focusing step is performed using a focus control loop. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein said first position and said second position are on adjacent scan lines. 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of scanning said second position at said in-focus-distance. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said method is employed in a method of maintaining focus of a light source while scanning a biopolymeric array using a scanner system. 21. The method of claim 15, wherein said scanner is a bidirectional line scanner. 22. A computer-readable medium encoding instructions to direct a machine to perform the method of claim 1. 23. A biopolymer array scanner comprising a computer-readable medium according to claim 22. 24. A method of assaying a sample, said method comprising: (a) contacting said sample with a biopolymeric array of two or more biopolymer ligands immobilized on a surface of a solid support; and (b) reading said array with a biopolymer array scanner according to claim 23 to obtain a result. 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said reading step (b) includes: (i) symmetrically filtering a detected signal from a first position of a scanned line to determine an estimated in-focus-distance for a second position; and (ii) automatically focusing a laser of the scanner at said second position using said estimated in-focus-distance. 26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said biopolymer array is chosen from a polypeptide array and a nucleic acid array. 27. A method comprising transmitting a result obtained from a method of claim 25, from a first location to a second location. 28. The method of claim 27, where said second location is a remote location. 29. A method comprising receiving data representing said result of a scan obtained by the method of claim 25. 30. A kit for use in a biopolymer array optical scanner, said kit comprising: (a) a computer-readable medium according to claim 22; and (b) instructions for operating said scanner according to said programming. 31. The kit according to claim 30, wherein said kit further includes at least one reference array. 32. The kit according to claims 31, wherein the kit further includes instructions for installing the encoded instructions.