Power sources for wireless intraoral scanners

An intraoral scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• a probe at one end of the body, the probe comprising a scanner head;
• a wireless communication module disposed within the body;
• one or more optical sensors to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a computing device;
• a replaceable battery disposed within the body;
• a backup power source disposed within the body, wherein the backup power source provides up to about 1 Watt of power for up to about 60 seconds;
• and
• a controller disposed within the body, wherein the controller is to:
• detect removal of the replaceable battery from the body;
• transition the intraoral scanner into a low power mode, wherein the intraoral scanner consumes up to about 1 Watt of power while in the low power mode;
• detect insertion of a second replaceable battery into the body;
• and
• transition the intraoral scanner out of the low power mode.

An intraoral scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• a probe at one end of the body, the probe comprising a scanner head;
• a wireless communication module disposed within the body;
• one or more optical sensors to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a computing device;
• a replaceable battery disposed within the body;
• a backup power source disposed within the body;
• and
• a controller disposed within the body, wherein the controller is to:
• detect removal of the replaceable battery from the body;
• transition the intraoral scanner into a low power mode;
• determine that the backup power source reaches a threshold power level while no replaceable battery is inserted into the body;
• and
• transition the intraoral scanner from the low power mode into a hibernation mode responsive to determining that the backup power source has reached the threshold power level, wherein a first set of components of the intraoral scanner are deactivated during the low power mode, and wherein a second set of components of the intraoral scanner are deactivated during the hibernation mode, wherein the first set of components is a subset of the second set of components.

An intraoral scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• a probe at one end of the body, the probe comprising a scanner head;
• a wireless communication module disposed within the body;
• one or more optical sensors to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a computing device;
• a replaceable battery disposed within the body;
• a backup power source disposed within the body;
• and
• a controller disposed within the body, wherein the controller is to:
• detect removal of the replaceable battery from the body;
• transition the intraoral scanner into a low power mode;
• determine that the replaceable battery reaches a threshold power level;
• determine that the intraoral scanner is not in use;
• and
• transition the intraoral scanner into a hibernation mode responsive to determining that the replaceable battery has reached the threshold power level and that the intraoral scanner is not in use, wherein a first set of components of the intraoral scanner are deactivated during the low power mode, and wherein a second set of components of the intraoral scanner are deactivated during the hibernation mode, wherein the first set of components is a subset of the second set of components.

An intraoral scanning system comprising:

• an intraoral scanner, comprising:
• a body;
• a probe at one end of the body, the probe comprising a scanner head;
• at least one of one or more light projectors, one or more cameras, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), or one or more temperature control devices;
• a wireless communication module disposed within the body;
• one or more optical sensors to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a computing device;
• a replaceable battery disposed within the body;
• a backup power source disposed within the body;
• and
• a controller disposed within the body;
• the computing device, to wirelessly receive the intraoral scan data;
• and
• a second replaceable battery;
• wherein the controller of the intraoral scanner is to:
• detect removal of the replaceable battery from the body;
• transition the intraoral scanner into a low power mode, wherein to transition the intraoral scanner into the low power mode the controller deactivates at least one of the one or more light projectors, the one or more cameras, the IMU, or the one or more temperature control devices;
• detect insertion of the second replaceable battery into the body;
• and
• transition the intraoral scanner out of the low power mode, wherein to transition the intraoral scanner out of the low power mode the controller reactivates at least one of the one or more light projectors, the one or more cameras, the IMU, or the one or more temperature control devices.