Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110286582 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An imaging system includes a plurality of imaging apparatuses, each of the imaging apparatuses includes a detector for performing an imaging operation for outputting image data corresponding to applied radiation or light and a controller for controlling the operation of the detector. The imaging apparatuses can independently perform an imaging operation and are movable in accordance with a relative positional relationship thereof. Sensing means obtain information indicative of the relative positional relationship between the imaging apparatuses. A control computer sends a control signal for determining operations of the imaging apparatuses to the controller. The control computer determines the operations of the imaging apparatuses by using the information obtained from the sensing means; and sets an appropriate scanning direction of each of the imaging apparatuses in accordance with the positional relationship thereof. | 11-24-2011 |
20120075600 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes a detector in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix; each pixel includes a conversion element that converts radiation or light into an electric charge. The detector performs an exposure imaging operation for outputting exposure image data, a correction imaging operation for outputting correction image data, and a correction imaging preparation operation including an initialization operation for initializing the conversion element between the exposure imaging operation and the correction imaging operation. A correction unit corrects the exposure image data using the correction image data; and a control unit controls the operation of the detector so that the detector performs the initialization operation based on an amount of variation in offset of the conversion element at the time of transitioning from an exposure imaging preparation operation to the exposure imaging operation. | 03-29-2012 |
20120127353 | IMAGE-PICKUP SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME - An image-pickup apparatus including a detector comprising a detecting unit and a reading circuit, the detecting unit including pixels, each of which including a conversion element, the reading circuit which includes a connecting unit that is electrically connected to a signal wire transferring an electric signal and that electrically connects the signal wire to a node, and which performs a reading operation to output the electric signal from the pixel. A control unit controls an operation of the reading circuit, and a sensing unit senses the end of radiation irradiation based on an output of the reading circuit, which is acquired during the period of an accumulation operation of the detector. The control unit starts establishing the electrical connection between the signal wire and the node through the connecting unit based on the sensed irradiation end, and retains the electrical connection until the start of the reading operation. | 05-24-2012 |
20120241634 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THEM - In an image pickup apparatus, a detector includes a detection unit and a driving circuit; the detection unit including a plurality of pixels each including a conversion element having a semiconductor layer, and the driving circuit being configured to drive the detection unit whereby the detector performs an image pickup operation to output the electric signal. A power supply unit supplies a voltage to the conversion element. A control unit controls the power supply unit such that the voltage applied to the semiconductor layer is higher in at least part of a period from the start of supplying the voltage to the semiconductor layer from the power supply unit to the start of the image pickup operation than in the image pickup operation. | 09-27-2012 |
20120241639 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus includes a detector that includes a detection unit having a plurality of pixels in which conversion elements are included and a driving circuit that drives the detection unit and that executes an image pickup operation for outputting electrical signals, and a temperature control unit that includes a heating section that heats the conversion elements and that controls, before the image pickup operation begins, the temperature of the conversion elements by controlling the heating section such that the heating section heats the conversion elements in order to cause the temperature of the conversion elements before the image pickup operation begins to be higher than the temperature of the conversion elements during the image pickup operation. | 09-27-2012 |
20120242871 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THEM - In an image pickup apparatus, a calculation unit calculates an amount of noise and an amount of afterimage that can be included in an electric signal or image data in an image pickup operation, based on output characteristic information indicating a manner in which the amount of noise and the amount of after image change as a function of an elapsed time since a voltage is applied to a detection unit, a temperature of the detection unit detected by a temperature detection unit, the voltage supplied to the conversion elements from a power supply unit, and an image pickup operation start time indicating a time elapsed since the supplying of the voltage to the detection unit is started until the image pickup operation is started to output the electric signal corresponding to an electric charge generated by the conversion element in the detection unit. | 09-27-2012 |
20130082166 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes a detector having a plurality of conversion elements for converting radiation or light into an electric charge, a power supply unit that supplies a first voltage to the conversion element in a first imaging operation, and a control unit that controls the detector and the power supply unit. During a period between the first imaging operation and a second imaging operation, the control unit controls to perform a first inter-imaging operation in which a second voltage different from the first voltage is supplied to the conversion element, and, subsequently to the first inter-imaging operation, a second inter-imaging operation in which a third voltage different from the first and the second voltages is supplied to the conversion element. The absolute value of the difference between the third and the first voltages is smaller than the absolute value of the difference between the second and the first voltages. | 04-04-2013 |
20130169784 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus includes a detector and an image processing unit. The detector executes image pickup operations in which electrical signals based on radiation are output and executes, in a period between a first image pickup operation and a second image pickup operation, a first inter-image pickup operation for suppressing a lag generated by the first image pickup operation and a second inter-image pickup operation for obtaining dark signals from the detector after the first inter-image pickup operation. The signal processing unit calculates a correction coefficient using a first time ts, a second time te, and the dark signals, predicts an amount of offset to be included in electrical signals of the second image pickup operation using a third time ts′, a fourth time te′, and the correction coefficient, and executes calculation using the electrical signals and the amount of offset output from the detector in the second image pickup operation. | 07-04-2013 |
20130240712 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising an imaging unit in which a plurality of pixels are arranged to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a control unit configured to control the imaging unit so as to perform reset operation for initializing each of the plurality of pixels repeatedly, and readout operation, after the reset operation, for reading out a signal from each of the plurality of pixels sequentially, wherein one cycle length of the reset operation is shorter than a period of time required for the readout operation, and a pulse width of a signal supplied to each of the plurality of pixels in the reset operation is shorter than a pulse width of a signal supplied to each of the plurality of pixels in the readout operation. | 09-19-2013 |
20130264487 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS - A radiation imaging apparatus includes plural pixels arranged in a matrix each including a conversion element and a switch element, plural drive wires arranged in a column direction, a drive circuit configured to sequentially supply a conduction voltage to the plural drive wires and supply a non-conduction voltage to the drive wires other than the drive wire supplied with the conduction voltage among the plural drive wires, and a sensing unit configured to sense radiation irradiation to the pixel, in which the sensing unit includes a sensing circuit configured to sense the radiation irradiation to the pixel on the basis of a current flowing through the drive wire supplied with the non-conduction voltage among the plurality of drive wires. | 10-10-2013 |
20130264488 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiation imaging apparatus including pixels; driving lines; a driving circuit; bias lines; an acquisition unit configured to acquire an evaluation value based on a current flowing in the bias line; a determination unit configured to compare the evaluation value with a comparison target value to determine whether radiation is irradiated; a control unit configured to control the acquisition unit and the determination unit; and a storage unit configured to store the evaluation value used in the determination process, is provided. A comparison target value used in a given determination process is based on one or more evaluation values used in one or more determination processes which are performed before the given determination process and in which it is determined that radiation has not been irradiated. | 10-10-2013 |
20130264489 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS - A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix in which each pixel includes a conversion element configured to convert radiation into a charge and a switch element configured to transfer an electric signal based on the charge, a bias wiring through which the conversion element is supplied with a voltage for the conversion element to convert the radiation into the charge, a power supply unit configured to supply the voltage to the bias wiring; and a detecting unit configured to detect start of radiation irradiation to the pixel array, in which the detecting unit includes a detecting circuit configured to detect the start of the radiation irradiation to the pixel array on the basis of a comparison result through computation on at least two currents flowing through at least two bias wirings among the plurality of bias wirings. | 10-10-2013 |
20130264490 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS - A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix in which each pixel includes a conversion element configured to convert radiation into a charge and a switch element configured to transfer an electric signal based on the charge, a plurality of wirings arranged in the pixel array, and a detecting unit configured to detect radiation irradiation to the pixel array, in which the detecting unit includes a detecting circuit configured to detect the radiation irradiation to the pixel array on the basis of a plurality of currents flowing through the plurality of wirings detected for each of the plurality of wirings. | 10-10-2013 |
20140008519 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A radiation image pickup apparatus capable of setting an optimum threshold value used for instantaneously and highly accurately detecting the presence/absence of irradiation includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, where each of the pixels includes a conversion element and a switch element, a drive circuit for supplying a drive signal for controlling the switch element between a conducting state and a non-conducting state, a detection unit for outputting a detection signal varying with the intensity of irradiation of the pixel array, and an arithmetic unit for calculating an end threshold value used to detect end of irradiation on the basis of the signal output from the detection unit during a period of time during which irradiation is applied to the pixel array in which the switch elements of the pixels are set in a non-conducting state by the drive circuit. | 01-09-2014 |
20140008544 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND RADIATION IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A radiation image pickup apparatus includes a pixel array having pixels each including a conversion element and a switch element, a drive circuit for controlling the switch element between a conducting state and a non-conducting state, a detection unit for outputting a detection signal varying with the intensity of irradiation of the pixel array, and an arithmetic unit for calculating a start threshold value used to detect start of irradiation based on the signal output from the detection unit during a period when radiation is not emitted onto the pixel array in which the switch elements are sequentially set in a conducting state on a row-by-row basis by the drive circuit and the signal output from the detection unit during a period when radiation is emitted onto the pixel array in which the switch elements are sequentially set in a conducting state on a row-by-row basis by the drive circuit. | 01-09-2014 |
20140014845 | IMAGE-PICKUP SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME - An image-pickup apparatus including a detector comprising a detecting unit and a reading circuit, the detecting unit including pixels, each of which including a conversion element, the reading circuit which includes a connecting unit that is electrically connected to a signal wire transferring an electric signal and that electrically connects the signal wire to a node, and which performs a reading operation to output the electric signal from the pixel. A control unit controls an operation of the reading circuit, and a sensing unit senses the end of radiation irradiation based on an output of the reading circuit, which is acquired during the period of an accumulation operation of the detector. The control unit starts establishing the electrical connection between the signal wire and the node through the connecting unit based on the sensed irradiation end, and retains the electrical connection until the start of the reading operation. | 01-16-2014 |
20140042329 | RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND RADIOGRAPHIC SYSTEM - A radiographic apparatus includes a scintillator configured to convert radiation into first light, a photoelectric conversion unit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements each configured to convert the first light into an electrical signal, and a light detection unit configured to detect the first light. In such a radiographic apparatus, the photoelectric conversion unit and the light detection unit are arranged to sandwich the scintillator therebetween, and the light detection unit includes a light guide plate, a photodetector arranged on a side face of the light guide plate, and a light reflection section arranged to reflect the first light toward the photodetector. | 02-13-2014 |
20140061488 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiation imaging apparatus comprises: a detector that includes a detection unit in which pixels having a conversion element that converts radiation to an electric charge are arranged in a matrix shape, a drive circuit that drives the detection unit, and a read circuit that outputs an electric signal corresponding to the electric charge as image data; a radiation detection unit that detects a radiation irradiation state at a plurality of positions in the detection unit; and a control unit that controls operations of the drive circuit and the read circuit in accordance with a detection result obtained by the radiation detection unit, wherein the radiation detection unit detects a radiation irradiation state at least at a center region and a peripheral region in the detection unit, and a detection capability at the center region is set to a higher capability than a detection capability at the peripheral region. | 03-06-2014 |
20140061491 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising a sensor array in which a plurality of sensors configured to output signals corresponding to irradiated radiation, a detection unit configured to detect radiation, a driving unit configured to drive the sensor array, so as to initialize the plurality of sensors for each row repeatedly at least until the detection unit detects irradiation of radiation and to read out signals from the plurality of sensors for each row sequentially, and a processing unit configured to process signals from the sensor array, so as to correct a signal from the sensor on a row, of the plurality of sensors, which has been initialized during the irradiation of radiation, based on a timing of the initialization. | 03-06-2014 |
20140061492 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM - To provide a radiation imaging apparatus and a radiation imaging system that can detect radiation with high accuracy, the radiation imaging apparatus includes: a detection unit in which conversion elements that convert radiation into an electric signal are arranged in a matrix shape; a radiation detection unit configured to detect an irradiation state of radiation; a drive circuit configured to drive the detection unit in accordance with the irradiation state detected by the radiation detection unit; and a radiographing kind setting unit configured to set a radiographing kind, wherein the radiation detection unit changes a radiation detection capability in accordance with the radiographing kind set by the radiographing kind setting unit. | 03-06-2014 |
20140061494 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiation imaging apparatus including: a detector that includes a detection section in which pixels having a conversion element that converts radiation to an electric charge are arranged in a matrix shape, a drive circuit configured to drive the detection section, and a read circuit configured to output an electric signal that corresponds to the electric charge as image data; a radiation detection unit configured to detect a radiation irradiation state using two detection units that are adjacently arranged in the detection section; and a control unit configured to control operations of the drive circuit and the read circuit in accordance with a detection result obtained by the radiation detection unit, wherein a detection capability by one of the detection units is set to a lower capability than a detection capability at by the other of the detection units. | 03-06-2014 |
20140061495 | RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME AND RADIATION IMAGING SYSTEM - A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising a sensor array configured to output a signal in accordance with irradiated radiation, a driving unit configured to output a signal from the sensor array by driving the sensor array, a detecting unit configured to detect irradiated radiation, a control unit configured to control the driving unit to perform first readout to read out a signal corresponding to charge accumulated in the sensor array from the sensor array and perform second readout to further read out a signal from the sensor array at least in a case where the first readout has started during irradiation of radiation, and a processing unit configured to correct the signal obtained by the first readout based on the signal obtained by the second readout. | 03-06-2014 |