Abstract: An x-ray imaging apparatus receives an image-carrying x-ray beam on a flat amorphous silicon imaging panel with a light detector unit disposed behind. The imaging panel is of a multi-layered structure having sequentially a light-blocking layer which is opaque to visible light but transmissive to x-rays, a converting layer of a phosphorescent material for converting x-rays incident thereon into visible light, and a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements of an amorphous semiconductor material such as amorphous silicon, adapted to undergo a detectable change in electrical characteristic in response to impingement of light. The light detector unit may be a simple light detector for receiving the light emitted from the converting layer and passed through regions between neighboring pairs of the array of photosensitive elements.

Abstract: A charge sensitive amplifier with high common mode signal rejection includes an NPN bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a P-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) connected in a totem pole circuit configuration. The BJT base terminal receives a dc reference voltage, the MOSFET gate terminal receives the incoming data signal, the MOSFET drain terminal is grounded and the BJT collector terminal provides the output voltage signal and is biased by the power supply through a resistive circuit element. The MOSFET operates as a source follower amplifier with the transconductance of the BJT serving as the load at the source terminal, while the BJT operates as a common emitter amplifier with the transconductance of the MOSFET providing emitter degeneration. The signal gains of such source follower and common emitter amplifiers are substantially equal and of opposite polarities. Therefore, any common mode signal components due to common mode input signals present at the input terminals (i.

Abstract: A multiple mode digital X-ray imaging system providing for preprocessing "binning" of analog pixel signals from a detector array by selectively summing, within the detector array, adjacent pixel charges on a row-by-row basis and selectively summing, within detector array readout circuits, the previously summed pixel charges (by rows) on a column-by-column basis. An array, or mapping, of "defective pixel" flags is used to identify defective pixels within the detector array, with such flags being added to, or inserted into, the incoming data stream for dynamic processing along with the incoming pixel data. A buffer and filter is used to perform still image capture during the radiographic mode of operation and to recursively filter incoming data frames during the fluoroscopic mode of operation by summing a scaled amount of pixel data from prior data frames with a scaled amount of incoming pixel data from the present data frame.

Abstract: An x-ray imaging apparatus receives an image-carrying x-ray beam on a flat amorphous silicon imaging panel with a light detector unit disposed behind. The imaging panel is of a multi-layered structure having sequentially a light-blocking layer which is opaque to visible light but transmissive to x-rays, a converting layer of a phosphorescent material for converting x-rays incident thereon into visible light, and a two-dimensional array of photosensitive elements of an amorphous semiconductor material such as amorphous silicon, adapted to undergo a detectable change in electrical characteristic in response to impingement of light. The light detector unit may be a simple light detector for receiving the light emitted from the converting layer and passed through regions between neighboring pairs of the array of photosensitive elements.

Abstract: A signal sampling circuit for performing correlated double sampling (CDS) of an input signal with a pipelined sample and hold architecture includes a time multiplexed integrating amplifier circuit in which the output circuit is a pipelined sample and hold circuit which provides time multiplexed input signal samples and the feedback integration capacitor is discharged between samples. At all times, one of the channels of the pipelined sample and hold circuit is providing one of the time multiplexed input signal samples while the other channel continues tracking the input signal. The feedback integration capacitor acts as a clamp to null out residual reset noise received as part of the input signal to be sampled. Hence, with the exception of that very brief period of time necessary for switching between the two pipelined sample and hold circuit channels, one of the two pipelined sample and hold circuit channels is always available for signal acquisition.

Abstract: A current mode analog signal multiplexor includes multiple input multiplexed differential amplifiers, and an output differential current amplifier. An input multiplex control signal selects and enables one of the input multiplexed differential amplifiers for buffering and steering the input signal current to one side of the output differential current amplifier. The reference amplifier drives the other side of the output differential current amplifier. The output node of the output differential current amplifier remains at a substantially constant voltage potential while providing an output current which varies in relation to the selected input signal.