High speed multiple line three-dimensional digitalization
A system provides high-speed multiple line digitization for three-dimensional imaging of a physical object. A full frame of three-dimensional data may be acquired in the same order as the frame rate of a digital camera.
1. A method for digitizing a physical object, comprising:
(a) projecting a plurality of sequential light patterns onto a surface of an object, where each of the plurality of sequential patterns includes a plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines, where a first pattern includes a first number of distinguishable curvilinear lines, and a subsequent pattern includes at least the same number of lines than the first number of distinguishable curvilinear lines;
(b) capturing light reflected from the surface;
(c) determining coordinates x, y, z of points on the surface according to the captured light; and
(d) using the coordinates to generate a representation of the physical object.
2. The method of claim 1 where the plurality of sequential patterns comprises white light.
3. The method of claim 1 where each of the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines is characterized by an intensity profile being substantially constant over time.
4. The method of claim 1 where step (a) further comprises generating a light pattern according to tracing a laser point with a two axis mirror to generate the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines.
5. The method of claim 4 where each of plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines is characterized by a modulated intensity pattern.
6. The method of claim 1 where step (a) further comprises generating a light pattern according to tracing a laser point with a plurality of orthogonally mounted single axis mirrors to generate the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising optically generating the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines.
8. The method of claim 7 where each of the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines is characterized by a modulated intensity pattern and a scan speed.
9. The method of claim 8 where the scan speed and modulation are variable.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising optically projecting multiple laser points through a plurality of optical elements to generate a plurality of static patterns of illuminated lines.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a single laser source to generate the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising producing the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines using a mechanical switch.
13. The method of claim 12 where the mechanical switch comprises a mirror.
14. The method of claim 13 where the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines are produced using an electro-optical switch.
15. The method of claim 14 where the electro-optical switch comprises an LC switch.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the coordinates in a computer system.
17. The method of claim 1 where the subsequent pattern includes a greater number of lines than the first number of distinguishable curvilinear lines.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the coordinates as a visual representation of the surface.
19. A dental imaging system, comprising:
(a) means for projecting a plurality of sequential patterns toward a dental item, each of the plurality of sequential patterns including a plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines, where a first pattern includes a first number of distinguishable curvilinear lines, and a subsequent pattern includes a second number of distinguishable curvilinear lines, wherein within a pattern each curvilinear line is associated with a region that is non-rectangular and that does not overlap with a region associated with an adjacent curvilinear line;
(b) means for capturing light reflected from a surface of the dental item;
(c) means for determining data points associated with characteristics of the surface according to the captured light reflected from the surface; and
(d) means for displaying the a three-dimensional representation of the surface of the dental item according to the data points.
20. A dental digitizing system, comprising:
(a) a projector configured to illuminate a dental object during each of sequence of exposure periods with a light patterns including a plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines, where a first light pattern includes a first number of distinguishable curvilinear lines, and a subsequent light pattern includes a second number of distinguishable curvilinear lines, wherein within a pattern each curvilinear line is associated with a region that is non-rectangular and that does not overlap with a region associated with an adjacent curvilinear line;
(b) a camera configured to capture an image according to light reflected during each exposure period;
(c) a controller configured to determine a set of points associated with characteristics of a surface of the object according to each image, and to compile each of the captured images to form an image of the object; and
(d) a display for displaying the image of the object.
21. The dental digitizing of claim 20 where the projector comprises a laser source configured to optically generate the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines from a single point laser source.
22. The dental digitizing of claim 20 where the projector comprises a plurality of laser sources configured to generate the plurality of distinguishable curvilinear lines.