IP Library Granted Patent US 12,635,969
Granted Patent B2
US 12,635,969 · App. 18/499,930 · Granted May 26, 2026

Radiographic imaging system comprising a radiographic imaging apparatus, and method for controlling a radiographic imaging apparatus

Inventors: Kazuaki Umekawa (Tokyo, JP); Katsuro Takenaka (Saitama, JP); Hiroyuki Tanaka (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
A61B6/545A61B6/4233A61B6/486A61B6/5211A61B6/541A61B6/542G06T7/0002G06T2207/30168
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,635,969
App. No.
18/499,930
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A radiographic imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels configured to convert radiation to electrical signals and a control section configured to determine an image capturing condition based on the electrical signals converted by the pixels and to start image capturing.

Claims (26)

1 . A radiographic imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixels configured to convert radiation to electrical signals; and

a control section configured to determine an image capturing condition based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels and to start image capturing,

wherein the control section further determines the image capturing condition based on incident-radiation dose information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels, and

wherein the control section further determines the image capturing condition based on radiation dose information when a radiation dose has become stable.

2 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control section determines, as the image capturing condition, a sensitivity, an accumulation time, a frame rate, or a number of images to be captured.

3 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when a difference in radiation dose information between a plurality of frames before a current frame falls within a predetermined range, the control section determines that the radiation dose is stable.

4 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when an inclination of a difference in radiation dose information between an immediately preceding frame and a current frame falls within a predetermined range, the control section determines that the radiation is stable.

5 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, until the radiation dose becomes stable, the control section obtains the radiation dose information at settings of a higher frame rate and a higher sensitivity than after the radiation dose becomes stable and outputs no image.

6 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control section outputs no image until the radiation dose becomes stable, and after the radiation does becomes stable, the control section determines the image capturing condition and outputs an image captured after the image capturing condition is determined.

7 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control section determines the image capturing condition based on radiation dose information after a lapse of a predetermined time after determining to start an emission of radiation based on the radiation dose information.

8 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control section determines the image capturing condition based on radiation dose information when receiving information based on a user's operation.

9 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control section determines the image capturing condition based on image information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels.

10 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the control section determines the image capturing condition based on pixel values of a target region in the image information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels.

11 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control section determines the image capturing condition based on the pixel values of the target region when the pixel values of the target region have become stable.

12 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the control section determines, as the image capturing condition, a sensitivity, an accumulation time, a frame rate, or a number of images to be captured.

13 . The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, when a difference in the image information between a plurality of frames before a current frame falls within a predetermined range, the control section determines that the image information has become stable.

14 . A radiographic imaging system comprising:

a radiographic imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels configured to convert radiation to electrical signals and a control section configured to determine an image capturing condition based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels and to start image capturing; and

a radiation source configured to emit radiation,

wherein the control section further determines the image capturing condition based on incident-radiation dose information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels, and

wherein the control section further determines the image capturing condition based on radiation dose information when a radiation dose has become stable.

15 . A method for controlling a radiographic imaging apparatus including a plurality of pixels configured to convert radiation to electrical signals, the method comprising:

determining, based on a stabilization of incident-radiation dose information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels, an image capturing condition, and starting image capturing,

wherein the image capturing condition is further determined based on the incident-radiation dose information based on the electrical signals converted by the plurality of pixels, and

wherein the image capturing condition is further determined based on radiation dose information when a radiation dose has become stable.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2023
From: UMEKAWA, KAZUAKI; TAKENAKA, KATSURO; TANAKA, HIROYUKI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 065707/0988 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2022-176233 · Nov 2, 2022 · national
JP 2023-109517 · Jul 3, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240138799A1 · May 2, 2024
References Cited (29)
US 5282254A · Chiu · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5369678A · Chiu · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 8879689B2 · Ohta · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8903048B2 · Kitano · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8971494B2 · Tajima · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9006675B2 · Okada · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9101328B2 · Tsuji · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9265467B2 · Kamiya · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9668331B2 · Takahashi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9750477B2 · Kitagawa · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9833214B2 · Imamura · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10610187B2 · Takeshima · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11369332B2 · Kunieda · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11382590B2 · Niwa · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11534129B2 · Ohta · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11831813B2 · Kawanabe · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11831994B2 · Watanabe · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11839013B2 · Niwa · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 12029604B2 · Watanabe · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12059287B2 · Uehara · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12167926B2 · Nishii · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12242004B2 · Sasaki · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12268539B2 · Ueno · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12274570B2 · Tamura · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12274571B2 · Hayashida · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12295779B2 · Taya · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12303317B2 · Umekawa · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12357262B2 · Odori · 2025 [cited by examiner]
JP 2013033030A · 2013 [cited by applicant]