Pixel Noise Cancellation in X-Ray Imaging Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
X-ray imaging systems face limitations in frame rate due to the time required for 'scrubbing' unused pixels and are dose-rate limited, leading to increased background electronic noise affecting image quality, especially in medical imaging applications.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual imaging system comprising a separate imaging array and imaging strip within the same housing, with distinct readout circuits and data lines, allows for simultaneous operation to reduce noise and enhance frame rate by optimizing data line capacitance and power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single imaging array is used with sequential row scanning, then the device complexity is reduced, but the frame rate is limited due to the time required to scrub unused pixels
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging array is divided into two separate imaging arrays, allowing independent operation. One array can be dedicated to capturing images while the other performs scrubbing operations, eliminating the sequential bottleneck and enabling parallel processing to improve frame rate.
Solution Approach 2:
Two imaging arrays are combined within the same device housing, sharing common control electronics and power supply. This merging allows simultaneous image capture and scrubbing operations without requiring a single array to perform both functions sequentially.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the x-ray dose is reduced to lower patient exposure, then the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates due to increased background electronic noise
Solution Approach 1:
The scrubbing operation is extracted from the image capture process and performed on a separate imaging array. This isolation removes the source of background electronic noise from the image acquisition path, allowing low-dose imaging without the degradation of signal-to-noise ratio caused by scrubbing noise.
Solution Approach 2:
A second imaging array acts as an intermediary that performs scrubbing operations separately from the primary image capture array. This intermediary handles the noisy scrubbing function while the primary array maintains clean signal paths for medical imaging.
3Measurement precision
If the readout circuit power is increased to reduce electronic noise, then the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different power levels are applied to different imaging arrays based on their functional requirements. The primary image capture array operates at optimized power levels for medical imaging, while the secondary scrubbing array operates independently, allowing localized power management that reduces overall consumption while maintaining noise performance where critical.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments include a system, comprising: a plurality of pixels; a plurality of data lines coupled to the pixels; a plurality of switches coupling the pixels to the data lines; a plurality of readout circuits coupled to the data lines; control logic coupled to the readout circuits, the control logic configured to, for one of the pixels: acquire a first value for the pixel while the corresponding switch is in an off state; reset the corresponding readout circuit corresponding for the pixel; acquire a second value for the pixel after resetting the readout circuit; turn on the corresponding switch; acquire a third value for the pixel after turning on the corresponding switch; and combine the first value, the second value, and the third value into a combined value for the pixel.