Method and apparatus for colour imaging a three-dimensional structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9404740-B2
Application number	US-201514755171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2004
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A device for determining the surface topology and associated color of a structure, such as a teeth segment, includes a scanner for providing depth data for points along a two-dimensional array substantially orthogonal to the depth direction, and an image acquisition means for providing color data for each of the points of the array, while the spatial disposition of the device with respect to the structure is maintained substantially unchanged. A processor combines the color data and depth data for each point in the array, thereby providing a three-dimensional color virtual model of the surface of the structure. A corresponding method for determining the surface topology and associate color of a structure is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for determining surface topology and associated color of a structure portion of a three-dimensional structure, the system comprising:
an imaging device configured to generate three-dimensional depth data and two-dimensional color data of the structure portion; and
one or more processors operably coupled to the imaging device, the one or more processors configured to cause the system to:
generate the three-dimensional depth data of the structure portion using the imaging device when the imaging device is at a first spatial disposition relative to the structure portion,
generate the two-dimensional color data of the structure portion using the imaging device when the imaging device is at a second spatial disposition relative to the structure portion,
determine a spatial transformation between the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data, and
map the two-dimensional color data to the three-dimensional depth data using the determined spatial transformation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second spatial disposition differs from the first spatial disposition by one or more of a translation along a depth direction or a rotation about the depth direction.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the spatial transformation is determined by performing an alignment procedure.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the alignment procedure comprises an optical character recognition technique.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the alignment procedure comprises:
determining a first shape profile based on the three-dimensional depth data;
determining a second shape profile based on the two-dimensional color data; and
aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile comprises performing one or more of a coplanar translation or a coplanar rotation.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile comprises determining a best fit between the first shape profile and the second shape profile.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data are generated by the imaging device within a time interval of less than about 100 milliseconds.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device comprises a monochromatic image sensor used to generate the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device comprises a color image sensor used to generate the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data.

11. A method for determining surface topology and associated color of a structure portion of a three-dimensional structure, the method comprising:
generating, using an imaging device, three-dimensional depth data of the structure portion when the imaging device is at a first spatial disposition relative to the structure portion;
generating, using the imaging device, two-dimensional color data of the structure portion when the imaging device is at a second spatial disposition relative to the structure portion;
determining, using one or more processors, a spatial transformation between the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data; and
mapping, using the one or more processors, the two-dimensional color data to the three-dimensional depth data using the determined spatial transformation.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second spatial disposition differs from the first spatial disposition by one or more of a translation along a depth direction or a rotation about the depth direction.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the spatial transformation comprises performing an alignment procedure.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the alignment procedure comprises an optical character recognition technique.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein performing the alignment procedure comprises:
determining a first shape profile based on the three-dimensional depth data;
determining a second shape profile based on the two-dimensional color data; and
aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile comprises performing one or more of a coplanar translation or a coplanar rotation.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein aligning the first shape profile to the second shape profile comprises determining a best fit between the first shape profile and the second shape profile.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data are generated by the imaging device within a time interval of less than about 100 milliseconds.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the imaging device comprises a monochromatic image sensor used to generate the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the imaging device comprises a color image sensor used to generate the three-dimensional depth data and the two-dimensional color data.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Babayoff Noam

Classifications

• H04N13/15 Primary

  for colour aspects of image signals · CPC title

• G01J3/0208

  using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction · CPC title

• A61B5/1079

  using optical or photographic means · CPC title

• A61C9/0066

  Depth determination through adaptive focusing · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title