Patents by Inventor Yasutaka Konno

Yasutaka Konno 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: 20120170708
    Abstract: Scattered X-rays scattered by an object or a structure enter in a detector (a shift detector) for detecting the positional shift of an X-ray focal point and become a noise source, thereby deteriorating the positional shift detection precision. In particular, the estimation of the dose of scattered X-rays originating from the object is difficult prior to the measurement, and correction of the scattered X-rays is important in order to precisely calculate the positional shift of the X-ray focal point. In order to address this drawback, according to the present invention, a scattered X-ray detector 6 is provided which measures the dose of scattered rays entering in a shift detector 5 for detecting the positional shift of an X-ray focal point 9, and has a function that the output by the shift detector 5 is corrected using the scattered ray dose measured by the scattered X-ray detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yushi Tsubota, Fumito Watanabe, Hironori Ueki, Yasutaka Konno, Shinichi Kojima, Atsuro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120093280
    Abstract: In order to improve the tiling workability in manufacturing an X-ray detector and provide a technology for acquiring high-quality reconstruction images, when aligning a plurality of detector blocks (or detector modules) in a slice direction, a distance between adjacent X-ray detection elements between detector blocks (inter-block distance) is not matched with a distance between adjacent detector elements within a detector block (intra-block distance). Instead, between reference positions when manufacturing each detector block, output values at the positions, the number of which is the same as the number of X-ray detection elements between the reference positions and which are spaced at equal intervals, are estimated from the acquired raw data. Projection data is generated from the position and the raw data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Fumito Watanabe, Fuyuhiko Teramoto
  • Publication number: 20110116594
    Abstract: Smoothing processing appropriate for a subject is performed and a CT image in which artifacts are reduced is acquired. At least a part of the X-ray detecting data 171 and the projection data 174 is used to generate boundary data 175, and at least one of the X-ray detecting data and the projection data is subjected to smoothing processing, by using the boundary data as a threshold. With this configuration, it is possible to perform smoothing processing by using as the threshold, the boundary data generated from the X-ray detecting data that passed through the subject or its projection data, enabling the smoothing processing adapted to the subject, and accordingly, the artifacts are removed while suppressing deterioration of spatial resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Yamakawa, Yasutaka Konno
  • Patent number: 7936983
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a light source layer having imaging light source units for radiating the imaging light containing a first wavelength on an object to be imaged, a detection layer having detection elements for detecting the light of the first wavelength radiated from the light source units, and a light-blocking unit interposed between the light source layer and the detection layer. The light source layer is held between the detection layer and the object to be imaged. The light-blocking unit is arranged in such a manner as to block the direct radiation of at least part of the light radiated from the light source units to the detection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Hironori Ueki
  • Patent number: 7709775
    Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element, reflecting layers are provided on both sides of a photoelectric conversion means, a light entrance window 128 is provided in the first reflecting layer 121 disposed on the photon incidence side, and a concentration means 122 is provided at a position corresponding to the window. Further, a transparent layer 136 is provided between the photoelectric conversion means and a second reflecting layer 120. A structure where photons that entered between the two reflecting layers do not flow outside is preferably employed as the shape of the second reflecting layer 120. According to the present invention, detection sensitivity of a solid-state imaging element and a photo-detector using the same is improved, and a personal authentication system carrying a photo-detector showing improved detection sensitivity is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Hironori Ueki
  • Publication number: 20100008545
    Abstract: Provided is a biometric authentication device for identifying an individual based on a biometric pattern of the subject included in a picked up image, comprising: a light guiding unit for outputting light from a surface thereof; a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit for adjusting, on a display pixel basis, an intensity of light output from the surface of the light guiding unit; an image pickup unit for picking up an image of the subject; a display light source for emitting light used as a backlight of the LCD unit; a detection light source for emitting light for irradiating the subject; and a control unit for controlling processing of the biometric authentication device The control unit turns on the detection light when the image pickup unit picks up a first image, which is used for authentication, and turns on the display light source when the LCD unit displays information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Hironori Ueki, Yasutaka Konno
  • Patent number: 7570735
    Abstract: An X-ray CT scanner characterized in that it comprises first storage means for storing data on the response characteristic of an X-ray detector measured previously and representing the characteristic of the afterglow and second storage means for storing output data of the X-ray detector on the past projections corrected by correcting means by using the data on the response characteristic and in that the correcting means has afterglow correcting means for correcting the influence of inflow of signal from the past projections due to the afterglow on the output data on the present projection and the influence of outflow of signal on the future projections by using the data on the response characteristic stored in the first storage means and the past output data stored in the second storage means on the projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Osamu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20080317303
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a light source layer having imaging light source units for radiating the imaging light containing a first wavelength on an object to be imaged, a detection layer having detection elements for detecting the light of the first wavelength radiated from the light source units, and a light-blocking unit interposed between the light source layer and the detection layer. The light source layer is held between the detection layer and the object to be imaged. The light-blocking unit is arranged in such a manner as to block the direct radiation of at least part of the light radiated from the light source units to the detection elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Hironori Ueki
  • Patent number: 7391845
    Abstract: A guard-ring electrode can be used at a suitable position for each of a plurality of imaging regions. Improvement in image quality and reduction in unnecessary radiation exposure, such as reduction in artifacts or noise, improvement in SNR, and expansion in dynamic range, are realized by reducing the cross-talk or the inflow of electrical charges from ineffective regions. Based on a radiation detector having a plurality of pixel electrodes 117 and a common electrode that sandwich a photoelectric conversion layer, an interelement guard-ring electrode 111 is adjacently disposed between the pixel electrodes 117 of the radiation detecting element, and the interelement guard-ring electrode 111 is switched between an electrically open-circuit state and a ground-potential connection state, so as to change the area in which the radiation detecting element detects radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Konno
  • Publication number: 20080142686
    Abstract: In a solid-state imaging element, reflecting layers are provided on both sides of a photoelectric conversion means, a light entrance window 128 is provided in the first reflecting layer 121 disposed on the photon incidence side, and a concentration means 122 is provided at a position corresponding to the window. Further, a transparent layer 136 is provided between the photoelectric conversion means and a second reflecting layer 120. A structure where photons that entered between the two reflecting layers do not flow outside is preferably employed as the shape of the second reflecting layer 120. According to the present invention, detection sensitivity of a solid-state imaging element and a photo-detector using the same is improved, and a personal authentication system carrying a photo-detector showing improved detection sensitivity is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Hironori Ueki
  • Publication number: 20070297562
    Abstract: Provided is an X-ray CT scanner that minimizes or removes artifacts in an image derived from afterglow caused by a detector, and highly precisely prevent degradation in a time resolution by compensating afterglow. An X-ray CT scanner includes an X-ray source that irradiates X-rays to an object, an X-ray detector that is composed of a plurality of X-ray detecting elements which convert X-rays penetrating the object into electric signals, a data correction means that corrects an output of the X-ray detector, and an arithmetic processing means that performs arithmetic processing on an output of the data correction means so as to reconstruct an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2005
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Osamu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20070280409
    Abstract: A guard-ring electrode can be used at a suitable position for each of a plurality of imaging regions. Improvement in image quality and reduction in unnecessary radiation exposure, such as reduction in artifacts or noise, improvement in SNR, and expansion in dynamic range, are realized by reducing the cross-talk or the inflow of electrical charges from ineffective regions. Based on a radiation detector having a plurality of pixel electrodes 117 and a common electrode that sandwich a photoelectric conversion layer, an interelement guard-ring electrode 111 is adjacently disposed between the pixel electrodes 117 of the radiation detecting element, and the interelement guard-ring electrode 111 is switched between an electrically open-circuit state and a ground-potential connection state, so as to change the area in which the radiation detecting element detects radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Yasutaka Konno
  • Publication number: 20070116183
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology for reducing artifacts attributable to the non-linearity in the input-output characteristic of a radiation detector and beam hardening of radiation in a tomograph. The tomograph includes a scanning system that includes a generation means which generates radiation to be irradiated to a subject and a detection means which is opposed to the generation means in order to detect the radiation transmitted by the subject, and a rotation means that rotates the scanning system about the subject, and reconstructs a tomographic image of the subject using a plurality of transmitted images produced by projecting the radiation from a plurality of rotational angular positions while rotating the scanning system about the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Hironori Ueki, Yasutaka Konno
  • Publication number: 20040136493
    Abstract: There are provided an X-ray detector which can realize a larger area without lowering resolution and reducing X-ray detective efficiency when obtaining a matrix construction having a large number of X-ray detecting elements by tiling and a system using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Kenichi Okajima, Hironori Ueki