Radiographic device, radiation generation device, radiographic system, method for operating radiographic device, method for operating radiation generation device, and program

Abstract

Provided is a radiographic device comprising: a first measurement unit that measures motion information of the radiographic device; and a second measurement unit that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the first measurement unit and measures motion information of the radiographic device, wherein the first measurement unit is used to determine the application of an impact to the radiographic device, and the second measurement unit is used to calculate information indicating the orientation of the radiographic device.

Description

Radiation imaging device, radiation generating device, radiation imaging system, method for operating radiation imaging device, method for operating radiation generating device, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a radiation imaging apparatus, a radiation generating apparatus, a radiation imaging system, a method for operating a radiation imaging apparatus, a method for operating a radiation generating apparatus, and a program.

[0002] Currently, flat panel detectors (FPDs) made of semiconductor materials are widely used as radiation detectors for medical image diagnosis and non-destructive testing using radiation such as X-rays. Furthermore, radiation imaging systems are used that combine such radiation detectors with radiation generators and the like that generate radiation.

[0003] Such radiation imaging systems include products equipped with gravity sensors. A function of the radiation imaging system equipped with a gravity sensor is to derive the attitudes of the radiation generator and the radiation detector and display the attitudes on a display unit or the like. This function enables the radiation imaging system to assist in aligning the irradiation field surface of the radiation irradiated from the radiation generator with the incident surface of the radiation detector, and to detect an impact on the radiation detector.

[0004] As an example of alignment between a radiation generating device and a radiation detector, there is a radiation imaging system in which a gravity sensor is provided inside the radiation detector and the attitude state of the radiation detector is calculated from the output value of the gravity sensor.

[0005] For example, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, a first tilt angle detection unit that detects the tilt angle of the radiographic imaging device and a second tilt angle detection unit that detects the tilt angle of the radiation source of the radiation generating device are used to align the radiographic imaging device and the radiation generating device. Furthermore, as an example of impact detection, Patent Document 2 discloses a method of detecting an impact by disposing an acceleration sensor in the center of the radiographic imaging device.

[0006] JP 2021-45647 A, Patent No. 7207482

[0007] The technology described in Patent Document 1 can detect the tilt angle of a radiographic imaging device using a gravity sensor, while the technology described in Patent Document 2 can detect an impact to the radiographic imaging device using an acceleration sensor (gravity sensor). However, even though they are both gravity sensors, the gravity sensor used for posture detection in Patent Document 1 generally has a small dynamic range, and the sensor becomes saturated with large signals such as those of an impact, making it impossible to detect peaks. On the other hand, the gravity sensor used for impact detection in Patent Document 2 generally has a large dynamic range but low sensitivity and a large amount of noise, making it unsuitable for use in posture detection. Therefore, it was difficult for the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 to simultaneously detect posture and impact of a radiographic imaging device.

[0008] An object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a radiation imaging device with improved functions for both posture detection and impact detection.

[0009] A radiation imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first measurement unit that measures movement information of the radiation imaging device, and a second measurement unit that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the first measurement unit and measures the movement information of the radiation imaging device, wherein the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device is determined using the first measurement unit, and information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device is calculated using the second measurement unit.

[0010] Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a radiation imaging system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an orientation calculation operation using a measurement unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an orientation calculation operation using a measurement unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 shows an example of a display during alignment according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 shows an example of a display during alignment according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a series of operations according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a series of operations according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a radiation imaging system according to a third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a series of operations according to the third embodiment.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of a radiation imaging apparatus and a radiation imaging system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the claimed invention. Although the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0013] In the following, a radiation imaging system using X-rays as an example of radiation will be described. However, the radiation may be X-rays or other radiation. In the following embodiments, the term radiation may include, for example, electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays and gamma rays, as well as particle radiation such as alpha rays, beta rays, particle rays, proton rays, heavy ion rays, and meson rays.

[0014] First Embodiment A radiation imaging system, a radiation imaging device, and an operation method of a radiation imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. In this embodiment, a method for achieving both posture detection and impact detection will be described using, as an example, a radiation imaging device equipped with two acceleration sensors having different dynamic ranges as measurement units.

[0015] 1 shows an example of the schematic configuration of a radiation imaging system according to this embodiment. The radiation imaging system 100 includes a radiation generating device 101, a control PC 102, and a radiation imaging device 103.

[0016] The radiation generating device 101 includes, for example, a radiation generator such as a radiation tube, a collimator, a collimator lamp, etc. The radiation generating device 101 irradiates radiation under the control of a control PC 102.

[0017] The radiation imaging device 103 is configured using any radiation detector that detects incident radiation and outputs a corresponding signal, and can be configured using, for example, an FPD (Flat Panel Detector). The radiation imaging device 103 may be an indirect conversion type detector that first converts radiation into visible light using a scintillator or the like and then converts the visible light into an electrical signal using an optical sensor or the like, or may be a direct conversion type detector that directly converts incident radiation into an electrical signal. The radiation imaging device 103 can detect incident radiation and transmit a signal corresponding to the detected radiation to the control PC 102.

[0018] The control PC 102 is connected to the radiation generating apparatus 101 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103 and can control them. The control PC 102 can also perform image processing on radiation images sent from the radiation imaging apparatus 103. The control PC 102 is also connected to a display unit 108 and an operation unit 109. The control PC 102 can function as an example of a display control unit that controls the display on the display unit 108.

[0019] The operation unit 109 includes input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and can be operated by an operator to input instructions to the control PC 102. The display unit 108 includes, for example, an arbitrary monitor, and can display information and images output from the control PC 102, information input by the operation unit 109, etc.

[0020] 1 illustrates an example in which the radiation generating apparatus 101 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103 are connected via a control PC 102. Here, the connection between them may take a variety of forms, such as a direct cable connection, a connection via a switching hub, or a wireless connection. The radiation generating apparatus 101 may be installed in a room or may be a mobile apparatus such as a medical cart. Regarding the imaging method, in addition to synchronous imaging, in which the radiation generating apparatus 101 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103 are connected and imaging is performed in synchronization with each other, asynchronous imaging, in which imaging is performed by detecting radiation irradiation without using a synchronization signal, is also possible.

[0021] In this embodiment, the control PC 102, the operation unit 109, the display unit 108, etc. are configured as separate devices, but they may also be configured as an integrated unit. For example, the operation unit 109 and the display unit 108 may be configured as a touch panel display.

[0022] The control PC 102 can be configured using a general computer including a processor, memory, etc., but may also be configured as a computer dedicated to the radiation imaging system 100. The control PC 102 may be, for example, a personal computer, or a desktop PC, notebook PC, or tablet PC (portable information terminal). The processor may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor may also be, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0023] Each function of the control PC 102 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU executing a software module stored in a storage unit such as a memory. The processor may be, for example, a GPU or an FPGA. Each function may also be configured by a circuit that performs a specific function, such as an ASIC.

[0024] Next, we will explain the operation of each unit when imaging is performed using the radiation imaging system 100. The operator (user) of the radiation imaging system 100 turns on each device to make them ready for imaging, and then adjusts the position of the radiation generation device 101, the radiation irradiation area, the position of the radiation imaging device 103, etc. For the position adjustment, attitude information of the radiation imaging device 103 and information on its position and angle relative to the radiation generation device 101 can be used as auxiliary information, and this information can be displayed on the display unit 108.

[0025] The radiation generating device 101 controls the radiation source to irradiate radiation in response to pressing of a radiation irradiation switch (not shown) or input of a radiation irradiation instruction from the control PC 102 in response to an instruction from a user via the operation unit 109. The radiation irradiated from the radiation source passes through a subject (not shown) and enters the radiation imaging device 103. The radiation imaging device 103 generates an image corresponding to the incident radiation and transmits it to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received image on a display such as the display unit 108, and the user checks the displayed image and determines whether or not re-imaging is necessary. If the user determines that the displayed image is normal, he or she prepares to image another subject using the same procedure.

[0026] The radiation imaging device 103 can be configured using a radiation detector such as an FPD, etc. The radiation imaging device 103 is provided with a radiation detection unit 104, a control unit 105, a first measurement unit 106, and a second measurement unit 107.

[0027] The radiation detection unit 104 is provided with pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, switch elements for each pixel, a drive circuit for controlling the switch elements, and a readout circuit for reading out charges from the pixels (none of which are shown). The drive circuit and readout circuit are connected to and controlled by the control unit 105. The drive circuit is connected to the switch elements of each pixel via drive lines and controls each pixel switch under the control of the control unit 105. The readout circuit is connected to each pixel via readout lines and reads out signals from each pixel under the control of the control unit 105. The readout image signals are sent to the control unit 105, and the control unit 105 generates a radiographic image based on the image signals. The generated radiographic image is sent to the control PC 102.

[0028] The control unit 105 also calculates posture information of the radiation imaging device 103 based on the output of the second measurement unit 107. Furthermore, the control unit 105 performs impact determination based on the output of the first measurement unit 106. The control unit 105 can be configured using any processor. Each function of the control unit 105 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or MPU executing a software module stored in a storage unit such as a memory. The processor may be, for example, a GPU or FPGA. Each function may also be configured by a circuit that performs a specific function, such as an ASIC.

[0029] The first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 are used to output attitude information of the radiation imaging device 103 and to detect impacts when adjusting the position of the radiation imaging device 103. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which a three-axis acceleration sensor is used as the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107. Note that the acceleration sensor is just one example, and a three-axis gyro sensor that acquires angular velocity information, a six-axis inertial measurement unit (six-axis IMU) including an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor, or a nine-axis IMU in which a geomagnetic sensor is added to a six-axis IMU may also be used.

[0030] First, a method for calculating posture information (angle) of the radiation imaging device 103 based on gravitational acceleration using a triaxial acceleration sensor will be described. As shown in FIG. 2A , the triaxial acceleration sensor outputs acceleration in each of three axes (X, Y, and Z) of a Cartesian coordinate system. The X and Y axes of the acceleration sensor are perpendicular to each other on a plane horizontal to the ground, and the Z axis is perpendicular to the ground, so that the X, Y, and Z axes are perpendicular to each other. In this case, gravitational acceleration is not applied to the X and Y directions of the acceleration sensor, but only to the Z direction. Therefore, the outputs of the acceleration sensor are ax = ay = 0 G and az = +1 G. Here, as shown in FIG. 2B , the angle between the X axis of the acceleration sensor and the ground is ψ, the angle between the Y axis of the acceleration sensor and the ground is θ, and the angle between the direction of gravity and the Z axis of the acceleration sensor is φ. In this case, the following Equations 1 to 3 are established using the outputs ax, ay, and az of the acceleration sensor, and the posture of the radiation imaging device 103 can be expressed based on the output of the acceleration sensor.

[0031] Furthermore, after providing appropriate initial values, the output a of the acceleration sensor is integrated over time for each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis to calculate the moving speed v as shown in Equation 4 below, and the position d can be calculated by integrating the moving speed v over time as shown in Equation 5 below.

[0032] The appropriate initial value here means a reference position coordinate for integral calculation. Methods for setting the reference position coordinate include a method of setting the relative position coordinate of the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 101 before movement, the relative position coordinate from an arbitrary target, or the coordinate of a specific location in the examination room as a reference point.

[0033] 3A and 3B show an example of the display of the display unit 108 during alignment. The display screen shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B has an image display area 301, an attitude information display area 302, and a model display area 303. The image display area 301 can display a captured image. The attitude information display area 302 can display angle information of the radiation generation device 101 and the radiation imaging device 103 as numerical values. The attitude information display area 302 can also display position information of the radiation generation device 101 and the radiation imaging device 103 as numerical values. The model display area 303 can display a model of the relative positional relationship between the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 101 so that it is visually easy to understand.

[0034] Furthermore, depending on the imaging technique, when the positional relationship between the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 101 becomes a preset angle or position, the control PC 102 can also display a notification on the display unit 108 that alignment has been completed. On the other hand, when the positional relationship between the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 101 does not become a preset angle or position, the control PC 102 can also display a notification such as an angle mismatch on the display unit 108, as shown in FIG. 3A . Furthermore, the control PC 102 can also display a notification on the display unit 108 that an impact has been detected, as shown in FIG. 3B . The control PC 102 can also notify the user of this notification by sound or vibration.

[0035] In this way, the angle information and position information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 allow the user to know the current posture information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103. Therefore, presenting the angle information and position information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 helps in aligning the radiation imaging apparatus 103 and the radiation generation apparatus 101.

[0036] On the other hand, during position adjustment, the radiation imaging apparatus 103 may accidentally collide with a nearby device or be dropped. When the angle or position of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 is being finely adjusted, the radiation imaging apparatus 103 is not moved significantly, and the output of the acceleration sensor is 1 G, where the square root of the sum of the squares of the three-axis outputs is approximately the same as the acceleration of gravity. On the other hand, if the radiation imaging apparatus 103 collides with another device or is dropped, the output of the acceleration sensor may be on the order of tens to hundreds of G, greatly exceeding the acceleration of gravity of 1 G.

[0037] In asynchronous imaging, if an impact is applied to the radiation imaging device 103 while waiting for radiation irradiation, there is a possibility that the impact will be mistaken for radiation irradiation and an image will be acquired even when radiation is not actually being irradiated. In synchronous imaging, there is also a possibility that the impact will be mistaken for a radiation exposure permission signal, or that image artifacts will occur due to the impact. If a stronger impact is applied, the radiation imaging device 103 may malfunction. In such cases, knowing the impact applied to the radiation imaging device 103 can be helpful, for example, in distinguishing between radiation irradiation and impact, preventing malfunctions, identifying the cause of image artifacts, and determining whether or not to perform self-diagnosis to check for a malfunction of the radiation imaging device 103.

[0038] For example, regarding whether or not to perform a self-diagnosis in response to an impact, a possible operation is to automatically perform a self-diagnosis if the impact is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, and to allow the user to select whether or not to perform the self-diagnosis if the impact does not reach the threshold. Alternatively, an impact may be detected during preparation for imaging (positioning), and a warning may be issued to notify the user if the radiation imaging device 103 transitions to imaging operation before being set to a preset angle and position. For example, as shown in the model display area 303 of FIG. 3B , it is also possible to notify the user by displaying a message on the display unit 108 indicating that an impact has been detected, or by using any method such as sound or vibration. Furthermore, malfunctions can be prevented by stopping the imaging operation of the radiation imaging device 103 in response to the detection of an impact.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, an acceleration sensor with a signal dynamic range of approximately ±200 G is used as the first measurement unit 106 for detecting an impact, which enables the radiation imaging device 103 to capture the peak impact at the moment when a large impact such as a collision or a drop is applied.

[0040] Now, consider a case where the radiation imaging device 103 is aligned based on the output of the first measurement unit 106. Generally, an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range that is much larger than the acceleration of gravity, such as ±200 G, has a larger amount of noise than an acceleration sensor with a smaller dynamic range. The amount of noise of an acceleration sensor is about 10 times the resolution. Furthermore, even for acceleration sensors with the same resolution, the amount of noise of an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of ±200 G is about 10 times the amount of noise of an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of ±16 G. The amount of noise of an acceleration sensor with a 12-bit resolution and a dynamic range of ±200 G is roughly estimated to be about 1 G.

[0041] As described above, when the radiation imaging device 103 is being aligned, the radiation imaging device 103 is not moved significantly, and therefore the square root of the sum of the squares of the triaxial outputs of the acceleration sensor is approximately 1 G. For this reason, the first measurement unit 106, which has a dynamic range of ±200 G, is not suitable for fine-tuning the angle or position of the radiation imaging device 103.

[0042] Therefore, in this embodiment, an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of approximately ±16 G is used as the second measurement unit 107 that outputs posture information. For example, when the resolution is 12 bits, the same as the first measurement unit 106, the sensitivity of the second measurement unit 107 is 7.8 mG per LSB (Least Significant Bit). If the outputs of the gravitational accelerations when the acceleration sensor angles are 0° and 90° are 0 G and +1 G, respectively, 7.8 mG corresponds to approximately 0.7°, and changes in position and angle of less than 1° can be detected.

[0043] For example, in skyline imaging of a knee, which requires placing the radiation imaging device 103 at a predetermined angle, this function is effective in precisely adjusting the angle of the radiation imaging device 103 based on the output of the acceleration sensor. In addition, obtaining angle information of the radiation imaging device 103 can also help to position the radiation imaging device 103 directly opposite the radiation generation device 101.

[0044] A series of operations according to this embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes according to this embodiment. First, when the operation starts and alignment of the radiation generating device 101 and the radiation imaging device 103 begins, in step S400, the control unit 105 acquires the output of the second measurement unit 107 and calculates and displays posture information from the output of the second measurement unit 107. The control unit 105 calculates posture information from the output of the second measurement unit 107 using the method described above and transmits the calculated posture information to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received posture information on the display unit 108. The control unit 105 also acquires the output of the first measurement unit 106 to determine whether an impact has been applied.

[0045] As described above, when the radiation imaging device 103 is being aligned based on the output of the second measurement unit 107 for posture detection, the radiation imaging device 103 is not moved significantly. Therefore, the square root of the sum of the squares of the three-axis outputs of the acceleration sensor is approximately 1 G, and an output substantially equivalent to that of the second measurement unit 107 is obtained from the first measurement unit 106 for impact detection.

[0046] If an impact is applied to the radiation imaging device 103 at this time, the outputs of the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 will momentarily change to large values. If the applied impact is on the order of 100 G, it will exceed the dynamic range of the second measurement unit 107, and the output obtained from the second measurement unit 107 will be a numerical value with low reliability. Therefore, the attitude information of the radiation imaging device 103 calculated based on this numerical value is not suitable for use in alignment.

[0047] Therefore, the control unit 105 performs impact detection using the output of the first measurement unit 106, which has a wide dynamic range. In step S401, the control unit 105 determines whether the output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than a preset first threshold (threshold for impact application). If it is determined that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S402. Note that the first threshold may be set for the amount of change (differential value) in the output value of the first measurement unit 106, instead of the output value of the first measurement unit 106.

[0048] In step S402, similarly to step S400, control unit 105 acquires the output of second measurement unit 107, calculates posture information using the output of second measurement unit 107, and transmits the calculated posture information to control PC 102. Control PC 102 displays the received posture information on display unit 108.

[0049] Thereafter, in step S403, the control unit 105 determines whether the alignment is complete. Here, the completion of the alignment may be determined based on whether the calculated posture information is in a posture condition corresponding to the imaging condition, or may be determined in response to an instruction from the operator input via the operation unit 109. Note that the instruction from the operator may be transmitted to the radiation imaging device 103 via the control PC 102.

[0050] If it is determined in step S403 that the alignment is not complete, the process proceeds to step S404. In step S404, the control unit 105 determines to continue the operation, and the process returns to step S400 to continue the alignment. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S403 that the alignment is complete, the series of operations ends. Note that the processes of steps S403 and S404 may be performed by the control PC 102.

[0051] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S401 that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S405. In step S405, the control unit 105 transmits a stop signal to the control PC 102 to stop the display of the posture information of the radiation imaging device 103 calculated using the output of the second measurement unit 107. In response to the stop signal, the control PC 102 stops the display of the posture information of the radiation imaging device 103 on the display unit 108.

[0052] In step S406, the control PC 102 controls the display unit 108 to display a notification to the user urging them to perform realignment because an impact has been applied. When the processing in step S406 ends, the operation ends. Note that when the operation ends due to the application of an impact, the control unit 105 can control the radiation detection unit 104 to prevent malfunctions such as image acquisition caused by the application of an impact. Note that this control may be performed in parallel with the processing in step S405.

[0053] Stopping the display of posture information when an impact is applied during positioning applies not only to the case where the angle of the radiation imaging device 103 is displayed, but also to the case where the position is calculated by time-integrating the obtained acceleration data. Even when calculating the position, the acceleration output exceeds the dynamic range and is calculated using saturated values, resulting in unreliable position information. Continuing positioning and performing imaging in such a state may result in the desired image not being obtained and the image having to be re-imaging. Therefore, by having the first measurement unit 106 monitor sudden changes in output, such as those due to an impact, and controlling the operation of the second measurement unit 107, reliable posture information can be reported.

[0054] As described above, the radiation imaging system 100 according to this embodiment includes the radiation generation device 101 that irradiates radiation, and the radiation imaging device 103 that captures an image using the irradiated radiation. The radiation imaging device 103 includes the first measurement unit 106 that measures movement information of the radiation imaging device 103, and the second measurement unit 107 that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the first measurement unit 106 and measures the movement information of the radiation imaging device 103. The radiation imaging device 103 determines whether an impact has been applied to the radiation imaging device 103 using the first measurement unit 106. Furthermore, the radiation imaging device 103 calculates information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device 103 (posture information) using the second measurement unit 107.

[0055] In this way, the radiation imaging apparatus 103 according to this embodiment includes two measurement units with different dynamic ranges, which allows the radiation imaging apparatus 103 to perform both posture detection and impact detection.

[0056] The radiation imaging device 103 according to this embodiment also includes a control unit 105. The control unit 105 can function as an example of a determination unit that determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation imaging device 103 when the output or change in output of the first measurement unit 106 is equal to or greater than a threshold. The control unit 105 can also calculate information indicating the attitude of the radiation imaging device 103 using the second measurement unit 107. Note that the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 can include at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an inertial sensor.

[0057] Up to this point, acceleration sensors with different dynamic ranges have been described as an example of the first measurement unit 106 that detects an impact on the radiation imaging device 103 and the second measurement unit 107 that measures posture information of the radiation imaging device 103. However, the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 can have several other characteristics in addition to their dynamic ranges as features.

[0058] One example is resolution. In the above description, the same resolution was used to clearly illustrate the difference in characteristics required for impact detection and attitude detection. However, the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 do not need to have the same resolution. For example, increasing the resolution of the second measurement unit 107, which measures attitude information, allows for more detailed data to be obtained as angle information from the radiation imaging device 103. For example, with the above-mentioned 12-bit resolution, the sensitivity of the acceleration sensor is 7.8 mG per LSB, whereas with 13-bit resolution, the sensitivity is 3.9 mG per LSB. Furthermore, with 14-bit resolution, the sensitivity is 1.95 mG per LSB. Therefore, using an acceleration sensor with such resolution allows for the detection of finer angle changes.

[0059] Therefore, for example, the radiation imaging device 103 may be configured so that the resolution of the second measurement unit 107 is higher than the resolution of the first measurement unit 106. In this case, it is possible to acquire posture information with finer precision when performing alignment, thereby improving the accuracy of alignment.

[0060] Alternatively, the sampling rates of the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 may be different. The higher the sampling rate, the shorter the data acquisition interval. Therefore, in the case of impact detection, a plot from when an impact is applied to the radiation imaging device 103 until the peak value is reached can be acquired in more detail. Furthermore, in the case of posture detection, data can be acquired at shorter intervals, allowing posture information to be calculated in accordance with precise positioning by the user. Furthermore, when calculating a position by integrating the output of the acceleration sensor over time, as shown in Equation 4 and Equation 5, Δt, which corresponds to the sampling rate, becomes finer, improving the accuracy of the position calculation.

[0061] Increasing the sampling rate improves the impact detection and orientation detection functions, but on the other hand, a higher sampling rate also increases power consumption. Generally, the radiation imaging device 103 is equipped with a battery, enabling imaging without an external power supply. However, because battery capacity is limited, increasing the amount of power supplied to the measurement unit reduces the number of radiation images that can be captured, which is the primary function of the radiation imaging device 103. When the battery level is low, charging or replacing the battery does not affect operation, but frequent battery replacement affects user operability.

[0062] Therefore, an example of operation that prevents unnecessary increases in power consumption will be described based on use cases for impact detection and orientation detection. First, for impact detection, since it is unknown when an impact will be applied to the radiation imaging device 103, it is necessary to constantly monitor the output of the acceleration sensor. On the other hand, orientation detection is not a function that is used constantly, but only for a limited period of time during imaging preparation. Therefore, the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106, which is always operating for impact detection, can be set low, and the sampling rate of the second measurement unit 107, which is used only for a limited period of time for orientation detection, can be set high. Therefore, for example, the radiation imaging device 103 can be configured so that the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106 is lower than the sampling rate of the second measurement unit 107. In this case, impact detection and orientation detection can be achieved simultaneously with limited battery power consumption.

[0063] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which a notification is given when a collision is detected using the display unit 108. Alternatively, the radiation imaging device 103 may be provided with an optional lamp, display unit, speaker, or the like, and the control unit 105 may control these to notify the user in step S406 that an impact has been applied and prompt them to perform realignment. Such notification may be achieved by lighting a lamp, displaying on the display unit, sound, or vibration. The control unit 105 may also control these lamps or the like to notify the user that alignment has been completed. In this case, the radiation imaging device 103 can use the output of at least one of the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107, for example, a lamp, speaker, or the like (not shown), to notify the user of the completion of alignment or impact detection, thereby assisting in imaging.

[0064] Second Embodiment As a second embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for changing the control of one measurement unit using the output of the other measurement unit in a radiation imaging apparatus equipped with two measurement units with different dynamic ranges, as described in the first embodiment, will be described. Note that the configuration of the radiation imaging system according to this embodiment is similar to the configuration of the radiation imaging system 100 according to the first embodiment, and therefore the same reference numerals will be used and a description thereof will be omitted. The radiation imaging system according to this embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the radiation imaging system 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0065] In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the radiation imaging device 103 uses an acceleration sensor having a dynamic range of ±200 G as the first measurement unit 106 and an acceleration sensor having a dynamic range of ±16 G as the second measurement unit 107.

[0066] A series of operations according to this embodiment, including a process for switching the operation of the second measurement unit 107 based on the output of the first measurement unit 106, will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a series of operations according to this embodiment. Note that in Fig. 5, processes similar to those in the series of operations according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again. In the series of operations according to this embodiment, once posture information is calculated and displayed in step S402, the process proceeds to step S500.

[0067] Here, a method for improving the measurement accuracy of the second measurement unit 107 based on the output of the first measurement unit 106 will be described. As described above, the output of the acceleration sensor during alignment is such that the square root of the sum of the squares of the three-axis outputs is approximately 1 G. This is common regardless of the dynamic range of the acceleration sensor. In this embodiment, an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of ±16 G is used as the second measurement unit 107, but the dynamic range of acceleration sensors is generally changeable by setting. For example, if the second measurement unit 107 is an acceleration sensor whose dynamic range can be set within the range of ±1 G to ±16 G, the accuracy of the posture information will be lost if the output exceeds the dynamic range, as described above.

[0068] On the other hand, when an output can be expected, such as in fine adjustment of an angle, the dynamic range can be narrowed to improve the resolution per 1 LSB. In this embodiment, in step S500, the control unit 105 determines whether the output of the first measurement unit 106, which is separate from the second measurement unit 107 for posture detection, is less than a preset second threshold. Here, the second threshold is a threshold for the output value during alignment in the first measurement unit 106. If it is determined that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the process proceeds to step S404, where the operation continues. On the other hand, if it is determined that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than the second threshold, the process proceeds to step S501. The second threshold may be set for the amount of change (differential value) in the output value of the first measurement unit 106, instead of the output value of the first measurement unit 106.

[0069] In step S501, the control unit 105 can narrow the dynamic range of the second measurement unit 107 for posture detection to improve the resolution per 1 LSB. Alternatively, the control unit 105 can increase the sampling rate of the second measurement unit 107 to improve the time resolution, or change the resolution (number of bits) itself. In such cases, the second measurement unit 107 can detect in detail subtle changes in positioning angle or changes in position information due to time integration of acceleration output. Changing the operation of the second measurement unit 107 in this way is just one example, and the items to be changed may be set in advance or may be selected by the user each time.

[0070] After changing the operation in step S501, the control unit 105 acquires the output of the second measurement unit 107 in step S502, calculates the orientation, and displays the orientation information. The orientation calculation and display of the orientation information in step S502 may be performed in the same manner as the calculation and display of the orientation information in steps S400 and S402. Thereafter, in step S403, the control unit 105 determines whether alignment is complete. The subsequent processing is the same as the processing in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0071] In this embodiment, a method has been described in which posture detection is achieved with high accuracy by changing the operation of the second measurement unit 107 based on the output of the first measurement unit 106. However, it is also possible to achieve impact detection with high accuracy by changing the operation of the first measurement unit 106 based on the output of the second measurement unit 107.

[0072] As described in the first embodiment, the radiation imaging device 103 is generally equipped with a battery, and if the sampling rate is set higher than necessary, power consumption increases, affecting user operability. The first measurement unit 106 for impact detection needs to be constantly operating in preparation for impacts that may be applied at any time. However, in order to suppress the impact on the battery capacity described above, it is appropriate to set the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106 lower than that of the second measurement unit 107, whose operation is limited.

[0073] On the other hand, if the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106 is set too low, the sampling interval may be too rough and the impact peak may not be captured. Therefore, when the output of the second measurement unit 107 becomes equal to or greater than a preset third threshold (a threshold for movement detection in the second measurement unit 107), the control unit 105 can change the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106 to a higher value. This makes it easier to detect the impact peak by changing the operation of the first measurement unit 106 in response to a change in the output of the second measurement unit 107 caused by movement of the radiation imaging device 103.

[0074] In other words, the second measurement unit 107 can be used to detect a situation in which there is a high possibility that an impact will be applied to the radiation imaging device 103, such as when the radiation imaging device 103 is moved for alignment or the like, and change the operation of the first measurement unit 106. In such a case, it is possible to make it easier to detect the peak of the impact by changing the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106 to a higher value depending on the situation in which there is a high possibility that an impact will be applied to the radiation imaging device 103. Note that the third threshold may be set for the amount of change (differential value) of the output value of the second measurement unit 107, instead of the output value of the second measurement unit 107.

[0075] Note that such processing may be performed at all times while the power of the radiation imaging device 103 is on. Furthermore, while an operation involving movement of the radiation imaging device 103, such as the series of operations shown in Fig. 5, is being performed continuously, the control unit 105 may temporarily stop such processing and maintain the operation of the measurement unit after the change in order to reduce processing load.

[0076] As described above, in the radiation imaging apparatus 103 according to this embodiment, the operation of one of the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107 is changed based on the output of the other. For example, when the output or change in output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than a threshold, the control unit 105 can perform at least one of narrowing the dynamic range of the second measurement unit 107, increasing the resolution, and increasing the sampling rate. Furthermore, when the output or change in output of the second measurement unit 107 is equal to or greater than a threshold, the control unit 105 can increase the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106.

[0077] With this configuration, the radiation imaging device 103 according to this embodiment can change the operation of either the first measurement unit 106 for impact detection or the second measurement unit 107 for posture detection, which have different dynamic ranges, based on the output of the other unit. This allows the radiation imaging device 103 to improve both the posture detection and impact detection functions.

[0078] In this embodiment, the control unit 105 uses the output of one measurement unit to change the operation of the other measurement unit. Alternatively, the control unit 105 may use the output of one measurement unit to change the operation of the other measurement unit. For example, when the output or change in output of the second measurement unit 107 is less than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 105 can narrow the dynamic range, increase the resolution, or increase the sampling rate of the second measurement unit 107. Furthermore, when the output or change in output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 105 can lower the sampling rate of the first measurement unit 106. Even in these cases, the accuracy of posture detection and impact detection can be improved. When determining a change in operation using the output of the second measurement unit 107, which has a narrow dynamic range, the operation change can be processed in response to more subtle changes in the output value, thereby improving the accuracy of the operation change.

[0079] Third Embodiment Hereinafter, a radiation imaging system, a radiation generating device, and an operation method of a radiation generating device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 . In this embodiment, a radiation imaging system including a radiation generating device equipped with two measurement units with different dynamic ranges as a measurement unit will be described as an example. In this embodiment, too, the radiation imaging system can achieve both posture detection and impact detection. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a radiation imaging system 600 according to this embodiment.

[0080] Note that, with regard to the configuration of the radiation imaging system 600 according to this embodiment, components similar to the configuration of the radiation imaging system 100 according to the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again. For example, the radiation imaging apparatus 103 equipped with two measurement units having different dynamic ranges as a measurement unit will not be described again as it has been described in the first and second embodiments. The radiation imaging system 600 according to this embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the radiation imaging system 100 according to the first embodiment. The radiation generating apparatus 601 according to this embodiment is provided with a control unit 602, a third measurement unit 603, and a fourth measurement unit 604.

[0081] The control unit 602 can control the operation of a radiation generator, such as a radiation tube, that generates radiation, based on signals from the control PC 102, etc. The control unit 602 also calculates posture information of the radiation generation device 601 based on the output of the fourth measurement unit 604. The control unit 602 can also perform impact determination based on the output of the third measurement unit 603. The control unit 602 can be configured using any processor. Each function of the control unit 602 may be realized by a processor such as a CPU or MPU executing a software module stored in a storage unit such as a memory. The processor may be, for example, a GPU or FPGA. Each function may also be configured by a circuit that performs a specific function, such as an ASIC.

[0082] The third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604 are configured using two acceleration sensors with different dynamic ranges, similar to the radiation imaging apparatus 103 described above. In this embodiment, an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of ±200 G is used as the third measurement unit 603. Furthermore, an acceleration sensor with a dynamic range of ±16 G is used as the fourth measurement unit 604. The third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604 are connected to the control PC 102 via the control unit 602 of the radiation generation apparatus 601. The third measurement unit 603 is used to detect an impact applied to the radiation generation apparatus 601, and the fourth measurement unit 604 is used to adjust the angle and position of the radiation generation apparatus 601. Note that the methods of impact detection and positioning are similar to those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here. In this embodiment, by installing two measurement units with different dynamic ranges in the radiation generating device 601, it is possible to achieve both posture detection and impact detection for the radiation generating device 601, similar to the posture detection and impact detection for the radiation imaging device 103 according to the first embodiment.

[0083] The radiation generating device 601 is attached to movable rails fixed to the ground, wall, or ceiling of the examination room. The user can move the radiation generating device 601 in three dimensions along the X, Y, and Z axes and rotate it relative to the radiation irradiation direction. The user moves the radiation generating device 601 and the radiation imaging device 103, confirms that they are positioned appropriately for the imaging procedure, and then performs imaging. During this process, just as in the first embodiment, where the radiation imaging device 103 may be subjected to unexpected impact due to a fall or collision, the radiation generating device 601 may also be subjected to impact. Because the radiation generating device 601 is generally larger and heavier than the radiation imaging device 103, it can often only be moved with an interlock released, for example, by pressing a switch. Releasing the switch during movement locks the radiation generating device 601, stopping it from moving. If the radiation generating device 601 suddenly stops moving, the acceleration output from the third measurement unit 603 installed in the radiation generating device 601 changes. In addition, an impact may be applied to the radiation generating device 601 when the radiation generating device 601 collides with a surrounding device while moving. In such cases, the control unit 602 can detect that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device 601 based on the output from the third measurement unit 603.

[0084] For example, when calculating the amount of movement of the radiation generating device 601 by time-integrating the output of the fourth measurement unit 604 for alignment or the like, if an impact is applied and the dynamic range of the fourth measurement unit 604 is exceeded, an accurate amount of movement cannot be calculated. Therefore, when the output of the third measurement unit 603 exceeds a preset fourth threshold and it is recognized that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device 601, the display of the attitude information of the radiation generating device 601, such as the angle and amount of movement calculated based on the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, is stopped. At this time, together with stopping the display of the attitude information, the fact that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device 601 may be notified to the user by, for example, displaying on the display unit 108.

[0085] A series of operations according to this embodiment will now be described with reference to Fig. 7. The series of operations according to this embodiment is similar to the series of operations according to the first embodiment, except that the operations of the radiation generating device 601 are performed in the same manner in each process.

[0086] First, when operation is started and alignment of the radiation generation apparatus 601 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103 is started, the process proceeds to step S700. In step S700, the control unit 105 acquires the output of the second measurement unit 107, calculates orientation information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 from the output of the second measurement unit 107, and transmits the calculated orientation information to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received orientation information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 on the display unit 108. The control unit 105 also acquires the output of the first measurement unit 106 to determine whether an impact has been applied to the radiation imaging apparatus 103. Meanwhile, the control unit 602 acquires the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, calculates orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601 from the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, and transmits the calculated orientation information to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601 on the display unit 108. Furthermore, the control unit 602 acquires the output of the third measurement unit 603 in order to determine whether an impact has been applied to the radiation generation device 601. The method for calculating the posture information may be the same as the calculation method described in the first embodiment.

[0087] In step S701, the control unit 105 determines whether the output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than a preset first threshold (threshold for impact application). The control unit 602 also determines whether the output of the third measurement unit 603 is less than a preset fourth threshold (threshold for impact application). If it is determined that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is less than the first threshold and that the output of the third measurement unit 603 is less than the fourth threshold, the process proceeds to step S702. Note that the fourth threshold may be set for the amount of change (differential value) in the output value of the third measurement unit 603, instead of the output value of the third measurement unit 603.

[0088] In step S702, similarly to step S700, the control unit 105 acquires the output of the second measurement unit 107, calculates orientation information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 using the output of the second measurement unit 107, and transmits the calculated orientation information to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received orientation information on the display unit 108. Furthermore, the control unit 602 acquires the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, calculates orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601 from the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, and transmits the calculated orientation information to the control PC 102. The control PC 102 displays the received orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601 on the display unit 108.

[0089] Thereafter, in step S703, the control unit 105 and the control unit 602 determine whether the alignment is complete. Here, the completion of the alignment may be determined based on whether the calculated posture information is in a posture condition corresponding to the imaging condition, or may be determined in response to an instruction from the operator input via the operation unit 109. Note that the instruction from the operator may be transmitted to the radiation imaging device 103 or the radiation generation device 601 via the control PC 102.

[0090] If it is determined in step S703 that the alignment is not complete, the process proceeds to step S704. In step S704, the control units 105 and 602 decide to continue the operation, and the process returns to step S700 to continue the alignment. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S703 that the alignment is complete, the series of operations ends. Note that the processes of steps S703 and S704 may be performed by the control PC 102.

[0091] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S701 that the output of the first measurement unit 106 is equal to or greater than the first threshold or if it is determined that the output of the third measurement unit 603 is equal to or greater than the fourth threshold, the processing proceeds to step S705. In step S705, if the output of the first measurement unit 106 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, the control unit 105 transmits a stop signal to the control PC 102 to stop the display of the orientation information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103 calculated using the output of the second measurement unit 107. In response to the stop signal, the control PC 102 causes the display unit 108 to stop displaying the orientation information of the radiation imaging apparatus 103. On the other hand, if the output of the third measurement unit 603 is equal to or greater than the fourth threshold, the control unit 602 transmits a stop signal to the control PC 102 to stop displaying the orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601 calculated using the output of the fourth measurement unit 604. In response to the stop signal, the control PC 102 causes the display unit 108 to stop displaying the orientation information of the radiation generation apparatus 601.

[0092] In step S706, the control PC 102 controls the display unit 108 to display a notification to the user urging them to perform realignment due to the application of an impact. When the processing in step S706 is completed, the operations of the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 601 are terminated in accordance with the application of the impact. Note that, when terminating operations due to the application of an impact, the control unit 105 can control the radiation detection unit 104 to prevent malfunctions such as image acquisition caused by the application of the impact. Furthermore, the control unit 602 can control the radiation generation device 601 to prevent malfunctions such as radiation irradiation caused by the application of the impact. Note that this control may be performed in parallel with the processing in step S705.

[0093] As described above, the radiation imaging system 600 according to this embodiment includes a radiation generating device 601 that irradiates radiation and a radiation imaging device 103 that captures images using the irradiated radiation. The radiation generating device 601 includes a third measurement unit 603 that measures movement information of the radiation generating device 601, and a fourth measurement unit 604 that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the third measurement unit 603 and measures the movement information of the radiation generating device 601. The radiation generating device 601 also uses the third measurement unit 603 to determine whether an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device 601. The radiation generating device 601 also uses the fourth measurement unit 604 to calculate information indicating the posture of the radiation generating device 601 (posture information).

[0094] As described above, the radiation generating apparatus 601 according to this embodiment includes two measurement units with different dynamic ranges. This allows the radiation generating apparatus 601 to perform both posture detection and impact detection. Furthermore, posture information of both the radiation generating apparatus 601 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103, obtained from the second measurement unit 107 mounted on the radiation imaging apparatus 103 and the fourth measurement unit 604 mounted on the radiation generating apparatus 601, can be combined and used for alignment. This allows the radiation imaging system 600 to assist in aligning the radiation generating apparatus 601 and the radiation imaging apparatus 103.

[0095] The radiation imaging system 600 according to this embodiment further includes a control PC 102. The control PC 102 can function as an example of a control device that controls the radiation imaging apparatus 103 and the radiation generation apparatus 601. The control PC 102 can also function as an example of a display control unit that displays, on the display unit 108, at least one of the following: a determination result of the application of an impact to the radiation imaging apparatus 103; information indicating the attitude of the radiation imaging apparatus 103; a determination result of the application of an impact to the radiation generation apparatus 601; and information indicating the attitude of the radiation generation apparatus 601. In this case, the radiation imaging system 600 can display, for example, screens such as those shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B on the display unit 108, thereby further assisting the user in aligning the radiation imaging apparatus 103 and the radiation generation apparatus 601. The control PC 102 can also control the display on the display unit 108 in accordance with a signal from at least one of the control unit 105 and the control unit 602. In this case, at least one of the control unit 105 and the control unit 602 can function as an example of a display control unit.

[0096] The radiation generating device 601 according to this embodiment also includes a control unit 602. The control unit 602 can function as an example of a determination unit that determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device 601 when the output or a change in the output of the third measurement unit 603 is equal to or greater than a threshold. The control unit 602 can also calculate information indicating the attitude of the radiation generating device 601 using a fourth measurement unit 604. The third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604 can include at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an inertial sensor.

[0097] Furthermore, in the radiation generating device 601, similarly to the first embodiment, the resolution and sampling rate may be different between the third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604. For example, the radiation generating device 601 may be configured so that the resolution of the fourth measurement unit 604 is higher than the resolution of the third measurement unit 603. In this case, orientation information during alignment can be acquired with finer precision, thereby improving the accuracy of alignment. Furthermore, for example, the radiation generating device 601 may be configured so that the sampling rate of the third measurement unit 603 is lower than the sampling rate of the fourth measurement unit 604. In this case, it is possible to achieve both impact detection and orientation detection with limited battery power consumption.

[0098] In this embodiment, the control unit 105 functions as a determination unit that determines whether the radiation imaging device 103 has collided, and the control unit 602 functions as a determination unit that determines whether the radiation generation device 601 has collided. Alternatively, the outputs of the first measurement unit 106 and the third measurement unit 603 may be transmitted to the control PC 102, and the control PC 102 may determine whether the radiation imaging device 103 has collided or whether the radiation generation device 601 has collided. In this case, the control PC 102 can function as a determination unit that determines whether the radiation imaging device 103 has collided or whether the radiation generation device 601 has collided.

[0099] Furthermore, the output of the first measurement unit 106 may be transmitted to the radiation generation device 601, and the control unit 602 may determine whether or not the radiation imaging device 103 has collided with the radiation generation device 601. In this case, the control unit 602 may function as a determination unit that determines whether or not the radiation imaging device 103 has collided with the radiation generation device 601. Similarly, the output of the third measurement unit 603 may be transmitted to the radiation imaging device 103, and the control unit 105 may determine whether or not the radiation imaging device 103 has collided with the radiation generation device 601. In this case, the control unit 105 may function as a determination unit that determines whether or not the radiation imaging device 103 has collided with the radiation generation device 601. Note that communication between the radiation imaging device 103 and the radiation generation device 601 may be performed via the control PC 102 or directly.

[0100] The radiation generating device 601 according to this embodiment may also be adapted to the process described in the second embodiment, in which the output of one measurement unit is used to change the operation of the other measurement unit. More specifically, in the radiation generating device 601, the operation of one of the third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604 may be changed based on the output of the other measurement unit. For example, when the output or change in output of the third measurement unit 603 is less than a predetermined fifth threshold, the control unit 602 determines that the radiation generating device 601 is aligned and can reduce the dynamic range of the fourth measurement unit 604. In a similar situation, the control unit 602 can also increase the sampling rate or resolution of the fourth measurement unit 604. Therefore, when the output or change in output of the third measurement unit 603 is less than the threshold, the control unit 602 can perform at least one of reducing the dynamic range, increasing the resolution, and increasing the sampling rate of the fourth measurement unit 604. In such a case, detailed posture information of the radiation generating device 601 can be calculated to assist the user in placing the radiation generating device 601 at a predetermined position.

[0101] Furthermore, the control unit 602 can increase the sampling rate of the third measurement unit 603 when the output or change in output of the fourth measurement unit 604 is equal to or greater than a threshold. This makes it possible to more easily detect an impact peak by changing the operation of the third measurement unit 603 in response to a change in the output of the fourth measurement unit 604 caused by movement of the radiation generation device 601. As described above, by applying the processing according to the second embodiment to the radiation generation device 601 according to this embodiment, the radiation generation device 601 can improve both its posture detection and impact detection functions.

[0102] The control unit 602 may also change the operation of one of the measurement units using the output of that measurement unit. For example, the control unit 602 may narrow the dynamic range of the fourth measurement unit 604 when the output or change in output of the fourth measurement unit 604 is less than a predetermined threshold. The control unit 602 may also lower the sampling rate of the third measurement unit 603 when the output or change in output of the third measurement unit 603 is less than a predetermined threshold. Even in these cases, the accuracy of posture detection and impact detection can be improved. Note that, when determining a change in operation using the output of the fourth measurement unit 604, which has a narrow dynamic range, the operation change can be processed in response to more subtle changes in the output, thereby improving the accuracy of the operation change.

[0103] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which a notification is given when a collision is detected using the display unit 108. Alternatively, the radiation imaging device 103 may be provided with an optional lamp, display unit, speaker, etc., and the control unit 105 may control these in step S706 to notify the user that an impact has been applied and prompt them to perform realignment. Similarly, the radiation generation device 601 may be provided with an optional lamp, display unit, speaker, etc., and the control unit 602 may control these in step S706 to notify the user that an impact has been applied and prompt them to perform realignment. Such a notification may be the illumination of a lamp, a display on the display unit, sound, or vibration. Furthermore, the control units 105 and 602 may control these lamps, etc. to notify the user that alignment has been completed.

[0104] In this case, the radiation imaging device 103 can support imaging by notifying the user of the completion of alignment, the detection of an impact, etc. using the output of at least one of the first measurement unit 106 and the second measurement unit 107, for example, by using a lamp, speaker, etc. (not shown). Similarly, the radiation generation device 601 can support imaging by notifying the user of the completion of alignment, the detection of an impact, etc. using the output of at least one of the third measurement unit 603 and the fourth measurement unit 604, for example, by using a lamp, speaker, etc. (not shown).

[0105] (Other Examples) The present disclosure can also be realized by providing software (programs) that realize one or more functions of the various embodiments described above to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having a computer in the system or device read and execute the programs. The computer has one or more processors or circuits, and may include multiple separate computers or a network of multiple separate processors or circuits to read and execute computer-executable instructions.

[0106] In this case, the processor or circuitry may include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and may also include a digital signal processor (DSP), a data flow processor (DFP), or a neural processing unit (NPU).

[0107] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve both the posture detection and impact detection functions of a radiation imaging device.

[0108] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention.

[0109] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-210972, filed on December 14, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A radiation imaging device comprising: a first measurement unit that measures movement information of the radiation imaging device; and a second measurement unit that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the first measurement unit and measures the movement information of the radiation imaging device, wherein the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device is determined using the first measurement unit, and information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device is calculated using the second measurement unit.

2. The radiation imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit that determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation imaging device when the output of the first measurement unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

3. The radiation imaging device according to claim 1, wherein imaging is assisted using an output from at least one of the first measuring unit and the second measuring unit.

4. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation of one of the first measurement unit and the second measurement unit is changed based on the output of the other.

5. The radiation imaging device described in claim 4, further comprising a control unit that performs at least one of reducing the dynamic range of the second measurement unit, increasing the resolution, and increasing the sampling rate when the output of the first measurement unit or a change in the output is less than a threshold value.

6. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit which increases the sampling rate of the first measurement unit when the output of the second measurement unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

7. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resolution of the second measurement unit is higher than the resolution of the first measurement unit.

8. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sampling rate of the first measurement unit is lower than the sampling rate of the second measurement unit.

9. The radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement unit and the second measurement unit include at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an inertial sensor.

10. A radiation generating device comprising: a third measurement unit that measures movement information of the radiation generating device; and a fourth measurement unit that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the third measurement unit and measures the movement information of the radiation generating device, wherein the application of an impact to the radiation generating device is determined using the third measurement unit, and information indicating the posture of the radiation generating device is calculated using the fourth measurement unit.

11. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, further comprising a determination unit that determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device when the output of the third measuring unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

12. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, wherein imaging is assisted using an output from at least one of the third measuring unit and the fourth measuring unit.

13. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, wherein the operation of one of the third measurement unit and the fourth measurement unit is changed based on an output of the other one of the third measurement unit and the fourth measurement unit.

14. The radiation generating device of claim 13, further comprising a control unit that performs at least one of reducing the dynamic range of the fourth measurement unit, increasing the resolution, and increasing the sampling rate when the output of the third measurement unit or a change in the output is less than a threshold value.

15. The radiation generating device according to claim 13, further comprising a control unit which increases the sampling rate of the third measurement unit when the output of the fourth measurement unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

16. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, wherein the resolution of the fourth measurement unit is higher than the resolution of the third measurement unit.

17. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, wherein a sampling rate of the third measurement unit is lower than a sampling rate of the fourth measurement unit.

18. The radiation generating device according to claim 10, wherein the third measurement unit and the fourth measurement unit include at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and an inertial sensor.

19. A radiation imaging system comprising a radiation generating device that irradiates radiation and a radiation imaging device that takes an image using the irradiated radiation, the radiation imaging system comprising at least one of the radiation imaging device described in any one of claims 1 to 9 and the radiation generating device described in any one of claims 10 to 18.

20. The radiation imaging system of claim 19, further comprising a display control unit that causes a display unit to display at least one of the result of determination of the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device, information indicating the attitude of the radiation imaging device, the result of determination of the application of an impact to the radiation generating device, and information indicating the attitude of the radiation generating device.

21. The radiation imaging system described in claim 20, wherein the display control unit: when the output of the first measurement unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value, causes the display unit to display a result of the determination of the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device, and does not cause the display unit to display information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device; and when the output of the first measurement unit or a change in the output is less than a threshold value, does not cause the display unit to display a result of the determination of the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device, and causes the display unit to display information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device.

22. A radiation imaging system comprising: a radiation imaging device as described in claim 1; a radiation generating device as described in claim 10; a control device that controls the radiation imaging device and the radiation generating device; and a determination unit that determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation imaging device when the output of the first measuring unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and determines that an impact has been applied to the radiation generating device when the output of the third measuring unit or a change in the output is equal to or greater than a threshold value, wherein the determination unit is provided in any of the radiation imaging device, the radiation generating device, and the control device.

23. A method for operating a radiation imaging device comprising a first measurement unit that measures movement information of the radiation imaging device and a second measurement unit that has a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the first measurement unit and measures the movement information of the radiation imaging device, the method including: determining the application of an impact to the radiation imaging device using the first measurement unit; and calculating information indicating the posture of the radiation imaging device using the second measurement unit.

24. A method for operating a radiation generating device comprising a third measurement unit that measures movement information of the radiation generating device, and a fourth measurement unit having a dynamic range smaller than the dynamic range of the third measurement unit that measures the movement information of the radiation generating device, the method including: determining the application of an impact to the radiation generating device using the third measurement unit; and calculating information indicating the posture of the radiation generating device using the fourth measurement unit.

25. A program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute each step of the method for operating a radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 23 or the method for operating a radiation generating apparatus according to claim 24.

Images