ARRANGEMENT FOR MICROMANIPULATION OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS

1 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . An arrangement for micromanipulation of biological specimens comprising:

a microscope having at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element;

at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator having an injector; and

a common operating console including a first operating element and a second operating element, each of the first and second operating elements being selectably configurable to independently operate either of the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element and the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

21 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the first operating element and a second operating element are configured to currently with each other independently operate either of the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element and the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

22 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element includes a first and a second motor-adjustable microscope functional element, and wherein the first operating element is configured to selectably operate either of the first and second motor-adjustable microscope functional elements.

23 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator includes a first and a second motor-adjustable micromanipulator, and wherein the second operating element is configured to selectably operate either of the first and second motor-adjustable micromanipulators.

24 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein:

the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator includes a first and a second motor-adjustable micromanipulator;

the second operating element is configured to selectably operate either of the first and second motor-adjustable micromanipulators;

the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator includes a first, and a second motor-adjustable micromanipulator; and

the second operating element is configured to selectably operate either of the first and second motor-adjustable micromanipulators.

25 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the common operating console includes a memory operating element having all associated memory for storage and retrieval of at least one predefined setting of the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element.

26 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the common operating console includes a memory operating element having an associated memory for storage and retrieval of at least one predefined setting of the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

27 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element includes at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element selected from:

a microscope stage that is X-Y displaceable or rotatable in motorized fashion;

a vertically motor-displaceable Z drive;

a motor-displaceable objective changing apparatus;

a motor-adjustable fluorescence filter changing device;

a motor-adjustable transmitted-light filter changing device;

a motorized video output control system;

a motor-adjustable condenser;

a motorized light control system; and

a motorized tube lens changing device.

28 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 further comprising a laser having a laser beam coupled into the microscope with a coupling-in optical system and focused onto a biological specimen with an objective for laser dissection of the biological specimen, and wherein the at least one operating console is configured to control at least one function of the laser.

29 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 wherein the first and second operating elements include at least one of a button, an operating wheel, an operating lever and a joystick.

30 . The arrangement as recited in claim 20 further comprising an selection device configured to selectably assign either of the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element and the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator to at least one of the first and second operating elements.

31 . An arrangement for micromanipulation of biological specimens comprising:

a microscope having a first and a second motor-adjustable microscope functional element;

a motor-adjustable micromanipulator having a respective injector; and

a common operating console including a first operating element and a second operating elemnent;

wherein the first operating element is configured to selectably operate any of the first motor-adjustable microscope functional element, the second motor-adjustable microscope functional element and the motor-adjustable micromanipulator; and

wherein the second operating element is configured to selectably and independently of the first operating element operate any of the first motor-adjustable microscope functional element, the second motor-adjustable microscope functional element and the motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

32 . The arrangement as recited in claim 31 wherein the first operating element and a second operating element are configured to operate concurrently with each other.

33 . The arrangement as recited in claim 31 wherein the common operating console includes a memory operating element having an associated memory for storage and retrieval of at least one predefined setting of at least one of the first and second motor-adjustable microscope functional elements.

34 . The arrangement as recited in claim 31 wherein at least one of the first and second operating elements includes a memory operating element having an associated memory for storage and retrieval of at least one predefined setting of the motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

35 . The arrangement as recited in claim 31 wherein at least one of the first and second motor-adjustable microscope functional elements is a motor-adjustable microscope functional element selected from:

a microscope stage that is X-Y displaceable or rotatable in motorized fashion;

a vertically motor-displaceable Z drive;

a motor-displaceable objective changing apparatus;

a motor-adjustable fluorescence filter changing device;

a motor-adjustable transmitted-light filter changing device;

a motorized video output control system;

a motor-adjustable condenser;

a motorized light control system; and

a motorized tube lens changing device.

36 . The arrangement as recited in claim 31 wherein the first and second operating elements include at least one of a button, an operating wheel, an operating lever and a joystick.

37 . A method for micromanipulation of biological specimens comprising:

providing a microscope having at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element;

providing at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator having an injector; and

providing a common operating console including a first operating element and a second operating element;

assigning a first of the at least one motor-adjustable microscope functional element to the first operating element using a function activation device so as to enable the first operating element to operate the first motor-adjustable microscope functional element; and

assigning the at least one motor-adjustable micromanipulator to the second operating element using the function activation device so as to enable the second operating element to operate the motor-adjustable micromanipulator.

38 . The method as recited in claim 37 wherein the first and second operating elements are configured to operate independently and concurrently with each other.