IP Library Granted Patent US 10,473,801
Granted Patent B2
US 10,473,801 · App. 15/969,842 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, method of controlling radiation imaging apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Inventors: Jun Kawanabe (Kawasaki, JP); Minoru Watanabe (Yokohama, JP); Keigo Yokoyama (Kawasaki, JP); Sho Sato (Tokyo, JP); Kentaro Fujiyoshi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G01T1/247A61B6/42A61B6/54G01T1/023G01T1/026H04N5/32H04N5/3696H04N5/378A61B6/4233A61B6/542
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,473,801
App. No.
15/969,842
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radiation imaging apparatus including conversion elements acquiring a radiation image and detectors, a readout unit and a controller is provided. In a first operation, the controller causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the detectors, detects irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to a second operation. In the second operation, the controller acquires first signals individually read out from the detectors, decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detector of the detectors in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detector to a sum of the first signals, and acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detector based on the signal component and the first signal of the selected detector.

Claims (40)

1. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units, and a control unit,

wherein the control unit executes a first operation and a second operation,

in the first operation, the control unit causes the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detects a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifts to the second operation, and

in the second operation, the control unit acquires a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,

decides a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and

acquires an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit acquires the integrated dose based on a sum of the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the readout unit to read out the composition signal with a first gain in the first operation,

causes the readout unit to read out the plurality of first signals with a second gain different from the first gain in the second operation,

corrects the signal component in accordance with a ratio between the first gain and the second gain, and

acquires the integrated dose based on a sum of the corrected signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first gain is lower than the second gain.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit configured to store the composition signal acquired by the first operation,

wherein the control unit decides the signal component by distributing the composition signal stored in the memory unit in accordance with the ratio in the second operation.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines, based on the integrated dose, whether to stop exposure to radiation, and outputs a signal for stopping irradiation with radiation in accordance with the determination result.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensing region includes a plurality of pixels,

each of the plurality of pixels includes any one of the plurality of conversion elements, and

each of some of the plurality of pixels further includes any one of the plurality of detection units.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein some of the plurality of conversion elements respectively serve as detection units of the plurality of detection units.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a bias power supply configured to supply a common bias voltage to the plurality of detection units and a bias wiring configured to connect the bias power supply to the plurality of detection units,

wherein the control unit acquires the composition signal based on a change in current in the bias wiring in the first operation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detection units output signals to the same signal line.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of detection unit groups each including the plurality of detection units.

12. A radiation imaging system comprising:

a radiation imaging apparatus defined in claim 1 ; and

a signal processing unit configured to process a signal from the radiation imaging apparatus.

13. A control method for a radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, and a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units,

the control method including a first step and a second step,

the first step including causing the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detecting a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifting to the second step, and

the second step including

acquiring a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,

deciding a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and

acquiring an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for a radiation imaging apparatus comprising an image sensing region including a plurality of conversion elements configured to acquire a radiation image, a plurality of detection units arranged in the image sensing region and configured to monitor incident radiation, and a readout unit configured to read out signals from the plurality of detection units,

the control method including a first step and a second step,

the first step including causing the readout unit to output a composition signal obtained by composing signals from the plurality of detection units, detecting a start of irradiation with radiation based on the composition signal, and shifting to the second step, and

the second step including

acquiring a plurality of first signals individually read out from the plurality of detection units to the readout unit,

deciding a signal component, of the composition signal, which is output from a selected detection unit of the plurality of detection units in accordance with a ratio of the first signal from the selected detection unit to a sum of the plurality of first signals, and

acquiring an integrated dose of radiation incident on the selected detection unit based on the signal component and a first signal, of the plurality of first signals, which is output from the selected detection unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2018
From: KAWANABE, JUN; WATANABE, MINORU; YOKOYAMA, KEIGO; SATO, SHO; FUJIYOSHI, KENTARO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 046718/0185 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-092566 · May 8, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180321397A1 · Nov 8, 2018
Cited By (3)
US 12,200,368 US 12,339,408 US 12,348,891