Method and apparatus for determining the color of an object that is transparent, diffusing, and absorbent, such as a tooth, in particular
US5428450A · kind A · utility
105Cited by
5References
18Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jun 27, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J3/0272
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the color of an object which is transparent, diffusing, and absorbent, by illuminating an area of the object by means of a diffuse light flux that is substantially uniform and isotropic, by picking up the light backscattered by a small fraction of the illuminated area of the object by means of an optical system that comprises achromatic doublets and both infrared and ultraviolet filters, together with a diaphragm, and spectrally analyzing said light by means of interference filters and photodetectors. The invention is particularly suitable for determining the color of teeth in the mouth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.