US 7,609,875 B2Granted

Scanner system and method for mapping surface of three-dimensional object

AssigneeOraMetrix, Inc.

InventorsYongqian Liu, Phillip Getto

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Abstract

A scanning system is disclosed including a hand-held scanning device for capturing three-dimensional information of an object. The scanner system includes a high-speed transceiver having a high-speed laser light source, a high frequency MEMS oscillating scanning mirror and software for frame registration. Laser based range finding technique is used to map the scanned object. MEMS oscillating at high speed enables rapid and accurate scanning of an object. The scanning can be performed without knowledge or even precise control of the position of the object relative to the scanner. Random movement of the object during scanning is also possible. The scanner can be used for a variety of purposes, including medical and industrial purposes. The illustrated embodiment is in-vivo scanning of human teeth for purposes of orthodontic treatment planning and diagnosis. Several benefits from the scanner are possible: much higher resolution of the scanned object, improved acquisition speed of the three-dimensional information of the surface of the object to be mapped, and the improvement in virtual image clarity.

Claims56

Dependent claims

A scanner system for mapping the three-dimensional surface of an object, comprising:

a laser light source;
an oscillating Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (“MEMS”) mirror;
a receiver;
a processing unit;
and
a memory;
wherein said laser light source emits a beam towards said MEMS mirror;
wherein said MEMS mirror, while oscillating, reflects said beam;
wherein said beam reflected by said MEMS mirror impacts a group of one or more points on said surface of said object dependent upon position of said MEMS mirror during an oscillation cycle;
wherein each of said group of one or more points on said surface of said object further reflects said beam;
wherein said receiver receives said beam further reflected by each of said group of one or more points on said surface of said object;
wherein said processing unit comprises computer instructions enabling monitoring of parameters comprising (a) characteristics of (i) said beam emitted by said laser light source and (ii) said beam further reflected by each of said group of one or more points on said surface of said object and received by said receiver;
(b) (i) emission beginning timing of said beam emitted by said laser light source and (ii) receipt timing of said beam further reflected by each of said group of one or more points on said surface of said object and received by said receiver;
and (c) oscillation angles of said oscillating MEMS mirror;
and computer instructions for computing from said parameters a three-dimensional mapping information of said surface of said object;
wherein said laser light source and said MEMS mirror are movable for scanning different areas of said surface of said object;
wherein said memory stores said three-dimensional mapping information of said surface of said object.

14 more elements

A method of scanning the three-dimensional surface of an object, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a scanner proximate to an object;
said scanner having a light source and an oscillating Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (“MEMS”) mirror;
said MEMS mirror directing a laser beam emitting from said light source towards a surface of an object;
said scanner further having a means for capturing said laser beam reflected off of said surface of said object;
(b) scanning, with said scanner, while keeping said scanner in substantially stationary position relative to said object, a frame from said surface wherein said frame comprises a group of points on said surface scanned during a complete oscillation cycle of said MEMS mirror, wherein said scanning step comprises scanning every point in said frame and wherein the step of scanning a point comprises the sub-steps of:
(i) emitting said laser beam from said light source towards said oscillating MEMS mirror;
(ii) directing said emitted laser beam using said oscillating MEMS mirror towards said point on said surface whereby said point on said surface reflects said emitted laser beam upon impact on said point on said surface;
(iii) receiving the laser beam reflected by said point on said surface into a receiver using said means for capturing the reflected laser beam;
(iv) recording, with a processing unit, parameters comprising (a) characteristics of (i) said laser beam emitted by said light source and (ii) said laser beam reflected by said point on said surface of said object and received by said receiver;
(b) (i) emission beginning timing of said laser beam emitted by said light source and (ii) receipt timing of said laser beam reflected by said point on said surface and received by said receiver;
and (c) oscillation angle of said oscillating MEMS mirror;
(v) computing from said parameters, using said processing unit, a three-dimensional mapping information of said point on said surface;
and
(vi) storing said computed three-dimensional mapping information of said point of said surface in a memory;
(c) moving said scanner and said object relative to each other;
and
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) and capturing, with said scanner, a series of frames off of said surface of said object as said scanner and said surface move relative to each other;
(e) processing said series of frames, each of said frames comprising spatial coordinates for said group of points in said frame, and
(f) registering overlapping areas of said frames to each other to generate a three-dimensional virtual model of said object.

16 more elements

A scanner system for mapping the three-dimensional surface of an object, comprising:

a laser light source;
a collimator;
an oscillating Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (“MEMS”) mirror;
a receiver;
a beam splitter;
a static mirror;
a processing unit;
and
a memory;
wherein said laser light source emits a beam towards said collimator;
wherein said collimator collimates said beam emitted from said laser light source and transmits said collimated beam towards said MEMS mirror;
wherein said MEMS mirror, while oscillating, reflects said collimated beam towards said beam splitter;
wherein said beam splitter directs said beam reflected by said MEMS mirror towards said static mirror;
wherein said static mirror further reflects said beam on to surface of an object;
wherein said surface of said object reflects said beam;
wherein said receiver receives said beam reflected by said surface of said object;
wherein said processing unit comprises computer instructions enabling monitoring of parameters comprising (a) characteristics of (i) said beam emitted by said laser light source and (ii) said beam further reflected by said surface of said object and received by said receiver;
(b) (i) emission beginning timing of said beam emitted by said laser light source and (ii) receipt timing of said beam reflected by said surface of said object and received by said receiver;
and (c) position of said oscillating MEMS mirror;
and computer instructions for computing there from a three-dimensional mapping information of said surface of said object;
wherein said memory stores said three-dimensional mapping information of said surface of said object.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/139,454Filed 27 May 2005
Published: US 2006/0269896 A130 Nov 2006
Granted: 27 Oct 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A61C 7/00
Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth
G01B 11/24
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques: for measuring contours or curvatures
A61C 7/002
Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by…:…
A61C 13/0003
Dental prostheses; Making same: making bridge-work, inlays, implants or the like