Patent ID: 12193893

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG.1shows a basic structure of one typical dental care unit1designed for use in connection with dental care and, thus, being an example of a dental care unit applicable for use to implement the invention. However,FIG.1shows merely an example of such dental care units and there are components which are not necessary to be included in a dental care unit according to the invention.

The dental care unit1according toFIG.1comprises a frame structure2and a patient chair3connected to it. From the frame structure2extends a vertical structure4to which connects a first support construction5for supporting dental instruments6, which may be e.g. diagnostic instruments related to dental care and/or instruments used in connection with dental care operations. Also to said vertical, structure4connects a second support structure7for an operating light8and a third support structure9for a display10.

FIG.1also shows an instrument console11which may be designed to support instruments typically used by a dental assistant, and a foot control12by which the operations of the dental care unit1and/or apparatuses and structures related to or connected to it can be controlled. Not shown inFIG.1, a dental care unit1can also comprise another kind of user interface, such as a touch screen, as a part of its control system. Additionally, the dental care unit1ofFIG.1is arranged into operational connection with a data network or an individual computer13.

As said, it should be noticed that the dental care unit according toFIG.1is only an example. Within the scope of the invention, the dental care unit can comprise more or less support structures for different kinds of components and apparatus than shown in the structure according toFIG.1. There is also no need to have a patient chair, for instance, in the dental care unit; itself as it may be implemented as a structure separate from the frame of the dental care unit. Furthermore, the frame structure of the dental care unit may be, instead of how the structure is shown inFIG.1as having significant horizontal and vertical dimensions, only a support structure basic of its dimensions and from which extends one or more support arms. The frame may also be arranged integrated to the structures of a floor-attached patient chair.

However, the frame structure of the dental care unit has been typically implemented such that via it has been arranged to be supplied power and/or control signals required for the use of instruments and apparatuses utilized in connection with dental care. Physically, that means supplying e.g. at least one of the following: water, compressed air, electricity, an electric or other control signal. Hence, when a dental care unit is mentioned in this application, it refers to a structure which includes an arrangement for supplying at least some of the above-listed or equivalents to dental-care instruments arranged into connection with the dental care unit or other apparatuses utilized in connection with dental care.

FIG.2shows a block diagram of one possible arrangement to implement the integration of a projector to a dental operating light. The arrangement in accordance withFIG.2comprises a projector unit801which is arranged into operational connection with a projector controller802. As also shown, the projector controller802may be arranged in operational connection with a control system804of the operating light8. The control system804of the operating light8controls a light-emitter803of the operating light and may also be arranged to communicate with it.

In the embodiment of the invention according toFIG.3, the operating light8further includes a stereo camera, i.e. two camera units805and a camera controller806. In the embodiment of the invention according toFIG.4, resources (like controller802) of the projector unit801and of the stereo camera805are integrated into a single controller802while according to one aspect of the invention, the resources are just partially integrated.

FIG.5shows, as a schematic example, one arrangement according to the invention for a dental operating light of a dental care unit (without showing the support arm structure). The operating light8ofFIG.2comprises a frame part81and a cover glass82, shown only partially inFIG.2to enable a view at some internal components of the operating light8. In the example ofFIG.2, the structures designed to generate a desired kind light pattern in a desired direction and at a desired distance from the operating light include reflecting structures83designed to reflect light produced by light emitting means85, not visible inFIG.2while begin located underneath a support structure84. The projector86is arranged on the support84, inFIG.5in the middle of the operating light8.FIG.5also shows two optical cameras87arranged close to the sides of the operating light8.

InFIG.6, a few of the same basic components of the operating light8are presented as inFIG.5yet there, the location of the projector86is arranged to be different. Still, also in this embodiment, the controlling and other functions of the projector86may be arranged the same way as discussed above e.g. in the context of discussingFIGS.2-4, and further in the below.

FIGS.7aand7bshow examples of how a second area, whereto graphics, pictures and/or video may be projected by the projector86of the operating light, may be configured to be located in relation to a first area, which is the one on which a desired kind light pattern in a desired direction and at a desired distance from the operating light is generated to illuminate a patient's oral cavity.

Shown inFIG.7ais an embodiment wherein the projector projects or projector controller802is configured to enable projecting graphics, pictures and/or video such that, at a proximity of the desired distance referred to above, the second area is larger than the first area.

In the embodiment ofFIG.7a, the second area is not only larger than the first area as such but it encompasses the first area.

In the embodiment ofFIG.7b, the projector projects or the projector controller86is configured to enable projecting, optionally as a default or as a response to a control signal the graphics, pictures and/or video at the second area wherein, at a proximity of the desired distance, the second area is outside but in close proximity to the first area.

According to another aspect of the invention, the projector projects or the projector controller802, which may be structurally integrated into the operating light8, is configured to project graphics, pictures and/or video at a first part within the second area as discussed above and simultaneously not to project anything on a second part within the second area.

According to another aspect of the invention, the operating light comprises other means than the projector controller802for not to project anything on the second part within the second area as discussed above.

In general, the invention may thus be characterized as being a dental care unit, comprising:a frame structure2;a support construction5for supporting at least one dental instrument6, a diagnostic instrument related to dental care and/or at least one instrument used in connection with a dental care operation;a control system;a user interface12;an arrangement via which to said at least one instrument6can be delivered power, or control signals, or both, needed for their operation;an operating light8arranged for use in connection with dental care comprising a lighting system83,85arranged to generate a desired kind light pattern in a desired direction and at a desired distance from the operating light8, to illuminate a first area;a support structure7of the operating light;
and wherein a projector construction86is configured to project graphics, pictures and/or video in essentially the same direction as said desired direction on a surface, the surface comprising a second area whereto the graphics, pictures and/or video is projected, the projector construction86being both structurally and operatively integrated into the operating light8to be a part of the operating light8.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the projector controller86is configured to receive information relating to projecting graphics, pictures and/or video to be projected from a dental instrument, which instrument may be one related to dental care or used in connection with a dental care operation, from a control system of either the instrument itself, or from the dental care unit when controlling operation of the dental instrument.

According to yet another aspect of the invention the graphics, pictures and/or video comprises a user interface of the dental care unit or a part thereof.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the operating light arranged with at least one camera87is configured to shoot at least partly the second area discussed above.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the operating light comprises or is in functional connection with a means configured to recognize a gesture within a field of view of a camera87arranged to the operating light.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the control system of the dental care unit is configured to recognize a gesture shot by said at least one camera as a control signal when said gesture is made when said graphics, pictures and/or video is being projected by said projector and comprises a given feature of a user interface (12) of the dental care unit.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the dental care unit with an operating light and a projector86is a part of a system comprising a stereo camera arranged to the operaring light, a means for pattern recognition and a means to project said graphics, pictures and/or video at an area covered by or comprising a given pattern configured to be recognized by said means for pattern recognition, and/or a means to project said graphics, pictures and/or video at an area outside the area covered by or comprising the given pattern configured to be recognized by said means for pattern recognition.

The pattern to be recognized may be e.g. eyes or eye protectors, or a reflecting surface of a given shape designed to be held on a chest of a patient during a dental care operation.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a system including the dental care unit may comprise a stereo camera arranged to the operaring light, a means for pattern recognition and a means to project at said second area a drilling plan including location and orientation of a hole to be drilled in an anatomy, together with an image or a part of an image shot by said stereo camera including a given pattern recognized by the means for pattern recognition, wherein said given pattern is a pattern arragned to a dental drill instrument.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, at least part of electronics of both the operating light8itself and the projector86, needed for their operation, is arranged as a physical part of a structure of the operating light8.

Getting back toFIG.5, it shows an operating light8in which a cover glass82protects the components placed to the frame part81of the operating light. Without deviating from the idea of the present invention, the operating light can also be implemented as a structure without the cover glass. It is essential that the projector86is integrated both structurally and operationally as a part of the operating light. That is, the control of the operation of the projector is a part of the operating light.

As well as, optionally, the control of operation of the stereo camera87arranged to the operating light and its signal routes can be arranged as a part of the operating light.

The cameras87are preferably arranged in the operating light8as directed to shoot primarily at the area whereto the operating light8is arranged to produce the above-discussed desired kind light pattern. On the other hand, the optics of the cameras can be arranged to enable an adjustment of their field of view (FOV). Also the direction the cameras shoot at can be arranged adjustable.

As the operating light according to the invention is already originally be designed to comprise a projector87, and in various embodiments of the invention also two cameras, the design of the mechanism of its support structures is based on taking into account the extra mass added by those components which are additional to a traditional operating light.

Likewise, as far as there is a need to arrange additional cablings to the operating light for the projector, and optionally also the cameras, also the requirement of passing those through the support structures of the operating light can be taken into account when designing the operating light.

As to the camera units805they may include, as an example, a lens system and an image detector with their required and possible peripheral components. The operation of these components can relate to e.g. processing the detected image information or controlling of the lens system.

The lens system can comprise a lens with a fixed or adjustable focal length which lens forms an image on the detector. From the camera units805, image information may be forwarded in digital form to the camera controller806. It is possible to have the image information pre-processed in the camera units805before forwarding, e.g. by compensating defective pixels of the detector, by removing artefacts caused by the lens or by adjusting light exposure, sensitivity or color balance.

The camera controller806can include components the operation of which is related, in addition to the reception of signals and image information from the camera units805and, on the other hand, their forwarding, also to the processing and storing image information.

The camera controller806, as well as the projector controller802, may be arranged to receive information and signals from an external data system.

Thus, it is possible to perform the above-described image processings possibly implemented in the camera units805partially or totally just in the camera controller806. The component utilized in the processing may be implemented as an ASIC- or FPGA-based solution, for instance. In forwarding data as well as in receiving data, it is possible to use e.g. WLAN or ETHERNET connections as an alternative for a cabling.

In the arrangements in accordance withFIGS.2-4, the projector controller802is arranged into operational connection with the control system804of the operating light with which it can communicate and, particularly, from which it may be arranged to receive electricity. If required, it is possible to arrange to the projector controller802an arrangement which converts power being supplied to it into suitable voltages for the internal use of the projector controller802and also for the projector unit801.

The same applies concerning the camera units805and the camera controller806.

The control system804of the operating light can be in operational connection with the projector unit801and the light-emitter of the operating light803. The light emitter803of the operating light8can comprise as the actual light-emitting component e.g. a LED arrangement and further optical components, such as one or more lenses and/or reflective surfaces.

In addition or instead, an operating light in general and applicable for use in the context of the invention may comprise more than one light sources and/or other kind of optics, such as one or more lenses and/or other kind reflective surfaces, for generating a desired kind light pattern in a desired direction and at a desired distance from the operating light. In general, the desired kind light pattern having desired properties substantially at a certain distance from the operating light, is generated by a dental operating light, which light pattern can then be positioned in the area of a patient's mouth such that the patient's oral cavity can be illuminated without the light glaring the patient.

As to the embodiment of the invention comprising the camera, the camera controller806may be arrange to receives from the camera units805image information in digital form and both the camera controller806and the camera unit805may be arranged to process information they receive. The camera controller806can also comprise a mass memory where image information detected and processed can be stored. Particularly, in embodiments where information is not forwarded from the operating light via a cable, it is preferable that image information can be compressed into an easily transferrable and storable format before forwarding.

The camera units805may be arranged to produce image information as a continuous stream of information which can be analyzed and processed within the camera system. Such processing can be based on control from outside the system or on analysis performed in the camera system itself. Information processing can be e.g. deleting information irrelevant with respect to its intended use before forwarding the information.

The analysis of image data can include e.g. identifying spatial frequency components and their intensity in different parts of the image, identifying patterns predefined to be detected as well as identifying their two-dimensional position, or calculating changes between successive images.

The processing of image information can again include e.g. processing the image into a form in which a part of the spatial frequency components of the image are presented by a smaller numeric accuracy than others, in which areas are deleted from the image information, or in which the image information is partially or totally replaced by results of an analysis.

In one embodiment, the above-mentioned stream of information refers to individual images (‘frames’) shot at high frequency. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the camera controller806is arranged to enable the control of such camera units805producing these individual images such that they can produce a pair of images shot substantially simultaneously. Then, it is possible to generate high-quality stereo images of the image information produced by the camera units805.

In one embodiment, the control of operation of the cameras and the operating light is synchronized such that, to prevent overexposure of the images, the light is switched off for the time of shooting an image. It is thus possible to produce live image such that the operating light is flickered at a suitable frequency, which frequency is arranged to substantially correspond the image-shooting frequency.

In one preferred embodiment, the image detector and the optical components of the camera unit are located in the operating light structure such that their field of view opens from the same structure of the operating light, from the direction of the same surface from which also the light field of the operating light is emitted, and from inside the covers of the operating light.

It is possible to use the operating light including the camera construction for e.g. monitoring a dental care instrument, such as a drill. In such an arrangement, there is or there is added at a known point in the instrument a feature, a marker, which the cameras arranged in connection with the operating light image. A computer software in operational connection with the operating light is arranged to detect from the image information both the marker itself and its position and orientation in the image produced by the operating light.

Such detection function can be arranged to take place already in the operating light. The amount of information forwarded from the operating light can be decreased if, instead of the detected image information, only information on the position and orientation of the marker is forwarded.

To enable control of drilling, in addition to the detection of the position and orientation of the instrument, information is also required concerning how the marker arranged in connection with the instrument is positioned with respect to an anatomy being the target of the operation. This information can be obtained e.g. by arranging a different marker at a known point of the anatomy while it is also plausible to utilize as reference a surface model showing the intra-oral anatomy imaged by the cameras, which surface model is generated and can be updated from the image information produced by the camera pair arranged in the operating light.

If a method of the kind described above is applied to e.g. for drilling a hole in a jawbone for a dental implant, the information of the position and orientation of the instrument obtained in a way described above can be compared with a model of the anatomy being the target of the operation, to which model has also been modelled a hole designed for the implant. When all this information exists, there are various possible arrangements for its utilization. It is for example possible to visually indicate by using the projector arranged to the operating light the point where the instrument should be and, on the other hand, where it is at the present moment. This kind of system may be implemented to indicate when the instrument is at the point and orientation corresponding to the drilling plan, and/or when it is not. This information can be utilized even for controlling a robot performing the drilling.

As dental operating lights are also manufactured and sold as separate from an actual dental care unit, according to one aspect of the invention, one embodiment of the invention comprises a lighting system83,85arranged to generate a desired kind light pattern in a desired direction and at a desired distance from the dental operating light, to illuminate a first area, and an articulated and balanced support arm structure7to support an operating light with such lighting system within an operating range of the arm structure7, and further comprising a projector construction86configured to project graphics, pictures and/or video in essentially the same direction as the desired direction on a surface, the surface comprising a second area whereto the graphics, pictures and/or video is projected, the projector construction86being both structurally and operatively integrated into the dental operating light8to be a part of the dental operating light8, and wherein the dental operating light8comprises, either, at least a mechanical connection construction or a signaling means compatible with corresponding means of a dental care unit.

Such operating light, even if not physically connected to a dental care unit, may comprise any feature of the invention as discussed above.