Multichromatic Focus Scanner for Alignment-Free 3D Color Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D scanners, including intraoral dental scanners, struggle to simultaneously record surface geometry and color accurately, often requiring multiple image sensors and complex alignment processes, which limits their effectiveness in handheld applications and reduces image quality.
Innovation Solution
A scanner system utilizing a multichromatic light source and a color image sensor captures both surface geometry and color information from the same 2D images, allowing simultaneous acquisition and alignment-free data generation, suitable for handheld use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple image sensors are used to capture both geometry and color, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple image sensors into a single color image sensor that captures both geometry and color information simultaneously. The color image sensor uses multiple pixels to record light intensity at different wavelengths, eliminating the need for separate geometry and color sensors while reducing alignment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The color image sensor serves multiple functions: it captures both surface geometry information and color information from a single device. The sensor uses its pixel array to simultaneously record spatial and spectral data, making it a universal sensor that replaces specialized separate sensors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sequential images are taken for different illuminations, then color recording capability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to relative movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses continuous multichromatic illumination that simultaneously provides multiple wavelength information in a single captured image. This continuous illumination approach eliminates the interruptions and relative movements that occur during sequential imaging, maintaining measurement precision while providing color recording capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures the color image sensor with multiple pixels sensitive to different wavelengths before capturing the image. This preliminary setup allows the sensor to immediately capture both geometry and color information in a single shot without requiring sequential illumination changes.
3Measurement precision
If focus scanning is used to obtain depth information, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical focus scanning mechanisms with a computational approach using the color image sensor's pixel data. Instead of physically moving the focus plane to capture depth information, the system uses algorithms to extract depth from the captured images, eliminating mechanical scanning complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables precise, simultaneous recording of surface geometry and color without the need for complex alignment, suitable for handheld scanners and applications like intraoral scanning, providing high-quality digital 3D representations with integrated color information.
Implementation Method 1
a multichromatic light source configured for providing a multichromatic probe light for illumination of the object
Implementation Method 2
a color image sensor comprising an array of image sensor pixels for capturing one or more 2D images of light received from said object
Implementation Method 3
an optical system configured for transmitting the probe light from the multichromatic light source towards the object and for imaging light received from the object at the color image sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a scanner system and a method for recording surface geometry and surface color of an object where both surface geometry information and surface color information for a block of said image sensor pixels at least partly from one 2D image recorded by said color image sensor