Patents by Inventor Takao Kuwabara

Takao Kuwabara 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: 9079027
    Abstract: A radiation irradiation device is provided that includes: a metal target that emits bremsstrahlung X-rays as a radiation beam due to irradiation with an electron beam; a radiation shielding member that includes a slit-shaped radiation passage portion and that is disposed downstream of the metal target in the radiation beam emission direction and is disposed such that a portion of the radiation beam passes through the radiation passage portion and the radiation beam incident to regions other than the radiation passage portion is blocked; and an electron beam generating device that irradiates, onto the metal target, an electron beam such that a diameter at a generation point of the emitted radiation beam is smaller than a length of an entry portion of the radiation passage portion along a length direction of the entry portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitaka Agano, Takao Kuwabara, Hitoshi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20150097127
    Abstract: A radiation image capture device is provided that are capable of obtaining radiation images with better image quality than hitherto in both an imaging mode in which a radiation irradiation duration is comparatively short and radiation images are successively captured, and in an imaging mode in which the radiation irradiation duration is comparatively long. An erasing light source is deactivated throughout an imaging period in a first imaging mode in which a radiation detector generates image data of a radiation image based on radiation irradiated from a radiation source over a first irradiation duration. The erasing light source is activated over an imaging period in a second imaging mode in which the radiation detector generates image data of plural radiation images based on successively irradiated radiation from the radiation source over a second irradiation duration shorter than the first irradiation duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takao KUWABARA
  • Patent number: 8963917
    Abstract: Generating a right-eye image by combining a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of a right breast with a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of a left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other and a left-eye image by combining a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of the right breast with a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of the left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other. Based on the right-eye and left-eye images generated in the manner described above, displaying a stereoscopic image on a monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuko Yahiro, Takao Kuwabara, Yasunori Ohta, Akira Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20140241508
    Abstract: A radiation irradiation device is provided that includes: a metal target that emits bremsstrahlung X-rays as a radiation beam due to irradiation with an electron beam; a radiation shielding member that includes a slit-shaped radiation passage portion and that is disposed downstream of the metal target in the radiation beam emission direction and is disposed such that a portion of the radiation beam passes through the radiation passage portion and the radiation beam incident to regions other than the radiation passage portion is blocked; and an electron beam generating device that irradiates, onto the metal target, an electron beam such that a diameter at a generation point of the emitted radiation beam is smaller than a length of an entry portion of the radiation passage portion along a length direction of the entry portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshitaka AGANO, Takao KUWABARA, Hitoshi SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20140213895
    Abstract: Two radiation images are acquired by emitting radiation to a subject from two imaging directions that form a first imaging angle, and two radiation images are acquired imaged from two imaging directions that form a second imaging angle. The radiation images of the first imaging angle are displayed as two-dimensional images while the radiation images of the second imaging angle are displayed as a stereoscopic image. Designation of a predetermined position in the radiation images that are displayed as two-dimensional images is received to obtain position information. The obtained position information in the radiation images of the first imaging angle is projected onto the radiation images of the second imaging angle based on the position information and three-dimensional position information is obtained. Based on the three-dimension position information, markers are displayed on the radiation images of the second imaging angle which are displayed as a stereoscopic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao KUWABARA, Yasuko YAHIRO, Yasunori OHTA, Akira HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20140161229
    Abstract: The present invention provides a radiographic imaging device and a radiographic imaging method that secure high sensitivity and raising resolution. Namely, a radiographic imaging device includes: a radiation detection element including plural same sized hexagonal shaped pixels that detect radiation and are arrayed in honeycomb pattern; and a pixel density conversion section that performs interpolation processing such that first image data obtained from the radiation detection element is converted into second image data representing an image of plural pixels arrayed in square grid pattern, wherein d1max is d2max or greater, and d1max is a value of the root of (2×S1) or lower, wherein d1max denotes the length of a longest diagonal of the hexagonal shaped pixels, S1 denotes the surface area of the hexagonal shaped pixels, and d2max denotes the length of a diagonal of the square lattice of the second image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro OKADA, Takao KUWABARA
  • Publication number: 20140161230
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging device includes a radiation detection element including plural same sized hexagonal shaped pixels that detect radiation and are arrayed in a honeycomb pattern, and a pixel density conversion section that performs interpolation processing such that first image data obtained from the radiation detection element is converted into second image data representing an image in which plural pixels are arrayed in a square grid pattern, wherein when d1max denotes the length of the longest diagonal of the hexagonal shaped pixels, S1 denotes the surface area of the hexagonal shaped pixels, and d2max denotes the length of the diagonals of the square grid of the second image data, d1max is equal to or greater than d2max, and d2max is equal to or greater than the value of the square root of S1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro OKADA, Takao KUWABARA
  • Publication number: 20140161341
    Abstract: With respect to two images of an image for a right eye and an image for a left eye constituting a stereoscopic image, and which have been obtained at a mammography apparatus, a computer sets one of the two images, as a main image, and the remaining image as a sub-image. Further, a password releasable exclusively by an image reproducing terminal that copes with reproduction of a stereoscopic image file is set for the sub-image, and the two images are stored in a stereoscopic image file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori OHTA, Yasuko YAHIRO, Takao KUWABARA, Akira HASEGAWA
  • Patent number: 8682099
    Abstract: An image correction method comprises the steps of: median-processing the original image in a direction normal to a direction in which the streak unevenness extends to produce a median-processed image, subtracting the median-processed image from the original image to produce a subtraction image, threshold-processing a part of the subtraction image having a density exceeding a given threshold to reduce the density and produce a threshold-processed image, frequency-processing the threshold-processed image using a one-dimensional low-pass filter in the direction in which the streak unevenness extends to produce a processing image, and subtracting the processing image from the original image to remove the streak unevenness from the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Masanobu Uchihara, Takao Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8664614
    Abstract: A radiation detector for detecting irradiated radiation that includes: a converting layer for converting radiation irradiated from a radiation source capable of irradiating radiation from two imaging directions, which are different from each other, into electric charges; and a plurality of pixel electrodes for collecting the converted charges. In the radiation detector, when at least one of the two imaging directions forms a specified angle ? with respect to the direction that is orthogonal to the detector plane of the radiation detector, the thickness d of the converting layer and the sizes p of the pixel electrodes satisfy the condition: d·tan ?<k·p (k is a constant of 1 or less).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitaka Agano, Yasuko Yahiro, Takao Kuwabara, Yasunori Ohta
  • Publication number: 20140027650
    Abstract: A radiation detector for detecting irradiated radiation that includes: a converting layer for converting radiation irradiated from a radiation source capable of irradiating radiation from two imaging directions, which are different from each other, into electric charges; and a plurality of pixel electrodes for collecting the converted charges. In the radiation detector, when at least one of the two imaging directions forms a specified angle ? with respect to the direction that is orthogonal to the detector plane of the radiation detector, the thickness d of the converting layer and the sizes p of the pixel electrodes satisfy the condition: d·tan ?<k·p (k is a constant of 1 or less).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitaka AGANO, Yasuko YAHIRO, Takao KUWABARA, Yasunori OHTA
  • Publication number: 20140022247
    Abstract: Generating a right-eye image by combining a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of a right breast with a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of a left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other and a left-eye image by combining a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of the right breast with a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of the left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other. Based on the right-eye and left-eye images generated in the manner described above, displaying a stereoscopic image on a monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuko YAHIRO, Takao KUWABARA, Yasunori OHTA, Akira HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20130336444
    Abstract: In a case where a series of operations of an imaging sequence are continuously performed when an imaging switch is continuously in ON state, if the imaging switch is turned into OFF state only for a given period and the given period is not more than a predetermined threshold value, control is exerted such that part of the operations of the imaging sequence is continuously performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Takao KUWABARA, Yasunori OHTA, Yasuko YAHIRO
  • Publication number: 20130331682
    Abstract: In a breast image capturing apparatus having an arm section for moving a radiation source in a left-right direction in front of a subject, providing a shielding member for preventing radiation from being applied to the face of the subject on an arm section, and supporting the shielding member movably relative to the arm section when the face of the subject is abutted to the shielding member and fixedly relative to the arm section when the face of the subject is not abutted to the shielding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori OHTA, Takao KUWABARA, Yasuko YAHIRO
  • Publication number: 20130300737
    Abstract: At least one of parallax images for left and right eyes to be fusionally displayed to perform stereopsis using binocular parallax is generated at low resolution or low sharpness of such a degree that a subject in the parallax image is observable as a stereoscopic image when an observer observes the subject in an observation mode in which the two fusionally displayed parallax images are stereoscopically viewable, and also of such a degree that the subject is recognizable as a plane image when an observer observes the subject in an observation mode in which the two fusionally displayed parallax images are not stereoscopically viewable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki NISHINO, Yasunori OHTA, Takao KUWABARA, Yasuko YAHIRO, Akira HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20130068952
    Abstract: There is provided a radiation detection element including: a radiation detection section that is formed from plural pixels that is of the same size and arrayed two-dimensionally while adjacent to one another, and that detects radiation passed through an object of imaging; plural scan lines that transfer signals that carry out switching control of switching elements provided respectively at the plural pixels; and plural data lines that are disposed so as to intersect the scan lines, and that transfer electric signals read-out by the switching elements, wherein the radiation detection section is made into a shape in which a pair of opposing sides is longer than another pair of opposing sides, and each of the pixels is made into a shape that is short in a short side direction of the radiation detection section and long in a long side direction of the radiation detection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takao KUWABARA
  • Patent number: 8369643
    Abstract: The amount of time spent extracting linear noise components is reduced, when removing linear noise components from an image. A reduced image is generated, by reducing a radiation image in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions. A linear noise image that represents linear noise components in the Y direction is generated, by extracting linear noise components from the reduced image. Thereafter, the generated linear noise image is enlarged to the image size of the original image; the linear noise components are removed from the radiation image, employing the enlarged linear noise image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Kuwabara, Tomoko Taki
  • Patent number: 8288729
    Abstract: A first leakage current value output from each signal line is stored in a storage unit, with a charge corresponding to an emitted radiation being held in a radiographic image detector, when the radiation is uniformly emitted to the radiographic image detector. A second leakage current value is acquired which is output from each signal line, with a charge corresponding to the radiation dose being held in the radiographic image detector, when the radiation passing through an object is emitted to the radiographic image detector. When the first and second leakage current values are equal to each other for each line corresponding to each signal line, all pixels on the line are determined to belong to a background area (lines A and C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Ogawa, Nobuyuki Iwasaki, Takao Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8249322
    Abstract: A method for use with a radiation image detector, including the steps of detecting a faulty signal line having a signal amount less than a predetermined threshold value based on radiation image signals read out from the detector, setting a signal line adjacent to the faulty signal line as an abnormal signal line and a signal line adjacent to the abnormal signal line and having a normal amount of signal as a reference signal line, calculating the difference between a signal read out by the abnormal signal line and a signal read out by the reference signal line as a correction amount, calculating a low frequency component correction amount by removing a high frequency component from the calculated correction amount, and performing a correction on the signal read out by the abnormal signal line by adding the calculated low frequency component correction amount to the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Kuwabara, Hideyuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20120177181
    Abstract: There is provided a radiographic imaging device including: a radiation source that irradiates radiation generated by inverse Compton scattering; a first grating at which first members that diffract or absorb radiation are formed side by side such that pitches thereof are larger where distances from a center position of the radiation irradiated from the radiation source are larger, the first grating diffracting or absorbing radiation irradiated from the radiation source with the first members; a second grating that is disposed at a position at which Talbot interference is produced by the radiation diffracted or absorbed by the first grating, and at which second members that absorb radiation are formed side by side such that pitches thereof are larger where distances from the center position of the radiation irradiated from the radiation source are larger; and a radiation detector that detects radiation that has passed through the second grating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takao KUWABARA