Patents Assigned to Carl Zeiss Microimaging GmbH
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Patent number: 8253093Abstract: An optoelectronic detector and method of using same. In order to avoid any condensation on a surface, it has been known to heat such a surface. However, heating an optoelectronic detector will create a stronger hissing noise due to the greater dark current that is caused thereby. The invention is intended to avoid any condensation on an optoelectronic detector without airtight encapsulation. To this end, the detector is cooled and equipped with a sensor for the determination of a current value of one of the variables ambient humidity and ambient dew point temperature and a control unit that is connected with the sensor and designed to control the cooling device in dependence of such a value. By taking into account the ambient humidity or, respectively, the dew point temperature in the control of the cooling device, condensation on the detector can be avoided. An airtight encapsulation of the detector and the cooling device is not required.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Mirko Liedtke, Matthias John
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Patent number: 8249727Abstract: A microscope configuration according to an exemplary embodiment includes a microscope system with at least one addressable component and also a control system with a plurality of control modules for influencing a plurality of test-environment parameters in a test chamber of the microscope system. The control modules are configured to be combined in modular manner and to be coupled through an interface unit with a unified bus, through which they are controlled. A control module influencing a test-environment parameter of an incubation system has a control command interface unit configured to receive at least one control command. The control command interface unit couples with a bus. A control device is coupled with the control command interface unit and influences the test-environment parameter based upon the control command. A further interface unit is coupled to the control command interface unit and outputs, again, the received control command.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2007Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Jörg Schaffer, Eugen Wehner
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Patent number: 8228499Abstract: The invention relates to methods for positioning at least one preferably biological specimen in the specimen space of a microscope arrangement, and to devices for carrying out these methods. Methods and devices are proposed, wherein the specimen's orientation relative to a detection objective's optical axis can be repeatedly changed and, in doing so, the specimen is held so that a substantially unobstructed view of the specimen is ensured from every detection direction. In different constructional variants, the specimen is held at a supporting device by adhesive forces or by a flowing medium, the specimen is held at a capillary opening by capillary action, or at least one specimen is embedded in a body of transparent gel, and the gel body is fixed in the specimen space by means of a rotatable holding device, and the detection direction is changed by rotating the holding device by a given angle of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2008Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Helmut Lippert, Benno Radt, Christian Dietrich, Christopher Power
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Patent number: 8217998Abstract: A microscope image processing method includes applying a computing operation to at least one part of a microscope image, having the following steps: (a) providing the image in the mass storage device, (b) breaking down the microscope image into at least two image segments that can be loaded into the working memory and that have a dimension m, where m?n, (c) for one image segment, determining all pixels that are located in the image segment and in at least one of the partial images, so that a filled image segment results, (d) providing the filled image segment in the working memory, (e) applying the computing operation to the pixels located in the filled image segment so that an image segment result is created, (f) repeating steps (c), (d), and (e) for all image segments, and (g) combining all image segment results to create an overall result.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2007Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventor: Helmut Zoephel
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Patent number: 8214561Abstract: A peripheral interface and process for data transfer, especially for laser scanning microscopes. The peripheral interface permits a gap-free transfer of data with high transmission speed using a non-real-time-enabled operating system of the control computer. A peripheral connection for a peripheral device and a control unit serving for one-way transmission of a predetermined amount of data from the control computer to the peripheral device and/or vice versa accesses via a system bus of a control computer, a work memory region of the control computer serves as buffers preassigned to it, where the control unit prepares for the control computer a progress report of the transfer for retrieval and the control unit of the control computer is informed of the progress of the processing of the buffer independently of the transfer.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Andreas Kuehm, Nico Presser, Gunter Moehler
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Patent number: 8213081Abstract: The invention relates to an objective replacement device for a microscope, wherein the sample is located in a sample chamber and surrounded by an immersion medium within the sample chamber, means for positioning and aligning the sample relative to the focus of an objective being present, wherein the detection beam path is aligned horizontally, which is to say perpendicular to the direction of action of gravity. For an objective replacement device for a microscope of the type described above, according to the invention a device is provided for exchanging the objective, at the focus of which the sample is positioned and aligned, with at least another objective, the position and alignment of the sample within the sample chamber remaining the same.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Helmut Lippert, Benno Radt, Christian Dietrich, Christopher Power
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Patent number: 8203784Abstract: The invention is directed to a multispectral illumination device for a microscope or for a reader. According to the invention, the illumination device comprises at least three receptacle positions for lighting modules and at least one receptacle position for coupling modules, the mechanical devices for connecting the lighting modules or coupling modules at the receptacle positions to the illumination device being designed in such a way that the lighting modules or coupling modules can be easily changed. Further, the receptacle positions are arranged in such a way that, with suitable selection of the lighting modules and coupling modules, all individual spectra of the lighting modules in a total spectrum are available simultaneously at the output of the illumination device.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2007Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Andreas Nolte, Matthias Kramer, Michael Brehm, Christian Boeker
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Patent number: 8194312Abstract: The invention relates to an optics changer for arranging an optical element in a target position in a changer chamber of an optical device accessible from the outside via a insertion channel, including a base frame and the optical element that is pivotally fastened to the base frame via a swivel mechanism, wherein the swivel mechanism effects a pivoting movement of the optical element when the optics changer is inserted through the insertion channel in the changer chamber starting at a predetermined insertion depth such that after inserting, the optical element is placed and pivoted in the target position.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Reiner Mitzkus, Peter Schnuell, Frank Bauer, Uwe Wolf, Hubert Wahl
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Patent number: 8189915Abstract: A segmentation method includes several steps wherein a single data space is selected by the user in an n-dimensional feature space in a first step. This selected data space is basically interpreted by the system as containing at least two classes of objects to be segmented. In the following steps, the system first determines a separation function in the n-dimensional feature space for differentiating the at least two classes and then applies this separation function to the entire data space or a large part of the data space. The segmentation result is then visually presented to the user in real time. The invention also relates to a method for classifying objects on the basis of geometric characteristics of objects previously segmented according to any method in an n-dimensional data space. In a first step, at least two objects are selected as representatives of two different categories, then a number (m) of geometric characteristics per object is determined by calculating various whole-number wave functions.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventor: Wolf Delong
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Patent number: 8189897Abstract: The object in a program-controlled microscope and method for the external control of microscopes is to ensure the availability of externally generated data independent from the external control device generating the data. The microscope has an interface by which data which are generated externally by the control device and which are not provided in the control program internal to the microscope are stored in and/or read out from a storage internal to the microscope.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventor: Steffen Leidenbach
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Patent number: 8179575Abstract: Systems and techniques for chromatic distortion reduction. Relative chromatic distortion information for an imaging system may be obtained, where the relative chromatic distortion information indicates relative displacement of a first color signal and a second color signal from a reference color signal in an image. The relative chromatic distortion information may be used to modify image data.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2009Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventor: Jose De La Torre-Bueno
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Patent number: 8125709Abstract: The present invention is directed to a controllable microscope illumination within a microscope system by which all essential contrasting methods in microscopy can be realized. The illumination device according to the invention comprises a plurality of individual light sources which can be regulated with respect to brightness, wherein these individual light sources are formed as unit cells and form a luminous surface by a periodic arrangement. In an advantageous arrangement, imaging optics are associated with each individual light source in order to magnify the image of the source surface of the individual light source so that the images of the source surfaces of adjacent individual light sources touch. Illumination variants for all of the essential contrasting methods in microscopy can be generated by way of the proposed solution. The proposed LED illumination is electronically switchable, can be regulated with respect to brightness, supplies all colors, is long-lasting and economical.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Lutz Hoering, Andreas Nolte, Michael Brehm, Mario Sondermann
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Patent number: 8125708Abstract: An objective changer for a telescope-type stereomicroscope which has two telescope systems whose entrance-side beam paths are oriented parallel to one another, which includes a carrier and an objective holder which is held at the carrier so as to be movable relative to the carrier between a first stereoscopic working position and a second stereoscopic working position and a third working position. The objective holder has at least a first and a second receptacle for stereo objectives and a third receptacle for an additional objective. The two telescope system beam paths penetrate one of the receptacles for the stereo objectives at least in the stereoscopic working positions when the objective changer is arranged at the stereomicroscope.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2005Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Detlef Hein, Peter Huettel
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Patent number: 8120771Abstract: By means of an improved configuration method, mathematical transport models can be fitted to correlations determined by means of scanning fluorescence spectroscopy with few errors. With improved methods for carrying out or evaluating a raster image correlation spectroscopy measurement (RICS) measurement, the amount of data to be stored can be reduced and RICS correlations of high statistical quality can be determined within a short period of time. For a raster image correlation spectroscopy measurement, a best value for a sampling value is determined and is specified for a subsequent scanning process on a sample. In order to carry out or evaluate a RICS measurement, sampling values are acquired or a correlation is determined exclusively in a sample region within which a pixel time (?P) changes along a harmonically controlled scan axis (X) by less than, or at most by, a predetermined or predeterminable value.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2008Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Stephan Wagner-Conrad, Frank Hecht, Klaus Weisshart, Ralf Netz
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Patent number: 8116543Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to intelligently directed segmentation analysis for automated microscope systems. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes obtaining an image of at least a portion of a scan region including a biological specimen, partitioning the obtained image into zelles, determining one or more parameters of the zelles, performing a cluster analysis on the one or more parameters of the zelles, differentiating tissue of greater interest from tissue of lesser interest in the obtained image based on the cluster analysis and based on a test being performed for the biological specimen, and storing more information for the tissue of greater interest than information for the tissue of lesser interest. The cluster analysis can be a multivariate statistical cluster analysis, and the zelles can be test-dependent zelles (e.g., having dimensions defined according to the test being performed for the biological specimen).Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2009Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Cynthia B. Perz, Robert T. Ellis, Jose De La Torre-Bueno
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Patent number: 8115164Abstract: A calibration device for managing a variety of performance tests and/or calibration tasks in a laser scanning microscope. The calibration device, which has focusing optics and a test structure arranged in the focal plane of the focusing optics, with structural elements detectable in reflected and/or transmitted light aligned to each other in a common mounting, can be switched into the microscope beam path in a laser scanning microscope, so that the pupil of the focusing optics coincides with the objective pupil of the laser scanning microscope or lies in a plane conjugated to it.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2009Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Ralf Netz, Wolfgang Bathe, Joerg Steinert, Werner Kleinschmidt, Ingo Fahlbusch, Michael Brehm
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Patent number: 8111396Abstract: The present solution is directed to a measuring system and a method for determining spectrometric measurement results with high accuracy. The spectrometric measuring system, comprises a radiation source, an entrance slit, a dispersion element, and a detector with detector elements arranged in a linear or matrix-shaped manner in one or more planes. The detector has an even distribution of at least two different wavelength-selective filters on its detector elements. While detectors from photography and video applications are used for this purpose, use of the invention is not limited to the visible spectral region. Further, color filters on the pixels may be omitted or modified in the manufacturing process. It is also possible to use other types of detectors in which the wavelength-selective filters and associated detectors are arranged one behind each other in a plurality of planes in which complete color information is available to each individual picture point.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2007Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Felix Kerstan, Nico Correns, Joerg Margraf
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Patent number: 8111456Abstract: A stage drive for moving a microscope stage designed as a mechanical stage including a first drive element linked to a first output element, and a second drive element, which is linked to a second output element. Through first and second transmission elements, the first output element is linked to a first stage element and the second output element is linked to a second stage element of the mechanical stage supported by the first stage element. The stage elements are supported so as to be displaceable relative to a fixed base element in orthogonal directions X, Y in a plane extending normal to the optical axis of the microscope beam path. The at least one stage drive includes at least one drive element and at least one output element and is arranged in the base element so as to be displaceable in X direction and/or Y direction within an adjustment range and lockable.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microimaging GmbHInventors: Peter Schnuell, Christian Boeker
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Patent number: 8102526Abstract: A spectrometer including an entrance slit and the production of the entrance slit. The spectrometer includes a housing, an entrance slit, and an imaging diffraction grating inside the housing for splitting and imaging the light onto an optoelectric detector. The detector is arranged inside the housing. The housing and the base plate are connected to each other by mutually cooperating positioning members. The entrance slit, the positioning members of the base plate and the holding members for receiving and mounting the detecting device are integral parts of the base plate and are produced from the base plate in a precise manner, in a suitable form and in defined mutual positions by, for example, laser cutting or liquid jet cutting. The positioning members of the base plate and/or the holding members for the detecting device can be provided as resilient elements.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Jens Hofmann, Nico Correns, Lutz Freytag, Felix Kerstan, Doris Jochmann, Carsten Ziener, Gerhard Foerschler
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Patent number: 8098374Abstract: The invention is directed to a highly sensitive spectrum analysis unit with a diffraction grating, wherein a parallel light bundle having a wavelength range impinges on a diffraction grating which splits the different wavelengths into spectra by diffraction in first directions, and wavelength partial ranges of the spectrally split light bundle can be focused on a detector row by means of camera optics, and evaluation electronics are connected to the detector row and acquire the generated spectrum as information and display it. The invention is characterized in that the light bundle passes a first optical element, and then wavelength partial ranges of a spectrally split light bundle impinge on respective partial regions of a diffraction grating, the diffraction grating having the same grating constant across all partial regions and a changing profile shape, the profile shapes generating different blaze wavelengths that lie in the respective wavelength partial ranges.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Ralf Wolleschensky, Hans-Juergen Dobschal, Reinhard Steiner