Wireless intraoral scanner for distributed intraoral scanning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12011337-B2
Application number	US-202217583074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2022
Priority date	Jan 26, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

In embodiments set forth herein, an intraoral scanner comprises a body, a probe at one end of the body, the probe comprising a scanner head, a wireless communication module disposed within the body, one or more optical sensor, and a touchscreen disposed on the body. The one or more optical sensor is to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a first computing device. The touchscreen is configured to output a plurality of virtual buttons, detect a touch input associated with a virtual button of the plurality of virtual buttons, and provide a signal associated with the touch input of the virtual button to the first computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intraoral scanning system that enables an intraoral scanner to be powered by a non-medical grade power source, comprising:
the intraoral scanner, comprising:
a wand;
a rechargeable battery in the wand;
a charging module in the wand;
a wireless communication module;
a wired communication module; and
a port in the wand, the port connected to the wired communication module and the charging module; and

a cable coupled to the port and to the non-medical grade power source, wherein the cable is to provide power to the charging module from the non-medical grade power source while the intraoral scanner is not in use;
wherein at least one of the intraoral scanner or the cable is to:
detect when the intraoral scanner is in use; and
prevent the cable from supplying power to the charging module from the non-medical grade power source while the intraoral scanner is in use.

2. The intraoral scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cradle;
wherein at least one of the intraoral scanner or the cable is to:
detect when the intraoral scanner is in the cradle; and
enable the cable to supply power to the charging module while the intraoral scanner is in the cradle.

3. The intraoral scanning system of claim 2 , wherein:
at least one of the intraoral scanning system or the cable includes a switch that has a closed state while the intraoral scanner is in the cradle and an open state while the intraoral scanner is removed from the cradle.

4. The intraoral scanning system of claim 3 , wherein the switch is a magnetic switch, wherein the cradle comprises one or more magnets that provide a magnetic field, and wherein the magnetic field causes the magnetic switch to have the closed state while the intraoral scanner is in the cradle.

5. The intraoral scanning system of claim 3 , wherein:
the intraoral scanner further comprises:
a motion sensor to detect a motion state of the intraoral scanner; and
a controller to determine whether the intraoral scanner is in use based on an analysis of the motion state.

6. The intraoral scanning system of claim 1 , the intraoral scanner further comprising:
a probe at one end of the wand, the probe comprising a scanner head;
one or more optical sensor to receive light that enters the scanner head and generate intraoral scan data based on the light, wherein the wireless communication module is to wirelessly send the intraoral scan data to a first computing device; and
a touchscreen, disposed on the wand and configured to:
output a plurality of virtual buttons;
detect a touch input associated with a virtual button of the plurality of virtual buttons; and
provide a signal associated with the touch input of the virtual button to the first computing device.

7. The intraoral scanning system of claim 6 , wherein:
the intraoral scanner is to:
receive an input from the first computing device indicating a current mode of an intraoral scan application; and
determine the plurality of virtual buttons to output on the touchscreen based at least in part on the current mode of the intraoral scan application.

8. The intraoral scanning system of claim 7 , wherein while the current mode is a scanning mode, the plurality of virtual buttons comprise at least one of a next segment button or a previous segment button.

9. The intraoral scanning system of claim 7 , wherein while the current mode is a scanning mode, the plurality of virtual buttons comprise a lower dental arch segment button, an upper dental arch segment button, and a bite segment button.

10. The intraoral scanning system of claim 7 , wherein while the current mode is a three-dimensional surface viewing mode, the plurality of virtual buttons comprise a rotate button, a pan button, and a zoom button.

11. The intraoral scanning system of claim 6 , wherein the touchscreen supports multi-touch control, and wherein:
dragging of a first number of fingers of a user across the touchscreen causes rotation of a three-dimensional surface on a display;
dragging of a second number of fingers of the user across the touchscreen causes panning of the three-dimensional surface on the display;
an inward pinching motion of a user's fingers on the touchscreen causes zooming out of the three-dimensional surface on the display; and
an outward pinching motion of the user's fingers on the touchscreen causes zooming in of the three-dimensional surface on the display.

12. The intraoral scanning system of claim 6 , wherein the touchscreen is to output one or more message button responsive to receipt of a confirmation request message from the first computing device, wherein the one or more message button comprises at least one of a confirm button or a cancel button.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Fridman Edi
• Levin Adi
• Burbea Abraham Albert
• Sagi Ofer
• Farkash Shai
• Katz Ran

Classifications

• A61B5/7435

  Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface · CPC title

• A61B90/96

  using barcodes · CPC title

• A61B1/00059

  provided with identification means for the endoscope · CPC title

• A61B1/00045

  Display arrangement · CPC title

• A61B5/7445

  Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units · CPC title