# US 2010/0165357 A1 · Method and apparatus for imaging three-dimensional structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0165357 A1 - Document ID: US20100165357A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/654,698 - Filed: 2009-12-29 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 1998-08-05 - Assignees: Cadent Ltd. - Inventors: Noam Babayoff; Isaia Glaser-Inbari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165357A1 ## CPC - A61C 9/0066: {Depth determination through adaptive focusing} - A61B 1/00096: {Optical elements} - A61B 1/0625: {for multiple fixed illumination angles} - A61B 1/24: for the mouth, i.e. stomatoscopes, e.g. with tongue depressors; Instruments for opening or keeping open the mouth - A61B 5/0064: {Body surface scanning} - A61B 5/0088: {for oral or dental tissue} - A61B 5/1077: {Measuring of profiles} - A61C 5/77: Methods or devices for making crowns - A61C 9/0053: {Optical means or methods, e.g. scanning the teeth by a laser or light beam} - A61C 13/0004: {Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses} - G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures - G01B 11/25: by projecting a pattern, e.g. {one or more lines,} moiré fringes on the object (G01B11/255 takes precedence {; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50}) - A61B 5/4547: {Evaluating teeth} - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract An apparatus for determining surface topology of a portion of a three-dimensional structure is provided, that includes a probing member, an illumination unit, a light focusing optics, a translation mechanism, a detector and a processor. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method for determining surface topology of a portion of a three-dimensional structure, comprising: (a) providing an array of incident light beams propagating in an optical path leading through a focusing optics and through a probing face; the focusing optics defining one or more focal planes forward said probing face in a position changeable by said optics, each light beam having its focus on one of said one or more focal plane; the beams generating a plurality of illuminated spots on the structure; (b) detecting intensity of returned light beams propagating from each of these spots along an optical path opposite to that of the incident light; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times, each time changing position of the focal plane relative to the structure; (d) for each of the illuminated spots, determining a spot-specific position, being the position of the respective focal plane yielding a maximum measured intensity of a respective returned light beam; and (e) generating data representative of the topology of said portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of incident light beams are produced by splitting a single parent beam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein step (a) comprises polarizing the incident light beams. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein step (b) comprises filtering light having polarization same as the incident light and measuring light of opposite polarization. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein each of said beams is composed of at least two light components different in at least one parameter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22, wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of wavelength, phase, light pulse duration and pattern. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22, comprising in step (b), determining intensity independently for each of said at least two light components in the return light beams. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method according to claim 24, wherein each of said at least two light components focuses in a plane differently distanced from the sensing surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the data representative of said topology is used for constructing an object to be fitted within said structure. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the data representative of said topology is converted into a form transmissible through a communication medium to recipient. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein said structure is a teeth segment. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein said structure is a teeth segment with at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth and said object is said at least one missing tooth or the portion of the tooth. ### Claim 30 (depends on 18) A method for reconstruction of topology of a three-dimensional structure comprising: i. determining surface topologies from at least two different positions or angular locations relative to the structure, by the method defined in claim 18; and ii. combining the surface topologies to obtain data representative of said structure. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, for reconstruction of topology of a teeth portion, comprising: determining surface topologies of at least a buccal surface and a lingual surface of the teeth portion; and combining the surface topologies to obtain data representative of a three-dimensional structure of said teeth portion. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method according to claim 31, for obtaining data representative of a three-dimensional structure of a teeth portion with at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method according to claim 32, wherein said data is used in a process of designing or manufacturing of a prostheses of said at least one missing tooth or a portion of a tooth. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein said prostheses is a crown or a bridge.