Patent ID: 7649681

Claim:
A surgical microscope comprising: an ocular through which an object can be viewed; a tubular lens disposed between said ocular and said object; an objective disposed between said tubular lens and said object; said tubular lens and said objective conjointly defining a parallel beam path along which parallel beam rays pass; an image data supply for supplying image data; an image projection module connected to said image data supply and including an image display unit for displaying said image data; said image projection module further including a lens assembly for transmitting said image data to said parallel beam path; a first beam splitter mounted in said parallel beam path for receiving all of said parallel beam rays; said first beam splitter being disposed between said tubular lens and said objective for receiving said image data transmitted from said display unit and passing said image data into said parallel beam path; an image recording module for recording said image data and an object image of said object; said image recording module including an image sensor; a second beam splitter mounted in said parallel beam path for likewise receiving said parallel beam rays; said second beam splitter being disposed between said first beam splitter and said objective for receiving said object image directly from said objective and for directing said object image from said parallel beam path onto said image sensor; said first and second beam splitters being the only beam splitters mounted in said parallel beam path; said image sensor generating an image signal from said object image; said image recording module further including a mixer connected to said image sensor for receiving said image signal and being connected to said image data supply for receiving said image data to mix said image signal and said image data and generate an output signal; a video-recorder/monitor connected to said mixer for receiving said output signal for display to a surgeon; and, a shutter interposed between said first beam splitter and said object to suppress said object image to facilitate viewing said image data in said ocular without said object image.