Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object
First Claim
1. A spectrometer assembly, comprising:
- a substrate having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements;
a plurality of interference filter elements fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the sensors and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the plurality of filter elements have spectral transmission characteristics over one or more predetermined spectral bands;
an optical manifold fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filter elements and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the optical manifold has a plurality of exit port areas and at least one entrance port area, wherein light entering the entrance port area is transmitted to an interior portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the exit port areas through at least certain of the filter elements and is sensed by at least certain of the sensors; and
a spacer element positioned between the plurality of exit port areas and the plurality of interference filter elements, wherein the spacer element limits the angle of incidence of light that is incident on the plurality of interference filter elements;
wherein light may be coupled to the entrance port area, wherein at least first spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer assembly is fabricated in a fixed manner with respect to the substrate.
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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.
250 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A spectrometer assembly, comprising:
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a substrate having thereon a plurality of optical sensors and one or more processing elements;
a plurality of interference filter elements fixedly positioned over at least a first group of the sensors and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the plurality of filter elements have spectral transmission characteristics over one or more predetermined spectral bands;
an optical manifold fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filter elements and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the optical manifold has a plurality of exit port areas and at least one entrance port area, wherein light entering the entrance port area is transmitted to an interior portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the exit port areas through at least certain of the filter elements and is sensed by at least certain of the sensors; and
a spacer element positioned between the plurality of exit port areas and the plurality of interference filter elements, wherein the spacer element limits the angle of incidence of light that is incident on the plurality of interference filter elements;
wherein light may be coupled to the entrance port area, wherein at least first spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer assembly is fabricated in a fixed manner with respect to the substrate. - 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, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A spectrometer assembly, comprising:
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a substrate 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 sensors and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the plurality of filter elements have spectral transmission characteristics over one or more predetermined spectral bands; and
an optical manifold fixedly positioned over at least certain of the plurality of filter elements and fixedly positioned with respect to the substrate, wherein the optical manifold has a plurality of exit port areas and at least one entrance port area, wherein light entering the entrance port area is transmitted to an interior portion of the optical manifold, wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted from the exit port areas through at least certain of the filter elements and is sensed by at least certain of the sensors;
wherein the plurality of optical sensors include a plurality of sets of sensors, wherein a set of sensors is associated with each of the filter elements, wherein a first set of sensors associated with a filter element that passes light from a blue portion of a spectrum of light received by the assembly has a greater number of sensors than a second set of sensors associated with a filter element that passes light from a red portion of the spectrum of light received by the assembly;
wherein light may be coupled to the entrance port area, wherein at least first spectral data corresponding to the light is generated by the one or more processing elements, wherein the spectrometer assembly is fabricated in fixed manner with respect to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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Specification