Abstract: A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image.

Abstract: A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image.

Abstract: An autofocus device, comprises: a stage for mounting a sample; an objective lens; a focusing unit driving stage or the objective lens in an optical axis direction in order to control the position relative to each other of the stage and the objective lens; a lighting unit onto the sample; a detection unit detecting an optical image; a projection state changing unit being provided in an optical path, changing a state of the optical image projected onto the detection unit; a first in-focus state determination unit determining an in-focus state of the sample on the basis of a detection result; and a first in-focus state adjustment unit controlling a position of the projection state changing unit such that a state in which the stage and the objective lens are held at prescribed positions under control of the driving unit is determined to be an in-focus state.

Abstract: A microscope system having a selectively mountable optical element, comprises: a first noncontact type storage medium, being equipped in the optical element, for enabling a noncontact readout of information externally; and a first readout unit for reading information non-contactingly from the first noncontact type storage medium, wherein the first noncontact type storage medium stores information related to the optical element.

Abstract: An obtainment unit obtains microscopic images in a time series obtained by picking up images of a specimen as a motion image and also obtains microscope information that is information correlated with each of the microscopic images and the information that indicates an observation state of the microscope when the microscopic image has been picked up. An image synthesis unit synthesizes individual microscopic images constituting the motion image based on position information which is included in the microscope information and which indicate positions of the specimen when the microscopic image has been picked up, thereby synthesizing a wider view image than the microscopic image.

Abstract: An examination apparatus that has a simple structure and that is capable of determining the condition inside the apparatus and improving the ease of use of the apparatus when a specimen is changed is provided. The examination apparatus includes a stage on which a specimen is disposed; an optical system configured to form an enlarged or reduced image of the specimen; a cover configured to cover the stage and the optical system; an opening and closing member provided as part of the cover; a detection unit configured to detect whether the opening and closing member is in a closed state or an open state; and a stage driving unit configured to move the state. Only when the detection unit detects that the opening and closing member is open, the stage is moved by the stage driving unit to the outside of the cover through an opening covered by the opening and closing member.

Abstract: A microscope includes a switching mechanism which has a plurality of lens units, and which inserts a selected lens unit of the plurality of lens units into an observation light path and disposes the non-selected other lens units outside the observation light path. A control unit controls a movement speed of a stage, onto which a sample is placed, in an optical axis direction according to an observation power of the selected lens unit inserted into the observation light path. The plurality of lens units include: (i) a plurality of fixed-power lens units which are lens units including a combination of imaging lenses and objective lenses, and whose observation powers when observing the sample mutually differ, and (ii) a zoom lens unit which has a continuously changeable observation power.

Abstract: A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image.

Abstract: An autofocus device, comprises: a stage for mounting a sample; an objective lens; a focusing unit driving stage or the objective lens in an optical axis direction in order to control the position relative to each other of the stage and the objective lens; a lighting unit onto the sample; a detection unit detecting an optical image; a projection state changing unit being provided in an optical path, changing a state of the optical image projected onto the detection unit; a first in-focus state determination unit determining an in-focus state of the sample on the basis of a detection result; and a first in-focus state adjustment unit controlling a position of the projection state changing unit such that a state in which the stage and the objective lens are held at prescribed positions under control of the driving unit is determined to be an in-focus state.

Abstract: An obtainment unit obtains microscopic images in a time series obtained by picking up images of a specimen as a motion image and also obtains microscope information that is information correlated with each of the microscopic images and the information that indicates an observation state of the microscope when the microscopic image has been picked up. An image synthesis unit synthesizes individual microscopic images constituting the motion image based on position information which is included in the microscope information and which indicate positions of the specimen when the microscopic image has been picked up, thereby synthesizing a wider view image than the microscopic image.

Abstract: An optical microscope apparatus selectively arranges a plurality of optical elements in an optical path, and includes: a manual switch unit capable of manually switching any of the plurality of optical elements; a detection unit detecting an arrangement status of manually switched optical elements; a storage unit storing information relating to the arrangement of the plurality of optical elements for each observing method; and an arrangement control unit arranging the plurality of optical elements according to the detection result by the detection unit and the information stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A microscope system having a selectively mountable optical element, comprises: a first noncontact type storage medium, being equipped in the optical element, for enabling a noncontact readout of information externally; and a first readout unit for reading information non-contactingly from the first noncontact type storage medium, wherein the first noncontact type storage medium stores information related to the optical element.

Abstract: An examination apparatus that has a simple structure and that is capable of determining the condition inside the apparatus and improving the ease of use of the apparatus when a specimen is changed is provided. The examination apparatus includes a stage on which a specimen is disposed; an optical system configured to form an enlarged or reduced image of the specimen; a cover configured to cover the stage and the optical system; an opening and closing member provided as part of the cover; a detection unit configured to detect whether the opening and closing member is in a closed state or an open state; and a stage driving unit configured to move the state. Only when the detection unit detects that the opening and closing member is open, the stage is moved by the stage driving unit to the outside of the cover through an opening covered by the opening and closing member.

Abstract: A microscope is configured, comprising a plurality of fixed-power lens units which are lens units composed of a combination of imaging lenses and objective lenses, of which the observation power when observing a sample mutually differs; a zoom lens unit which is a lens unit which can continuously change observation power; a switching mechanism for switching a lens unit inserted into an observation light path and inserting any one of the other lens units into the observation light path; and a control unit for controlling the movement speed of a stage, onto which the sample is placed, in the optical axis direction according to the observation power of the lens unit inserted into the observation light path.

Abstract: A controller controls a driving speed used when a distance is changed by driving an electric focusing mechanism for adjusting the distance between a sample as an observation target of a microscope and an objective lens based on a depth of focus of an optical observation system of the microscope.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus has a driver mounted on a main body of the microscope apparatus, a sensor which detects a stopped state of the driver, a power supply which supplies power to the sensor, a drive controller which controls driving of the driver, and a controller which controls the power supply to the sensor from the power supply in accordance with a drive control signal sent from the drive controller to the driver.

Abstract: An optical microscope apparatus selectively arranges a plurality of optical elements in an optical path, and includes: a manual switch unit capable of manually switching any of the plurality of optical elements; a detection unit detecting an arrangement status of manually switched optical elements; a storage unit storing information relating to the arrangement of the plurality of optical elements for each observing method; and an arrangement control unit arranging the plurality of optical elements according to the detection result by the detection unit and the information stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus has a driver mounted on a main body of the microscope apparatus, a sensor which detects a stopped state of the driver, a power supply which supplies power to the sensor, a drive controller which controls driving of the driver, and a controller which controls the power supply to the sensor from the power supply in accordance with a drive control signal sent from the drive controller to the driver.

Abstract: An optical microscope apparatus selectively arranges a plurality of optical elements in an optical path, and includes: a manual switch unit capable of manually switching any of the plurality of optical elements; a detection unit detecting an arrangement status of manually switched optical elements; a storage unit storing information relating to the arrangement of the plurality of optical elements for each observing method; and an arrangement control unit arranging the plurality of optical elements according to the detection result by the detection unit and the information stored in the storage unit.