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:
Jan. 29, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 22, 2010
Applicants:
Jeremy R. Cooper, Issaquah, WA (US);
Paul Goodwin, Shore Line, WA (US);
Inventors:
Jeremy R. Cooper, Issaquah, WA (US);
Paul Goodwin, Shore Line, WA (US);
Assignee:
Applied Precision, Inc., Issaquah, WA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 7/04 (2006.01); G03B 13/00 (2006.01); G03B 21/53 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to autofocus subsystems within optical instruments that continuously monitor the focus of the optical instruments and adjust distances within the optical instrument along the optical axis in order to maintain a precise and stable optical-instrument focus at a particular point or surface on, within, or near a sample. Certain embodiments of the present invention operate asynchronously with respect to operation of other components and subsystems of the optical instrument in which they are embedded.