Abstract: A hand-held diagnostic instrument includes a casing having a hand-holdable body portion and a neck portion that extends from the body portion to a head portion that is formed of a back cover and a front cover. A circuit board assembly in the body portion contains video processing circuitry, and a flexible neck board extends forward from the body portion through the neck portion of the casing to a head board located in the head portion of the casing. A solid state imager and a miniature lamp are disposed on the head board. The front cover contains an adjustable focus lens cell for focusing on the imager an image of a target in the lens cell's field of view. The instrument provides a monitor-ready standard format full color video signal.

Abstract: A number of solutions are presented for an image rectification, i.e. a realistic alignment of the image given employment of an intraoral camera. To this end, arrangement is present that reproduce the image on a monitor erect and non-reversed regardless of the sightline of the camera.

Abstract: A method for the optical three dimensional measurement of a tooth without calibration bodies. An optical projection system projects a pattern onto a tooth, and an optical imaging system images the pattern projected thereon, from a first position in space and subsequently from a second position in space, with the images from the two positions in space having a common imaged area of the tooth. The image patterns are evaluated to calculate three dimensional coordinate data of the tooth surface relative to the respective imaging position for each image and also for the two images combined, to produce a single three dimensional tooth surface data record. In this method, points and/or surfaces are selected from the common imaged area with the aid of properties of the tooth surface contour which are invariant under displacement and rotation, so that they can be clearly correlated with each other.

Abstract: A detection signal of an image pickup device is inputted to a gate circuit to open the gate circuit by a gate signal from a drive-signal generating circuit during a period of time of a phase regulating signal section of a drive signal, to thereby output the detection signal during the period of time, to a reference reset generating circuit. The reference reset generating circuit generates a reference reset signal on the basis of the detection signal during a period of time of the inputted phase regulation signal section. The reference reset signal and a basic clock signal are inputted to a timing-pulse generating circuit for generating various kinds of timing pulses which are used in an image-pickup-signal processing circuit for processing in signal the image pickup signal.

Abstract: In an endoscope apparatus, an image processing unit for an endoscope, and a method of emphasizing an endoscope image, conversion processing is performed in which an amount of pigment, such as a hemoglobin pigment, is calculated from the endoscope image which is detected by the use of the endoscope, by a pigment calculating circuit. The amount of pigment is substituted for an amount of pigment in which an amount of shift from a value such as average of the amount of pigment is enlarged, and the amount of pigment is returned to the endoscope image having an amount of pigment in which the amount of shift from an average is enlarged, whereby tone of most parts having the amount of pigment of the average is not changed to an original endoscope image, but the endoscope image in which tone of a portion having the amount of pigment which is shifted from the average is emphasized is generated.

Abstract: An electronic optical viewing wand capable of viewing an object in a confined space, such as a dental patient's mouth, using only ambient light. The wand can be held and the focused in one hand via a telescoping/sliding focusing casing. The focal distance is adjustable from about 5 mm to infinity without having to change lenses.

Abstract: An improved hand-held diagnostic dental probe includes a casing that having a hand-holdable body portion, a neck portion that extends from the body portion to a head portion that is formed of a back cover and a front cover. A circuit board assembly in the body portion contains video processing circuitry, and a flexible neck board extends forward from the body portion through the neck portion of the casing to a head board located in the head portion of the casing. A solid state imager and a miniature lamp are disposed on the head board. The front cover contains an adjustable focus lens cell for focusing on the imager an image of a target in the lens cell's field of view. The instrument provides a monitor-ready standard format full color video signal.

Abstract: The present invention is a dental video camera which includes a housing, a light source, a CCD camera, an adjustably focusing lens system and a fixed focusing lens system. The housing has an elongated cavity with a distal end and a proximal end. The CCD camera disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing at the proximal end thereof. The adjustably focusing lens system is disposed within the elongated cavity of the housing and is optically coupled to the CCD camera. The adjustably focusing lens system provides a focusing adjustment between a near field of focus and a far field of focus. The fixed focusing lens system is optically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens system and is disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing adjacent to the distal end thereof. The rotatably adjustable iris is optically and mechanically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens system.

Abstract: A film holder for a video display system, having a probe with a head portion, a processor, a monitor, and a printer for producing a permanent hard copy of the image received by the probe, includes a housing for positioning the film relative to the head of the video probe. The housing is provided with an aperture for receiving, positioning, and securing the head of the video probe within the housing. The housing also includes a diffuser for diffusing light entering the housing, and a slidable frame positioned between the diffuser and the housing aperture. The sliding frame is employed to secure the film at a predetermined distance from the head of the video probe. The sliding frame is provided with quick release fasteners so that individual pieces of x-ray film are easily interchanged within the frame.

Abstract: A process for measuring the dimensions of the buccal cavity with upper and lower jaw dentition uses a scanning device that is at least partially introduced into the buccal cavity. The scanning device is an optical measurement device whose optical signals are converted into electronic signals, which electronic signals can then be evaluated by a computer. A source of optical radiation is located in a preferably extra-oral section of the device, and a projection device with a projection optical system projects optical radiation onto the surfaces and/or the translucent internal volume of the buccal cavity and the colored translucent volume of the teeth. A recording device having a recording optical system records the radiation reflected from the surfaces and/or the translucent internal volume, and an evaluation device preferably located in an extra-oral section of the device evaluates the recorded reflected radiation.

Abstract: An electronic video dental camera is provided which overcomes the disadvantages of both prior art dental mirrors, endoscopes, and video endoscopes. The electronic video dental camera is readily manipulated by dentists who are familiar with the manipulation of dental mirrors. Such an electronic video dental camera includes a handle to be held the user, and a camera head located at the distal end of the handle, with the camera head being formed at an angle to the handle, as in prior art dental mirrors. One embodiment includes provision for the flow of a selected fluid in order to defog and/or clean the camera lens. In one embodiment, the camera head includes light sources for illuminating the area to be viewed. In one embodiment, the handle of the dental camera includes means for transporting all appropriate signals and fluids to and from the camera head, and, if desired, valves and switching means located on the handle for controlling such communication to the camera head.

Abstract: A device for the acquisition of images of an object, of the type including a light emitting source for illuminating said object and a light sensor of the monochromic charge coupled device type and adapted to receive the light representative of the image of said object. The light source has at least one semi-conductor light emitter such as an electroluminescent or laser diode, the invention being usable for medical diagnosis purposes.