With Solid-state Image Detector Patents (Class 378/98.8)
  • Patent number: 8182148
    Abstract: An X-ray detector system includes a detector and a mounting apparatus for mounting the detector, the detector comprising a cable comprising a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the detector and the second end coupled to the mounting apparatus, the cable configured to transmit a signal detected by the detector to an imaging processor located in the mounting apparatus, the second end of the cable comprises a plug, the mounting apparatus comprises a socket matching with the plug on the cable such that the plug is configured to be removed from the socket, the X-ray detector system further comprising a jumper wire comprising two ends that are respectively provided with plugs that are configured to be selectively matched with or detached from the plug on the cable and the socket on the mounting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Xun Lv
  • Publication number: 20120121069
    Abstract: An inverter circuit is shared by respective drive circuits that supply a predetermined voltage to a lens electrode and a grid electrode, or to a lens electrode and a cathode electrode. A DC voltage obtained by full-wave rectifying a pulse train output from the inverter circuit is supplied to the lens electrode, a DC voltage obtained by half-wave rectifying a pulse train output from the inverter circuit is supplied to the grid electrode or cathode electrode. At times of a first operation and a last operation of the inverter circuit during a period of generating X-rays, operations of the inverter circuit are controlled such that a trans circuit outputs a negative polarity voltage to the full-wave rectifying circuit and the half-wave rectifying circuit, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Aoki, Takao Ogura, Yasue Sato, Miki Tamura, Kazuyuki Ueda, Ichiro Nomura
  • Publication number: 20120096924
    Abstract: A new installment classifies particles by their aerodynamic size This installment produces a truly monodisperse aerosol, and can produce very narrow distributions over a wide range of sizes Particles suspended in a fluid are classified by supplying particles into suspension in a carrier flow of a fluid and providing an acceleration to the flow at an angle to the velocity of the flow to cause the particles to follow trajectories determined by the acceleration and drag on the particles caused by the fluid The particles are then classified according to their trajectories The installment has a flow channel and a source of particles to supply particles into suspension in a carrier fluid in the flow channel A drive is connected to the flow channel at an angle to the flow of fluid through the carrier flow channel, and a classification system classifies the suspended particles according to their trajectories
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventor: Jason Olfert
  • Patent number: 8165266
    Abstract: A scanning bone densitometer includes an x-ray source to produce x-rays and an x-ray detector receiving x-rays emitted from the x-ray source. The x-ray detector includes a cadmium tellurium (CdTe) semiconductor. The scanning bone densitometer also includes a controller moving the x-ray source and the x-ray detector along a transverse scanning path to acquire a plurality of scan images of an object of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Wear, David Ergun, Robert Washenko, Michael Bucholz, Darrell Gorsuch, Randall Payne
  • Publication number: 20120087474
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a radiographic image, the method executed at least in part on a computer, generates a first exposure and acquires image data from the first exposure as a first component image. A second exposure is generated using one or more parameters that are adjusted according to an image quality characteristic of the acquired image data from the first exposure. Image data is acquired from the second exposure as a second component image. One or more additional exposures are generated and an additional component image acquired with each additional exposure. A composite image is formed by combining image data content from the first and second component images and the one or more additional component images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: David H. Foos, Xiaohui Wang, William J. Sehnert
  • Patent number: 8152373
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray device comprising an x-ray sensitive camera for creating tomograms, especially panoramic tomograms. Means for creating 3D shots of a partial volume of the mandibular arch are also provided, said 3D shots being created especially by a second image receiver for creating a 2D shot and means for taking a plurality of 2D shots from different directions and creating a 3D sot therefrom, preferably according to conebeam technology with the associated reconstruction algorithms. The x-ray sensitive camera comprises a first x-ray sensitive image receiver for creating a tomogram, and a second x-ray sensitive image receiver for creating plane shots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Erhardt, Werner Gunther
  • Patent number: 8148695
    Abstract: A PET apparatus comprises a plurality of detector units in the circumferential direction, wherein the detector unit includes a plurality of unit substrates therein, and wherein the unit substrate includes: a plurality of detectors upon which a ?-ray is incident; and an analog ASIC and digital ASIC for processing a ?-ray detection signal outputted by each of the detectors. The analog ASIC includes two slow systems having mutually different time constants, each of which outputs a pulseheight value. A noise determination part of the digital ASIC determines whether a relevant detection signal is an intended ?-ray detection signal or a noise based on a correlation between the pulseheight values, and a noise counting part counts the number of times of noise determination, and a detector output signal processing control part controls the signal processing with respect to an output signal from a relevant detector based on the count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Takahashi, Takafumi Ishitsu, Yuichiro Ueno, Tomoyuki Seino
  • Publication number: 20120076275
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging apparatus with which the rotation amount of acquired radiographs can be the same in comparative interpretation of these images. The radiographic imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit for emitting radiation from a radiation source to a subject and detecting radiation having passed through the subject with a radiation detector having sensors arrayed therein to acquire a radiographic image, an image processor for performing rotation processing on the radiographic image to produce an acquired radiograph and collateral information of the acquired radiograph, a storage unit for storing the acquired radiograph and the collateral information, and a monitor for displaying the acquired radiograph. The collateral information contains the direction in which the sensors are arrayed and a rotation angle used in the rotation processing and is correlated to the acquired radiograph.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Ida, Hirofumi Sawada, Akiko Kanagawa, Daiki Harada, Satomi Yamada, Minoru Takami, Yasunori Ohta, Naoki Mochizuki, Ryo Ono
  • Patent number: 8136989
    Abstract: An X-ray detector is provided. The X-ray detector is a grid wall device, having a radiation detector that is movable vertically by way of a displacement mechanism. The displacement mechanism is a scissor-type arm or an articulated arm having at least two arms hinged to one another. At least one drive device is provided for the purpose of moving the scissor-type arm or an articulated arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Atzinger, Ingo Hollenborg
  • Patent number: 8139712
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus in which early recognition of breast cancer can be made possible by acquiring both a radiation tomographic image that accurately displays a tumor mass and a radiation planar image that accurately displays calcification. The apparatus includes an image processing unit for generating a tomographic image signal in a first imaging mode and generating a planar image signal in a second imaging mode, a computing unit for computing an imaging direction for obtaining a radiation planar image based on a location designated in a radiation tomographic image, and a control unit for controlling a rotational driving device and a radiation generating unit to obtain the radiation tomographic image in the first imaging mode, and controlling the rotational driving device according to the computed imaging direction and controlling the radiation generating unit to obtain the radiation planar image in the second imaging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kojima
  • Patent number: 8130909
    Abstract: There is provided a radiographic imaging device including: a radiation detector having plural sensor portions; a receiving unit that receives request data requesting radiation irradiation permission from a control device that controls a radiation source; a control unit that controls the radiation detector such that an accumulation extraction operation is repeatedly performed that extracts charge that has accumulated in each sensor portions of the radiation detector, the accumulation extraction operation being performed after a specific accumulation period has elapsed that is greater than the irradiation period of radiation; a determination unit that determines whether or not radiation irradiation of the irradiation period from the radiation source is possible within the accumulation period of the accumulation extraction operation; and a permission unit that permits radiation irradiation if the determination unit has determined that irradiation is possible, and otherwise that permits radiographic image after s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Nishino, Kouichi Kitano, Keiji Tsubota, Yasunori Ohta, Yutaka Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8119966
    Abstract: The solid-state image pickup device 1 includes an imaging region 10, a triggering photosensitive region 20, a row selecting section 30, a column selecting section 40, a voltage holding section 50, an output section 60, and a controlling section 70. The solid-state image pickup device 1 reads out triggering data by the triggering photosensitive region 20, the integrating circuit 62, and the triggering A/D converting circuit 64 before light incidence, and senses the light incidence on the basis of the triggering data. After the solid-state image pickup device senses the light incidence, the solid-state image pickup device reads out pixel data by the imaging region 10, the voltage holding section 50, a differential operating circuit 61, and an imaging A/D converting circuit 63.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Sugiyama, Seiichiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8121248
    Abstract: A method includes performing an x-ray focal spot deflection to generate two complete projections from two different channels of an x-ray detector, wherein the channels are purposefully different from each other in some respect other than being different channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdelaziz Ikhlef, Charles Hugh Shaughnessy
  • Patent number: 8116427
    Abstract: A radiological imaging apparatus of the present invention comprises an image pickup device and a medical examinee holding device that is provided with a bed. The image pickup device includes a large number of radiation detectors and radiation detector support plates. A large number of radiation detectors are mounted around the circumference of a through-hole and arranged in the axial direction of the through-hole. The radiation detectors are arranged in three layers formed radially with respect to the center of the through-hole and mounted on the lateral surfaces of the radiation detector support plates. Since the radiation detectors are not only arranged in the axial direction and circumferential direction of the through-hole but also arrayed in the radial direction, it is possible to obtain accurate information about a ?-ray arrival position in the radial direction of the through-hole (the positional information about a radiation detector from which a ?-ray image pickup signal is output).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kojima, Takashi Okazaki, Yuuichirou Ueno, Kikuo Umegaki, Kensuke Amemiya, Kazuhiro Takeuchi, Hiroshi Kitaguchi, Kazuma Yokoi, Norihito Yanagita
  • Patent number: 8113712
    Abstract: A radiation detecting cassette is disposed in a desired position between a bed and a patient in an operating room. After a detector-side connector and a bed-side connector are connected to each other by a cable, an image capturing apparatus captures and records radiation image information of the patient in a radiation detector. The recorded radiation image information is transmitted from a transceiver of the bed to a console by way of wireless communications in a communication range selected by a selector of the bed, then processed by the console, and transmitted to a display device, which displays a radiation image based on the supplied radiation image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tanabe, Eiichi Kito, Takuya Yoshimi, Takeshi Kuwabara, Kazuharu Ueta, Makoto Iriuchijima, Yasunori Ohta
  • Patent number: 8107590
    Abstract: There is provided a portable radiographic imaging apparatus including: an image output unit which detects a radiation which penetrates an object to be imaged and is irradiated on a surface to be irradiated of a casing, and outputs data of a radiographic image which represents a distribution of an amount of irradiated radiation; a first storage unit which stores the data of the radiographic image output from the image output unit; a display unit which displays an image; and a display control unit which allows the display unit to display a previously captured radiographic image which is associated with a current imaging, before the object to be imaged is imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Nishino, Yasunori Ohta
  • Publication number: 20120022357
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for imaging during medical procedures in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention include use of an image correction algorithm. In various embodiments, an original image of a region of interest where a medical procedure occurring along a particular axis will be performed is created with a beam emitter and a generally planar detector. Due to the emitter not being aligned orthogonal to the detector, the original image will be skewed. Using a known location and orientation of the detector, a location and orientation of the emitter provided by a position monitoring system, and the original image, a processing system can execute the image correction algorithm to provide a corrected image to allow a surgeon to perform the medical procedure while viewing an accurate corrected image in real-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: David Chang, Nicholas Ransom Powley, Andrew G. Fischer, Alan Fischer
  • Patent number: 8102441
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section with a plurality of pixels arranged into two dimensions, each having a photoelectric conversion section for effecting photoelectric conversion, an accumulation section for temporarily storing a signal generated at the photoelectric conversion section, a transfer means for transferring the signal of the photoelectric conversion section to the accumulation section, a reset means for resetting the accumulation section, an amplification means for amplifying and outputting an electric potential of the accumulation section, and a select means for selecting the amplification means; and a noise suppressing circuit for suppressing a variance of a signal at the time of reset of each pixel, having a switch section for switching a polarity of a difference between a first signal and a second signal that are different in a characteristic due to pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Atsuko Kume
  • Patent number: 8098795
    Abstract: An X-ray detector for recording an image of an object that is moving relative to the detector includes a plurality of detector modules which are adjacently disposed so that they partially overlap. Using the detector modules, a TDI (Time Delayed Integration) is performed within each detector module. Subsequently an evaluation unit determines corrected measurement values of an overlap region by adding the measured values from the individual detector modules in the overlap region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
    Inventors: Tristan Nowak, Willi A. Kalender, Harry Schilling
  • Publication number: 20110316568
    Abstract: A portable imaging detector and a method for operating the portable imaging detector are provided. The portable imaging detector includes a docking connector having a plurality of docking connector contacts. The method includes measuring a voltage at a first docking connector contact, and determining whether the portable detector is (i) operating in a digital cassette mode or is (ii) installed in either a cassette holder or a charging bin using the measured voltage. A detector state monitoring system is also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: JAMES ZHENGSHE LIU, CHUANDE LIU, GARY MCBROOM, ROY SCHLEY, SCOTT PETRICK, DONALD LANGLER
  • Publication number: 20110317816
    Abstract: A kit for converting an existing mobile or portable film X-ray examination apparatus typically configured solely for analog radiography to enable said examination apparatus for digital radiographic applications. The kit includes a tablet PC that is attached to the wheeled chassis of the mobile or portable apparatus, and an input/output device used to divert the exposure control signal from the user actuable exposure control switch of the apparatus to the tablet PC. The tablet PC includes image processing software that controls the operation of a digital flat panel detector. The tablet PC can further be used to separately control other mobile or portable apparatus or a facility or examination room that was previously configured only for analog radiography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Infimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Bechard, Thomas W. Rosevear, Bruce A. Perry
  • Publication number: 20110305321
    Abstract: A timing to acquire a still image signal is controlled such that a sum (Tst+Trd) of a storage period Tst and a readout period Trd for the still image signal is an integral multiple (Ts+Tr=Tck×n, where n is an integer of 2 or greater) of a cycle Tck of a moving image capturing mode, when a detector controller acquires the still image signal while acquiring a moving image signal from a radiation detector during the cycle Tck (Ts+Tr) of the moving image capturing mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Iwakiri, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa, Naoyuki Nishino, Yasunori Ohta, Yutaka Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20110293068
    Abstract: An X-ray camera includes a camera housing, an image pickup element which is sensitive at least for X-rays, and an X-ray objective. The X-ray objective lens has a capillary structure and the image pickup element is constructed as a two-dimensional pixilated semiconductor sensor for simultaneous spatial, energy and time resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicants: PNSensor GmbH, IFG-Institute for Scientific Instruments GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Langhoff, Aniouar Bjeoumikhov, Heike Soltau, Robert Hartmann
  • Publication number: 20110293069
    Abstract: A medical viewing system comprises an X-ray source, a collimator for limiting the X-ray radiation output of the X-ray source and a flat X-ray detector, wherein the collimator is adjustable such that the subsequent X-ray images acquired by the X-ray detector comprise a rectangular shape with variably rounded corners. The acquired X-ray images have a shape, which is in-between a circular shape and a rectangular or square shape. Acquired images with this shape may then be displayed on a display unit, wherein the borders or the images are distant from the borders of the designated screen area of the display unit in order to define a gap on the display. On rotation of an acquired image the rounded corners move towards the borders of the screen and are dimensioned such that they never cross the borders of the display. The used area of the screen 30 is approximately 30% larger than that of a circular image, e.g. taken by means of an image intensifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Hendrik Roberts
  • Patent number: 8067745
    Abstract: An X-ray detector includes; a panel having a plurality of photo-detecting pixels generating electrical signals in response to the detection of X-rays, a gate driver providing a gate signal to the plurality of photo-detecting pixels, wherein the photo-detecting pixels output the electrical signals in response to the gate signal, a readout integrated circuit reading out the electrical signal in response to the gate signal, a main board including a controller receiving the electrical signal and converting the electrical signal to an image signal, a film attached to the panel and the main board, the film including a signal line electrically connecting the readout integrated circuit to the panel and main board, wherein the readout integrated circuit is mounted on the film, and a shielding layer covering the film and comprising a conductive material, wherein the shielding layer prevents externally applied electromagnetic signals from passing through the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwan-Wook Jung, Kyung-Sang Goo, Dae-Ho Choo
  • Publication number: 20110286575
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a portable radiological imaging system includes a portable base station having an X-ray source and a power supply, a wireless X-ray detector configured to receive X-ray radiation from the source and to generate image data based upon the received radiation, and a portable image processing system removably carried by the base station and configured to receive the image data from the detector and to process the image data to produce and display a user-viewable image derived from the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jon Charles Omernick, Rajeev Ramankutty Marar, Jonathan Mark Butzine
  • Patent number: 8060351
    Abstract: An LCD display design system and method are disclosed. The method includes performing operations by a variety of operation modules after initial parameters are input and an operation type is selected, so as to generate operation results and transfer the operation results to an integration module; integrating the operation results by an integration module to generate a correspondence relation such as an operation window, a compare-table or an equation, and further transferring the operation results and the correspondence relation to an output module such that the output module can display performance variations of a variety of designs corresponding to the different initial parameters. Therefore, the present invention provides a user with a convenient way to obtain optimal design parameters for designing a display pixel circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: National Taiwan University
    Inventors: I-Yin Li, Jean-Fu Kiang
  • Publication number: 20110274251
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for coordinating operation of X-ray detectors in a wireless X-ray system includes detecting multiple wireless X-ray detectors within an operative range of an X-ray base station, the detected X-ray detectors each having one of multiple possible statuses, including an active status corresponding to a designation of the X-ray detector as a desired recipient of radiation during a current X-ray imaging sequence, an inactive status corresponding to a designation of the X-ray detector as not the desired recipient of radiation during a current X-ray imaging sequence, and an unenabled status corresponding to the X-ray detector not being configured to operate with the X-ray base station. The method also includes determining the current status of each detected X-ray detector and displaying on a user-viewable screen a visual indication of the status of each detected X-ray detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jon Charles Omernick, Manfred David Boehm, Gireesha C. Rao, James Zhengshe Liu, Chuande Liu, Kiran Shankaranarayana, Karla Angelica Arista
  • Publication number: 20110274244
    Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for operating an X-ray imaging subsystem with an X-ray imaging detector. Each subsystem may be one of many that could operate with one another to create X-ray images. An association is established between the imaging subsystem and the imaging detector, and a user-perceptible indication of the association is generated. The user may be prompted to confirm the association. Thereafter, the two subsystems may be used together for X-ray imaging. An X-ray source of the imaging subsystem may be disabled until the association is established or until the confirmation is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kadri Nizar Jabri, Gopal Biligeri Avinash, John Michael Sabol, Rajeev Ramankutty Marar
  • Patent number: 8054941
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of angiography recordings. First, a mask image is recorded with a first modality. A contrast medium is injected after the first recording. A control image is recorded with a second modality after the injection of the contrast medium. A spreading of the contrast medium is determined based on the images and the control of subsequent recordings is analyzed. A recording criterion is checked to determine whether the recording criterion has been achieved. If it has not been achieved, the control image is repeatedly recorded for repeatedly determining the spreading of the contrast medium. If it has been achieved, a contrast image is recorded with the first modality and the mask image and the contrast image are processed and analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jan Boese, Yu Deuerling-Zheng, Michael Zellerhoff
  • Patent number: 8050385
    Abstract: Photon counting detectors may suffer from pulse sharing effects and fluorescence photon generation, which may lead to a degradation of the measured signals. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a detector unit is provided which is adapted for performing a coincidence detection and correction by comparing detection events of neighbouring cells, thereby providing for a coincidence identification followed by an individual coincidence correction. In order to reduce the number of coincidence detection and corresponding units per detector unit, a specific detector cell geometry may be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Roland Proksa
  • Patent number: 8044681
    Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising a plurality of channels, each channel having circuitry for time and energy discrimination, a plurality of programmable registers, each programmable register configured to output at least one configuration parameter for the circuitry, and a channel-select register configured to identify a channel of the plurality of channels to be configured. The ASIC further includes a configuration-select register configured to identify the programmable register to be used for channel configuration, and a communications interface configured to transmit instructions received from a controller to one of the channel-select register, the configuration-select register, and the plurality of programmable registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Naresh Kesavan Rao, Brian David Yanoff, Yanfeng Du, Jianjun Guo
  • Patent number: 8023620
    Abstract: The present invention is an x-ray arrangement for examining patients, having an x-ray source and a digital flat panel detector characterized by a processing unit with a converter with an input possibility for a whole data record of system parameters as input parameters which can be easily adjusted and input by the user for conversion into a whole data record of image chain parameters as output parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Atzinger, Juan Manuel Casso Basterrechea, Clemens Jörger
  • Publication number: 20110222663
    Abstract: A radiographic image capturing device includes: a radiation detector that has plural sensor portions; a detection circuit that reads out, as electrical signals, electric charge quantities stored in each of the sensor portions and converts the electrical signals into digital image data; a receiver that receives electrical power; a power source that is charged by the electrical power and supplies electrical power for driving to at least the radiation detector and the detection circuit; and a controller which, in the case of performing video imaging, controls the detection circuit so as to allow electric charges to be stored in a predetermined storage period and which performs control such that, in the storage period of each imaging, it stops at least one of the charging of the power source with the received electrical power or the reception of the electrical power from the outside by the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke UTSUNOMIYA
  • Publication number: 20110211672
    Abstract: In a radiographic image acquiring apparatus, in the event that one radiation detection device is selected from among a plurality of radiation detection devices, each of which are capable of converting radiation into a radiographic image, the radiographic image acquiring apparatus includes an acquisition unit for acquiring all of the radiographic images from the plurality of radiation detection devices, including the radiographic image from the one radiation detection device, at a time when application of radiation with respect to a subject is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi KUWABARA
  • Patent number: 8000437
    Abstract: A photodetecting unit having a favorable attaching operability is provided. In a photodetecting unit 1, two structures for attachment 30 are fixed to the rear face of a supporting substrate 20 formed by a sintered body of a ceramic. In the process of manufacturing the photodetecting unit 1, a laminate of green sheets is fired, so as to form a sintered body of a ceramic, and then each structure for attachment 30 is bonded to the rear face of the supporting substrate 20. This allows the structures for attachment 30 to be arranged accurately on the rear face of the supporting substrate 20, thereby ameliorating the attaching operability of the photodetecting unit 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Kotooka
  • Patent number: 7991119
    Abstract: An electronic cassette in a radiographic image capturing system includes a radiation detector for detecting radiation applied from an image capturing apparatus and transmitted through a patient, a contactless power receiver for receiving electric power supplied contactlessly from a power feeder and supplying the electric power to a battery, an A/D converter for performing an A/D conversion to convert analog radiographic image information generated based on the radiation applied to the radiation detector into digital radiographic image information, an end-of-A/D-conversion determining unit for determining whether the A/D conversion is finished or not, and a charging controller for stopping the power feeder from supplying electric power contactlessly after the image capturing apparatus has started capturing images until the end-of-A/D-conversion determining unit judges that the A/D conversion is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Yoshida, Yasunori Ohta, Keiji Tsubota, Naoyuki Nishino, Masato Hattori
  • Patent number: 7983392
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an x-ray image stores an association between a digital radiology receiver panel, a label that is applied to one or more surfaces of the digital radiology receiver panel, and an x-ray imaging room. A response to an operator instruction designates the digital radiology receiver panel having the stored association as an active digital radiology receiver panel in the x-ray imaging room. Instructions are transmitted wirelessly to the active digital radiology receiver panel. Image data is obtained from the active digital radiology receiver panel following exposure to x-ray radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Venturino, Peter A. Newman
  • Patent number: 7972060
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intra-oral dental radiology sensor. The sensor comprises an electronic image acquisition module and a molded casing made of a hard plastic which is locally provided with overmoldings made of a softer plastic having the consistency of smooth rubber, covering the hard plastic in areas located on the outside of the casing and corresponding to projecting angular portions of the hard plastic, and also in areas located inside the casing at places where the electronic module may bear. The soft plastic is preferably a copolymer of the SEBS (styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene) type whereas the hard plastic is preferably a polyamide. The patient's comfort is improved and the module is better protected against shocks without increasing its size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: E2V Semiconductors
    Inventors: Jérôme Guichard, Florian Julien
  • Patent number: 7963697
    Abstract: A gain correction and calibration technique for digital imaging systems is provided. In one embodiment, a method may include acquiring a plurality of dark images via a digital detector of an X-ray system. Acquiring the plurality of dark images may include acquiring data from a plurality of data channels of the digital detector during an analog test mode of the digital detector in which calibration voltages are applied to the data channels. The method may also include calibrating a channel gain map of the detector based on the plurality of dark images. Additional systems, methods, and devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Zhengshe Liu, John Lamberty, Ping Xue, Donald Langler
  • Patent number: 7965817
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a first driving circuit unit to drive a first switching element connected to a conversion element, wherein the conversion element converting radiation into charges, a second driving circuit unit to drive a second switching element connected to the conversion element, and a control unit to control the first driving circuit and the second driving circuit independently at different timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Kameshima, Tadao Endo, Tomoyuki Yagi, Katsuro Takenaka, Keigo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7964849
    Abstract: A PET apparatus comprises a plurality of detector units in the circumferential direction, wherein the detector unit includes a plurality of unit substrates therein, and wherein the unit substrate includes: a plurality of detectors upon which a ?-ray is incident; and an analog ASIC and digital ASIC for processing a ?-ray detection signal outputted by each of the detectors. The analog ASIC includes two slow systems having mutually different time constants, each of which outputs a pulseheight value. A noise determination part of the digital ASIC determines whether a relevant detection signal is an intended ?-ray detection signal or a noise based on a correlation between the pulseheight values, and a noise counting part counts the number of times of noise determination, and a detector output signal processing control part controls the signal processing with respect to an output signal from a relevant detector based on the count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Takahashi, Takafumi Ishitsu, Yuichiro Ueno, Tomoyuki Seino
  • Publication number: 20110110497
    Abstract: An imaging area specifying apparatus that includes a storage component and a specifying component is provided. The storage component stores as correlation information a correlation value correlated with the amount of radiation emitted to each of a plurality of predetermined areas divided from a detection region of a radiation detector that outputs an electric signal indicating a radiological image represented by radiation which is emitted to the detection region for detecting the radiation. The specifying component specifies an imaging area capable of capturing the radiological image of a predetermined size while preventing variations in the amount of radiation emitted to each of the divided areas in the detection region, on the basis of the correlation information stored in the storage component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki NISHINO, Kenji TAKAHASHI, Haruyasu NAKATSUGAWA, Yutaka YOSHIDA, Keiji TSUBOTA, Yasunori OHTA
  • Publication number: 20110096904
    Abstract: A radiation damage resistant linear X-ray detector system based on a unique image transferring principle to alter the optical path and thus reduces or eliminates the X-ray radiation damage on the electrical components of the detector system. The system includes a layer of scintillating material, a fiber optic face plate (FOFP), and an array of image sensors. One face of the FOFP is bonded to the surface of the image sensors. The layer of scintillating material, such as Gd2O2S:Tb (GOS or GADOX), CsI(TI), or CdWO4, is placed on other face of the FOFP and used to convert the impinging X-ray energies into visible light which can be detected efficiently by the image sensor array. The FOFP is used to transfer the visible light from the scintillating layer onto the image sensor array after the X-ray flux has been converted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Hsin-Fu Tseng, Linbo Yang
  • Patent number: 7932946
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an imaging apparatus capable of reducing image unevenness even if a protective layer including a polarized solvent is used. The imaging apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels each having a conversion element and a TFT connected to the conversion element, a protective layer disposed over the plurality of pixels, a plurality of bias lines each electrically connected to each of the conversion elements, and a plurality of signal lines each electrically connected to each of the TFT. Then, the plurality of bias lines and the plurality of signal lines are alternately disposed at a predetermined interval within a region in the protective layer. Then, the plurality of bias lines is commonly connected through a connecting wiring on the outside of the region in the protective layer, and the connecting wiring is disposed to cross the plurality of signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamasa Ishii, Chiori Mochizuki, Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7929665
    Abstract: An X-ray image obtaining/imaging apparatus and method. An X-ray image may be obtained using an X-ray sensor that is divided into pixel blocks including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel may respectively include a scintillator layer, with the scintillator layers having differing characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Goo Kang, Young Hun Sung, Jong Ha Lee, Sung Su Kim
  • Patent number: 7923697
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a scintillator comprising a substrate covered with a layer of luminescent material, the layer of luminescent material comprising a first side in contact with the substrate and a second side, the surface of which has asperities, separated by interstices, a detection radiation emerging from the second side of the layer of luminescent material when the luminescent material is illuminated by a probe radiation through the substrate, characterized in that the second side of the layer of luminescent material is covered with a film of a coating material partially absorbing the detection radiation, and moulding itself to the asperities of the surface of the second side of the layer of luminescent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Daniel Gally, Luc Berthier
  • Patent number: 7924980
    Abstract: A portable radiation image converting device has: an image data generating unit that is sensitive to radiation, and that generates image data expressing a radiation image manifested by radiation that is transmitted through a subject and is irradiated onto an image-receiving surface; a storage unit storing image data generated by the image data generating unit; and one or more projecting units projecting, to a device exterior, various types of information including a radiation image expressed by image data that is stored in the storage unit. Various types of information including a radiation image that is generated by radiation, that has been transmitted through a subject and irradiated onto an image-receiving surface, and is stored in a memory, are projected to a device exterior by a projecting device. A portable radiation image converting device at which confirmation of a stored radiation image is easy to carry out is thereby provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Ohta, Naoyuki Nishino
  • Publication number: 20110075811
    Abstract: In a cassette-type X-ray detection device, an X-ray detector and a self diagnostic circuit are contained in a cassette casing. When the cassette-type X-ray detection device gets a shock, the self diagnostic circuit is actuated. The self diagnostic circuit reads out from the X-ray detector an offset image being a dark current image, and analyzes the offset image. The self diagnostic circuit finds out an abnormal portion from the offset image, and diagnoses whether the X-ray detector is available, unavailable, or partly available based on the size and position of the abnormal portion. Shock detection and a diagnostic result are displayed on a touch panel provided in the cassette casing, and sent to a console device via a communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20110075813
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an x-ray image stores an association between a digital radiology receiver panel, a label that is applied to one or more surfaces of the digital radiology receiver panel, and an x-ray imaging room. A response to an operator instruction designates the digital radiology receiver panel having the stored association as an active digital radiology receiver panel in the x-ray imaging room. Instructions are transmitted wirelessly to the active digital radiology receiver panel. Image data is obtained from the active digital radiology receiver panel following exposure to x-ray radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Venturino, Peter A. Newman