Patent Abstract:
A booster lens may be used with a conventional or electronic microscope by positioning the booster lens on top of a specimen holder. With limited or no additional focusing, greater magnification may be achieved by augmenting the magnification possible with the optics available with the microscope itself.

Full Description:
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/666,764, entitled, now abandoned “BOOSTER LENS FOR A MICROSCOPE,” filed on Sep. 21, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to microscopes. 
     Microscopes are made with a variety of magnification levels. While ultimately it may be desirable to provide the greatest possible magnification for each microscope, different users may be amenable to different pricing structures. Therefore, microscopes are provided with a variety of different magnification levels. 
     In some cases, a particular microscope may have a number of desirable features but its magnification levels may otherwise be unsuitable for specific applications. The manufacturer of the microscope may prefer not to include optics to achieve a particular magnification level because including such optics may increase the price that all customers must pay. Particularly, where all users would not be interested in the relatively higher degree of magnification, the manufacturer may be unwilling to include extended magnification levels. Moreover, the manufacturer may be unwilling to provide a variety of different models of microscopes because to do so may increase the manufacturer&#39;s cost as well as cost to distributors who must stock the various microscope models. 
     Therefore, there is a need to adapt existing microscopes to enable them, after the fact, to provide increased magnification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a enlarged, partial, vertical cross-sectional view through embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a microscope  10  may be amenable to operation with a computer system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. That is, the microscope  10  may include a digital imaging sensor (not shown) that digitally captures imaged objects and displays images for example on the display of a computer system. Thus, the microscope  10 , in one embodiment of the present invention, may operate like a camera or peripheral to a computer system. However, the present invention is also amenable to conventional microscopes that allow direct viewing of the imaged object through a suitable optical system. 
     The microscope  10  includes a stand  12 , a housing  14 , and a specimen holder  22  in one embodiment of the present invention. The stand  12  may include an upstanding portion  16  that connects the stand  12  to the housing  14 . Images may be received in the housing  14  through an opening  18  aligned over the specimen holder  22 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, no port for direct viewing is provided. Instead, the images may be captured by a digital imaging sensor (not shown) contained within the housing  14 . The electronic representations of those images may be transmitted to a tethered computer system (not shown) for display on the monitor associated with that computer system. 
     A focus knob  23  enables the spacing between the opening  18  and the specimen holder  22  to be mechanically altered to adjust the focus. In addition, the focus of an optical system in the housing  14  may be adjusted through a rotary adjustment device  20 . 
     A booster lens  24  may be positioned directly on the specimen holder  22  below the opening  18  for the optical system contained within the housing  14 . The booster lens  24  may include one or more lenses that may significantly increase the magnification possible with only the lenses provided in the housing  14 . Thus, users can purchase the booster lens  24  to augment the capabilities of an existing microscope  10 . In use, the booster lens  24  may be positioned directly atop a specimen so that no additional focusing may be needed in some embodiments. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the housing  14  may include a turret of lens structures  26  of different magnifications. Each lens structure  26  may be selectively alignable with the imaging sensor  31  through an opening  30 . In addition, each lens structure  26  may include a magnification lens  27  in an opposite end thereof. Thus, the plurality of lens structures  26  may be mounted for rotation within the housing  14  to selectively align one of the lens structures  26  with a imaging sensor  31  aligned optically with the opening  30 . 
     By positioning the booster lens  24  in alignment with the opening  29  in the system  26 , the booster lens  24  may augment the magnification possible with the lens structure  26  lens  27 . For example, the booster lens  24  may include a cylindrical housing  32  that threadedly engages a telescoping ring  34  on its lower exterior edge. Thus, the position of a pair of lenses  42  and  44  within the housing  32  may be adjusted relative to the specimen  48  captured on a slide  46 . For example, the height of the lens  24  may be adjusted by rotating the ring  34  relative to the rest of the housing  32 . 
     By making the housing  32  transparent, light may be supplied through the housing  32  from a light source  36 . The light source  36  may be coupled to an electrical power outlet or may be battery powered. 
     Advantageously, in some embodiments the booster lens  24  is a completely separate standalone device that may be purchased and simply positioned on the specimen holder  22  to provide added magnification. A limited degree of focusing may be achieved by adjusting the threaded engagement between the ring  34  which sits on the slide  46  and the rest of the housing  32 . 
     The lenses  42  and  44  may be plano convex lenses in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. However, other lens systems may be utilized to provide additional magnification. 
     Thus, in some embodiments, additional magnification may be achieved through a standalone device that need not be purchased by all purchasers of the microscope  10 . Moreover, in some embodiments no changes are needed to the overall microscope  10  thereby reducing the manufacturer&#39;s overhead. Since only limited or no additional focusing may be used in some embodiments because the booster lens  24  is positioned directly on the specimen  48 , lower cost may be achieved. 
     The booster lens  24  may be utilized with a variety of different microscopes including the Intel® Play QX3 microscope by Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif. In one embodiment of the present invention, the light source  36  may plug into the electrical system of the Intel® Play QX3 microscope. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6