Talking interactive microscope

• US 6,669,484 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lund Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lund Incorporated (Truck Hero, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srirangam, Krishnan, Lund, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US09/938,050
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 434/276, 434/283, 434/295, 434/296, 434/297, 434/298, 434/307.R, 446/219, 446/397, 446/175, D21/483, D16/131, D16/130, 359/383, 359/391
• US Class Current: 434/276
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0008 Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/36 for zoology
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/38 for botany

Abstract

An interactive microscope assembly wherein when a slide is placed on a holder a program will audibly identify the slide. A keypad is used to input the slide number and a built-in program provides relevant information. An indexing system is also provided which in conjunction with a series of buttons provides audio information relating the portion of the specimen to which the indexing system is directed.

Claims

1. An interactive microscope assembly having an adjustable eye-piece, a specimen holder for holding a specimen comprising a slide holder with a slide disposed therein, a speaker, a power source, an on/off button, a preprogrammed circuit board having at least one program, a keypad for correlating the slide with said at least one program, an indexing system including a pointer-dial switching arrangement for indicating what part of the specimen is being studied and magnified consisting of a rotating disk having an arrow pointing at a particular area of the specimen and button means tied into said program for providing audio information through said speaker relating to the part of the specimen at which the arrow is pointing.

2. A microscope assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which the button means comprise a series of buttons.

3. A microscope as set forth in claim 2 in which there is a base in which the buttons, keypad, program circuit board and power source are located.

4. A microscope assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the disk is rotated by a thumbwheel and the disk includes indentations that effect activation of the switching arrangement and a selected part of said program.

5. A Microscope assembly including a base member, a microscope including an adjustable eye-piece secured to said base, and a specimen holder for holding a specimen comprising a slide disposed below said eye-piece, a plurality of buttons in said base, a program controller in said base and operable by said buttons, and including a program to identify facts or list questions and answers, a keypad on said base for keying information to the controller relating to the slide containing the specimen when placed on the specimen holder, a dial containing an arrow disposed adjacent the specimen and pointing to a section of the specimen, a thumbwheel for tuning said dial relative to the specimen, a switch means disposed adjacent said dial and activated by said dial when moved to various positions to activate the program to provide information through a speaker to identify facts or list questions and answers when one of said buttons is activated.