Intraoral 3d scanning system using uniform structured light projection

An intraoral scanning system, comprising:

• an intraoral scanner, comprising:
• an elongate wand with a probe at a distal end of the elongate wand, the probe configured to enter an intraoral cavity of a patient during scanning and defining a longitudinal axis of the intraoral scanner;
• a first structured light projector disposed within the probe and positioned on the longitudinal axis defined by the probe, the first structured light projector comprising a first light source configured to transmit first light and a first pattern generating optical element configured to generate a first uniform structured light pattern when the first light is transmitted from the first light source and through the first pattern generating optical element;
• a second structured light projector disposed within the probe and positioned proximally along the longitudinal axis relative to the first structured light projector, the second structured light projector comprising a second a light source configured to transmit second light and a second pattern generating optical element configured to generate the first uniform structured light pattern or a second uniform structured light pattern when the second light is transmitted from the second light source and through the second pattern generating optical element;
• a first camera disposed within the probe and positioned proximally along the longitudinal axis relative to the first structured light projector, the first camera configured to capture points of at least one of the first uniform structured light pattern or the second uniform structured light pattern;
• a second camera disposed within the probe and positioned distally along the longitudinal axis relative to the first structured light projector, the second camera configured to capture the points of at least one of the first uniform structured light pattern or the second uniform structured light pattern;
• a third camera disposed within the probe and positioned on a first side of the longitudinal axis relative to the first structured light projector, the third camera configured to capture the points of at least one of the first uniform structured light pattern or the second uniform structured light pattern;
• and
• a fourth camera disposed within the probe and positioned on a second side of the longitudinal axis relative to the first structured light projector, the fourth camera configured to capture the points of at least one of the first uniform structured light pattern or the second uniform structured light pattern;
• wherein the first camera and the second camera are positioned such that their optical axes are at an angle of 90 degrees or less with respect to each other from a line of sight that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• wherein the third camera and the fourth camera are positioned such that their optical axes are at an angle of 90 degrees or less with respect to each other from a line of sight that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

An intraoral scanning system comprising:

• an elongate handheld wand with a probe at a distal end;
• a structured light projector configured to project one or more structured light patterns onto an object, the structured light projector comprising one or more light sources configured to transmit light and a pattern generating optical element configured to generate the one or more structured light patterns when the light is transmitted from the one or more light sources and through the pattern generating optical element, wherein the one or more structured light patterns comprise a first type of pattern points and a second type of pattern points;
• a plurality of cameras configured to capture the first type of pattern points and the second type of pattern points of the one or more structured light patterns;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• detect the first type of pattern points and the second type of pattern points, wherein the first type of pattern points and the second type of pattern points are resolved;
• process the first type of pattern points using a correspondence algorithm to determine a first correspondence between the projected first type of pattern points in the one or more structured light patterns generated by the structured light projector and the captured first type of pattern points of the one or more structured light patterns captured by the plurality of cameras viewing the one or more structured light patterns projected onto the object;
• process the second type of pattern points using the correspondence algorithm to determine a second correspondence between the projected second type of pattern points in the one or more structured light patterns generated by the structured light pattern and the captured second type of pattern points of the one or more structured light patterns captured by the plurality of cameras viewing the one or more structured light patterns projected onto the object;
• use triangulation and the determined first correspondence to determine three-dimensional points in space associated with the first type of pattern points of the one or more structured light patterns captured by the plurality of cameras viewing the one or more structured light patterns projected onto the object;
• and
• use triangulation and the determined second correspondence to determine three-dimensional points in space associated with the second type of pattern points of the one or more structured light patterns captured by the plurality of cameras viewing the one or more structured light patterns projected onto the object.

An intraoral scanning system comprising:

• an elongate handheld wand with a probe at a distal end;
• a means for projecting a uniform structured light pattern onto an object;
• a plurality of means for capturing points of the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object;
• and
• a means to:
• determine a correspondence between projected points in the uniform structured light pattern generated by the means for projecting the uniform structured light pattern onto the object and captured points of the uniform structured light pattern captured by the plurality of means for capturing points of the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object viewing the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object;
• and
• use triangulation and the determined correspondence to determine three-dimensional points in space associated with the captured points of the uniform structured light pattern captured by the plurality of means for capturing points of the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object viewing the uniform structured light pattern projected onto the object.