Three-dimensional handheld scanner comprising touch sensor

Abstract

A three-dimensional handheld scanner comprising a touch sensor is disclosed. A three-dimensional handheld scanner, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, may comprise: an opening; an optical system configured to irradiate light onto a target object via the opening, and to capture reflected light from the target object via the opening so as to generate an image of the target object; a first touch sensor disposed to surround a portion of the optical system around an axis inclined with respect to an opening direction of the opening, wherein the first touch sensor includes a plurality of first touch electrodes; and a case disposed to surround the optical system and the first touch sensor around the axis.

Description

3D handheld scanner with touch sensor

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a three-dimensional handheld scanner including a touch sensor.

[0002] The fabrication of dental prosthetics and oral appliances requires accurate data on the patient's oral structure. In the past, physical impressions were primarily used to create models based on the patient's oral condition. However, technological advancements have led to the use of 3D handheld scanners to capture 3D images of the patient's oral structure. These scanners project lasers or light beams from various angles and measure the degree to which these beams are reflected, converting the precise shape of the oral structures, including teeth and gingiva, into 3D data.

[0003] A 3D handheld scanner may include an interface for operation. For example, one or more physical buttons may be included on the outside of the 3D handheld scanner, allowing the user to perform various actions by clicking the physical buttons. The process of photographing an oral cavity involves rotating the 3D handheld scanner at various angles, allowing the user to vary the direction and position of the grip. However, when the user holds the 3D handheld scanner on the side without the physical buttons, the user may have difficulty operating the 3D handheld scanner.

[0004] A technical problem to be solved by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that enables a user to more conveniently operate a 3D handheld scanner when rotating the 3D handheld scanner at various angles.

[0005] A technical problem to be solved through at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a technology capable of operating a 3D handheld scanner regardless of the rotation angle and grip position of the 3D handheld scanner by providing a 3D handheld scanner including a 360-degree touch sensor.

[0006] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art of the present disclosure from the description below.

[0007] A three-dimensional handheld scanner according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include: an aperture; an optical system configured to irradiate light to an object through the aperture and capture reflected light from the object through the aperture to generate an image of the object; a first touch sensor arranged to surround a portion of the optical system about an axis inclined with respect to an opening direction of the aperture, the first touch sensor including a plurality of first touch electrodes; and a case arranged to surround the optical system and the first touch sensor about the axis.

[0008] In one embodiment, the device may further include a support disposed between the first touch sensor and a portion of the optical system.

[0009] In one embodiment, an adhesive material may be additionally included between the first touch sensor and the support.

[0010] In one embodiment, the support may be formed to have a thickness greater than a predetermined reference thickness.

[0011] In one embodiment, the support may comprise an electrically insulating material.

[0012] In one embodiment, the electrical insulating material may be polypropylene.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of first touch electrodes may be formed to have a parallelogram shape.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first touch sensor may include an electrode line spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes by a first distance along the axis.

[0015] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a second touch sensor spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes by a second distance along the axis and disposed between one side of the case and the optical system, wherein the second touch sensor may include a plurality of second touch electrodes.

[0016] In one embodiment, some of the plurality of second touch electrodes may be formed to have a rhombus shape and the rest to have a triangular shape.

[0017] In one embodiment, both the first touch sensor and the second touch sensor can be formed on a single printed circuit board.

[0018] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a detachable tip, wherein the opening can be formed in the tip.

[0019] In one embodiment, the case may be formed as a seamless unit.

[0020] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a technology can be provided that allows a user to more conveniently operate a 3D handheld scanner when rotating the 3D handheld scanner at various angles.

[0021] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by providing a 3D handheld scanner including a 360-degree touch sensor, a technology for operating a 3D handheld scanner regardless of the rotation angle and grip position of the 3D handheld scanner can be provided.

[0022] The effects according to the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the specification.

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied.

[0024] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an electronic device and an oral scanner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 2b is a perspective view of an oral scanner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a form in which a support and a touch sensor are combined according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a form in which a support and a touch sensor are combined according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a development diagram of a touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a first touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main body and a first touch sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a method for a first touch sensor to determine touch input coordinates according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a method for a second touch sensor to determine touch input coordinates according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 10 illustrates an image displayed on a display of an electronic device or a three-dimensional handheld scanner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] The various embodiments described in this document are exemplified for the purpose of clearly explaining the technical concept of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit it to a specific embodiment. The technical concept of the present disclosure includes various modifications, equivalents, alternatives, and embodiments selectively combining all or part of each embodiment described in this document. Furthermore, the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments presented below or the specific descriptions thereof.

[0035] Terms used in this document, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, may have the meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

[0036] The expressions "includes," "may include," "comprises," "may have," "have," and "may have" used in this document imply the presence of a target feature (e.g., a function, operation, or component), but do not exclude the presence of other additional features. In other words, such expressions should be understood as open-ended terms that imply the possibility of including other embodiments.

[0037] The singular forms used in this document may include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and this also applies to the singular forms set forth in the claims.

[0038] The expressions "first," "second," or "first", "second", etc. used in this document, unless the context indicates otherwise, are used to refer to multiple similar objects and to distinguish one object from another, and do not limit the order or importance among the objects.

[0039] As used herein, the expressions "A, B, and C", "A, B, or C", "A, B, and / or C", or "at least one of A, B, and C", "at least one of A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and / or C", etc., may refer to each of the listed items or to all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, "at least one of A or B" may refer to (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0040] As used herein, the expression that a component (e.g., a first component) is “connected” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component) may mean that the component is directly connected or connected to the other component, as well as connected or connected via a new other component (e.g., a third component).

[0041] The directional terms "upper" and "upper" used in this document, unless otherwise specifically defined in the description, refer to the direction in which the occlusal plane is positioned relative to the teeth in the attached drawings, and the directional terms "lower" and "lower" refer to the opposite direction. The multiple teeth included in the oral cavity depicted in the attached drawings may be included in the upper jaw or the lower jaw, and the directional terms may be interpreted accordingly.

[0042] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In the attached drawings and the description of the drawings, identical or substantially equivalent components may be assigned the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the description of various embodiments below, duplicate descriptions of identical or corresponding components may be omitted, but this does not mean that the corresponding components are not included in the embodiments.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of acquiring an image of a patient's oral cavity using a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) may be a dental medical device for acquiring an image of the oral cavity of a subject (20). For example, the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) may be an intraoral scanner. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a user (10) (e.g., a dentist or a dental hygienist) may acquire an image of the oral cavity of a subject (20) (e.g., a patient) using the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200). As another example, the user (10) may also acquire an image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) from a diagnostic model (e.g., a plaster model or an impression model) modeled after the shape of the oral cavity of the subject (20). Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the oral cavity of the subject (20) is scanned to obtain an image of the oral cavity of the subject (20), but the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is also possible to obtain an image of another part of the subject (20) (e.g., the ear of the subject (20)). The 3D handheld scanner (200) can be inserted and withdrawn into the oral cavity, and can have a form in which the user (10) can freely adjust the scanning distance and scanning angle.

[0044] According to one embodiment, a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) can be inserted into the oral cavity of a subject (20) and scan the inside of the oral cavity in a non-contact manner to obtain an image of the oral cavity. The image of the oral cavity may include at least one tooth and gingiva. The three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) can irradiate light onto the oral cavity of the subject (20) (e.g., at least one tooth and gingiva of the subject (20)) using a light source (or projector) included in an optical system, and can receive light reflected from the oral cavity of the subject (20) through a camera (or at least one image sensor). According to another embodiment, the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) can also obtain an image of a diagnostic model of the oral cavity by scanning the diagnostic model of the oral cavity. If the diagnostic model of the oral cavity is a diagnostic model modeled after the shape of the oral cavity of the subject (20), the image of the diagnostic model of the oral cavity may be an image of the oral cavity of the subject. In the following, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that an image of the oral cavity is obtained by scanning the inside of the oral cavity of the subject (20), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0045] A three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment can acquire a surface image of the oral cavity of a subject (20) as a two-dimensional image based on information received through a camera of an optical system. The surface image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) can include at least one tooth, gums, an artificial structure, a cheek, a tongue, or lips of the subject (20). The surface image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) can be a two-dimensional image.

[0046] A two-dimensional image of the oral cavity acquired from a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment may be transmitted to an electronic device (100) connected via a wired or wireless communication network. The electronic device (100) may be a computer device or a portable communication device. The electronic device (100) may generate a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity (or may also be referred to as a three-dimensional oral cavity image, a three-dimensional oral cavity model, a three-dimensional scan model, a tooth model, a three-dimensional oral cavity representation, a three-dimensional numerical entity, etc.) that represents the oral cavity three-dimensionally based on the two-dimensional image of the oral cavity received from the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200). The electronic device (100) may generate a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity by three-dimensionally modeling the internal structure of the oral cavity based on the two-dimensional image of the oral cavity received. Additionally or alternatively, the 3D handheld scanner (200) may generate a 3D image based on the acquired 2D image of the oral cavity. In this case, the 3D handheld scanner (200) may transmit the acquired 2D image of the oral cavity and / or the 3D image generated based thereon to the electronic device (100) via a wired or wireless communication network.

[0047] A three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment can generate a video based on a two-dimensional image of the oral cavity obtained. The generated video can be displayed in real time or near real time on a display (209) within the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) described below.

[0048] A 3D image can contain not only geometric information of an object within its 3D space, but also information such as color, texture, and material. The format of a 3D image can be, for example, STL (Standard Triangle Language), OBJ, or polygon file format, but is not limited to these examples. "Polygon" can refer to a polygon, the smallest unit used to express the three-dimensional shape of a 3D oral model. For example, the surface of a 3D image can be expressed with triangular or quadrilateral polygons. For example, a polygon can be composed of at least three vertices and one face. A 3D image can contain information such as the position, color, and normal in 3D space for each vertex. A mesh is made up of multiple polygons and can represent the geometry of an object in 3D space. As the number of polygons representing a 3D image increases, the object can be expressed in greater detail.

[0049] According to another embodiment, a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) scans the oral cavity of a subject (20) to obtain a two-dimensional image of the oral cavity, generates a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity based on the obtained two-dimensional image of the oral cavity, and may transmit the generated three-dimensional image of the oral cavity to an electronic device (100).

[0050] An electronic device (100) according to one embodiment may be connected to a cloud server (not shown). In the above case, the electronic device (100) may transmit a two-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) or a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity to the cloud server, and the cloud server may store the two-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) or the three-dimensional image of the oral cavity received from the electronic device (100).

[0051] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an electronic device (100) and a 3D handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device (100) and the 3D handheld scanner (200) can be connected to each other through a wired or wireless communication network and can transmit and receive various data.

[0052] According to one embodiment, a 3D handheld scanner (200) may include a processor (201), a memory (202), a communication circuit (203), a light source (204), a camera (205), an input device (206), a sensor module (207), and / or a display (209). At least one of the components included in the 3D handheld scanner (200) may be omitted, or another component may be added to the 3D handheld scanner (200). Additionally or alternatively, some of the components may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the 3D handheld scanner (200) may be connected to each other via a bus, a general purpose input / output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), and may exchange data and / or signals.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the light source (204) and the camera (205) may constitute an optical system (208) of a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200). The optical system (208) may irradiate light to the object (20) and capture reflected light from the object (20) to generate an image of the object (20). Components that may be included in the optical system (208) of the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) are not limited to the light source (204) and the camera (205), and may include the remaining components of the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) described in FIG. 2A or various components that may be used to generate an image of the object (20) using light, but are not described in the present disclosure.

[0054] According to one embodiment, a processor (201) of a 3D handheld scanner (200) is a configuration capable of performing calculations or data processing related to control and / or communication of each component of the 3D handheld scanner (200), and may be operatively connected to the components of the 3D handheld scanner (200). The processor (201) may load commands or data received from other components of the 3D handheld scanner (200) into a memory (202), process commands or data stored in the memory (202), and store result data. The memory (202) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment may store instructions for the operation of the processor (201) described above.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (203) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can establish a wired or wireless communication channel with an external device (e.g., an electronic device (100)) and transmit and receive various data with the external device. According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (203) can include at least one port for connecting to the external device via a wired cable in order to communicate with the external device via a wire. In the above case, the communication circuit (203) can perform communication with the external device connected via a wire through the at least one port. According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (203) can be configured to be connected to a cellular network (e.g., 3G, LTE, 5G, Wibro, or Wimax) by including a cellular communication module. According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (203) can include a short-range communication module to transmit and receive data with the external device using short-range communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), UWB), but is not limited thereto. According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (203) may include a contactless communication module for contactless communication. The contactless communication may include at least one contactless proximity communication technology, such as, for example, near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or magnetic secure transmission (MST).

[0056] According to one embodiment, the light source (204) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can irradiate light toward the oral cavity of the subject (20). For example, the light irradiated from the light source (204) can be structured light having a predetermined pattern (e.g., a stripe pattern in which straight lines of different colors appear continuously). The pattern of the structured light can be generated using, for example, a pattern mask or a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), but is not limited thereto. The camera (205) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment can obtain an image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) by receiving reflected light reflected by the oral cavity of the subject (20). The camera (205) can include, for example, a left camera corresponding to the left-eye field of view and a right camera corresponding to the right-eye field of view in order to construct a 3D image according to an optical triangulation method. The camera (205) may include at least one image sensor, such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor.

[0057] An input device (206) of a 3D handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment can receive user input for controlling the 3D handheld scanner (200). The input device (206) can include a button for receiving a push operation from a user (10), a touch panel for detecting a touch from a user (10), and a voice recognition device including a microphone. For example, the user (10) can control the start or stop of scanning using the input device (206).

[0058] According to one embodiment, the sensor module (207) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can detect the operating state of the 3D handheld scanner (200) or the external environmental state (e.g., the user's motion) and generate an electrical signal corresponding to the detected state. The sensor module (207) can include, for example, at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gesture sensor, a proximity sensor, or an infrared sensor. The user (10) can control the start or stop of scanning using the sensor module (207). For example, when the user (10) holds the 3D handheld scanner (200) in his / her hand and moves it, the 3D handheld scanner (200) can control the processor (201) to start a scanning operation when the angular velocity measured by the sensor module (207) exceeds a preset threshold value.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the display (209) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can output image data under the control of the processor (201). For example, the display (209) can display a 2D image of the object (20) generated by the optical system (208) or a 3D image generated based on the 2D image. As another example, the 3D handheld scanner (200) can display the 3D image being generated in real time through the display (209). As yet another example, the display (209) can display a moving image generated based on a 2D image of the object (20) currently being acquired by the 3D handheld scanner (200) in real time or near real time. Additionally or alternatively, the display (209) can display a user interface (e.g., an icon, a touch menu) for interacting with a user under the control of the processor (201). In this case, a two-dimensional image of the object (20), a three-dimensional image or video generated based thereon, may be provided as part of a user interface displayed on the display (209).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the 3D handheld scanner (200) may receive a user input for starting a scan through an input device (206) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) or an input device (109) of the electronic device (100), or may start a scan according to processing in a processor (201) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) or a processor (101) of the electronic device (100). When a user (10) scans the inside of an oral cavity of a subject (20) through the 3D handheld scanner (200), the 3D handheld scanner (200) may generate a 2D image of the oral cavity of the subject (20), and transmit the 2D image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) or a 3D image or video generated based thereon to the electronic device (100) in real time. The electronic device (100) can display a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, or a video of the oral cavity of the object (20) received through the display (107). In addition, the electronic device (100) can generate (build) a three-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the object (20) based on the two-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the object (20), and display the three-dimensional image of the oral cavity through the display (107). The electronic device (100) can also display the three-dimensional image being generated in real time through the display (107).

[0061] An electronic device (100) according to one embodiment may include one or more processors (101), one or more memories (103), a communication circuit (105), a display (107), and / or an input device (109). At least one of the components included in the electronic device (100) may be omitted, or another component may be added to the electronic device (100). Additionally or alternatively, some of the components may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the electronic device (100) may be connected to each other via a bus, a general purpose input / output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), and may exchange data and / or signals.

[0062] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) according to one embodiment may include a main body (210) and a probe tip (220). Hereinafter, the probe tip (220) may be used interchangeably with the tip (220). The main body (210) of the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) may be formed in a shape that is easy for a user (10) to grip by hand and use. The probe tip (220) may be formed in a shape that is easy to insert into and withdraw from the oral cavity of a subject (20). In addition, the main body (210) may be coupled to and separated from the probe tip (220). Components (e.g., optical system (208)) of the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) described in FIG. 2A may be arranged inside the main body (210).

[0063] The main body (210) may further include a case that surrounds the outside of the main body (210). According to one embodiment, the case may be formed as a seamless integral body. An input device (206) may further be formed in the case. The input device (206) may include a first region (212), a second region (214), and a third region (216). The first region (212), the second region (214), and the third region (216) may be distinguished by lines or grooves indicated on the case. According to one embodiment, the 3D handheld scanner (200) may acquire a touch input of a user (10) for each region (212, 214, 216) using a touch sensor, and determine the touch input coordinates where the touch input occurred. The processor (201) may determine a gesture of the touch input based on one or more touch input coordinates. For example, the gesture may include at least one of a touch, a tap, a double-tap, a swipe, a swipe and hold, or a wheel. The processor (201) may perform a predetermined operation according to the determined gesture. For example, the processor (201) may perform operations such as zooming in, zooming out, rotating, or moving the position of 3D scan data, starting or ending 3D scanning, changing the scan step, and confirming.

[0064] An open aperture (222) may be formed at one end of the probe tip (220) so that light output from a light source (204) may be irradiated to the object (20). According to one embodiment, the central axis of the aperture (222) may be an axis inclined with respect to the central axis of the main body. For example, the central axis of the aperture (222) may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle (e.g., 70 degrees) from the central axis of the main body so that the user (10) can easily photograph the oral cavity of the object (20). The light irradiated through the aperture (222) may be reflected by the object (20) and then enter through the aperture (222) again. The reflected light entering through the aperture (222) may be captured by the camera (205) to generate an image of the object (20).

[0065] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a form in which a support and a touch sensor are combined.

[0066] The interior of the main body (210) may further include a touch sensor (310). The touch sensor (310) is configured to obtain user input (e.g., touch input) for the 3D handheld scanner (200), and may include a first touch sensor (320) and a second touch sensor (330).

[0067] The first touch sensor (320) may be arranged to surround a portion of the optical system (208) around the central axis of the main body (210). For example, components of the 3D handheld scanner (200) described in FIG. 2A (e.g., the optical system (208)) may be arranged in the area surrounded by the touch sensor (310). The first touch sensor (320) may have a shape rotated around the central axis of the main body (210) and may include a plurality of first touch electrodes. According to one embodiment, the first touch electrodes may all have the same shape and may be arranged on the first touch sensor (320) at a constant interval from adjacent electrodes. For example, the plurality of first touch electrodes may be formed to have a parallelogram shape, and may be arranged in such a way that the first touch sensor (320) forms a closed surface such that the first first touch electrode and the last first touch electrode are adjacent to each other.

[0068] The size of the first touch electrode may be greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum area, and a predetermined number (e.g., six) of the first touch electrodes may be included in the first touch sensor (320). The first touch electrodes may be manufactured to include materials such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, carbon, etc.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the first touch sensor (320) may include an electrode line spaced apart from a plurality of first touch electrodes by a first distance along the central axis of the main body (210). According to one embodiment, a predetermined signal (e.g., a signal of a specific frequency) may be applied to the electrode line to block external electromagnetic interference, noise, etc. to the plurality of first touch electrodes.

[0070] The second touch sensor (330) may be spaced apart from the first touch electrodes by a second distance along the central axis of the main body (210) and may be disposed between one side of the case and the optical system (208). The second touch sensor (330) may include a plurality of second touch electrodes. According to one embodiment, some of the second touch electrodes may be formed to have a diamond shape and the rest may be formed to have a triangular shape, and may be disposed on the second touch sensor (330) spaced apart from adjacent electrodes by a constant interval.

[0071] According to one embodiment, a plurality of second touch electrodes may be arranged in a predetermined shape. For example, second touch electrodes in a diamond shape may be arranged adjacently in a checkerboard pattern, and second touch electrodes in a triangular shape may be arranged at the edges. According to one embodiment, a predetermined number (e.g., 45) of second touch electrodes may be included in the second touch sensor (330). The second touch electrodes may be manufactured to include materials such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, or carbon, for example.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the main body (210) may further include a display (209) formed on the second touch sensor (330). The display (209) may be operatively connected to the second touch sensor (330) and may function as a touch screen. For example, the processor (201) may display a user interface for controlling the 3D handheld scanner (200) on the display (209) and control the 3D handheld scanner (200) based on a user input to the user interface. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the processor (201) controls the 3D handheld scanner (200) based on a user input to the display (209) will be described in detail.

[0073] The processor (201) can determine whether the 3D handheld scanner (200) is operating. In one embodiment, the processor (201) can determine whether the 3D handheld scanner (200) is operating based on data acquired from the sensor module (207). For example, the processor (201) can determine whether the user (10) has lifted the 3D handheld scanner (200) based on data acquired from at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a proximity sensor, or an infrared sensor included in the sensor module (207). Based on a determination that the user (10) has lifted the 3D handheld scanner (200), the processor (201) can determine that the 3D handheld scanner (200) is operating. Based on a determination that the 3D handheld scanner (200) is operating, the processor (201) can activate the display (209).

[0074] The processor (201) can display various user interfaces on the display (209). The user interfaces can include, for example, at least one of a scan start / end menu, a scan stage selection menu, a two-dimensional scan data, a three-dimensional scan data, a manipulation menu for scan data (e.g., zoom in, zoom out, move, etc.), and an area selection menu. According to one embodiment, each interface can be mapped to a predetermined operation, and the processor (201) can perform a predetermined operation based on a user input (e.g., touch input, gesture input) for each interface. For example, the processor (201) can determine the touch input coordinates where the user input occurred using the second touch sensor (330), and perform an operation mapped to the interface located at the corresponding coordinates. According to one embodiment, the processor (201) can recognize a gesture using a gesture sensor or the like, and perform an operation according to the recognized gesture.

[0075] For example, the processor (201) may start / end scanning of the oral cavity of the object (20) based on a user input for a scan start / end menu. The scan start / end operation performed by the processor (201) based on a touch input to the display (209) may be performed separately from an operation performed based on a user input to another part of the touch sensor (310) (e.g., the first touch sensor (320)).

[0076] For example, the processor (201) may display scan data corresponding to each stage on the display (209) based on a user input for a scan stage selection menu. For example, when a user touches an interface corresponding to a scan stage (e.g., maxilla, mandible, occlusion, caries, etc.), the processor (201) may display scan data corresponding to the selected stage on the display (209).

[0077] For example, the processor (201) may selectively display some areas from among the scan data displayed on the display (209) based on a user input for the area selection menu. For example, the area selection menu may include at least one of polygon area selection, brush selection, invert selection, select / deselect, deselect all selections, delete selection, lock selection, fill empty area, and change data. The user may select one of the area selection menus and then select an area to which the menu will be applied, or conversely, select some areas from among the areas displayed on the display (209) and then select the area selection menu to perform a desired process. The selection area lock may be a menu for preserving data for the areas selected by the user without changing them. For example, if the user selects some areas from the scan data displayed on the display (209) and touches the selection area lock menu, deletion or change of the areas may be prohibited. The processor (201) can select a portion of the two-dimensional scan data or three-dimensional scan data displayed on the display (209) based on a user input for the area selection menu, and display the selected area on the display (209).

[0078] The first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330) may be formed on a single printed circuit board (PCB). According to one embodiment, the printed circuit board on which the first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330) are formed may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). In another embodiment, the first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330) may be formed on separate printed circuit boards. In this case, the first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330) may be directly electrically connected to each other through any electrical connection method, or may not be directly electrically connected to each other. As an example of the latter, the first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330) may be separately connected to different circuit boards for controlling the 3D handheld scanner (200).

[0079] The interior of the main body (210) may further include a support (340). According to one embodiment, the support (340) may be positioned between the first touch sensor (320) and a portion of the optical system (208) to support the first touch sensor (320). According to one embodiment, the support (340) may extend from a portion surrounded by the first touch sensor (320) toward the central axis of the main body (210) to further support the second touch sensor (330).

[0080] According to one embodiment, the support (340) may include an electrically insulating material. The electrically insulating material may be, for example, one or a combination of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacetal methylene (POM), and polyamide (PA).

[0081] The 3D handheld scanner (200) may additionally include an adhesive material (e.g., double-sided tape) between the touch sensor (310) and the support (340). This enables manufacturing by assembling the touch sensor (310) and the support (340) into a module by bonding them together, and then assembling them on a module including other internal components (such as an optical system) and covering them with a case. Therefore, the process of directly bonding the 360-degree omnidirectional touch sensor (310) to a case with a narrow internal space becomes unnecessary, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.

[0082] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a form in which a support and a touch sensor are combined.

[0083] In one embodiment, the support (340) may be formed to have a thickness greater than or equal to a predetermined reference thickness (e.g., 1 mm). The support (340) may be formed to have a thickness greater than or equal to the reference thickness to space metals included in other internal components, such as the optical system (208), apart from each other by a thickness greater than or equal to the reference thickness, thereby preventing deterioration of touch performance due to the presence of adjacent metals.

[0084] In one embodiment, the support (340) may further include one or more securing elements (342, 344, 346) for securing components therein. For example, the securing elements (342, 344, 346) may be formed to engage with other internal components, such as the optical system (208), to guide the direction in which the support (340) is coupled to the other internal components as designed, and to secure the coupling position of the support (340).

[0085] Fig. 5 is a development diagram of a touch sensor. Hereinafter, any duplicate description of the content described in Fig. 3 will be omitted.

[0086] The touch sensor (310) may include a first touch sensor (320) including one or more first touch electrodes (322) and a second touch sensor (330) including one or more second touch electrodes (332, 334). The first touch sensor (320) may be positioned and fixed between the support (340) and the case. Since the first touch sensor (320) is positioned to form a closed surface based on the central axis of the main body (210), when positioned in the 3D handheld scanner (200), the first touch electrode (322a) located at the far left and the first touch electrode (322b) located at the far right may be positioned adjacent to each other in the development view of FIG. 5.

[0087] The first touch sensor (320) may include an electrode line spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes (322) by a first distance along the central axis of the body (210), and the second touch sensor (330) may be spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes (322) by a second distance along the central axis of the body (210). In one embodiment, the second distance may be longer than the first distance. As a result, the electrode line may be located between the first touch sensor (320) and the second touch sensor (330).

[0088] The touch sensor (310) may further include a connector (350) formed on one side of the second touch sensor (330). The connector (350) includes a circuit capable of transmitting and receiving electrical signals and may electrically connect the touch sensor (310) and components of the 3D handheld scanner (200).

[0089] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the first touch sensor.

[0090] The first touch sensor (320) may include a plurality of first touch electrodes (322) and a plurality of electrode lines (324). According to one embodiment, the first touch sensor (320) may include a first electrode line (324a) and a second electrode line (324b) spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes (322) by a first distance along the central axis of the main body (210). According to one embodiment, by driving the electrode lines (324) with a predetermined signal, the first touch electrodes (322) may be protected from external signal interference and noise, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the touch sensor (310). According to one embodiment, the electrode lines (324) may be positioned on both sides of the first touch electrodes (322) along the central axis of the main body (210). In other words, the first touch sensor (320) may include a first electrode line (324a) spaced apart from the first touch sensor (320) by a first distance in the direction in which the probe tip (220) is positioned, and a second electrode line (324b) spaced apart from the first touch sensor (320) by a first distance in the direction in which the second touch sensor (330) is positioned. Accordingly, the first touch electrodes (322) may not be affected by external interference signals coming from both sides along the central axis of the main body (210) when receiving a touch input signal from a user (10).

[0091] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the main body and the first touch sensor.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 7, the main body (210) may further include a metal (360) for coupling with the case and the tip (220). The first touch sensor (320) may further include a first electrode line (324a), and the signal-to-noise ratio of the first touch sensor (320) may increase due to the first electrode line (324a). In addition, signal disturbance due to internal components such as the optical system (208) as well as the metal (360) may be prevented, thereby increasing the touch sensitivity of the 3D handheld scanner (200).

[0093] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining how the first touch sensor determines touch input coordinates.

[0094] The touch sensor (310) can measure the change in electrostatic capacity or pressure according to the touch input of the user (10), and determine the touch input coordinates of the user (10) based on the change in electrostatic capacity or pressure. Hereinafter, a method for determining the touch input coordinates will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 8, among the plurality of first touch electrodes (322) included in the first touch sensor (320), the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b) are adjacent to each other. When the user (10) touches a first location, the first electrode (322a) can measure the amount of change in electrostatic capacity or pressure change occurring at the location, and the first touch sensor (320) can determine the touch input coordinates as the first location. According to one embodiment, the touch input coordinates determined by the first touch sensor (320) may include only the x-axis coordinates.

[0096] The plurality of electrodes included in the touch sensor (310) can independently detect a touch input. For example, when a change in electrostatic capacity is measured simultaneously at the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b), it can be determined that the user is touching the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b) simultaneously. Since the first touch electrodes (322) are formed in a parallelogram shape, when the user touches the second location, the amount of change can be measured simultaneously at the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b). When the user (10) touches the second location, the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b) can measure the amount of change in electrostatic capacity or the amount of change in pressure that occurs at the corresponding location, respectively. The touch sensor (310) can determine the touch input location based on the ratio of the amount of change measured by the first electrode (322a) and the amount of change measured by the second electrode (322b). For example, referring to FIG. 8, since the amount of change measured at the first electrode (322a) is greater than the amount of change measured at the second electrode (322b), the touch input coordinates can be determined to be a position closer to the first electrode (322a) among the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b).

[0097] Similarly, when the user (10) touches the third location, the first electrode (322a) and the second electrode (322b) can each measure the amount of change. Since the third location is closer to the second electrode (322b) than to the first electrode (322a), the amount of change measured by the second electrode (322b) may be greater than the amount of change measured by the first electrode (322a). Accordingly, the touch sensor (310) can determine the third location, which is closer to the second electrode (322b), as the touch input coordinates based on the measured amount of change.

[0098] According to this method of determining touch input coordinates, it is possible to detect not only simple touch but also various gestures such as swipe, swipe and hold, and wheel.

[0099] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating how a second touch sensor determines touch input coordinates. Descriptions of content that overlaps with those described in Fig. 8 will be omitted.

[0100] The second touch sensor (330), like the first touch sensor (320), can determine touch input coordinates based on the amount of change in electrostatic capacity or pressure measured by the second touch electrodes (332, 334). According to one embodiment, the second touch sensor (330) can determine two-dimensional coordinates. For example, the second touch sensor (330) can determine the x-axis coordinate and the y-axis coordinate of the touch input coordinates based on the amount of change measured by the second touch electrodes (332, 334).

[0101] For example, when a user (10) touches a fourth position, the third electrode (332), the fourth electrode (334), the fifth electrode (336), and the sixth electrode (338) can measure the amount of change in electrostatic capacity or pressure. The second touch sensor (330) can determine the touch input coordinates of the user (10) based on the amount of change measured by the third electrode (332) to the sixth electrode (338).

[0102] According to this method of determining touch input coordinates, it is possible to detect not only simple touch but also touch of a specific part as if it were a separate button input, or to detect various gestures such as swipe, swipe and hold, and wheel.

[0103] FIG. 10 illustrates an image displayed on a display of an electronic device or a three-dimensional handheld scanner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0104] In one embodiment, the display (107) of the electronic device (100) or the display (209) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can display at least one of 3D scan data (1010) or a video (1020) based on a 2D image of the oral cavity of the object (20) captured by the camera (205) of the optical system (208).

[0105] In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may obtain a two-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the subject (20) from the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) and generate a three-dimensional image (1010) and a video (1020) based on the obtained two-dimensional image. In this case, the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) may receive at least one of the three-dimensional image (1010) or the video (1020) from the electronic device (100) and display it on the display (209). According to another embodiment, the three-dimensional handheld scanner (200) may generate at least one of the three-dimensional image (1010) or the video (1020) based on the two-dimensional image of the oral cavity of the subject (20). A 3D handheld scanner (200) can transmit a 3D image (1010) or video (1020) generated based on a 2D image of the oral cavity of a subject (20) to an electronic device (100).

[0106] According to one embodiment, the display (209) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) can display the same data as the display (107) of the electronic device (100). For example, when a 3D image (1010) is displayed on the display (107), the 3D image (1010) can also be displayed on the display (209), and when a video (1020) is displayed on the display (107), the video (1020) can also be displayed on the display (209).

[0107] In one embodiment, the display (209) of the 3D handheld scanner (200) may display different data than the display (107) of the electronic device (100). For example, when the display (107) displays a 3D image (1010), the display (209) may display a video (1020), and when the display (107) displays a video (1020), the display (209) may display the 3D image (1010). As another example, the display (107) may display both the 3D image (1010) and the video (1020), and the display (209) may display only one of the 3D image (1010) or the video (1020), or may display elements for user operation among the various user interfaces described above in FIG. 3 or information about the scanning situation (e.g., situation-specific notification messages, etc.).

[0108] While the technical concept of the present disclosure has been described through various embodiments, it should be understood that the technical concept of the present disclosure encompasses various substitutions, modifications, and variations that can be made within the scope of those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Furthermore, it should be understood that such substitutions, modifications, and variations are encompassed within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

As a 1.3D handheld scanner, opening; An optical system configured to irradiate light to an object through the opening and capture reflected light from the object through the opening to generate an image of the object; A first touch sensor arranged to surround a portion of the optical system about an axis inclined with respect to the opening direction of the opening, wherein the first touch sensor includes a plurality of first touch electrodes; and A case arranged to surround the optical system and the first touch sensor with the axis as the center; A 3D handheld scanner including:

2. In paragraph 1, A 3D handheld scanner further comprising a support disposed between the first touch sensor and a portion of the optical system.

3. In paragraph 2, A three-dimensional handheld scanner further comprising an adhesive material between the first touch sensor and the support.

4. In paragraph 2, A 3D handheld scanner, wherein the above support is formed to have a thickness greater than a predetermined reference thickness.

5. In paragraph 2, The above support is a 3D handheld scanner comprising an electrical insulating material.

6. In paragraph 5, A 3D handheld scanner, wherein the electrical insulating material is polypropylene.

7. In paragraph 1, A three-dimensional handheld scanner, wherein each of the plurality of first touch electrodes is formed to have a parallelogram shape.

8. In paragraph 1, A three-dimensional handheld scanner, wherein the first touch sensor comprises an electrode line spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes by a first distance along the axis.

9. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a second touch sensor spaced apart from the plurality of first touch electrodes by a second distance along the axis and disposed between one side of the case and the optical system, A three-dimensional handheld scanner, wherein the second touch sensor comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes.

10. In paragraph 9, A three-dimensional handheld scanner, wherein some of the plurality of second touch electrodes have a rhombus shape and the rest have a triangular shape.

11. In paragraph 9, A three-dimensional handheld scanner, wherein both the first touch sensor and the second touch sensor are formed on a single printed circuit board.

12. In paragraph 1, Includes an additional removable tip, The above opening is formed in the above tip, a 3D handheld scanner.

13. In paragraph 1, The above case is a 3D handheld scanner formed as a seamless integral body.

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