X-RAY IMAGING APPARATUS
An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal, a drive control unit configured to perform wireless communication with an external device and control driving of the X-ray sensor, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit, and a display unit configured to display information differently in accordance with one of the state of transmission and reception in the wireless communication and the remaining battery level state of the power supply unit and in accordance with the driving state of the X-ray sensor.
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This application is a Continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/110,682 filed May 18, 2011, which is a Continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2010/070504, filed Nov. 17, 2010, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-266493, filed Nov. 24, 2009. The disclosures of the above-named applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus including a wireless communication unit and a power supply unit.
BACKGROUND ARTX-ray photography in which an object is irradiated with X-rays and an intensity distribution of X-rays transmitted through the object is detected to obtain an X-ray image of the object has been widely used in the medical field and the industrial field. Methods for obtaining an X-ray image started with the film-screen method in which a light-sensitive film on which visible light emitted from a rare-earth phosphor sensitive to X-rays is incident undergoes chemical development to form a visible image. Since then, new methods have been developed through technological innovation. Among them, imaging apparatuses using a flat panel detector (FPD), which are based on semiconductor process technology, are available. The FPD is configured such that pixels each having a small photoelectric conversion element and a switching element are arranged in a grid pattern. Because of the significantly wider dynamic range than that of imaging apparatuses based on light-sensitive films of the related art, such imaging apparatuses have an advantage of the formation of stable X-ray images even if the amount of X-ray exposure changes. In addition, because of no need for chemical treatments, the imaging apparatuses also have an advantage of the immediate formation of X-ray images.
X-ray imaging apparatuses can be classified into the following types: a stationary type that is installed in a desired place such as in a standard radiography room, and a transportable type that can be freely moved. In recent years, the demand for transportable X-ray imaging apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as “electronic cassettes”, or “cassettes” for short) has increased.
In the related art, an electronic cassette is electrically connected to a control unit via a cable used for feeding electric power from an external source and establishing communication with the control unit. Complicated cable wiring may cause a problem when an electronic cassette is used from place to place, and too long a cable may cause a situation where users may accidentally trip on the cable, leading to a possibility of the cable, the cassette, or the control unit being damaged.
In a clean (sterilized) environment such as in an operating room, furthermore, it is not desirable that a radiographic system including cables be in contact with an open (unsterilized) area such as the floor.
Recently, wireless cassettes configured to use a built-in power supply unit, instead of a cable, and adapted for wireless communication have emerged and are expected to markedly increase the flexibility of X-ray imaging. However, the stability of wireless communication is less than that of wired or cable connections which ensure physical connections, and the remaining battery level of the built-in power supply unit changes with time. Measures against these difficulties need to be taken.
The above problems have been addressed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-208269, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-263322, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-201968, which disclose a drive control method to address an insufficient remaining battery level of a built-in power supply unit and a technology for displaying a state on an external control device.
However, in order to improve the imaging efficiency, it is important to quickly check the conditions of a cassette on the main body of the cassette. In an environment where a plurality of wireless cassettes are used under a single control device, it is desirable to immediately check which cassette the control device is communicating with or whether or not the X-ray sensor of the cassette that the control device is communicating with is correctly operating.
It is also desirable to take measures against less stability of wireless communication than that of wired connections which ensure physical connections and against the changes in the remaining battery level of the built-in power supply unit over time.
CITATION LIST Patent LiteraturePTL 1 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-208269
PTL 2 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-263322
PTL 3 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-201968
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe present invention provides an X-ray imaging apparatus that overcomes at least one of the above difficulties.
Accordingly, an X-ray imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal, a drive control unit configured to perform wireless communication with an external device and control driving of the X-ray sensor, and a display unit configured to display a sign differently in accordance with the driving state of the X-ray sensor and the state of transmission and reception in the wireless communication.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
First EmbodimentThe LED light 16b is turned on and off and blinks using patterns illustrated in
The drive control unit 13 controls the driving state of the X-ray sensor 12 in accordance with the wireless communication state. For example, if the X-ray sensor 12 is in the ready-for-imaging state (state (4)), the drive control unit 13 causes a transition to either the power-off state (sleep state) (state (1)) or the power-on and stand-by state of waiting for a signal from the drive control unit 13 (before imaging preparation) (state (2)). Furthermore, in accordance with the standard of the wireless communication state during a predetermined period of time, the drive control unit 13 causes a transition to either the power-off state (sleep state) (state (1)) or the power-on and stand-by state of waiting for a signal from the drive control unit 13 (before imaging preparation) (state (2)). In this case, if the communication state is bad, the power supply to the X-ray sensor 12 is stopped, and the X-ray sensor 12 enters the state (1), thereby preventing the unnecessary generation of heat or the occurrence of dark currents. If the recovery of the communication state is expected, the drive control unit 13 causes the X-ray sensor 12 to stand by in the state (2), thereby preventing users from missing opportunities to obtain desired images. Here, the display unit 16 displays information differently when the driving state of the X-ray sensor 12 has been changed in accordance with the wireless communication state and when the driving state of the X-ray sensor 12 has been changed otherwise. For example, the color of the LED light indicating the driving state of the X-ray sensor 12 is changed. Thus, users can determine whether the driving state of the X-ray sensor 12 has been changed in accordance with the wireless communication state or by using a standard process.
Second EmbodimentIn this embodiment, referring to
This embodiment has a feature in that with the elements mounted in the manner illustrated in
Furthermore, the remaining battery level of the built-in power supply unit 15 may be displayed not in a binary manner as described above but by level-based indication in which plurality of LED lights are turned on in accordance with three or more remaining battery levels.
Sixth EmbodimentIn this embodiment, in the electronic cassette 10 having elements mounted in the manner illustrated in
A remaining battery level necessary to process all the imaging orders held in either of or both the external device 1 and the drive control unit 13 may be added to a remaining battery level threshold for changing the display of the remaining battery level of the built-in power supply unit 15 to thereby change the display. Accordingly, before executing successive imaging orders, users can turn in advance their attention to the remaining battery level of the built-in power supply unit 15 that will become insufficient during the execution of the imaging orders.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the foregoing embodiments, and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the appended claims are attached in order to clearly define the scope of the present invention.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
Claims
1. A control apparatus comprising:
- a drive circuit configured to drive an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal;
- a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit;
- a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device; and
- a control unit configured to control, in a case where the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging, a driving state according to a communication state of the wireless communication circuit with the external device,
- wherein the control unit is configured to stop supplying power to the X-ray sensor in a case where the communication state is at a first level, and to, without stopping supplying power to the X-ray sensor, shift the X-ray sensor into a state different from a state that the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging in a case where the communication state is at a second level.
2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a display unit configured to change a display form in accordance with one of a state of transmission and reception in the wireless communication by the wireless communication circuit and a remaining battery level of the power supply unit and in accordance with a driving state of the X-ray sensor,
- wherein the driving circuit is configured to control the driving state of the X-ray sensor in accordance with a communication state, and
- wherein the display form is changed between when the driving state of the X-ray sensor is changed in accordance with the communication state and when the driving state of the X-ray sensor is changed not in accordance with the communication state.
3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is configured to display a display form in accordance with the driving state of the X-ray sensor and the state of transmission and reception in the wireless communication by using a combination of lighting patterns of a plurality of LED lights.
4. The control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
- a housing containing the X-ray sensor therein,
- wherein the housing has a surface on which an antenna operating in the wireless communication and the display unit are provided.
5. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is configured to display whether or not the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging and whether or not the wireless communication is possible.
6. The control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
- a power supply unit configured to supply power for driving the X-ray sensor,
- wherein the display unit is configured to display a remaining battery level of the power supply unit.
7. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is configured to change a display state when the remaining battery level of the power supply unit is below a predetermined level.
8. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit includes a predetermined number of light sources.
9. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit includes a plurality of display devices.
10. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is one of a display configured to display a character or a picture icon and a light-emitting diode light.
11. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit includes a first LED indicating a driving state of the X-ray sensor, a second LED indicating a communication state of the wireless communication and a third LED indicating a remaining battery level of the power supply unit.
12. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit is configured to display a communication state of the wireless communication in a case where the wireless communication circuit is unable to wirelessly communicate with the external device.
13. The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
- the external device configured to receive an X-ray image from the wireless communication circuit.
14. The control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the external device includes a display unit and a wireless communication circuit.
15. The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
- an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal.
16. A control apparatus comprising:
- a drive circuit configured to drive an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal;
- a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit;
- a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device; and
- a control unit configured to control, in a case where the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging, a driving state according to a communication state of the wireless communication circuit with the external device,
- wherein the control unit is configured to shift the X-ray sensor into a state different between in a case where the communication state is at a first level, and to, without stopping supplying power to the X-ray sensor and in a case where the communication state is at a second level.
17. A control method of controlling an X-ray imaging apparatus including the X-ray sensor, a drive circuit configured to drive an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit, and a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly receive a signal for changing a state of power supplied from an external device and the power supply unit, the control method comprising:
- determining a communication state of the wireless communication circuit with the external device; and
- controlling, in a case where the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging, a driving state according to the communication state of the wireless communication circuit with the external device,
- wherein, in the controlling, supplying power to the X-ray sensor is stopped in a case where the communication state is at a first level, and supplying power to the X-ray sensor is not stopped but the X-ray sensor is shifted into a state different from a state that the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging in a case where the communication state is at a second level.
18. A control method of controlling an X-ray imaging apparatus including the X-ray sensor, a drive circuit configured to drive an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit, and a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device, the control method comprising:
- controlling, in a case where the X-ray sensor is ready for imaging, a driving state according to the communication state of the wireless communication circuit with the external device,
- wherein, in the controlling, the X-ray sensor is shifted into a state different between in a case where the communication state is at a first level and in a case where the communication state is at a second level different from the first level.
19. A control apparatus comprising:
- a drive control unit configured to perform wireless communication with an external device and control driving of an X-ray sensor configured to convert an X-ray into an image signal;
- a power supply unit configured to supply power to the X-ray sensor and the drive control unit; and
- a display unit configured to display information that is changed in accordance with one of a state of transmission and reception in the wireless communication and a remaining battery level of the power supply unit and in accordance with a driving state of the X-ray sensor,
- wherein the drive control unit is configured to control the X-ray sensor to transition from a first state of power consumption to a second state of power consumption lower than the first state, in response to a change in a wireless communication state during a predetermined period of time, and
- wherein, when the wireless communication state changes to an state where communication is not possible during the predetermined period of time, the drive control unit is not allowed to change a driving state of the X-ray sensor.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 22, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 20, 2014
Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo)
Inventor: Kensuke Kobayashi (Tokyo)
Application Number: 14/088,223
International Classification: G01T 1/17 (20060101);