Align Technology, Inc.

Arkady Rudnitsky

Avi Kopelman

Yossef Atiya

Ofer Saphier

Tal Verker

Nir Makmel

Erez Lampert

Tal Levy

Eliahou Franklin Nizard

Sergei Ozerov

Shlomi Buganim

An apparatus for intraoral scanning comprises an elongate wand comprising a probe at a distal end of the elongate wand, one or more structured light projectors coupled to the elongate wand at a distal end of the elongate wand, the one or more structured light projectors configured to project a light pattern comprising a plurality of structured light features, one or more cameras coupled to the elongate wand at the distal end of the elongate wand, a window through which light exits and enters the probe, wherein the window reflects structured light features of the projected light pattern responsive to exposure of the window to the projected light pattern, and a processor. The processor is configured to run a three-dimensional image reconstruction algorithm based on the projected light pattern and a reflected light pattern returning from an object exposed to the projected light pattern to generate a three-dimensional surface of the object, wherein the reflected structured light features that have been reflected off of the window are excluded from the three-dimensional image reconstruction algorithm.

Reflection suppression for intraoral scanner

A dental scanning system comprises an intraoral scanner and one or more processors. The intraoral scanner comprises one or more light projectors configured to project a pattern (comprising a plurality of pattern features) on a surface of a dental object, and two or more cameras configured to acquire one or more sets of images, wherein each set of images comprises at least one image from each camera, and wherein each image includes at least a portion of the projected pattern. The processors are configured to determine one or more image features within each set of images, solve a correspondence problem within each set of images such that points in 3D space are determined based on the image features, wherein said points form a solution to the correspondence problem, and wherein the correspondence problem is solved for groups of pattern features, and generate a digital 3D representation of the dental object using the solution to the correspondence problem.

Intraoral 3D scanning system using structured light projection

An intraoral scanning system comprises an elongate handheld wand with a probe at a distal end, a structured light projector configured to project a uniform structured light pattern onto an object, a plurality of cameras configured to capture points of the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object by the structured light projector, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to determine a correspondence between projected points in the uniform structured light pattern generated by the structured light projector and captured points of the uniform structured light pattern captured by the plurality of cameras viewing the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object, and to use triangulation and the determined correspondence to determine three-dimensional points in space associated with the captured points of the uniform structured light pattern captured by the plurality of cameras.

Intraoral 3D scanning system using uniform structured light projection

A dental scanning system comprises an intraoral scanner and one or more processors. The intraoral scanner comprises one or more light projectors configured to project a pattern (comprising a plurality of pattern features) on a dental object, and two or more cameras configured to acquire sets of images, each comprising at least one image from each camera. The processor(s) are configured to determine a correspondence between pattern features in the pattern of light and image features in each set of images by determining intersections of projector rays corresponding to one or more of the plurality of pattern features and camera rays corresponding to the one or more image features in three-dimensional (3D) space based on calibration data that associates the camera rays corresponding to pixels on the camera sensor of each of the two or more cameras to the projector rays.

Dental scanning system with structured light projection

An apparatus for intraoral scanning includes an elongate handheld wand comprising a probe at a distal end of the handheld wand, one or more light projectors coupled to the handheld wand, and one or more cameras coupled to the handheld wand. Each camera comprises a camera sensor and objective optics comprising one or more lenses. Each camera is configured to focus at an object focal plane that is located between 1 mm and 30 mm from the lens that is farthest from the camera sensor. The apparatus further includes a fluorescent transparent film deposited on a surface selected from the group consisting of: a window of the probe through which light exits and enters the probe, and a transparent surface that is not integral to the probe.

Reflection suppression using fluorescence

An apparatus for intraoral scanning includes an elongate handheld wand that has a probe. One or more light projectors and two or more cameras are disposed within the probe. The light projectors each has a pattern generating optical element, which may use diffraction or refraction to form a light pattern. Each camera may be configured to focus between 1 mm and 30 mm from a lens that is farthest from the camera sensor. Other applications are also described.

Intraoral 3D scanner employing multiple miniature cameras and multiple miniature pattern projectors

An apparatus for intraoral scanning comprises an elongate handheld wand comprising a probe at a distal end, one or more light projectors, and two or more cameras. Each light projector comprises at least one light source configured to generate light and a pattern generating optical element configured to generate a pattern of light when the light is transmitted through the pattern generating optical element. Each camera comprises a camera sensor and one or more lenses and is configured to capture a plurality of images that depict at least a portion of the projected pattern of light on an intraoral surface, wherein each camera is configured to focus at an object focal plane that is located between about 1 mm and about 30 mm from a lens of the one or more lenses that is farthest from the camera sensor.

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Rehovot, Israel

Arkady Rudnitsky