Patent ID: 7292251

Claim:
A method of using a computer system as a virtual telemicroscope that enables an interactive communication between a remote user and a service provider of the virtual telemicroscope, comprising: capturing a first image corresponding to an entire area of a specimen with a digital image capturing device; capturing at least one second image corresponding to a selected area of the first image, said second image having a higher magnification than the first image; storing the first and second images in a computer-readable medium; generating a linking information map indicating the regional relationship between said first and second images; generating a virtual slide file by combining and compressing the first image, the second image and the linking information map; transmitting the virtual slide file to the remote user in its entirety including the first image, the second image and the linking information; and receiving feedback information from the remote user requesting an additional image, wherein the feedback information from the remote user defines a specific area of the requested additional image on the entire area of the first image thereby enabling the service provider to take the requested additional image for transmission upon receiving the feedback information from the remote user.