IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,839,013
Granted Patent B2
US 11,839,013 · App. 17/873,501 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system and control method of radiation imaging apparatus

Inventor: Hiroaki Niwa (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H05G1/30G01T1/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,839,013
App. No.
17/873,501
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The radiation imaging apparatus is provided that includes a radiation detector including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels being capable of detecting radiation as electric signals are arranged, the radiation transmitted through an AEC sensor used for performing automatic exposure control of radiation irradiated from a radiation generating apparatus, a notifying unit for performing threshold value reached notification to the radiation generating apparatus, if a dose value of the radiation incident on the pixel array reaches a threshold value, and a threshold value setting unit for setting the threshold value in second radiation imaging in which automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector is performed after first radiation imaging in which the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the AEC sensor is performed, based on pixel values related to the electric signals detected by the plurality of pixels in the first radiation imaging

Claims (26)

1. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

a radiation detector including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels being capable of detecting radiation as electric signals are arranged, the radiation transmitted through an AEC sensor used for performing automatic exposure control of radiation irradiated from a radiation generating apparatus;

a notifying unit configured to perform threshold value reached notification to the radiation generating apparatus, if a dose value of the radiation incident on the pixel array reaches a threshold value; and

a threshold value setting unit configured to set the threshold value in second radiation imaging in which automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector is performed after first radiation imaging in which the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the AEC sensor is performed, based on pixel values related to the electric signals detected by the plurality of pixels in the first radiation imaging.

2. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value in the second radiation imaging based on the pixel values related to the electric signals obtained in the plurality of pixels for each radiation image obtained in the first radiation imaging.

3. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value in the second radiation imaging based on the pixel values related to the electric signals obtained in the plurality of pixels for each predetermined time period shorter than an obtaining time period of a radiation image in the first radiation imaging.

4. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a region of interest including a plurality of pixels is provided in a part of a region of the pixel array, and

the threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value in the second radiation imaging based on pixel values in the plurality of pixels included in the region of interest.

5. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a plurality of regions of interest are provided in the pixel array, and

the threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value in the second radiation imaging based on the pixel values in the plurality of pixels included in the plurality of regions of interest.

6. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an on/off setting unit configured to set ON/OFF of the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector,

wherein the on/off setting unit is configured to set the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector to OFF when the first radiation imaging is performed.

7. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein, when setting the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector to OFF, the on/off setting unit is configured to perform at least one setting of turning OFF a dose value detecting function of the radiation based on the pixel values in the plurality of pixels, and turning OFF a threshold value reached notifying function by the notifying unit based on the dose value detecting function.

8. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the on/off setting unit is configured to independently set turning OFF the dose value detecting function and turning OFF the threshold value reached notifying function.

9. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the on/off setting unit is configured to set the dose value detecting function to ON and set the threshold value reached notifying function to OFF when the first radiation imaging is performed.

10. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value in the second radiation imaging is switchable between a threshold value based on the pixel values related to the electric signals obtained in the plurality of pixels, and a threshold value held in the radiation imaging apparatus comprising the radiation detector, based on one of an instruction by an operator and subject information related to the subject.

11. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel array includes a plurality of first pixels configured to detect the radiation as electric signals, and a plurality of second pixels configured to detect the radiation as electric signals with a sensitivity different from a sensitivity of the plurality of first pixels.

12. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel values include an accumulated value of the electric signals detected by the plurality of pixels.

13. A radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value in the second radiation imaging based on the pixel values related to the electric signals in the plurality of pixels when irradiation of the radiation by the radiation generating apparatus is stopped in the first radiation imaging.

14. A radiation imaging system comprising:

a radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ;

a controlling apparatus connected with the radiation imaging apparatus and the radiation generating apparatus, and configured to control the radiation imaging apparatus and the radiation generating apparatus.

15. A control method of a radiation imaging apparatus comprising a radiation detector including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels being capable of detecting radiation as electric signals are arranged, the radiation transmitted through an AEC sensor used for performing automatic exposure control of radiation irradiated from a radiation generating apparatus, the control method comprising:

a notifying step for performing threshold value reached notification to the radiation generating apparatus, if a dose value of the radiation incident on the pixel array reaches a threshold value; and

a threshold value setting step for setting the threshold value in second radiation imaging in which automatic exposure control of the radiation by the radiation detector is performed after first radiation imaging in which the automatic exposure control of the radiation by the AEC sensor is performed, based on pixel values related to the electric signals detected by the plurality of pixels in the first radiation imaging.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2022
From: NIWA, HIROAKI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 061020/0153 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-123016 · Jul 28, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230036641A1 · Feb 2, 2023
Cited By (4)
US 12,544,030 US 12,635,969 US 12,653,482 US 12,702,375