Patent ID: 7663078

Claim:
A focusing method for scanning a specimen on a microscope slide comprising the steps of: a) dividing the slide into fields of view; b) simultaneously capturing a plurality of images of a plurality of image planes of an imaged field of view with second image intensities via at least one secondary camera arranged at a plurality of secondary optical paths having different optical lengths connecting the at least one secondary camera with the imaged field of view and passing through a microscope optics, said at least one secondary camera having a plurality of image-capturing surfaces being formed as distinct portions of a single camera; c) calculating a best focused image from said plurality of images captured of the plurality of image planes; d) changing a first optical path connecting a high-resolution camera separated from said at least one secondary camera with said imaged field of view and passing through said microscope optics with an objective via a focus acquisition means for modifying the distance of the slide from the objective such that a resulting first image plane incident on said high-resolution camera is identical with the image plane of the best focused image; and e) capturing a high resolution image of said first image plane.