Patents by Inventor Atsushi Iwashita

Atsushi Iwashita has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10779777
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a sensor panel in which pixels are provided and a processor that generates an image that corresponds to the number of radiation photons incident on each of the pixels. In an imaging mode in which an image formed by radiation that has passed through a subject is generated, the processor generates a correction signal by correcting a value of a signal output from the conversion element of each of the pixels according to a correction coefficient for converting the value of the signal output from the conversion element on which a radiation photon was incident to a value that corresponds to an energy value of the radiation photon, and generates an image based on the number of correction signals of pixels on which a radiation photon was incident from among the correction signals of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Terui, Atsushi Iwashita, Sho Sato, Yoshiaki Ishii
  • Patent number: 10782251
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed and a processing unit configured to process pixel signals non-destructively read out from the respective pixels. The processing unit performs a first process of obtaining image data of a plurality of frames by repeatedly reading out image data while the pixel array is irradiated with radiation, with a group of pixel signals from the plurality of pixels corresponding to image data of one frame, and a second process of generating data for a radiation image based on data differences between the image data of the plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sho Sato, Atsushi Iwashita, Kosuke Terui, Yoshiaki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20200245441
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation imaging apparatus configured to image an imaging target object through use of a radiation generated by a radiation generator arranged to generate the radiation. The radiation imaging apparatus includes a spectrum calculating unit configured to calculate a spectrum of the radiation based on a transient response characteristic of the radiation generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Akira Tsukuda, Atsushi Iwashita, Kosuke Terui, Sota Torii
  • Publication number: 20200211238
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a filtering unit for performing recursive filtering on a first signal component and a second signal component that are obtained by emitting radiation at a plurality of levels of energy toward an object, and a generation unit for generating a moving image based on the first signal component and the second signal component on which the recursive filtering is performed. A filter coefficient of the recursive filtering performed on the first signal component and a filter coefficient of the recursive filtering performed on the second signal component differ from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Akira Tsukuda, Kosuke Terui, Sota Torii
  • Publication number: 20200205755
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an acquisition unit for acquiring low-energy information and high-energy information from a plurality of images that are obtained by emitting radiation toward an object, a calculation unit for calculating an effective atomic number and a surface density from the low-energy information and the high-energy information, and a generation unit for generating an image that includes color information based on the effective atomic number and the surface density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Akira Tsukuda, Kosuke Terui, Sota Torii
  • Patent number: 10698122
    Abstract: In order to provide a large-area radiation imaging apparatus that has an energy resolution while suppressing the occurrence of an artifact, the radiation imaging apparatus includes a detector and a signal processing unit. The detector includes a plurality of pixels for acquiring a pixel value in accordance with incident radiation. The signal processing unit performs signal processing for estimating energy of a radiation quantum of the incident radiation at a predetermined pixel included in the pixels using the amount of change in the pixel value of the predetermined pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Sho Sato, Kosuke Terui, Yoshiaki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20200155097
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a detection unit configured to generate an image signal according to radiation emitted by a radiation source, an image processing unit, and a control unit. The control unit performs first imaging and second imaging performed after the first imaging using radiations of different energies, the image processing unit generates an energy subtraction image using a first image signal generated by the detection unit in the first imaging and a second image signal generated by the detection unit in the second imaging, and the second imaging is performed under a radiation irradiation condition according to a noise amount included in the first image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Sota Torii, Atsushi Iwashita, Kosuke Terui, Akira Tsukuda
  • Publication number: 20200150286
    Abstract: Radiation imaging apparatus includes pixel array having pixels, readout circuit for reading signals from the pixel array, and detector for detecting, based on radiation emitted from radiation source or information provided from the radiation source, start of radiation irradiation by the radiation source, and controller for determining timing of each of operations of sample and hold in each of the pixels each time the start of radiation irradiation is detected by the detector. The timing of at least one operation of the operations is timing in radiation irradiation period, and each of the pixels includes convertor for converting radiation into electrical signal, and sample and hold circuit for sample-holding the signal from the conversion element over plural times in accordance with the timing of each of the operations determined by the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Kosuke Terui, Atsushi Iwashita, Akira Tsukuda, Sota Torii
  • Publication number: 20200150059
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an imaging unit including pixels and a control unit. Each of the pixels includes a conversion unit and a sample/hold circuit. The control unit causes the imaging unit to perform first imaging and second imaging after the first imaging to generate one energy subtraction image, and controls a timing of causing the sample/hold circuit in the first imaging to sample a first image signal obtained by the first imaging and a timing of causing the sample/hold circuit in the second imaging to sample a second image signal obtained by the second imaging in accordance with radiation irradiation conditions set in advance so as to reduce a difference between an amount of noise contained in the first image signal and an amount of noise contained in the second image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Sota Torii, Kosuke Terui, Akira Tsukuda, Atsushi Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20200124749
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate in which conversion elements are arranged and which transmits light beams, a first scintillator arranged on a first surface side of the substrate, and a second scintillator arranged on a second surface side opposite to the first surface. The conversion elements include first conversion elements and second conversion elements. The first conversion elements are arranged so as to receive light beams from the first scintillator and the second scintillator. A light-shielding layer is arranged between the first scintillator and each of the second conversion elements so as to set light amounts of the second conversion elements from the first scintillator smaller than those of the first conversion elements from the first scintillator, and the second conversion elements are arranged to receive a light beam from the second scintillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Shoshiro Saruta, Atsushi Iwashita, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Keiichi Nomura, Kazumi Nagano, Yohei Ishida, Tomoki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20190349541
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit having a pixel array of pixels, and a signal processing unit for processing a signal from the imaging unit. Each pixel includes a conversion element for converting radiation into electrical signal and a reset unit for resetting the conversion element, the signal processing unit generates radiation image based on first image corresponding to electrical signal converted by the conversion unit of each pixel in a first period, and second image corresponding to electrical signal converted by the conversion element of each pixel in a second period which starts after start of the first period and ends before end of the first period, and in each pixel, the conversion element is not reset by the reset unit in the first period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Kosuke Terui, Akira Tsukuda, Sota Torii
  • Publication number: 20190320993
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that processes information based on a radiation image capturing a subject, comprises: an average value obtainment unit configured to obtain an average value of pixel values of the radiation image; a variance value obtainment unit configured to obtain a variance value of the pixel values of the radiation image; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to calculate, based on the average value and the variance value, one of an effective atomic number and a surface density forming the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Takeshi Noda, Atsushi Iwashita
  • Patent number: 10441238
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light, a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged, and a processing unit. The processing unit comprises a conversion unit configured to output a detection signal in accordance with a signal generated in the light detector by the incident light and radiation that has transmitted through the scintillator without being converted into light, and a reset control unit configured to determine that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation based on a magnitude of the detection signal and reset the conversion unit if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Terui, Atsushi Iwashita, Katsuro Takenaka, Shinichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10359520
    Abstract: An energy resolution decrease in a radiation imaging apparatus is suppressed. The apparatus includes a detector including a conversion unit configured to convert incident radiation photons into optical photons or charges, a pixel array including pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix and configured to obtain a pixel value in accordance with the optical photons or charges, and an output circuit including a plurality of output channels configured to output the pixel value from the pixel array, and a signal processing unit configured to perform signal processing of correcting the pixel value by using a correction coefficient in accordance with a pixel value obtaining process model in which a process of obtaining the pixel value output from the pixel array via the plurality of output channels on the basis of the optical photons or charges is modeled and obtaining an energy-discriminated radiographic image based on the corrected pixel value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ishii, Atsushi Iwashita, Sho Sato, Kosuke Terui
  • Publication number: 20190179036
    Abstract: Pixel array includes pixels each including conversion element, and switch having control terminal, first primary terminal connected to the conversion element, and second primary terminal connected to one of signal lines. The pixel array includes pixel groups each including pixels arrayed to form at least 2 row×2 column pattern. In pixels of each pixel group, the control terminals are connected to different driving lines and the second primary terminals are commonly connected to one of the signal lines. In the pixel groups, first and second pixel groups are arranged adjacent to each other in column direction. Signal is read from the first pixel group via the first signal line of the single lines. Signal is read from the second pixel group via the second signal line of the single lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Katsuro Takenaka, Atsushi Iwashita, Shoshiro Saruta
  • Patent number: 10274612
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprising a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed and a processor configured to generate a radiation image based on radio-photons which have entered the pixel array, wherein the processor performs a first process of obtaining a value of a signal from each of the plurality of pixels as a pixel value, a second process of selecting at least one of the plurality of pixels as a reference pixel, and a third process of specifying a detection area of a radio-photon in the pixel array by sequentially referring to pixel values of pixels around the reference pixel as a starting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ishii, Atsushi Iwashita, Sho Sato, Kosuke Terui
  • Patent number: 10234574
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels configured to detect radiation, a detector configured to detect radiation irradiation, and a controller. In a case in which a measured value obtained by using the detector exceeds a threshold in one range out of a positive range and a negative range with respect to a reference value, the controller controls a radiation image capturing operation by determining that the radiation irradiation has started. The controller changes the threshold in accordance with the measured value of the other range out of the positive range and the negative range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Toshio Kameshima, Hideyuki Okada, Eriko Sato
  • Patent number: 10197684
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light, a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged in a two-dimensional array, and a processing unit. The processing unit comprises a signal generating unit configured to output signals indicating intensities of the light detected by the light detector of each of the plurality of pixels, and a detection unit configured to identify a group of pixels each of which outputs a signal of a level exceeding a reference value out of the signals and detect, based on a pattern of the group, pileup in which a plurality of radiation photons is detected as a single radiation photon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Terui, Shinichi Takeda, Katsuro Takenaka, Sho Sato, Atsushi Iwashita, Yoshiaki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20180341029
    Abstract: In order to provide a large-area radiation imaging apparatus that has an energy resolution while suppressing the occurrence of an artifact, the radiation imaging apparatus includes a detector and a signal processing unit. The detector includes a plurality of pixels for acquiring a pixel value in accordance with incident radiation. The signal processing unit performs signal processing for estimating energy of a radiation quantum of the incident radiation at a predetermined pixel included in the pixels using the amount of change in the pixel value of the predetermined pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwashita, Sho Sato, Kosuke Terui, Yoshiaki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20180325476
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a detector including a plurality of pixels which obtain pixel values corresponding to incident radiation transmitted through a subject, and an information processing unit configured to perform a process of estimating information on thicknesses of substances included in the subject using pixel values of an arbitrary one of the plurality of pixels, an average value of energy of radiation quanta of the arbitrary pixel calculated in accordance with the pixel values of the arbitrary pixel, a first table indicating the relationship between the pixel values of the arbitrary pixel and the thicknesses of the substances included in the subject, and a second table indicating the relationship between the average value of the energy of the radiation quanta of the arbitrary pixel and the thicknesses of the substances included in the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshihito Machida, Atsushi Iwashita