US 12,076,754 B2
Methods for controlling object sorting and sequencing
James Clete Culp, Pleasanton, CA (US); and Stanley E. Sankaran, Granite Bay, CA (US)
Assigned to Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/354,406.
Application 18/354,406 is a continuation of application No. 17/647,333, filed on Jan. 6, 2022, granted, now 11,752,523.
Application 17/647,333 is a continuation of application No. 17/011,577, filed on Sep. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,247,242, issued on Feb. 15, 2022.
Application 17/011,577 is a continuation of application No. 16/155,519, filed on Oct. 9, 2018, granted, now 10,766,055, issued on Sep. 8, 2020.
Application 16/155,519 is a continuation of application No. 14/874,083, filed on Oct. 2, 2015, granted, now 10,099,256, issued on Oct. 16, 2018.
Application 14/874,083 is a continuation of application No. 13/775,692, filed on Feb. 25, 2013, granted, now 9,152,145, issued on Oct. 6, 2015.
Application 13/775,692 is a continuation of application No. 13/209,222, filed on Aug. 12, 2011, granted, now 8,383,977, issued on Feb. 26, 2013.
Application 13/209,222 is a continuation of application No. 11/553,330, filed on Oct. 26, 2006, granted, now 8,030,588, issued on Oct. 4, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356264 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B07C 5/34 (2006.01); B07C 3/02 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/3412 (2013.01) [B07C 3/02 (2013.01); B07C 5/34 (2013.01); G05B 19/41865 (2013.01); Y02P 90/02 (2015.11)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
receiving sensor data of a plurality of dental appliances, each dental appliance associated with an identifier including (a) group data indicating a group to which the dental appliance belongs, and (b) sequence data indicating a sequential position for the dental appliance within the group;
determining the group data and the sequence data for each dental appliance based on the sensor data;
controlling a sorting cell to sort the plurality of dental appliances by directing each dental appliance into one of a plurality of buffer locations based on the group data for the dental appliance, wherein each buffer location is configured to hold a set of dental appliances belonging to the same group; and
controlling a sequencing cell to sequence the set of dental appliances associated with each buffer location by placing each dental appliance into a position within the corresponding set of dental appliances based on the sequence data for the dental appliance.