Patents by Inventor Keigo Yokoyama

Keigo Yokoyama 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).

  • Publication number: 20240023914
    Abstract: A setting unit configured to set a reference orientation for calculating the orientation of a radiation detector and a reference orientation for calculating the orientation of the radiation generator sets the reference orientations of the radiation detector and the radiation generator in response to determining that a mobile radiography unit equipped with the radiation generator stands still, with the radiation detector housed, to determine whether the radiation generator and the radiation detector are arranged according to the imaging procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: KAI SUZUKI, YUICHI NAITO, KEIGO YOKOYAMA, TOMOYA SUZUKI, AKIRA TSUKUDA, ERIKO SATO
  • Patent number: 11157059
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprising an imaging unit configured to generate a radiation image, a detector configured to detect radiation to monitor an incident dose, a processor including an amplifier and configured to perform processing of reading out signals from the imaging unit and the detector and outputting a signal based on the readout signals, and a controller configured to control the processor is provided. The controller causes the processor to operate in a first power consumption mode before radiation irradiation and perform a reset operation, and causes the processor to operate in a second power consumption mode with higher power consumption than the first power consumption mode in accordance with information indicating a start of radiation irradiation, and causes the processor to start outputting a signal for monitoring an incident dose based on a signal read out from the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 11083430
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique advantageous in suitably determining the irradiation end timing in a radiation imaging apparatus that can perform AEC. The radiation imaging apparatus comprises a sensor configured to detect radiation and a control unit, wherein the control unit generates, after the start of radiation irradiation, an evaluation value indicating the stability of a radiation irradiation intensity based on a sensor signal from the sensor, and the control unit outputs, in response to the evaluation value satisfying a predetermined condition, a signal indicating that the radiation irradiation intensity has stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sho Sato, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Jun Kawanabe
  • Patent number: 10921466
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a first detection pixel including a first switch element, a second detection pixel including a second switch element and having sensitivity which is different from that of the first detection pixel, a first signal line, a second signal line, a reading circuit which performs a first operation of reading first and second signals which appear in the first and second signal lines in a state in which the first and second switch elements are in a non-conductive state while the radiation imaging apparatus is irradiated with a radial ray and a second operation of reading third and fourth signals which appear in the first and second signal lines when the first and second switch elements are brought into a conductive state, and an information processing circuit which performs a process of generating information based on the first to fourth signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Miura, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Jun Kawanabe, Sho Sato, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10729393
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus includes a pixel, a readout unit, and a signal processing unit. The pixel includes a switch configured to connect a conversion element configured to convert radiation into an electric signal to a signal line. The readout unit is configured to perform a first operation of reading out a first signal appearing in the signal line when the switch is not in a conductive state and a second operation of reading out a second signal appearing in the signal line when the switch is in a conductive state. The read out unit is configured to perform the first operation before performing the second operation a plurality of times consecutively. The signal processing unit is configured to perform signal processing for outputting information indicating irradiation of the radiographic imaging apparatus by the radiation based on the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Sho Sato, Kazuya Furumoto, Ryosuke Miura
  • Patent number: 10653372
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes pixel array, scanning circuit to scan rows of the pixel array, and readout circuit to read signals from the pixel array. Each pixel includes converter to generate electric signal corresponding to radiation and transistor connected to the converter. The readout circuit reads signal from the converter via the transistor. The system performs image capturing modes and conditioning mode of conditioning a threshold voltage of the transistor. In the conditioning mode, the scanning circuit supplies, to a gate of the transistor, an OFF voltage different from OFF voltages in the image capturing modes. The scanning circuit scans the rows in units of at least one row in the image capturing modes, and scans the rows in units of at least two rows in the conditioning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Satoru Sawada, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10634800
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a sensor portion including a pixel array configured to acquire an image signal corresponding to radiation, and a plurality of detection elements arranged in the pixel array and configured to detect the radiation, and a readout circuit configured to read out the image signal from the sensor portion, wherein the readout circuit includes a signal processing circuit arranged to combine and process signals from the plurality of detection elements if determining the presence or absence of radiation irradiation, and to process a signal for each detection element or combine and process signals from a number of detection elements from among the plurality of detection elements, the number being less than the number of detection elements that include the plurality of detection elements, if determining a radiation dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20200060639
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique advantageous in suitably determining the irradiation end timing in a radiation imaging apparatus that can perform AEC. The radiation imaging apparatus comprises a sensor configured to detect radiation and a control unit, wherein the control unit generates, after the start of radiation irradiation, an evaluation value indicating the stability of a radiation irradiation intensity based on a sensor signal from the sensor, and the control unit outputs, in response to the evaluation value satisfying a predetermined condition, a signal indicating that the radiation irradiation intensity has stabilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Sho Sato, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Jun Kawanabe
  • Patent number: 10537295
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises pixels arranged in an image sensing region, a first and a second detecting elements configured to obtain radiation irradiation information, a first signal line to which a signal from the first detecting element is to be output and a second signal line to which a signal from the second detecting element is to be output, and a signal processing circuit configured to process the signals output from the first and the second detecting elements. The first the second signal lines are arranged in the image sensing region or arranged adjacent to the image sensing region, the first detecting element has a larger region to detect radiation than the second detecting element. The signal processing circuit generates the radiation irradiation information based on the signals from the first and the second signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Publication number: 20190391629
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprising an imaging unit configured to generate a radiation image, a detector configured to detect radiation to monitor an incident dose, a processor including an amplifier and configured to perform processing of reading out signals from the imaging unit and the detector and outputting a signal based on the readout signals, and a controller configured to control the processor is provided. The controller causes the processor to operate in a first power consumption mode before radiation irradiation and perform a reset operation, and causes the processor to operate in a second power consumption mode with higher power consumption than the first power consumption mode in accordance with information indicating a start of radiation irradiation, and causes the processor to start outputting a signal for monitoring an incident dose based on a signal read out from the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 10499872
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of detection pixels configured to generate a signal according to a radiation irradiation amount to obtain radiation irradiation information, a detection unit configured to correspond to a region of the plurality of detection pixels and detect one of light, pressure, capacitance, and temperature as two-dimensional information, and a control unit configured to determine a monitoring target detection pixel and a non-monitoring-target detection pixel among the plurality of detection pixels based on the two-dimensional information detected by the detection unit, read the signals of detection pixels of a row in which the monitoring target detection pixel is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Ofuji, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Jun Kawanabe, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10473801
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus including conversion elements acquiring a radiation image and detectors, a readout unit and a controller is provided. In a first operation, the controller causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the detectors, detects irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to a second operation. In the second operation, the controller acquires first signals individually read out from the detectors, decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detector of the detectors in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detector to a sum of the first signals, and acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detector based on the signal component and the first signal of the selected detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Kawanabe, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20190324156
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a first detection pixel including a first switch element, a second detection pixel including a second switch element and having sensitivity which is different from that of the first detection pixel, a first signal line, a second signal line, a reading circuit which performs a first operation of reading first and second signals which appear in the first and second signal lines in a state in which the first and second switch elements are in a non-conductive state while the radiation imaging apparatus is irradiated with a radial ray and a second operation of reading third and fourth signals which appear in the first and second signal lines when the first and second switch elements are brought into a conductive state, and an information processing circuit which performs a process of generating information based on the first to fourth signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Ryosuke Miura, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Jun Kawanabe, Sho Sato, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10326948
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a conversion element and a transistor, a plurality of drive lines connected to gates of the transistors, a drive circuit unit configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of drive lines, and a control unit configured to control the drive circuit unit. The control unit performs control of causing the drive circuit unit to apply a different voltage that is between the OFF voltage and the ON voltage and is different from the OFF voltage and the ON voltage to the plurality of drive lines in a different period different from a period in which storage control is performed and a period in which read control is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Publication number: 20180321397
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus including conversion elements acquiring a radiation image and detectors, a readout unit and a controller is provided. In a first operation, the controller causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the detectors, detects irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to a second operation. In the second operation, the controller acquires first signals individually read out from the detectors, decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detector of the detectors in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detector to a sum of the first signals, and acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detector based on the signal component and the first signal of the selected detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jun Kawanabe, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Sho Sato, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Patent number: 10068943
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation imaging apparatus, including: a plurality of pixels configured to output image signals corresponding to radiation; an image signal line configured to output the image signals; and a detection signal line configured to output a detection signal for detection of irradiation of the radiation, in which at least one of the plurality of pixels includes: a conversion element configured to convert the radiation into charge; a first switch configured to output the image signal corresponding to the charge via the image signal line; a storage capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode, in which the first electrode is electrically connected to the conversion element to store the charge; and a second switch configured to electrically connect the second electrode and the detection signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Hiroshi Wayama, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Patent number: 10061039
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of first groups having same configurations and arranged in a row direction and a column direction, each of the first groups including a plurality of pixels for obtaining a radiation image and at least one detection section for detecting an amount of incident radiation, and a plurality of detection signal lines connected to the plurality of detection sections. Two of the plurality of first groups which are arranged in the column direction are shifted from each other in the row direction, and the detection sections included in the two groups are connected to different detection signal lines in the plurality of detection signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Kawanabe, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Kazuya Furumoto
  • Publication number: 20180231672
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a sensor portion including a pixel array configured to acquire an image signal corresponding to radiation, and a plurality of detection elements arranged in the pixel array and configured to detect the radiation, and a readout circuit configured to read out the image signal from the sensor portion, wherein the readout circuit includes a signal processing circuit arranged to combine and process signals from the plurality of detection elements if determining the presence or absence of radiation irradiation, and to process a signal for each detection element or combine and process signals from a number of detection elements from among the plurality of detection elements, the number being less than the number of detection elements that include the plurality of detection elements, if determining a radiation dose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: KEIGO YOKOYAMA, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama
  • Publication number: 20180140264
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus includes a pixel, a readout unit, and a signal processing unit. The pixel includes a switch configured to connect a conversion element configured to convert radiation into an electric signal to a signal line. The readout unit is configured to perform a first operation of reading out a first signal appearing in the signal line when the switch is not in a conductive state and a second operation of reading out a second signal appearing in the signal line when the switch is in a conductive state. The read out unit is configured to perform the first operation before performing the second operation a plurality of times consecutively. The signal processing unit is configured to perform signal processing for outputting information indicating irradiation of the radiographic imaging apparatus by the radiation based on the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Sho Sato, Kazuya Furumoto, Ryosuke Miura
  • Patent number: 9977135
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a sensor portion including a pixel array configured to acquire an image signal corresponding to radiation, and a plurality of detection elements arranged in the pixel array and configured to detect the radiation, and a readout circuit configured to read out the image signal from the sensor portion, wherein the readout circuit includes a signal processing circuit arranged to combine and process signals from the plurality of detection elements if determining the presence or absence of radiation irradiation, and to process a signal for each detection element or combine and process signals from a number of detection elements from among the plurality of detection elements, the number being less than the number of detection elements that include the plurality of detection elements, if determining a radiation dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keigo Yokoyama, Minoru Watanabe, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Hiroshi Wayama