Apparatus for measuring optical characteristics of a substrate and pigments applied thereto
First Claim
1. A system for applying pigment to a substrate, comprising:
- a spectophotometer integral to the system supplying light to the substrate and receiving light from the substrate, wherein the light received from the substrate is spectrally analyzed by a spectrometer, one or more pigment dischargers integral to the system, wherein the one or more pigment dischargers apply one or more pigments to the substrate;
wherein, the spectrometer spectrally analyzes the one or more pigments applied to the substrate or spectrally analyzes the substrate at one or more points on the substrate, wherein the one or more points on the substrate do not have the one or more pigments applied thereto;
wherein the spectrometer comprises;
an optical sensing circuit having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements;
a plurality of filter elements fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the optical sensors, wherein each of the plurality of filter elements have spectral transmission characteristics over predetermined wavelengths;
an optical manifold fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filter elements, wherein the optical manifold has a plurality of exit windows and at least one entrance port, wherein light entering the entrance port is transmitted to an intenor portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the exit ports through at least certain of the filter elements for sensing by at least certain of the optical sensors;
wherein light may be coupled from the substrate to the entrance port, wherein spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer is fabricated in a unitary manner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods such as for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics preferably are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface of the object/tooth being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter receiver fiber optics to determine information regarding the height and angle of the probe with respect to the object/tooth being measured. Under processor control, the optical characteristics measurement may be made at a predetermined height and angle. Various color spectral photometer arrangements are disclosed. Translucency, fluorescence, gloss and/or surface texture data also may be obtained. Audio feedback may be provided to guide operator use of the system. The probe may have a removable or shielded tip for contamination prevention. A method of producing dental prostheses based on measured data also is disclosed. Measured data also may be stored and/or organized as part of a patient data base. Such methods and implements may be desirably utilized for purposes of detecting and preventing counterfeiting or the like. Low cost and small form factor spectrometers, and methods for manufacturing the same, also are disclosed. Spectrometers and spectrophotometers embedded in printing and scanning and other type devices, as well as computer companion devices, scope-type devices and the like, also are disclosed. Data encoding based on such devices also may be implemented.
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Citations
161 Claims
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1. A system for applying pigment to a substrate, comprising:
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a spectophotometer integral to the system supplying light to the substrate and receiving light from the substrate, wherein the light received from the substrate is spectrally analyzed by a spectrometer, one or more pigment dischargers integral to the system, wherein the one or more pigment dischargers apply one or more pigments to the substrate;
wherein, the spectrometer spectrally analyzes the one or more pigments applied to the substrate or spectrally analyzes the substrate at one or more points on the substrate, wherein the one or more points on the substrate do not have the one or more pigments applied thereto;
wherein the spectrometer comprises;
an optical sensing circuit having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements;
a plurality of filter elements fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the optical sensors, wherein each of the plurality of filter elements have spectral transmission characteristics over predetermined wavelengths;
an optical manifold fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filter elements, wherein the optical manifold has a plurality of exit windows and at least one entrance port, wherein light entering the entrance port is transmitted to an intenor portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the exit ports through at least certain of the filter elements for sensing by at least certain of the optical sensors;
wherein light may be coupled from the substrate to the entrance port, wherein spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer is fabricated in a unitary manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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33. The system of clam 1, wherein a multi-pass pigment discharging operation is performed, wherein in a first pass the one or more pigments are applied to the substrate, wherein, in response to the spectral analysis of the one or more pigments applied to the substrate in the first pass, the one or more pigments are selectively applied or not applied to the substrate in the second pass.
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52. A system for applying pigment to a substrate, comprising:
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a spectrophotometer integral to the system supplying light to the substrate and receiving light from the substrate, wherein the light received from the substrate is spectrally analyzed by a spectrometer;
one or more pigment dischargers integral to the system, wherein the one or more pigment dischargers apply one or more pigments to the substrate;
wherein, the spectrometer spectrally analyzes the one or more pigments applied to the substrate or spectrally analyzes the substrate at one or more points on the substrate, wherein the one or more points on the substrate do not have the one or more pigments applied thereto;
wherein the spectrometer comprises;
an optical sensing circuit having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements;
a plurality of filters fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the optical sensors, wherein each of the plurality of filters have spectral transmission characteristics over predetermined wavelengths;
an optical manifold comprising at least a fiber optic bundle having at least one input and a plurality of outputs fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filters, wherein light entering the input is transmitted to an interior portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the outputs through at least certain of the filters for sensing by at least certain of the optical sensors;
wherein light may be coupled from the substrate to the input, wherein spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer is fabricated in a unitary manner. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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- 77. The system of clan 76, wherein an indication that maintenance is needed for the system is selectively provided.
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103. A system for applying pigment to a substrate, comprising:
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a spectrophotometer integral to the system supplying light to the substrate and receiving light from the substrate, wherein the light received from the substrate is spectrally analyzed by a spectrometer;
one or more pigment dischargers integral to the system, wherein the one or more pigment dischargers apply one or more pigments to the substrate;
wherein, the spectrometer spectrally analyzes the one or more pigments applied to the substrate or spectrally analyzes the substrate at one or more points on the substrate, wherein the one or more points on the substrate do not have the one or more pigments applied thereto;
wherein the spectrometer comprises;
an optical sensing circuit having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements, wherein the plurality of optical sensors include an array of sensors each of which generates a signal having a frequency proportional to the light intensity received by the particular sensor;
a plurality of filters fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the optical sensors including at least a portion of the array of sensors, wherein each of the plurality of filters have spectral transmission characteristics over predetermined wavelengths;
a processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit receives from a plurality of the optical sensors at least a plurality of signals having a frequency proportional to the light intensity received by the particular sensors, wherein spectral data is generated by the processing circuit based at least in part on the plurality of signals. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161)
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Specification