Radiography system, radiography apparatus, and control device

Abstract

To provide a system which allows an operator to easily grasp progress for the work that performs intended wireless setting between a wireless device of a radiographic system and a radiographic apparatus and which allows the operator to easily perform the work in a short restraint time.SOLUTION: In a radiographic system including a radiographic apparatus, a control apparatus controlling radiography and notification means, the radiographic apparatus comprises: a first wireless communication unit which transmits / receives an image via the first wireless communication with the control apparatus; and a second wireless communication unit which transmits / receives wireless information used in the first wireless communication via the second wireless communication with the control apparatus. The control apparatus causes the notification means to perform the first notification according to execution of prescribed processing in a period from the start of the second wireless communication to the completion of transmission / reception of the wireless information, and causes the notification means to perform the second notification according to the completion of the transmission / reception of the wireless information via the second wireless communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radiation imaging system, a radiation imaging device, and a control device.

Background Art

[0002] In the medical field, a radiation imaging system using radiation is known. With the digitalization of the radiation imaging system, a system has become widespread in which radiation is irradiated from radiation to a radiation imaging device through a subject, the radiation imaging device generates a digital radiation imaging image, and the imaging control device can confirm the image immediately after radiation imaging. This has improved the workflow compared to the conventional film-based imaging method and enabled imaging to be performed in a short cycle.

[0003] In such a radiation imaging system, a device has been disclosed in which the connection between the radiation imaging device and the imaging control device is made wireless to eliminate the installation restrictions due to the cable of the radiation imaging device. In order to establish a wireless connection between these devices, it is necessary to set the same settings such as SSID (Service Set Identifier), authentication method, encryption type, encryption key, etc. between the devices to be connected. Usually, these settings are manually set for both devices performing the wireless connection, or are set by the push button method or PIN code method defined by WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup).

[0004] However, when setting manually, input work is essential and there is a possibility that the connection cannot be established due to operation errors. Similarly, in the PIN code method, input work of the PIN code is required on the parent device side. Also, in the push button method, an operation different from the normal workflow as a radiation imaging system, such as simultaneously pressing or contacting the push buttons of both the child device and the parent device, is required.

[0005] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a means for wirelessly configuring settings between a radiography apparatus and an imaging control device via a connection means using short-range wireless communication such as infrared communication or Bluetooth®, which has a narrower communication range than wireless communication. This eliminates the need for the operator to manually configure the wireless settings. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-120885 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, when wireless settings are performed via a connection means using short-range wireless communication, the progress of the process is not notified to the operator. Therefore, the operator must wait with the radiography device close to the imaging control device until the entire series of processes is completed, which results in a problem of increased operator time constraints. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above problem is a radiation generator that irradiates radiation. and Radiation imaging device that detects radiation The control device for controlling radiography is linked via a network to the aforementioned A radiography system for performing radiographic imaging, comprising an access point for accessing the network and a system for notifying the user. First News Department and the second news departmentThe radiography apparatus includes a first communication unit compatible with the BLE standard, a second communication unit provided in the radiography apparatus and compatible with the BLE standard, and a WLAN communication unit provided in the radiography apparatus that communicates with the control device via the access point. The radiography apparatus, after performing a predetermined communication that is executed when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are in close proximity to each other, sets an SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point based on the result of the predetermined communication. First The news department, The aforementioned The first notification is given as a notification at the stage when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are brought into close proximity to each other, before the execution of a predetermined communication. line The second notification unit performs a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the first communication unit and the second communication unit into close proximity to each other. The first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by being a notification by a light source and a notification by a sound source. This is solved by a radiography system characterized by the following features. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the process of wirelessly configuring a radiographic imaging apparatus with wireless equipment intended for a radiographic imaging system can be performed in a simple and short time, with the operator being able to easily grasp the progress. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is an example of the configuration of a radiography system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an example of the configuration of a radiography apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the radiography system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation during connection destination determination according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an example of the arrangement of each device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]This is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of an observer in the first embodiment, where the observer is a radiography device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] (First Embodiment) Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 6. First, an example of the configuration of the radiography system 100 according to this embodiment will be described using the conceptual diagram in Figure 1.

[0012] The radiography system 100 includes a radiography device 101, an information processing device 102, an access point 103, a communication device 104, a synchronization control device 105, and a radiation generator 106.

[0013] The radiography apparatus 101 is a device that takes a radiographic image based on radiation 107 that has passed through the subject H. This radiography apparatus 101 may be a portable radiography apparatus, for example. The radiography apparatus 101 has, for example, a two-dimensional array of a phosphor that converts radiation into light and pixels that convert light into electric charge, and converts incident radiation into electric charge. The converted electric charge is processed as image data and sent to the information processing apparatus 102.

[0014] The information processing device 102 is a control device implemented using known technologies such as a general-purpose computer, and includes a display unit, an input unit, and a control unit. The information processing device 102 performs image processing on image data received from the radiography apparatus 101 for correction, storage, and display. In this case, some or all of the image processing functions may be performed by the radiography apparatus 101.

[0015] In addition, the information processing device 102 displays radiation images to the operator and gives instructions for imaging through the display unit. Also, the information processing device 102 has a function that allows the operator to input instructions for imaging conditions and the like through the input unit. Further, the control unit of the information processing device 102 has functions such as comparing the acquired signal intensity with a threshold value, replying to connection requests, and transmitting information for communication with a wireless communication unit such as wireless information described later.

[0016] The access point 103 is a device that relays radio waves for wireless information exchange between the radiation imaging device 101 and the information processing device 102. In FIG. 1, the access point 103 is connected to the information processing device 102 via the synchronization control device 105, but it may also be directly connected to the information processing device 102.

[0017] The communication device 104 is connected to the information processing device 102 and is a device that transmits and receives radio waves for short-range wireless communication between the radiation imaging device 101 and the information processing device 102. For example, the communication device 104 is a dongle connected to the information processing device 102 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. Also, the communication device 104 is a device compatible with at least one of the Bluetooth (registered trademark) Basic Rate / Enhanced Data Rate (BR / EDR) standard or the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard.

[0018] In addition, the communication device 104 may be an RFID (radio frequency identifier) device that exchanges information through short-range wireless communication using an electromagnetic field, radio waves, or the like from a tag embedded with ID information. The communication method of the RFID may be either an electromagnetic induction method or a radio wave method. Also, the communication device 104 may have the function of an access point.

[0019] Although the above description and Figure 1 show an example where the communication device 104 is connected to the information processing device 102, this is not limited to this configuration. The communication device 104 may also be connected to other devices that constitute the radiography system 100, such as the radiation generator 106. Alternatively, the communication device 104 may be replaced by using equipment that is pre-installed in the radiography system 100.

[0020] A status notification device 109 is connected to the information processing device 102 as a means of notifying the operator. Based on information received from the radiography device 101 via the access point 103, the status notification device 109 notifies the operator of the current status of the radiography device 101 and when a specific process has been completed.

[0021] The status notification device 109 uses a light-emitting element such as an LED, and notifies the operator by linking multiple lighting patterns to the current status of the radiography apparatus 101 in advance. Alternatively, the status notification device 109 may use a sound source such as a speaker, in which case a buzzer sound pattern is linked to the current status of the radiography apparatus 101 in advance to notify the operator. These configurations may also be used in combination.

[0022] Furthermore, although the status notification device 109 is shown as being connected to the information processing device 102, it may also be substituted by using devices such as a display or speaker provided in the information processing device 102.

[0023] The synchronization control device 105 has a circuit that mediates communication and monitors the status of the radiography device 101 and the radiation generator 106. For example, the synchronization control device 105 controls the irradiation of radiation 107 from the radiation generator 106 or controls the imaging of the subject H by the radiography device 101. The synchronization control device 105 may also have a built-in HUB or the like for connecting multiple network devices.

[0024] The radiation generator 106 has a radiation tube that, for example, accelerates electrons with a high voltage and collides them with an anode in order to generate radiation 107 such as X-rays. While X-rays are typically used as the radiation 107, alpha rays, beta rays, gamma rays, or neutron rays may also be used.

[0025] The hospital LAN 108 is a local area network established within the hospital, and it has the function of sending and receiving radiographic images taken by the radiography system 100 to various locations within the hospital.

[0026] In the radiography system 100 shown in Figure 1, radiation 107 emitted from the radiation generator 106 is directed at the patient, subject H. The radiography device 101 generates a radiographic image based on the radiation 107 that has passed through subject H.

[0027] The radiography system 100 can perform imaging using both synchronous and asynchronous imaging. Synchronized imaging is an imaging method in which the timing of radiation irradiation and imaging is synchronized by exchanging electrical synchronization signals between the radiography device 101 and the radiation generator 106 via a synchronization control device 105.

[0028] On the other hand, asynchronous imaging is an imaging method in which the radiography apparatus 101 starts imaging when it detects the incidence of radiation, without exchanging electrical synchronization signals between the radiography apparatus 101 and the radiation generator 106. In asynchronous imaging, the radiography apparatus 101 may transfer the radiation image after each imaging, or it may store the captured images internally in the radiography apparatus 101 without transferring them after each imaging.

[0029] Furthermore, the radiography system 100 can perform imaging under conditions commonly used in radiography, such as fluoroscopy, continuous imaging, still image imaging, DSA imaging, roadmap imaging, programmed imaging, tomography, and tomosynthesis.

[0030] The radiography system 100 is configured with various functions, including the imaging frame rate, tube voltage, tube current, sensor readout area, sensor drive binning setting, collimator aperture setting, radiation window width, and whether or not to store radiation images in the radiography device 101. In addition, the radiography system 100 may also be configured with functions such as automatic voltage control (ADC) and automatic exposure control (AEC).

[0031] Next, an example of the configuration of the radiography apparatus 101 will be explained using Figure 2. The power button 11 is an operating unit (including equipment, circuits, circuits described by programs, etc. that have this function) for instructing the start or stop of power supply to each component of the radiography apparatus 101. The user prepares for imaging by operating this power button. The power button 11 is provided, for example, on the side of the radiography apparatus 101, but it can be installed on any surface other than the radiation incidence surface.

[0032] The battery unit 4 supplies a predetermined voltage to each component of the radiography apparatus 101. For example, the battery unit 4 may be a lithium-ion battery or an electric double-layer capacitor. If the radiography apparatus 101 is always powered by an external power source 5, the battery unit 4 does not need to be installed.

[0033] The external power supply 5 supplies a predetermined voltage to each component of the radiography apparatus 101 from outside the radiography apparatus 101. The power supply method may be wired or contactless.

[0034] The notification unit 18 notifies the operator of the current status of the radiography apparatus 101 or the completion of a specific process. As a means of notification, it has a light-emitting function such as an LED with a lighting pattern, or a sound-producing function such as a speaker, and the operator is notified by linking any combination of these with the current status of the radiography apparatus 101 in advance. The notification means may have either the light-emitting function or the sound-producing function, or both. The light-emitting function may have multiple LEDs of different colors, and it may also have a display function capable of displaying numbers or images, such as a 7-segment LED or an LCD screen.

[0035] The power control circuit unit 3 controls the power supply from the battery unit 4 or external power supply 5 to each component of the radiography apparatus 101, and monitors the remaining battery level of the battery unit 4, depending on the operation status of the power button 11. For example, the power control circuit unit 3 transforms the voltage from the battery unit 4 or external power supply 5 to a predetermined voltage and supplies it to each component of the radiography apparatus 101. Also, for example, if the external power supply 5 is not connected to the radiography apparatus 101, the power control circuit unit 3 switches between supplying power from the battery unit 4 and not supplying power depending on the operation of the power button 11.

[0036] The radiation detection unit 20 detects the radiation 107 that has passed through the subject H as an image signal (charge). The radiation 107 that has passed through the subject H is incident on the phosphor of the radiation detection unit 20 and converted into light by the phosphor. This light is converted into an image signal (charge) by the photoelectric conversion elements 201 of multiple pixels 200 arranged in a two-dimensional array. The image signal (charge) is read out by the readout circuit 16 and the drive circuit 17.

[0037] When a row of pixels 200 is selected by a drive signal generated by the drive circuit 17, the switch elements 202 of the pixels 200 in that row are sequentially turned ON. The image signal (charge) stored in the photoelectric conversion element 201 of the pixels 200 in that row is output to the signal line connected to each pixel 200. The readout circuit 16 has the function of amplifying the image signal (charge) output to the signal line and sequentially reads out the image signal from the radiation detection unit 20.

[0038] The ADC7 converts the analog image signal read out by the readout circuit 16 into a digital image signal and outputs it to the control unit 14 as a radiographic image. In other words, the ADC7 is an A / D conversion unit that converts the analog image signal read out by the readout circuit 16 into digital data.

[0039] The storage unit 15 stores the radiographic image data output from the ADC7, a system identifier, a threshold value for signal strength between the radiography apparatus 101 and the communication device 104, and an offset image. The storage unit 15 may also store the technician ID, which is the identification information of the technician corresponding to the generated image data, the patient ID, which is the identification information of the patient, the shooting conditions including the shooting time, shooting dose, shooting area, and number of shots, and the transfer history of the radiographic image data.

[0040] The memory unit 15 is a device capable of reading and writing, and specifically uses non-volatile memory such as flash memory. However, it is not limited to this, and volatile memory devices such as SDRAM may also be used. Furthermore, it may be a removable device such as an SD card, and may be designed to be attached to the information processing device 102 or the like.

[0041] The first wireless communication unit 2 communicates with the access point 103 via a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) and is used as a communication means for sending and receiving radiographic images and other data with the information processing device 102. It is also used as a communication means when controlling radiographic imaging by the radiography device 101 from the information processing device 102. The first wireless communication unit 2 is configured with a wireless communication module according to the medium used for communication, such as the information processing device 102 and the synchronization control device 105. The first wireless communication unit 2 can set the transmission power of radio waves via the control unit 14.

[0042] Furthermore, the first wireless communication unit 2 stores information such as the data rate, packet loss per unit time, round trip time (RTT), and packet buffer occupancy rate. In addition, the first wireless communication unit 2 stores information on the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in wireless communication.

[0043] The second wireless communication unit 6 communicates with the communication device 104 via a wireless PAN (Personal Area Network). The second wireless communication unit 6 uses equipment that supports at least one of the Bluetooth BR / EDR standard or the Bluetooth LE standard, depending on the communication device 104 it communicates with.

[0044] Furthermore, the second wireless communication unit 6 can transmit and receive wireless information necessary for wireless communication between the radiography apparatus 101 and the information processing device 102 via the first wireless communication unit 2 by communicating with the communication device 104. Here, wireless information refers to the identifier of the radiography system 100, the SSID necessary for communication with the first wireless communication unit 2, and encryption keys. In addition, the second wireless communication unit 6 can set the transmission power of the radio waves via the control unit 14.

[0045] Furthermore, the second wireless communication unit 6 uses a wireless communication module that matches the medium used for communication by the communication device 104 of the information processing device 102. For example, if the communication device 104 is a wireless communication module that supports the BLE standard, the second wireless communication unit 6 also uses a wireless communication module that supports the BLE standard.

[0046] Furthermore, the second wireless communication unit 6 stores information such as the data rate, packet loss per unit time, round trip time (RTT), and packet buffer occupancy rate. The second wireless communication unit 6 can also store information on the RSSI and S / N ratio regarding the signal in the wireless communication.

[0047] The control unit 12 may also be used as a manual trigger for wireless information exchange between the radiography apparatus 101 and the communication device 104. For example, when the control unit 12 is operated, it may be possible to send and receive the identifier of the radiography system 100, the SSID to be set in the first wireless communication unit 2, an encryption key, etc. The control unit 12 is provided, for example, on the side of the radiography apparatus 101, but it can be installed on any surface other than the radiation incidence surface.

[0048] The control unit 14 switches communication permissions with external devices such as the communication device 104 and controls communication with external devices. Furthermore, when the second wireless communication unit 6 performs wireless communication, the control unit 14 transmits packets from the second wireless communication unit 6 to the communication device 104 based on the signal strength set. At this time, the radiography apparatus 101 may use the notification unit 18 to notify the operator that it has started transmitting packets.

[0049] Meanwhile, the information processing device 102 determines whether or not to initiate a connection via the communication device 104 based on the signal strength when the packet is received and a signal strength threshold previously stored in the information processing device 102.

[0050] For example, the radiography apparatus 101 transmits an identifier indicating that it is the radiography apparatus 101 in the advertised packet it broadcasts. The information processing device 102 determines whether the identifier contained in the advertised packet received via the communication device 104 matches an identifier that has been stored in advance. The information processing device 102 obtains the signal strength of the received advertised packet, and if it exceeds a signal strength threshold that has been stored in the information processing device 102 in advance, the information processing device 102 starts a connection with the communication device 104.

[0051] At this time, the signal strength of the packets received by the communication device 104 decreases as the distance from the second wireless communication unit 6 increases. Therefore, by using the signal strength as a threshold, it is possible to initiate a connection only when the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 are closer than a certain distance.

[0052] The signal strength values ​​of received advertisement packets may be compared to a threshold after performing data processing, such as averaging multiple acquired values ​​or using a moving average. Alternatively, an algorithm may be used that initiates a connection when an advertisement packet exceeding the threshold is received a specified number of times, or any combination of data processing and algorithms may be applied.

[0053] The communication device 104 uses the signal strength of the received packet being above a threshold as a condition for deciding whether to send a connection request from the communication device 104. Therefore, until the connection is established, the operator needs to keep the second wireless communication unit 6 of the radiography apparatus 101 and the communication device 104 of the information processing device 102 closer than a certain distance so that the signal strength is above the threshold.

[0054] When the information processing device 102 detects that a connection has been established between the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104, it uses the status notification device 109 to provide a first notification to the operator. After the connection is established, the radiography device 101 can be freely moved within the communication environment distance of the Bluetooth BR / EDR standard or Bluetooth LE standard. Therefore, upon receiving this first notification, the operator can move the radiography device 101 away from the vicinity of the communication device 104 and proceed to the next task without waiting for the transmission and reception of communication settings related to the first wireless communication unit 2, which will be described later, to be completed.

[0055] After the connection is established, the control unit 14 communicates the system identifier and communication settings related to the first wireless communication unit 2 (SSID and encryption key). When all settings have been successfully transmitted and received, or when an error occurs during transmission and reception and communication cannot be completed successfully, the information processing device 102 uses the status notification device 109 to provide a second notification to the operator. At this time, it is preferable to make it easy to distinguish between the notification patterns of the status notification device 109 for successful completion and abnormal completion.

[0056] Furthermore, it is preferable that the notification methods for the first and second notifications by the status notification device 109 be different operation patterns so that the operator can easily distinguish between them. For example, by using different operation patterns for at least one of the notification operations, such as the type of sound emitted or the LED illumination pattern and color, the operator can easily distinguish between the first and second notifications.

[0057] Next, if there is a difference between the newly set communication settings and the currently set communication settings, the control unit 14 controls the first wireless communication unit 2 to communicate with the access point 103 using the newly set communication settings.

[0058] At this time, the newly configured communication settings may be stored in the storage unit 15. Furthermore, when communication is performed using the new communication settings, the notification unit 18 of the radiography device 101 may be used to display the information to the operator. The system identifier may also be information contained in the advertisement packet before connection or in the response (SCAN_RESP) packet when making an active scan request (SCAN_REQ).

[0059] Next, using the flowchart in Figure 3, we will explain the operation of the radiography system 100 until a connection is established between the first wireless communication unit 2 and the access point 103.

[0060] Step 301: The radiography apparatus 101 broadcasts information such as signal strength at regular time intervals to initiate communication for exchanging communication setting information. The information processing device 102 receives the broadcasted packets. The trigger for initiating communication may be an operation of the control unit 12 or a software control in the information processing device 102.

[0061] At this time, the radiography apparatus 101 may set the transmission power of the second wireless communication unit 6 to a low level. By setting the transmission power to a low level, it is possible to prevent packets from reaching long distances and to limit the communication devices 104 that can receive broadcast packets. Subsequently, the operation of step 302 is performed.

[0062] Step 302: If the information contained in the received advertisement packet (identifier of the radiography device 101) matches a previously stored identifier, the information processing device 102 obtains the signal strength from the communication device 104. Subsequently, the operation of step 303 is performed. If the information contained in the received advertisement packet does not match a previously stored identifier, the process returns to step 301.

[0063] Step 303: The information processing device 102 determines whether the signal strength in the communication between the communication device 104 and the radiography device 101 exceeds a threshold set in the information processing device 102. If the information processing device 102 determines that the signal strength exceeds the threshold, the operation in step 304 is performed. If the signal strength does not exceed the threshold, the process returns to step 301.

[0064] Step 304: The communication device 104 initiates a connection with the second wireless communication unit 6. Subsequently, the operation of step 305 is performed.

[0065] Step 305: If the information processing device 102 detects that a connection has been established between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6, the operation in step 306 is performed. If a connection is not established, the process returns to step 304.

[0066] Step 306: When the information processing device 102 detects that a connection has been established between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6, it causes the status notification device 109 to send a first notification to the operator. The radiography apparatus 101 may also increase the transmission power of the second wireless communication unit 6 when a connection has been established between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6. After the connection is established, a stronger signal strength allows the communication device 104 to receive high-quality packets with a higher signal-to-noise ratio, thus enabling stable transmission and reception of parameters such as communication settings.

[0067] Step 307: The communication device 104 initiates data communication using GATT (Generic Attribute Profile), which defines the data structuring method and the method of communication between applications. For example, the second wireless communication unit 6 is configured to act as a client, and the communication device 104 is configured to act as a server. Subsequently, the operation in step 308 is performed.

[0068] Step 308: The communication device 104 executes the communication settings (SSID and encryption key) according to the appropriate protocol (for example, ensuring that the necessary information is received in a predetermined order). If communication is successful, step 309 is then executed. If communication fails, step 307 is executed again.

[0069] The Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) for uniquely identifying the GATT service may be predefined in the radiography device 101 and the information processing device 102, or it may be configured to be negotiated during communication. Furthermore, the communication settings may include, as needed, the wireless channel, the IP address of the radiography device 101, the master / slave settings, the encryption method, the IP address of the synchronization control device, etc. Also, the communication device 104 may communicate the system identifier here instead of communicating it in step 302.

[0070] Step 309: Once communication is complete, the status notification device 109 provides a second notification to the operator.

[0071] Step 310: If there is a difference between the newly configured communication settings and the currently configured communication settings, the communication device 104 performs the action in Step 311. If there is no difference, the flow terminates.

[0072] Step 311: The communication device 104 controls the first wireless communication unit 2 or the second wireless communication unit 6 to communicate using the communication settings newly set in the steps up to this point. Subsequently, the operation of step 312 is performed.

[0073] Step 312: The communication device 104 stores the newly configured communication settings in the information processing device 102. This completes the flow.

[0074] Next, using the sequence diagram in Figure 4, the operation of the radiography system 100 until the connection between the first wireless communication unit 2 and the access point 103 is established will be explained. Figure 4 shows an example of operation when the broadcaster (advertiser) that broadcasts data is the radiography device 101 and the observer (scanner) that monitors the data is the information processing device 102.

[0075] Step 401: After startup, the radiography apparatus 101 acts as an advertiser, broadcasting an advertised packet to establish a connection with one of the multiple information processing devices 102. The radiography apparatus 101 transmits information including a system identifier to the communication device 104 via the second wireless communication unit 6. The transmission power and packet transmission cycle can be set in advance.

[0076] At this time, the notification unit 18 of the radiography device 101 may display an indication that it is in the process of establishing a connection with the information processing device 102. For example, the notification unit 18 may be an LED, and the LED may blink to indicate that it is in the process of establishing a connection with the information processing device 102.

[0077] The communication device 104 behaves as a scanner capable of receiving advertised packets. When the information processing device 102 recognizes the system identifier received by the communication device 104 from the second wireless communication unit 6 as a partner to connect to, it performs a determination based on a predetermined threshold for signal strength. If it is determined that the threshold is exceeded, the operation in step 402 is performed. If it is determined that the threshold is not exceeded, the operation in step 401 is performed again.

[0078] When broadcasting of advertised packets begins, a timeout period is set in the control unit 14 of the radiography apparatus 101. If the radiography apparatus 101 does not determine that the identifiers of the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 match and exceed a threshold within the timeout period after the broadcasting of advertised packets begins, it cancels the broadcast.

[0079] When the radiography device 101 stops broadcasting due to a timeout, the notification unit 18 of the radiography device 101 may display a message indicating that the broadcast of the advertised packet has been stopped. For example, the display unit may consist of LEDs, and the message that the broadcast of the advertised packet has been stopped may be indicated by turning off the blinking LEDs or by making them blink at a different frequency.

[0080] Furthermore, until the identifiers of the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 are determined to match and exceed a threshold, the connection may be canceled by operating the power button 11 of the radiography apparatus 101. In this case as with the timeout case, the cancellation of the connection may be indicated by turning off the LED of the notification unit 18 or by blinking it at a different frequency.

[0081] Step 402: The communication device 104 sends a connection request to the second wireless communication unit 6, and then the operation in step 403 is performed. The transmission of the connection request may be performed by an operator using the input unit of the information processing device 102. When step 402 is performed, the communication device 104 enters an initiating state, which is the connection start state.

[0082] Furthermore, when the second wireless communication unit 6 receives a connection request from the communication device 104, a link timeout period is set in the control unit 14. If a connection between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6 is not established by the link timeout period, the radiography apparatus 101 notifies the information processing device 102 that a connection could not be established.

[0083] Upon receiving the notification, the information processing device 102 cancels the establishment of a connection with the radiography device 101. At this time, the notification unit 18 of the radiography device 101 may display a message indicating that the connection has been canceled. In this case as with the timeout case, the cancellation of the connection may be indicated by turning off the blinking LED or by blinking it at a different frequency.

[0084] Step 403: The second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 become connected. At this time, pairing, which is the sharing of encryption keys, and mutual service lookup may be performed between the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104. Subsequently, the operation in step 404 is performed. Also, once the connection is established, the status notification device 109 makes a first notification to the operator.

[0085] Step 404: The communication device 104 transmits the SSID of the access point 103 to the second wireless communication unit 6. For example, the SSID is the string "X". The SSID is preferably encrypted, but not necessarily required. Subsequently, the operation of step 405 is performed.

[0086] Step 405: The communication device 104 transmits the encryption key (Key) of the access point 103 to the second wireless communication unit 6. For example, the Key is the string "ABCDEFGH". The Key is preferably encrypted, but not necessarily. Once all necessary settings have been transmitted and received, the status notification device 109 provides a second notification to the operator. Subsequently, the operation in step 406 is performed.

[0087] Step 406: The connection between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6 is disconnected, followed by the operation of step 407.

[0088] Step 407: The control unit 14 of the information processing device 102 controls the first wireless communication unit 2 to connect with the access point 103 using the communication settings received in steps 404 and 405. The access point 103 authenticates with the new communication settings and performs communication.

[0089] Next, using the example of the arrangement of each device in Figure 5, we will explain how to connect the radiography device 101 and the information processing device 102 when multiple information processing devices 102 are located in close proximity. In Figure 5, the radiography device 101 is the broadcaster (advertiser) that broadcasts data, and the information processing device 102 is the observer (scanner) that monitors the data. Also, in Figure 5, the information processing device used in radiography room A is 102-A, the information processing device used in radiography room B is 102-B, and so on, with the letter after the hyphen indicating which radiography room each device is used in.

[0090] Now, consider the case where multiple communication devices 104 are in close proximity, as shown in Figure 5, in the wireless information transfer described in Figures 3 and 4. If the radiography device 101-A acts as an advertiser broadcasting advertised packets, both communication devices 104-A and 104-B are determined to be devices to be connected to.

[0091] In this case, according to the BR / EDR or BLE standard, a connection is established with the communication device 104 that sent the connection request first, and the SSID and Key associated with the information processing device 102 are set on the radiography device 101. Therefore, there is a possibility that the radiography device 101 may connect to the information processing device 102 unintentionally.

[0092] In this embodiment, since a status notification device 109 is connected to each information processing device 102, the operator can easily recognize which information processing device 102 the first or second notification originated from the status notification device 109 connected to. For example, even if the communication device 104-A of the information processing device 102-A that the operator wants to connect to is not functioning properly and is mistakenly connected to communication device 104-B, the notification will still be sent from the status notification device 109 of radiography room B. Therefore, the operator can easily recognize that they have connected to the wrong device.

[0093] Alternatively, the observer (scanner) that monitors the data may be the radiography device 101, and the broadcaster (advertiser) that broadcasts the data may be the information processing device 102. An example of this case will be explained below using the sequence diagram in Figure 6. Note that explanations will be omitted for parts that are the same as those in the sequence diagram in Figure 4.

[0094] Step 601: After startup, the information processing device 102 acts as an advertiser broadcasting advertised packets and transmits information including the device address to the second wireless communication unit 6 using the communication device 104. At this time, the transmission power and packet transmission period can be set in advance. The second wireless communication unit 6 acts as a scanner that is in a state where it can receive advertised packets. Then, upon receiving the advertised packet, the second wireless communication unit 6 recognizes the device address as the partner to be connected to and performs step 602.

[0095] Step 602: If the data in the advertised packet alone is insufficient, the second wireless communication unit 6 sends a SCAN_REQ and performs step 603.

[0096] Step 603: When the communication device 104 receives SCAN_REQ, it sends SCAN_RSP to the second wireless communication unit 6. The second wireless communication unit 6 receives SCAN_RSP, performs step 604, and enters the initiating state, which is the connection start state.

[0097] Steps 604-609: These are the same as steps 403-407, respectively.

[0098] As described above, in this invention, a status notification device 109 connected to the information processing device 102 is used to provide a first notification when the connection between the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 is established. A second notification is then provided when all settings have been transmitted and received. This makes it easy for the operator to grasp the progress of the connection and allows the process to be completed simply and with a short time commitment.

[0099] (Second embodiment) The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described in Figure 4 in that it uses the notification unit 18 of the radiography apparatus 101 as the notification means for both the first and second notifications.

[0100] Once the connection between the second wireless communication unit 6 and the communication device 104 is established, the notification unit 18 of the radiography apparatus 101 issues a first notification to the operator. The notification from the notification unit 18 may be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, such as by emitting light or making a sound. Furthermore, due to issues such as the placement space inside the radiography apparatus 101, it may be difficult to enhance the functionality of the notification unit 18, and the internal unit 18 may be composed of a single-color LED or a small LCD (liquid crystal display).

[0101] For example, when using LEDs, it is preferable to prepare multiple lighting patterns such as on, off, blinking cycles, and number of blinks, and to notify the operator in correspondence with the first and second notifications. Also, when using an LCD, there are size constraints, so it is preferable to extract the minimum necessary information from the information notified by the status notification device 109 connected to the information processing device 102, as in the first embodiment, and notify it on the LCD.

[0102] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, if there are multiple information processing devices 102-1 and 102-2, it is preferable to be able to distinguish which of the information processing devices 102-1 and 102-2 was the target to which the notification content of the notification unit 18 was communicated. For example, by distinguishing the notification patterns, such as using different notification sounds or different LED colors for each connected target, the operator can easily recognize that they have connected to the wrong target.

[0103] The above describes typical embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown above and in the drawings, and can be implemented by modifying it as appropriate without changing its essence.

[0104] For example, in the explanation of Figure 3, the first notification is given when the information processing device 102 detects that a connection has been established between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6 in step 306, but this is not limited to that. The first notification may be given in accordance with a predetermined process that takes place between the time the connection between the communication device 104 and the second wireless communication unit 6 is initiated and the establishment of the connection is completed.

[0105] For example, at step 302, the first notification may be given when the information processing device 102 detects that the identifier of the radiography device 101 received by the information processing device 102 matches an identifier previously stored in the information processing device 102. Alternatively, the first notification may be given at step 303, when the information processing device 102 detects that the signal strength in the communication between the communication device 104 and the radiography device 101 exceeds a threshold.

[0106] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements the above-described functions to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program.

[0107] Furthermore, various recording media can be used, such as flexible disks, optical disks (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs), magneto-optical disks, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory (e.g., USB memory), and ROMs. Additionally, a program that performs the above-mentioned functions may be downloaded via a network and executed by a computer.

[0108] Furthermore, the functionality of the above-described embodiment is not limited to being realized solely by the execution of program code read by a computer. It also includes cases where the OS (operating system) running on the computer performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program code, and the functionality of the above-described embodiment is realized through that processing.

[0109] Furthermore, program code read from a recording medium may be written to the memory of a function expansion board inserted into a computer or a function expansion unit connected to a computer. This also includes cases where the CPU or other components of the function expansion board or function expansion unit perform some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program code, and the above-mentioned functions are realized through that processing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 100 radiography systems 101 Radiography equipment 102 Information Processing Device 103 Access Point 104 Communication devices 109 Status notification device

Claims

1. A radiation imaging system that performs radiation imaging by coordinating a radiation generating device that irradiates radiation, a radiation imaging device that detects the radiation, and a control device that controls radiation imaging via a network, An access point for accessing the aforementioned network, A first notification unit and a second notification unit that notify the user, The first communication unit is compliant with the BLE standard, The aforementioned radiography apparatus is provided with a second communication unit that complies with the BLE standard, The radiography apparatus includes a WLAN communication unit that communicates with the control device via the access point, The radiography apparatus, after performing a predetermined communication that is executed when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are in close proximity to each other, sets an SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point based on the result of the predetermined communication. The first notification unit makes a first notification as a notification at the stage when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are brought into close proximity to each other, before the execution of the predetermined communication. The second notification unit performs a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the first communication unit and the second communication unit into close proximity to each other. A radiography system characterized in that the first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by a notification using a light source and a notification using a sound source.

2. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined communication is a communication to acquire connection information for connecting to the network used for radiography.

3. The radiation imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined communication is initiated based on the radio wave intensity of the communication between the first communication unit and the second communication unit satisfying a predetermined signal intensity.

4. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first notification is a notification corresponding to the establishment of BLE standard communication between the first communication unit and the second communication unit.

5. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second notification corresponds to the radiography apparatus acquiring connection information for connecting to the access point via the first communication unit and the second communication unit.

6. The radiation imaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first notification unit is a light-emitting element provided in the radiation imaging apparatus.

7. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second notification unit is a sound source provided in the control device.

8. The radiography apparatus comprises a display unit, The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the display unit displays information regarding changes to communication settings based on the results of the predetermined communication.

9. The radiography apparatus comprises a display unit, The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the display unit displays information regarding the establishment of a connection with the control device.

10. The radiography apparatus includes a display unit, The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the display unit displays information regarding the discontinuation of connection with the control device.

11. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiography apparatus is equipped with a button, and the connection between the first communication unit and the second communication unit is terminated based on the operation of the button.

12. The control device comprises a display used in the control device, The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device displays on the display information indicating the result of establishing communication via WLAN communication between the radiography apparatus and the control device.

13. The radiography system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the first notification unit and the second notification unit provides different notification patterns depending on the connected object.

14. A radiography apparatus that performs radiography in cooperation with a radiation generating device that irradiates radiation and a control device that controls radiography via a network, A first notification unit and a second notification unit that notify the user, A second communication unit that can communicate with a first communication unit, the second communication unit being compliant with the BLE standard, It has a WLAN communication unit that communicates with the control device via an access point for accessing the aforementioned network, After executing a predetermined communication when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are in close proximity to each other, the SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point are set based on the result of the predetermined communication. The first notification unit makes a first notification as a notification at the stage when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are brought into close proximity to each other, before the execution of the predetermined communication. The second notification unit performs a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the first communication unit and the second communication unit into close proximity to each other. The radiography apparatus is characterized in that the first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by being a notification by a light source and a notification by a sound source.

15. A control device for controlling the radiography in a radiography system that performs radiography by coordinating a radiation generating device that irradiates radiation and a radiography device that detects radiation via a network, A first notification unit and a second notification unit that notify the user, A first communication unit compliant with the BLE standard, the first communication unit being capable of communicating with a second communication unit provided in the radiography apparatus, It has a WLAN communication unit that communicates with the radiography apparatus via an access point for accessing the aforementioned network, The control device transmits to the radiography apparatus, by predetermined communication performed when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are in close proximity to each other, predetermined information necessary for the radiography apparatus to set the SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point. The first notification unit makes a first notification as a notification at the stage when the first communication unit and the second communication unit are brought into close proximity to each other, before the execution of the predetermined communication. The second notification unit performs a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the first communication unit and the second communication unit into close proximity to each other. The control device is characterized in that the first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by being a notification by a light source and a notification by a sound source.

16. A radiation imaging system that performs radiation imaging by coordinating a radiation generating device that emits radiation, a radiation imaging device that detects the radiation, and a control device that controls radiation imaging via a network, An access point for accessing the aforementioned network, The aforementioned radiography apparatus includes a notification unit that provides notification to the user using a light source or sound source, The aforementioned radiography apparatus includes a display unit that provides information to the user through the display of information, A first short-range wireless communication unit is provided outside the aforementioned radiography apparatus, The radiography apparatus is provided with a second short-range wireless communication unit capable of short-range wireless communication, The radiography apparatus includes a WLAN communication unit that communicates with the control device via the access point, The radiography apparatus, after performing a predetermined communication that is executed when the first short-range wireless communication unit and the second short-range wireless communication unit are in close proximity to each other, sets an SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point based on the result of the predetermined communication. The notification unit makes a first notification as a notification at the stage when the first short-range wireless communication unit and the second short-range wireless communication unit are brought into close proximity to each other, before the execution of the predetermined communication. The display unit provides a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the first short-range wireless communication unit and the second short-range wireless communication unit close to each other. The first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by being a notification by the light-emitting body or the sound source and a notification by the information display, in a radiography system.

17. A radiography apparatus that performs radiography in cooperation with a radiation generating device that irradiates radiation and a control device that controls radiography via a network, A notification unit that notifies the user using a light source or sound source, A display unit that provides information to the user, A short-range wireless communication unit capable of communicating with a short-range wireless communication device provided outside the radiography apparatus, The radiography apparatus includes a WLAN communication unit that communicates with the control device via an access point for accessing the network, The radiography apparatus, after performing a predetermined communication that is executed when the short-range wireless communication device and the short-range wireless communication unit are in close proximity to each other, sets an SSID and encryption key for accessing the access point based on the result of the predetermined communication. The notification unit makes a first notification as a notification at the stage when the short-range wireless communication device and the short-range wireless communication unit are brought close to each other, before the execution of the predetermined communication. The display unit provides a second notification as a notification at a stage after the execution of the predetermined communication, where it is not necessary to bring the short-range wireless communication device and the short-range wireless communication unit close to each other. The radiography apparatus is characterized in that the first notification and the second notification are distinguished from each other by being a notification by the light-emitting body or the sound source and a notification by the information display.

18. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the display unit displays information regarding changes to communication settings based on the results of the predetermined communication as the information display.

19. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the display unit displays information that can distinguish the connection destination as the information display.

20. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the display unit displays information relating to the establishment of a connection with the control device.

21. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the display unit displays information regarding the discontinuation of connection with the control device.

22. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that predetermined information including a system identifier is transmitted from the short-range wireless communication device to the short-range wireless communication unit by the predetermined communication.

23. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the notification unit is a sound source that emits sound.

24. The radiography apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the notification unit is a light-emitting body.

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