Intra-oral camera with integral display

A portable intra-oral capture and display system, said system comprising:

• a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, said handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom;
• a portable, hand-cradled base containing in a single integral enclosure a light source for generating light, electronics for processing the image for display, a display monitor for displaying the image and a wireless device for transmitting the image from the base to one or more peripheral devices located remote from the intra-oral capture and display system;
• and
• an optical connection for transmitting the light from the base to the light emitter in the camera, and an electrical connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base.

A dental image processing system comprising:

• a portable intra-oral camera and display system connected by a wireless link to one or more peripheral processing devices remote from the camera and display system;
• wherein said portable camera and display system comprises:
• a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, said handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom;
• a portable, hand-cradled base containing in a single integral enclosure electronics for processing the image for display, a display monitor for displaying the image and a wireless device for establishing the wireless link and transmitting the image from the base to one or more peripheral devices located remote from the intra-oral capture and display system;
• and
• a cable connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base.

A dental image processing system comprising:

• a portable intra-oral camera and display system that is used with one or more peripheral processing devices remote from the camera and display system;
• wherein said portable camera and display system comprises:
• a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, said handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom that is calibrated for the colorimetry of the camera and display system;
• a portable, hand-cradled base containing in a single integral enclosure electronics for processing the image for display and a display monitor for displaying the image;
• and
• a cable connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base.

A portable intra-oral capture and display system, said system comprising:

• a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, said handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom;
• a portable, hand-cradled base tethered to the handpiece, said base containing in a single integral enclosure a light source for generating light, electronics for processing the image for display, a display monitor for displaying the image, and a power supply including rechargeable batteries for powering the base;
• a docking unit for receiving the base, said docking unit having a battery recharger for recharging the batteries in the base when the base is received into the docking unit;
• and
• an optical connection for transmitting the light from the base to the light emitter in the camera, and an electrical connection for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base.