The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 19, 2004
Masafumi Oshiro, Hamamatsu, JP;
Koji Ichie, Hamamatsu, JP;
Masafumi Oshiro, Hamamatsu, JP;
Koji Ichie, Hamamatsu, JP;
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Shizuoka, JP;
Abstract
A microscope system comprises a light guiding optical systemcontaining an objective lensand a beam splitterfor splitting an optical image of a sample S to a first optical path and a second optical path, a photodetectordisposed on the first optical path used to acquire an image of the sample S, and a CCD cameradisposed on the second optical path for acquiring a two-dimensional image for focus control. The camerais disposed being inclined at an angle of θ with respect to the optical path so that the optical path length in the light guiding optical systemvaries along the z-axis direction. The image acquired by the camerais analyzed by a focus controller, and the focal point for image pickup with respect to the sample S is controlled on the basis of the analysis result. Accordingly, there can be implemented a microscope system in which image acquisition of the sample and focus control for image pickup can be simultaneously performed.