Patent ID: 6760154
Filing Date: 2004-07-06
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A microscope system with continuous autofocus, comprised of:a compound lens system in which an objective lens is mounted at a fixed distance from a specimen under observation; a prism or beamsplitter device which splits the image from the objective lens into two optical pathways; multiple afocal variator system modules positioned in the optical pathways created by the beamsplitter, with one optical pathway being used as a focus test pathway and the other optical pathway being used as an observational or quantitative imaging pathway; a focusing camera or detector receiving images from the afocal variator system module positioned in the focus test pathway which is in communication with a focusing means; a focusing means which:provides electronic signals to the afocal variator system module in the focus test pathway, directing the movement of that afocal variator system module to adopt various strategies for testing focus; analyzes the images received from the focusing camera or detector for the purpose of determining an optimum focus position; and communicates the optimum focus position to the afocal variator system module in the observational or quantitative imaging pathway.