3m Innovative Properties Company

Steven R Bartingale

Mike E Hamerly

Jeff D Haagenstad

James D Cleary

Richard E Raby

Russell A Jordan

Techniques are described for using radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track patient-specific materials throughout the manufacturing of indirect bonding trays. A series of RFID tags may be used to track the patient-specific material starting with the taking of a patient's impression at a clinic within a dental impression tray, through the process of casting and forming the indirect bonding tray at a manufacturing facility, back into the clinic where the appliances are bonded to the patient's teeth, and eventually into storage where the left-over materials may be archived. A database may be used to capture unique identifiers for the RFID tags and other information throughout the process.

RFID tracking of patient-specific orthodontic materials

A detection system determines the position of an object moving along a first direction. The system includes a magnetic field source generating a magnetic field signal and a magnetic field detection system coupled to the object. The detection system includes a source interface module with magnetic field sensors positioned a known distance apart along a second direction different from the first direction. Each sensor detects the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source and generates a magnetic field signal. A processing module processes the magnetic field intensity signal produced by the source interface module. The processing module generates data for each sensor in the source interface module, which is made up of points representing peak magnetic field and sensor location along the second direction. The points are compared to determine the distance of the object from the magnetic field source along the second direction.

Distance detection system

System for determining the position of an object with respect to a magnetic field sources

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Stillwater, MN, United States of America

Steven R Bartingale