IP Library Granted Patent US 10,441,238
Granted Patent B2
US 10,441,238 · App. 15/563,148 · Granted Oct 15, 2019

Radiation imaging apparatus, control method thereof, and program

Inventors: Kosuke Terui (Yokohama, JP); Atsushi Iwashita (Tokyo, JP); Katsuro Takenaka (Honjo, JP); Shinichi Takeda (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
A61B6/54A61B6/482A61B6/5258G06T11/005H04N5/32H04N5/357G01T1/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,441,238
App. No.
15/563,148
Granted
Oct 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light, a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged, and a processing unit. The processing unit comprises a conversion unit configured to output a detection signal in accordance with a signal generated in the light detector by the incident light and radiation that has transmitted through the scintillator without being converted into light, and a reset control unit configured to determine that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation based on a magnitude of the detection signal and reset the conversion unit if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.

Claims (33)

1. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light;

a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged; and

a processing unit,

wherein the processing unit comprises:

a conversion unit configured to output a detection signal in accordance with a signal generated in the light detector by the incident light and radiation that has transmitted through the scintillator without being converted into light; and

a reset control unit configured to determine that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation based on a magnitude of the detection signal and reset the conversion unit if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reset control unit resets the light detector if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation imaging apparatus generates a captured image based on an output count of the detection signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion unit comprises a voltage conversion unit configured to convert the signal generated in the light detector into a voltage signal and outputs the voltage signal as the detection signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the voltage conversion unit comprises a differential circuit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the reset control unit determines that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation if a voltage of the voltage signal is higher than a predetermined voltage.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein in order to generate a captured image, the processing unit further comprises:

a comparison unit configured to compare the voltage of the voltage signal with a reference voltage and output a comparison result signal if the voltage of the voltage signal is not lower than the reference voltage; and

a count unit configured to store an output count of the comparison result signal, and

wherein the predetermined voltage is not less than ten times higher than the reference voltage.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the reset control unit determines that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation if a time from a rise to a fall of the voltage signal is longer than a predetermined time.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein in order to generate a captured image, the processing unit further comprises:

a comparison unit configured to compare the voltage of the voltage signal with a reference voltage and output a comparison result signal if the voltage of the voltage signal is not lower than the reference voltage; and

a count unit configured to store an output count of the comparison result signal.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein if the reset control unit determines that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation, the count unit changes the count.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein if the reset control unit determines that the transmitted radiation is detected, the count unit subtracts the count by one.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the reset control unit further comprises a memory unit configured to store a determined count that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation, and

the count unit subtracts the count in accordance with the determined count stored in the memory unit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the processing unit is arranged in each pixel of the plurality of pixels.

14. A control method of a radiation imaging apparatus that comprises a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light and a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged, the method comprising:

outputting a detection signal in accordance with a signal generated in the light detector by the incident light and radiation that has transmitted through the scintillator without being converted into light;

determining that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation based on a comparison result between the detection signal and a predetermined reference; and

resetting the detection signal if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing, in executable form, a program for causing a computer to execute each step of a control method of a radiation imaging apparatus that comprises a scintillator configured to convert radiation into light and a sensor panel in which a plurality of pixels each comprising a light detector configured to detect the light is arranged, the method comprising:

outputting a detection signal in accordance with a signal generated in the light detector by the incident light and radiation that has transmitted through the scintillator without being converted into light;

determining that the light detector detects the transmitted radiation based on a comparison result between the detection signal and a predetermined reference; and

resetting the detection signal if the light detector is determined to detect the transmitted radiation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2017
From: TERUI, KOSUKE; IWASHITA, ATSUSHI; TAKENAKA, KATSURO; TAKEDA, SHINICHI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 044324/0799 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-137225 · Jul 8, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180070906A1 · Mar 15, 2018
Cited By (5)
US 12,253,639 US 12,357,259 US 12,461,258 US 12,616,430 US 12,733,894