Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage media for collecting color information about an object undergoing a 3D scan

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a method of generating a three-dimensional (3D) image of a dental object, the method comprising:

• projecting, using a first optical component, light that has been reflected by an illuminated dental object and that has passed through a first aperture of a camera, onto a first portion of an image sensor;
• projecting, using a second optical component, light that has been reflected by the illuminated dental object and that has passed through a second aperture of the camera, onto a second portion of the image sensor;
• receiving a first two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the first portion of the image sensor, the first 2D color image data includes a first plurality of color pixel values;
• receiving a second two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the second portion of the image sensor, the second 2D color image data includes a second plurality of color pixel values;
• wherein the first aperture of the camera is different from the second aperture of the camera;
• generating a color information texture map based on the first and second 2D color image data;
• generating first and second 2D monochrome image data respectively corresponding to the first and second 2D color image data by applying a monochrome conversion to the first and second 2D color image data;
• generating 3D data, using particles of an optical contrast powder or contrast enhancing features of structured illumination light as reference markers, to correlate the first 2D monochrome image data with the second 2D monochrome image data;
• generating a 3D model of the illuminated object from the 3D data;
• generating 3D color image data by overlaying pixels of the color information texture map on the 3D model of the illuminated object
• downsampling the first 2D color image data such that a downsampled first 2D color image data includes a third plurality of color pixel values,
• downsampling the second 2D color image data such that a downsampled second 2D color image data includes a fourth plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the third plurality of color pixel values is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the first plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the fourth plurality of color pixel vales is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the second plurality of color pixel values, wherein the monochrome conversion is applied to the downsampled first and second 2D color image data in the generating of the first and second 2D monochrome image data.

A three-dimensional (3D) scanning system for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image of a dental object, the 3D scanning system comprising:

• a camera including a housing with a light source, a first aperture, a second aperture, different from the first aperture and a color image sensor having a first portion and a second portion, disposed in said housing,
• wherein the first portion of the color image sensor generates first two-dimensional (2D) color image data based on light projected by the light source, reflected by the object, passed through the first aperture and projected onto the first portion of the color image sensor by a first optical component, the first 2D color image data includes a first plurality of color pixel values and
• wherein the second portion of the color image sensor generates second 2D color image data based on light projected by the light source, reflected by the object, passed through the second aperture and projected onto the second portion of the color image sensor by a second optical component, the second 2D color image data includes a second plurality of color pixel values;
• and
• at least one processor operable to:
• generate a color information texture map based on the first and second 2D color image data;
• generate first and second 2D monochrome image data respectively corresponding to the first and second 2D color image data by applying a monochrome conversion to the first 2D color image data and the second 2D color image data;
• generate 3D data, using particles of an optical contrast powder or contrast enhancing features of structured illumination light as reference markers, to correlate the first 2D monochrome image data with the second 2D monochrome image data;
• generate a 3D model of the illuminated object from the 3D data;
• and
• generate 3D color image data by overlaying pixels of the color information texture map on the 3D model of the illuminated object
• downsample the first 2D color image data such that a downsampled first 2D color image data includes a third plurality of color pixel values,
• downsample the second 2D color image data such that a downsampled second 2D color image data includes a fourth plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the third plurality of color pixel values is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the first plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the fourth plurality of color pixel vales is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the second plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein the monochrome conversion is applied to the downsampled first and second 2D color image data in the generating of the first and second 2D monochrome image data.

A three-dimensional (3D) scanning system, comprising:

• a user interface, operable by a user to input a signal specifying selection of one of a plurality of operating modes of the 3D scanning system;
• and
• a processor, responsive to the signal specifying a first one of the operating modes, for
• projecting, using a first optical component, light that has been reflected by an illuminated dental object and that has passed through a first aperture of a camera, onto a first portion of an image sensor;
• projecting, using a second optical component, light that has been reflected by the illuminated dental object and that has passed through a second aperture of the camera, onto a second portion of the image sensor;
• receiving a first two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the first portion of the image sensor, the first 2D color image data includes a first plurality of color pixel values;
• receiving a second two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the second portion of the image sensor, the second 2D color image data includes a second plurality of color pixel values;
• wherein the first aperture of the camera is different from the second aperture of the camera;
• generating a color information texture map based on the first and second 2D color image data;
• generating first and second 2D monochrome image data respectively corresponding to the first and second 2D color image data by applying a monochrome conversion to the first and second 2D color image data,
• generating 3D data, using particles of an optical contrast powder or contrast enhancing features of structured illumination light as reference markers, to correlate the first 2D monochrome image data with the second 2D monochrome image data,
• generating a 3D model of the illuminated object from the 3D data, and
• generating 3D color image data by overlaying pixels of the color information texture map on the 3D model of the illuminated object
• downsampling the first 2D color image data such that a downsampled first 2D color image data includes a third plurality of color pixel values,
• downsampling the second 2D color image data such that a downsampled second 2D
• color image data includes a fourth plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the third plurality of color pixel values is
• smaller than another number of color pixel values in the first plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the fourth plurality of color pixel vales is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the second plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein the monochrome conversion is applied to the downsampled first and
• second 2D color image data in the generating of the first and second 2D monochrome image data,
• the processor also being responsive to the signal specifying selection of a second one of the operating modes, for generating further 2D color image data corresponding to the illuminated object.

A method of operating a three-dimensional (3D) scanning system, comprising:

• selecting between a plurality of operating modes;
• in response to a selection of a first one of the operating modes,
• projecting, using a first optical component, light that has been reflected by an illuminated dental object and that has passed through a first aperture of a camera, onto a first portion of an image sensor;
• projecting, using a second optical component, light that has been reflected by the illuminated dental object and that has passed through a second aperture of the camera, onto a second portion of the image sensor;
• receiving a first two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the first portion of the image sensor, the first 2D color image data includes a first plurality of color pixel values;
• receiving a second two-dimensional (2D) color image data of the illuminated dental object from the second portion of the image sensor, the second 2D color image data includes a second plurality of color pixel values;
• wherein the first aperture of the camera is different from the second aperture of the camera;
• generating a color information texture map based on the first and second 2D color image data,
• generating first and second 2D monochrome image data respectively corresponding to the first and second 2D color image data by applying a monochrome conversion to the first and second 2D color image data,
• generating 3D data, using particles of an optical contrast powder or contrast enhancing features of structured illumination light as reference markers, to correlate the first 2D monochrome image data with the second 2D monochrome image data,
• generating a 3D model of the illuminated object from the 3D data, and
• generating 3D color image data by overlaying pixels of the color information texture map on the 3D model of the illuminated object,
• downsampling the first 2D color image data such that a downsampled first 2D color image data includes a third plurality of color pixel values,
• downsampling the second 2D color image data such that a downsampled second 2D color image data includes a fourth plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the third plurality of color pixel values is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the first plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein a number of color pixel values in the fourth plurality of color pixel vales is smaller than another number of color pixel values in the second plurality of color pixel values,
• wherein the monochrome conversion is applied to the downsampled first and second 2D color image data in the generating of the first and second 2D monochrome image data;
• and
• in response to a selection of a second one of the operating modes, generating further 2D color image data corresponding to the illuminated object.