Light microscope with automatic focusing

A light microscope with automatic focusing, comprising:

• an electronic control and evaluation device, which is configured to perform an initial coarse focusing in which a coarse focus setting is determined, followed by a subsequent fine focusing in which a fine focus setting is determined based on the coarse focus setting;
• wherein the electronic control and evaluation device is configured to:
• determine the coarse focus setting at a lateral xy-location of a lateral edge or corner of one of:
• a cover slip, a microscope slide, a well of a multiwell plate, or a sample vessel assessed as a best-suited lateral xy-location for a focus determination based on predetermined criteria out of a plurality of assessed lateral xy-locations of lateral edges or corners of the cover slip, the microwave slide, the well of the multiwell plate, or the sample vessel in an overview image, wherein the coarse focus setting is determined at the best-suited lateral xy-location identified in the overview image;
• determine the fine focus setting at the sample by recording image data at the sample with the coarse focus setting and modifying the coarse focus setting to enhance image sharpness;
• and
• after determination of the fine focus setting, record at least one sample image using the fine focus setting.

A method for automatically focusing a microscope, comprising:

• an initial coarse focusing in which a coarse focus setting is determined, followed by a subsequent fine focusing in which a fine focus setting is determined based on the coarse focus setting,
• the initial coarse focusing comprising:
• determining the coarse focus setting at a lateral xy-location of a text or an edge or corner of a text field on a microscope slide or sample vessel assessed as best-suited for a focus determination based on predetermined criteria out of a plurality of assessed lateral xy-locations of text or lateral edges or corners of the text field on the microscope slide or the sample vessel in an overview image, wherein the coarse focus setting is determined at the best-suited lateral xy-location identified in the overview image;
• the subsequent fine focusing comprising:
• determining the fine focus setting at the sample by recording image data at the sample with the coarse focus setting and modifying the coarse focus setting to enhance image sharpness;
• and
• after determination of the fine focus setting, recording sample images at xy-locations of the sample using the fine focus setting.

A method for automatically focusing a microscope, comprising:

• an initial coarse focusing in which a coarse focus setting is determined at an xy-location outside a sample, followed by a subsequent fine focusing in which a fine focus setting is determined at the sample based on the coarse focus setting, the initial coarse focusing comprising:
• analyzing an overview image showing the sample and an environment to ascertain a plurality of lateral xy-locations of a lateral edge or corner of one of:
• a cover slip, a microscope slide, a well of a multiwell plate, a sample holder, a sample vessel, or another barrier which physically limits a specimen area;
• determining, for each lateral xy-location of the plurality of lateral xy-locations, a suitability for determination of the coarse focus setting based on predetermined criteria;
• selecting at least one best-suited lateral xy-location out of the plurality of lateral xy-locations, wherein the at least one best-suited lateral xy-location identifies a part of the overview image which is laterally distanced from the sample;
• and
• determining the coarse focus setting at the selected at least one best-suited lateral xy-location of the lateral edge or corner of the cover slip, microscope slide, well, sample holder, sample vessel, or the another barrier which physically limits the specimen area, while disregarding other regions recorded in the overview image for the determining of the coarse focus setting;
• the subsequent fine focusing comprising:
• determining the fine focus setting at the sample by recording image data at the sample with the coarse focus setting and modifying the coarse focus setting to enhance image sharpness;
• and
• recording at least one sample image with the fine focus setting;
• and
• providing a learning mode to a user, in which:
• reference overview images of reference samples are represented, a marking tool is provided for the user with which the user can mark one or more lateral edges in each reference overview image, a machine learning algorithm establishes, based on the reference overview images and the boundaries marked by the user, criteria with which the at least one best-suited lateral xy-location of the lateral edge or corner is ascertained for determining the coarse focus setting;
• and
• wherein as part of the determination of the coarse focus setting, a microscope slide inclination is also ascertained, wherein at least three locations of a boundary are ascertained on which then in each case a local focus setting that indicates a height position of the respective location is ascertained, wherein the microscope slide inclination is ascertained based on the at least three height positions.