Patent ID: 7355721
Filing Date: 2008-04-08
Classification: A61B,A61C,G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An intra-oral digitizer, comprising: a light source configured to generate a beam of structured light having constituent components; a reference arm configured to generate a reference beam of light based on the beam of structured light; a projector configured to project the beam of structured light toward an object and to detect a reflection of at least a portion of the beam, the beam being projected toward the object as a dot that traverses a two dimensional (2D) pattern across a three dimensional (3D) outer surface associated with the object to generate reflection data representing the 3D outer surface associated with the object; a coupler configured to combine the reference beam and the reflection to generate a superimposed interference light pattern; a sensor configured to generate a signal that represents the superimposed interference light pattern; and a processor configured to generate a dataset representative of the three dimensional (3D) outer surface of the object, wherein the dataset is generated from information consisting essentially of the reflection data.