Intraoral 3D Scanning With Event-Based Focus Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intraoral scanners require significant memory allocation and computational power for processing large numbers of images, leading to a computational bottleneck and increased processing time, which hampers the creation of accurate 3D models of dental structures.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held intraoral scanner with a focus element and sensor elements that detect reflected light signals, using event-based processing to determine the position of the focus element and generate 3D points, reducing the need for extensive memory and computation by identifying focused areas and performing contrast correlation calculations only on in-focus pixels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional intraoral scanners capture a series of images at different depths and perform correlation calculations on each pixel, then accurate 3D models of dental structures can be created, but significant memory allocation and computational power are required, creating a computational bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by dividing the sensor array into multiple zones and processing each zone independently. This allows parallel processing of different spatial regions, reducing the overall computational burden while maintaining accurate 3D model generation through zone-specific correlation calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing correlation calculations only on pixels that are determined to be in focus, rather than processing every pixel in the image. The system identifies in-focus pixels through preliminary analysis and restricts intensive computational resources to only those pixels requiring depth calculation, significantly reducing computational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If the intraoral scanner calculates focus for each pixel in the series of images, then accurate depth information can be obtained, but the process becomes time-consuming and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by calculating focus metrics only for pixels identified as being in the focal plane, rather than performing focus calculations on every pixel across all images. This selective approach maintains accurate depth information for relevant pixels while dramatically reducing processing time and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis to identify which pixels are in focus before performing the computationally intensive correlation calculations. By pre-screening pixels and preparing a list of candidates that require depth calculation, the system avoids wasting computational resources on pixels that will not contribute to the final 3D model.
3Measurement precision
If the intraoral scanner processes large numbers of captured images to create accurate 3D models, then high measurement precision is achieved, but significant memory allocation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the essential information from captured images - specifically, the in-focus pixels that contain relevant depth information. By extracting only the necessary data elements and discarding redundant information from out-of-focus pixels, the system maintains high 3D model accuracy while significantly reducing memory allocation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image data processing by dividing the sensor array into multiple zones and processing each zone independently. This segmentation allows the system to manage memory more efficiently by handling smaller subsets of data simultaneously, reducing peak memory requirements while still generating accurate comprehensive 3D models through aggregation of zone-specific results.
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 significantly reduces processing power and memory requirements, speeds up the scanning process, and provides an accurate 3D representation of dental objects by minimizing computational bottlenecks.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of sensor elements to detect a reflected light signal from at least the part of the dental object
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an intraoral scanning system that is configured to generate a 3D representation of a dental object. The system receives signal information from the plurality of sensor elements, wherein the signal information is associated with one or more events at the plurality of sensor elements. The system determines a sequence of events associated with one or more sensor elements from the plurality of sensor elements based on the received signal information, determines position information of the focus element with respect to at least the part of the dental object based on the sequence of events, and generates at least one 3D point associated with at least the part of the dental object for the 3D representation of the dental object based on the position information.