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Department of Engineering, ICT and Technologies for Energy and Transport Patent Title Procedure for image acquisition and processing in a confocal microscopy. Ref. CNR 10400 Assignee(s): CNR, CrestOptics s.r.l. CNR Istitute: IAC Main inventor: Domenico Vitulano Countries: IT, EP Priority date: 09/06/2015 Abstract The present invention refers to a technology for increasing the resolution of images acquired by a confocal microscope using acquisition masks having pinholes of different size. The technology defines the design of the mask, the acquisition method and the procedure for processing the scanned images. In particular, it is possible to accurately estimate the point spread function (PSF) of the optical microscope by means of a suitable mathematical process applied to the acquired images and, therefore, to increase the resolution of the output image. Background There are several methodologies relating to both the acquisition process (light beams with different frequency, pinhole of different shapes) and processing (proceedings of super-resolution) of images acquired by a confocal microscope. However, existing technologies do not properly combine low cost and high efficiency. Technology System capable to increase the resolution of an image which is acquired by a confocal microscope. The present technology builds proper acquisition masks and relies on an ad hoc mathematical procedure, resulting simple, efficient and not expensive. Advantages and Applications The technology has an immediate commercial fallout. In fact the technology is adaptable to any light or biological sample and it allows for the automatic estimation of the PSF of the optics, without introducing auxiliary parameters or data interpolation operations. Development stage Licensed to CrestOptics s.r.l.. Further tests have been made and CrestOptics s.r.l. started the engineering phase in order to use the proposed technology as a further component of microscopes that the company produces and sells worldwide. 3