Patents by Inventor Sho SHIMIZUKAWA

Sho SHIMIZUKAWA 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: 20240065653
    Abstract: A CT apparatus includes a plurality of imaging units, a rotation mechanism, and a CPU. The imaging unit includes a radiation source and a radiation detector. The rotation mechanism rotates the plurality of imaging units around a body axis of the subject while maintaining a disposition interval. An imaging control unit of the CPU controls operations of the plurality of imaging units and the rotation mechanism. An angular interval that is determined by a frame rate of the radiation detector and a rotation speed of the imaging unit and that defines an acquisition time of a projection image based on the radiation is the same for the plurality of imaging units. The plurality of imaging units have different phases in a rotation direction, and positions where the plurality of imaging units acquire the projection images are separated by a set angle that is less than the angular interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Takashi TAJIMA, Tatsuya TANEICHI, Naoyuki NISHINO, Hisatsugu HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240065646
    Abstract: A radiation source includes a radiation tube having a cathode which is a cold cathode. An imaging control unit directs the radiation source to intermittently and alternately emit the first radiation having a first energy distribution and the second radiation having a second energy distribution different from the first energy distribution whenever a rotation mechanism rotates the radiation source and a radiation detector by a preset angle. The imaging control unit directs the radiation detector to output a first projection image based on the first radiation and a second projection image based on the second radiation which are obtained by the intermittent emission of the first radiation and the second radiation. An image processing unit generates a tomographic image on the basis of the first projection image and the second projection image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Tatsuya TANEICHI, Takashi TAJIMA, Naoyuki NISHINO, Hisatsugu HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240065644
    Abstract: An imaging control unit performs conventional scanning, which directs a rotation mechanism to rotate a radiation source and a radiation detector without changing a positional relationship between a subject, and the radiation source and the radiation detector in a rotation axis direction, directs the radiation source to emit radiation whenever the radiation source and the radiation detector are rotated by a preset angle, and directs the radiation detector to output a projection image, at a plurality of height positions along the rotation axis direction. The image processing unit generates a tomographic image on the basis of the projection images obtained at the plurality of height positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Takashi TAJIMA, Tatsuya TANEICHI, Naoyuki NISHINO, Hisatsugu HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240065652
    Abstract: A CT apparatus includes a plurality of imaging units, a rotation mechanism, a radiation source elevating mechanism, a detector elevating mechanism, and a CPU. The imaging unit includes a radiation source that emits radiation having a quadrangular pyramid shape to a subject and a radiation detector in which a plurality of pixels detecting the radiation transmitted through the subject are two-dimensionally arranged. The rotation mechanism rotates the plurality of imaging units around a body axis of the subject. The radiation source elevating mechanism and the detector elevating mechanism change an interval between the plurality of imaging units in a rotation axis direction. An imaging control unit of the CPU controls operations of the plurality of imaging units, the rotation mechanism, the radiation source elevating mechanism, and the detector elevating mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Takashi TAJIMA, Tatsuya TANEICHI, Naoyuki NISHINO, Hisatsugu HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230165550
    Abstract: An electronic cassette has a detection panel in which pixels accumulating charge corresponding to radiation emitted from a radiation source are arranged. A CPU of the electronic cassette transmits and receives a synchronizing signal to and from a radiation source control device. The CPU of the electronic cassette receives a setting notification signal indicating that irradiation conditions have been set from a console. After receiving the setting notification signal, the CPU of the electronic cassette directs the detection panel to start a charge reading operation. The CPU of the electronic cassette transmits an imaging preparation completion signal to the console after a predetermined number of charge reading operations are completed to notify that the predetermined number of charge reading operations have been completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventor: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230168393
    Abstract: An electronic cassette has a detection panel (light detection substrate) in which pixels for accumulating electric charges corresponding to radiation are arranged. The electronic cassette includes two gate control circuits that control an operation of a gate drive circuit, a power supply circuit that supplies power to the gate control circuits, a first wiring line, and a second wiring line. The first wiring line connects the power supply circuit and each of two gate control circuits to each other, and supplies each of two gate control circuits with the power supplied from the power supply circuit. The second wiring line connects two gate control circuits to each other. The power supplied from the power supply circuit to one of two gate control circuits is diverted to the other, through the second wiring line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Koji YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230018119
    Abstract: A radiation detector has a sensor panel unit which includes two sensor panels and in which end portions of the two sensor panels are arranged to overlap each other in a thickness direction. An image processing unit acquires two projection images from the two sensor panels. A combination unit of the image processing unit performs a process related to image quality on the projection image in a case in which a tomographic image which is a diagnosis image to be used for a doctor's diagnosis is generated and does not perform the process related to image quality on the projection image in a case in which a scout image which is a confirmation image for confirming a reflected state of the subject is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Hisatsugu HORIUCHI, Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Masakazu FUKUYO, Naoyuki NISHINO, Takashi TAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20230015140
    Abstract: A radiation detector includes a support table in which an attachment surface having an arc surface shape is formed, a sensor panel which has a rectangular plate shape and in which pixels that include TFTs and detect radiation are two-dimensionally arranged, a circuit board, a flexible cable, and a reduction structure. The sensor panel is attached to the attachment surface while being curved following the arc surface shape. The flexible cables connect a curved side of the sensor panel and a reading circuit board and are arranged along the curved side. The flexible cable is bent to dispose the reading circuit board at an angle of 90° with respect to the sensor panel. The reduction structure reduces a bias of a stretching force applied to the flexible cable caused by the curved side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Hisatsugu Horiuchi, Sho Shimizukawa, Munetaka Kato, Tatsuya Taneichi, Naoyuki Nishino
  • Publication number: 20220346729
    Abstract: A CT apparatus includes a radiation source that emits radiation, a radiation detector that detects the radiation, an annular frame to which the radiation source and the radiation detector are attached and in which a subject is positioned in a bore, and three columns that hold the frame to be movable up and down in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Takashi TAJIMA, Masakazu FUKUYO, Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Takeyasu KOBAYASHI, Hisatsugu HORIUCHI, Naoyuki NISHINO
  • Patent number: 11382579
    Abstract: A radiation detector that generates and outputs image data representing a radiographic image corresponding to emitted radiation, and up and down directions of the radiation detector are set in advance with respect to top and bottom directions of the radiographic image, a detection unit that detects at least one direction of the up or down directions of the radiation detector, and a display unit that is provided in a housing for accommodating the radiation detector and displays direction information representing the at least one direction of the up and down directions of the radiation detector detected by the detection unit are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Sho Shimizukawa
  • Publication number: 20220141398
    Abstract: A radiation detector can perform wireless communication and includes a CPU that is provided in a housing accommodating a radiation detection unit. The CPU receives an instruction to change a connection destination of the wireless communication which is input by operating an operation button that is provided in the housing to input the instruction to change the connection destination and specifies a connection destination corresponding to the change instruction from a plurality of preset connection destinations in a case in which the change instruction is received. The CPU determines whether or not a connection to the plurality of connection destinations by the wireless communication is possible. The CPU performs control to display information indicating that the connection is not possible on a display unit provided in the housing in a case in which it is determined that the connection to the specified connection destination by the wireless communication is not possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Koichi KITANO, Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Kentaro NOMA
  • Patent number: 10881366
    Abstract: A first sensor panel, a second sensor panel, a first circuit unit, and a second circuit unit are accommodated in a conductive housing of an electronic cassette. Of circuit substrates included in the first and second circuit units, a control substrate having a control circuit for controlling the operation of each of the first and second sensor panels is fixed to an inner surface of the housing through a metal spacer. The first and second sensor panels are attached to a front surface of a base. The base is fixed to the inner surface of the housing through a resin adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Taninai, Masateru Tateishi, Sho Shimizukawa, Hiroki Koketsu
  • Patent number: 10838079
    Abstract: A first power supply unit supplies power to a first sensor panel and a first circuit unit. A second power supply unit supplies power to a second sensor panel and a second circuit unit. A synchronizing signal supply unit of a control unit supplies a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the operations of a switching power supply of the first power supply unit and a switching power supply of the second power supply unit to the switching power supply of the first power supply unit and the switching power supply of the second power supply unit. Since the operations of the first and second power supply units are the same in each imaging operation, it is possible to ensure the reproducibility of an X-ray image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Sho Shimizukawa, Hiroki Koketsu, Koji Taninai
  • Patent number: 10754047
    Abstract: An electronic cassette has a configuration in which a first sensor panel and a second sensor panel are sequentially arranged in a thickness direction. The first sensor panel includes a first light detection substrate and a first scintillator. The periphery of the first scintillator is covered by a moisture-proof sealing layer. The sealing layer is made of a conductive material. The sealing layer is connected to the inner surface of a housing made of a conductive material through a connection portion. Therefore, the sealing layer has the same potential as the ground potential of the housing which is a reference potential and functions as a conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Sho Shimizukawa, Masateru Tateishi, Koji Taninai, Kohei Gemma
  • Patent number: 10709404
    Abstract: A radiography support device that supports imaging of an object with a radiation detection panel in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged and which detects radiation emitted from a radiation source, includes: a first reading control unit that reads first pixel signals from at least some of the plurality of pixels in a state in which the radiation is not emitted from the radiation source and a state in which the object is placed on the radiation detection panel; a first arithmetic unit that calculates a position of the object with respect to the radiation detection panel based on the first pixel signals; and a notification processing unit that performs a notification process in a case in which the position of the object is out of a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hisatsugu Horiuchi, Sho Shimizukawa, Masateru Tateishi, Shinsuke Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10682105
    Abstract: An electronic cassette comprises a main battery which is detachably attached to a battery loading unit, and a sub-battery which supplies electricity to a bias power circuit and so on in substitution for the main battery. A power source selector changes the power source to the sub-battery from the main battery when it is judged that a replacement operation of the main battery is started. Since supply of the electricity to the bias power circuit is continued, and the bias voltage continues being applied to a photoelectric converter without a break, there is no need to perform a photoelectric conversion stabilizing process and an offset correction image detecting process after turning on of the main power. Therefore, a start-up time TR2 is largely shortened from a start-up time TR1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Sho Shimizukawa, Makoto Kitada, Jun Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20200100743
    Abstract: A radiation detector that generates and outputs image data representing a radiographic image corresponding to emitted radiation and whose up and down directions are set in advance with respect to top and bottom direction of the radiographic image, a detection unit that detects at least one direction of the up or down directions of the radiation detector, and a display unit that is provided in a housing for accommodating the radiation detector and displays direction information representing the at least one direction detected by the detection unit are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190274648
    Abstract: A first sensor panel, a second sensor panel, a first circuit unit, and a second circuit unit are accommodated in a conductive housing of an electronic cassette. Of circuit substrates included in the first and second circuit units, a control substrate having a control circuit for controlling the operation of each of the first and second sensor panels is fixed to an inner surface of the housing through a metal spacer. The first and second sensor panels are attached to a front surface of a base. The base is fixed to the inner surface of the housing through a resin adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koji TANINAI, Masateru TATEISHI, Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Hiroki KOKETSU
  • Publication number: 20190277981
    Abstract: An electronic cassette has a configuration in which a first sensor panel and a second sensor panel are sequentially arranged in a thickness direction. The first sensor panel includes a first light detection substrate and a first scintillator. The periphery of the first scintillator is covered by a moisture-proof sealing layer. The sealing layer is made of a conductive material. The sealing layer is connected to the inner surface of a housing made of a conductive material through a connection portion. Therefore, the sealing layer has the same potential as the ground potential of the housing which is a reference potential and functions as a conductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Masateru TATEISHI, Koji TANINAI, Kohei GEMMA
  • Publication number: 20190277979
    Abstract: A first power supply unit supplies power to a first sensor panel and a first circuit unit. A second power supply unit supplies power to a second sensor panel and a second circuit unit. A synchronizing signal supply unit of a control unit supplies a synchronizing signal for synchronizing the operations of a switching power supply of the first power supply unit and a switching power supply of the second power supply unit to the switching power supply of the first power supply unit and the switching power supply of the second power supply unit. Since the operations of the first and second power supply units are the same in each imaging operation, it is possible to ensure the reproducibility of an X-ray image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Sho SHIMIZUKAWA, Hiroki KOKETSU, Koji TANINAI