Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5745229?dq=5,666,293
Timestamp: 2013-12-21 08:33:30
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Patent US5745229 - Apparatus for determining optical characteristics of an object - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsColor measuring systems and methods are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a central source fiber optic and receive light reflected from the surface of the object being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the...http://www.google.com/patents/US5745229?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5745229 - Apparatus for determining optical characteristics of an objectAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5745229 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/581,851Publication dateApr 28, 1998Filing dateJan 2, 1996Priority dateJan 2, 1996Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2238498A1, DE69739604D1, EP0909376A1, EP0909376A4, EP0909376B1, US5883708, US6040902, WO1997024587A1Publication number08581851, 581851, US 5745229 A, US 5745229A, US-A-5745229, US5745229 A, US5745229AInventorsRussell W. Jung, Wayne D. Jung, Alan R. LoudermilkOriginal AssigneeLj Laboratories, L.L.C.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (40), Non-Patent Citations (66), Referenced by (64), Classifications (45), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus for determining optical characteristics of an objectUS 5745229 AAbstract Color measuring systems and methods are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics are spaced apart from a central source fiber optic and receive light reflected from the surface of the object being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter receiver fiber optics to determine information regarding the height and angle of the probe with respect to the object being measured. Under processor control, the color measurement may be made at a predetermined height and angle. Various color spectral photometer arrangements are disclosed. Translucency, fluorescence and/or surface texture data also may be obtained. Audio feedback may be provided to guide operator use of the system. The probe may have a removable or shielded tip for contamination prevention.
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for measuring optical characteristics of an object with a probe as the probe is moved with respect to the object, comprising:a probe having a central light source and a plurality of light receivers spaced apart from the central light source, wherein light from the central light source is reflected from the object into the plurality of light receivers; first and second sensors coupled to receive light from the light receivers, wherein at least some of the second sensors measure the value of the intensity of light in predetermined color bands; a processor coupled to receive data from the first and second light sensors; wherein the processor monitors intensity values determined by the first sensors and stores data from the second sensors based on the intensity determinations made by the first sensors, wherein the stored data is indicative of optical characteristics of the object. 2. An apparatus for determining optical characteristics of an object, comprising:a probe movable to be in proximity to the object, wherein the probe provides light to the surface of the object from one or more light sources, and receives light reflected from the object through a plurality of light receivers; first sensors for determining the intensity of reflected light received by more than one of the light receivers; and second sensors for measuring the optical characteristics of the object based on light received by one or more of the light receivers in response to the intensity determinations made by the first sensors, wherein the measurement produces data indicative of the optical characteristics of the object. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical characteristics of the object comprise color characteristics.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in greater detail with reference tocertain preferred embodiments.
In order to propagate light without loss, the light must be incident withinthe core of the fiber optic at an angle greater than the critical angle, which may be represented as Sin.sup.-1 {n.sub.1 /n.sub.0 }, where n.sub.0 is the index of refraction of the core and n.sub.1 is the index of refraction of the cladding. Thus, all light must enter the fiber at an acceptance angle equal to or less than phi, with phi=2 {√(n.sub.0.sup.2 -n.sub.1.sup.2)}, or it will not be propagated in a desired manner.
For light entering a fiber optic, it must enter within the acceptance anglephi. Similarly, when the light exits a fiber optic, it will exit the fiber optic within a cone of angle phi as illustrated in FIG. 4A. The value √(n.sub.0.sup.2 -n.sub.1.sup.2) is referred to as the aperture of the fiber optic. For example, a typical fiber optic may have an aperture of 0.5, and an acceptance angle of 60
As discussed earlier, the intensity of the light in the circular area illuminated by the source fiber increases as the fiber is lowered to the surface. The intersection of the two cones, however, decreases as the fiber optic pair is lowered. Thus, as the fiber optic pair is lowered to asurface, the total intensity of light received by the receiver fiber optic increases to a maximal value, and then decreases sharply as the fiber optic pair is lowered still further to the surface. Eventually, the intensity will decrease essentially to zero (assuming the object being measured is not translucent, as described more fully herein), and will remain essentially zero until the fiber optic pair is in contact with the surface. Thus, as a source-receiver pair of fiber optics as described above are positioned near a surface and as their height is varied, the intensity of light received by the receiver fiber optic reaches a maximal value at a critical height h.sub.c.
Again without being bound by theory, an interesting property of the critical height h.sub.c has been observed. The critical height h.sub.c is a function primarily of the geometry of fixed parameters, such as fiber apertures, fiber diameters and fiber spacing. Since the receiver fiber optic in the illustrated arrangement is only detecting a maximum value andnot attempting to quantify the value, its maximum is independent of the surface characteristics. It is only necessary that the surface reflect sufficient light from the intersecting area of the source and receiver fiber optics to be within the detection range of the receiver fiber optic light sensor. Thus, red or green or blue or any color surface will all exhibit a maximum at the same critical height h.sub.c. Similarly, smooth reflecting surfaces and rough surfaces also will have varying intensity values at the maximal value, but generally speaking all such surfaces willexhibit a maximum at the same critical height h.sub.c. The actual value of the light intensity will be a function of the color of the surface and of the surface characteristics, but the height where the maximum intensity value occurs in general will not.
As illustrated, two peak intensity values (discussed as P1 and P2 below) should be detected as the fiber optic pair moves to and from the object atthe critical height h.sub.c. If peaks P1 and P2 produced by a receive fiberoptic are the same value, this generally is an indication that the probe has been moved to and from the surface of the object to be measured in a consistent manner. If peaks P1 and P2 are of different values, then these may be an indication that the probe was not moved to and from the surface of the object in a desired manner, or that the surface is curved or textured, as described more fully herein. In such a case, the data may be considered suspect and rejected. In addition, peaks P1 and P2 for each of the perimeter fiber optics (see, e.g., FIG. 2) should occur at the same critical height (assuming the geometric attributes of the perimeter fiber optics, such as aperture, diameter and spacing from the source fiber optic, etc.). Thus, the perimeter fiber optics of a probe moved in a consistent, perpendicular manner to and from the surface of the object being measured should have peaks P1 and P2 that occur at the same criticalheight. Monitoring receiver fibers from the perimeter receiver fiber opticsand looking for simultaneous (or near simultaneous, e.g., within a predetermined range) peaks P1 and P2 provides a mechanism for determining if the probe is held at a desired perpendicular angle with respect to the object being measured.
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2011Jan 18, 2012Carestream Health, Inc.Dental shade mappingWO1999056658A1 *May 5, 1999Nov 11, 1999Dentech LlcAutomated tooth shade analysis and matching system* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification356/73, 356/416, 356/446, 356/419, 356/601, 356/417International ClassificationA61B1/00, G01J3/10, A61C19/10, G01J3/46, G01J3/02, G01J3/51, G01N21/27, G01N21/57, G01J3/50, A61B1/24, G01J3/04, G01N21/47Cooperative ClassificationG01J3/508, G01N21/474, G01J3/50, G01J3/524, G01J3/04, G01J3/0218, G01J3/513, A61C19/10, G01J3/02, A61B2560/0233, G01J3/51, G01J3/10, G01J3/46, G01N21/57European ClassificationG01J3/52C, G01J3/51A, G01J3/50T, G01J3/02B5, G01J3/10, G01N21/47F2, G01N21/57, G01J3/02, G01J3/50, G01J3/46, G01J3/04, A61C19/10, G01J3/51Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionOct 20, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12Jul 27, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: JJL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, ILLINOISFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LJ LABORATORIES LLC;JUNG, WAYNE D.;JUNG, RUSSELL W.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:019597/0461Effective date: 20070727Owner name: JJL TECHNOLOGIES LLC,ILLINOISOct 28, 2005FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Sep 6, 2001FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Apr 15, 1997ASAssignmentOwner name: LJ LABORATORIES, L.L.C., ILLINOISFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:JUNG, WAYNE D.;JUNG, RUSSELL W.;LOUDERMILK, ALAN R.;REEL/FRAME:008449/0918;SIGNING DATES FROM 19970404 TO 19970411RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google