Patent ID: 7432486

Claim:
A microscope system comprising: a microscope body that is composed of a microscope driver for driving at least one movable portion of an objective, a stage and other optical elements, and a microscope controller for storing a unit ID signal of the microscope body and controlling the microscope driver, the microscope body including a housing within which are arranged the microscope driver, the stage, the other optical elements and the microscope controller; an imaging instrument comprising a camera head unit which receives therein an imaging device and an image processing circuit and is mechanically coupled to the housing of the microscope body and an imaging controller that stores a unit ID signal of the camera head unit and controls the camera head unit, the camera head unit and the imaging controller being connected through a connection cable; and a connector that is composed of microscope-side connecting points provided on the housing of the microscope body and connected to the microscope controller, and camera-side connecting points provided on the camera head unit and connected to the imaging controller, the microscope-side connecting points and the camera-side connecting points being electrically connected to each other, when the camera head portion is attached to the housing of the microscope body, wherein the connecting points of the connector are composed of connecting points for communication and connecting points for power supply, and upon attaching the camera head unit to the housing of the microscope body, the corresponding connecting points of the microscope-side connecting points and the camera-side connecting points are electrically connected with each other; wherein when either of the microscope controller or the imaging controller is actuated, power supply is initiated through the connecting points so that communication of the unit ID signals is carried out and initial setting of the microscope controller and the imaging controller to the respective optimum states, is effected; wherein the imaging controller has an interface for receiving a control command from an external controller through the connecting points, and when the microscope controller detects that the control command is for changing the objective of the microscope body, the imaging controller drives the imagine device with a high frame rate.