Patents Assigned to Carl Zeiss Microimaging GmbH
  • Publication number: 20110069380
    Abstract: A variable microscope system, which, beginning at the object plane, includes a main lens system, a zoom lens system consisting of several lens groups, and a relay system connected in series to the zoom lens system. In the microscope system, according to the invention, at least one main lens system for infinite mapping of an object is provided and the zoom lens system is designed in such a way that the infinite beam path from the lens system is mapped in an intermediate image, wherein an aperture collimation is provided in a subsequently positioned relay system. An advantage of the microscope system, according to the invention, versus prior art lies in an improved eye pupil adjustment to the illumination as well as to the observation of samples with the contrast method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventor: Jörg Sprenger
  • Publication number: 20110062348
    Abstract: A device for the evanescent illumination of a sample, including an optical illumination element with an optical corrective element and an objective arranged downstream from the corrective element, to evanescently illuminate the sample with a supplied ray beam containing optical radiation with at least two different wavelengths. The corrective optical element has a transverse chromatic aberration which, during the illumination, leads to the optical radiation penetrating the pupil of the objective at different heights relative to the optical axis varying according to the wavelength. The corrective optical element is selected in such a way that the wavelength-related difference of the penetration depths of the radiation into the sample is reduced during the evanescent illumination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Manfred Matthae, Bruene Venus
  • Patent number: 7907348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope objective with preferably anti-symmetric lenses or lens groups with an optical magnification of ?100 and a visual field factor of 20. According to the invention the microscope objective consists of 9 lenses with 3 cemented elements, starting from the object side (left), a lens which is almost a hemisphere L1 with positive refractive power, a meniscus lens L2 with positive refractive power, a two-part cemented element G1 with positive refractive power, another two-art cemented element G2 with positive refractive power, a two-part cemented element G3 with negative refractive power, and finally a meniscus lens L9 with negative refractive power. By using cemented elements and lens pairings of the same construction, production costs can be reduced compared with methods of the prior art while image contrast is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Renhu Shi, Werner Kleinschmidt, Thomas Bocher
  • Patent number: 7907259
    Abstract: A microdissection method for separating and taking a target zone of a biological preparation, disposed on a carrier device with a laser light-absorbent incisable layer and a carrier means, comprises cutting the preparation and the incisable layer along an edge segment of the target zone and removing of a non-excised segment of the incisable layer from the carrier means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Sägmüller, Renate Burgemeister, Yilmaz Niyaz
  • Publication number: 20110051232
    Abstract: A microscope including an imaging optical unit, a sample stage for supporting a sample to be examined, a movement unit, by which the distance between sample stage and imaging optical unit can be altered, a focus measuring unit, which measures the present focus position and outputs a focus measurement signal, a control unit for maintaining a predetermined focus position for examinations of the sample that are separated from one another in time. The control unit receives the focus measurement signal and derives a deviation of the present focus position from the predetermined focus position. Dependent on the deviation derived the movement unit, changes the distance between sample stage and imaging optical unit so that the predetermined focus position is maintained. The control unit drives the movement unit (9) for maintaining the predetermined focus position only before and/or after at least one of the examinations, but never during the examinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Steinborn, Eugen Wehner, Reiner Mitzkus, Gleb Milinovici, Steffen Leidenbach, Peter Westphal
  • Publication number: 20110043905
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope having a stage for supporting a sample to be examined, a recording sensor, an imaging optic for imaging the sample onto the recording sensor, a moving unit by means of which the distance between the stage and the imaging optic can be changed, a control unit for controlling an image recording of the sample and a focus-holding unit for maintaining a prescribed focal position for image recording of the sample at temporal intervals, wherein the focus-holding device comprises at least one hardware element and one software module, wherein the focus-holding unit is fully integrated in the control unit, on both the hardware and software sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Reiner Mitzkus, Eugen Wehner, Stefan Steinborn, Gleb Milinovici, Steffen Leidenbach, Peter Westphal
  • Publication number: 20110042555
    Abstract: To increase the sensitivity of detector arrangements, it is known that light deflection elements in the form of a line arrays having spherical elements may be used to focus incident light onto light-sensitive regions of the detector. Manufacturing such line arrays is complex and cost intensive, especially in small lot numbers. The increased sensitivity of the detector array can be achieved easily and inexpensively by using a novel light deflection element. The detector arrangement therefore has a light deflection element having light entrance surfaces, deflecting incident light by refraction onto light-sensitive regions of the detector. Light entrance surfaces of the light deflection element are inclined with respect to one another and are designed as planar surfaces. The detector arrangement is suitable in particular for detection of light emanating from a specimen in a microscope, preferably in a laser-scanning microscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bathe, Michael Goelles, Mirko Liedtke
  • Publication number: 20110038041
    Abstract: The focusing operation of a microscope, control rotary knobs which receive the motion of fingers or hand of an operator to change the focus position relative to a sample under observation. Two of the control rotary knobs are on a common shaft and coaxial with one another and rotationally fixed with respect to one another, and are connected to a position encoder. A toggle switch which is connected to the control circuit and can be actuated by touching or moving one or both rotary control knobs. Whereby the drive circuit is configured such that it generates, as a function of the rotation of the two rotary knobs and as a function of the actuation or position of the toggle switch, a rough or fine adjustment of the focus position relative to the sample under observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Schadwinkel, Hubert Wahl, Klaus Becker, Klaus-George Knupfer, Frank Nolte
  • Patent number: 7888628
    Abstract: For a confocal scanning microscope (1) an optical zoom system (41) with linear scanning is provided, which not only makes a zoom function possible, in that a variable magnification of an image is possible, but rather which additionally produces a pupil image in the illuminating beam path (IB) [BS] and thereby makes a variable image length possible (distance between the original pupil (En.P) [EP] and the imaged/reproduced pupil (Ex.P) [AP]) so that axially varying objective pupil positions can thereby be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Wolleschensky, Joerg Steinert, Michael Goelles, Kristina Uhlendorf
  • Patent number: 7876948
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus may find an area in which a specimen is present, then focus on the specimen and capture images of the specimen during continuous stage motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur W. Wetzel, John R. Gilbertson, II, Jeffrey A. Beckstead, Patricia A. Feineigle, Christopher R. Hauser, Frank A. Palmieri, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7872799
    Abstract: Device for controlling light radiation, which is excited in a specimen and/or which is backscattered and/or reflected and which contains one or more wavelengths, at a plurality of light outlets, wherein a separation of the light radiation into differently polarized components is carried out; and the components of the excitation radiation and/or detection radiation are affected in their polarization by means of a preferably birefringent, preferably acousto-optic or electro-optic medium, which changes the ordinary and extraordinary refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Wolleschensky
  • Patent number: 7873193
    Abstract: Automated projection of serial section images in microscopic imaging systems. A computer-controlled microscope that is connected electrically to a controller that has a display device. A batch of serial section slides includes a series of serial section slides, each of which has a microscope slide, a sample, and an interesting area. If one of the images is misregistered, then the images may be transformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Jose De La Torre-Bueno, Cynthia B. Perz, Robert T. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20110007319
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for measuring the reflectivity of the direct or scattered reflection of a sample (8), having a light source for separately lighting the sample (8) and of comparative surfaces. The arrangement comprises, in addition to the light source, preferably a reflector lamp (2), —a white standard (6), a black standard (7), and the surface of the sample (8) for embodying a measurement surface, wherein the exchange of the white standard (6), the black standard (7) and the sample (8) is provided in a prescribed sequence relative to each other, —means for measuring the intensity of the light reflected from an internal white surface (10) and for measuring the intensity of the light reflected from each measuring surface, and—an evaluation circuit designed for registering the measured intensity values and for linking the same mathematically to the reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Nico Correns, Werner Hoyme, Felix Kerstan, Thomas Keune, Wilhelm Schebesta
  • Publication number: 20110007311
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solution for time-resolved spectroscopy, wherein the sample to be analyzed is illuminated by a modulated light source, and the spectrum reflected therefrom is recorded in a time-resolved manner and evaluated. In the method according to the invention for time-resolved spectroscopy, a sample to be analyzed is irradiated by a modulated light source having short light pulses, and the radiation emitted by the sample is represented via imaging optical elements and a spectral-selective element on a sensor disposed in the image plane, and the signals thereof are evaluated by a control and regulating unit, and/or stored. The sensor disposed in the image plane is a PMD sensor, which in addition to the intensity values also determines the running times of the radiation emitted by the sample, and forwards the same to the control and regulating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventor: Nico Correns
  • Patent number: 7869123
    Abstract: Specimen laser-scanning microscope with raster scanning illumination and detector modules, which illuminates and detects a specimen by raster scanning. A real-time control device (device) performs synchronous reading-out with the raster scanning pixel cycle. A data port serially communicates with the device using a bidirectional high-speed data stream and with the resources via a serial, bidirectional high-speed data stream with a data conversion to/from parallel to serial. The high-speed data stream is made up of data packets with data bits and type bits and no additional header or protocol bits. The data bits contain data from/on the resources and the type bits code the type of data. Type information is stored in the resources as well as the device. The type information defines processing functions for data types coded by the type bits, and the resources and/or the device determine the data type using type bits and process data coded in the data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Moehler, Mirko Liedtke
  • Patent number: 7869641
    Abstract: A system for determining tissue locations on a slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur W. Wetzel, John R. Gilbertson, II, Jeffrey A. Beckstead, Patricia A. Feineigle, Christopher R. Hauser
  • Patent number: 7859673
    Abstract: A method for detecting and analyzing light signals, in which a light signal impinges an optoelectric converter, where it is converted into an electric signal and the electric signal subsequent to the conversion is distributed into several analysis channels (13.1-13.4), within each analysis channel (13.1), (i) a signal analysis is performed, which is different from the signal analysis for the other analysis channels (13.2-13.4) and (ii) an output signal is created. In such a method, one or more output signals are selected for further processing and output using a specified, changeable selection criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Moehler, Dietmar Schmidt, Mirko Liedtke
  • Publication number: 20100321686
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a device for optical spectrometry, wherein the reference beam and the measuring beam between the deflector and the detector input, in particular between the deflector output and the detector or between a device connecting the optical paths and the detector exhibit the same (the identical) etendue and the same (the identical) optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Nico Correns, Felix Kerstan, Doris Jochmann, Werner Hoyme, Hans-Juergen Dobschal, Marcel Seeber, Lutz Freytag
  • Publication number: 20100321752
    Abstract: In a method for correcting a control of an optical scanner (14) which has a beam deflecting element (31) for deflecting a beam of optical radiation and a drive unit (30, 30?) for moving the beam deflecting element (31), said drive unit deflecting a beam of optical radiation directed at the beam deflecting element (31) according to a predetermined target movement using at least one parameter and/or a transfer function, preferably optical, said parameter or transfer function being used to control or regulate the system. In a determination step at least one current value of a drive unit transfer function that reproduces the response of the drive unit (30, 30?) to a predetermined target movement or a change in a target movement is ascertained for at least one frequency, and in a correction step at least one parameter and/or the transfer function is corrected as a function of the current value of the drive unit transfer function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg STEINERT, Joerg ENGEL
  • Publication number: 20100315706
    Abstract: A tube unit for microscopes which has a tube lens, including two components with an intermediate, large air separation and an overall positive refractive power. The air separation is at least half the size of the focal length f of the tube lens. A roof edge mirror or another suitable deflection element is arranged between the two components of the tube lens. The roof edge mirror includes two mirrors which can be tilted with respect to one another, and which is able to be tilted around its roof edge. The tilting movement or the tilting angle of the tiltable mirror or deflection element corresponds to half the tilt or half the tilting angle of the tube or eyepiece viewing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROIMAGING GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Wartmann, Hubert Wahl