Radiographic Image Capture Panel Timing Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiographic image capturing systems face issues with high noise content due to unsynchronized image capturing timings, excessive exposure during radiation emission, and increased power waste, especially when control units and radiation apparatuses from different manufacturers are not electrically connected, leading to inaccurate radiation timing and residual image overlap.
Innovation Solution
A radiographic image capturing apparatus with an image capturing panel that uses a first readout mode to detect radiation emission by reading electric signals in multiple rows simultaneously and switching to an exposure state when a threshold value is exceeded, and a second readout mode for sequential row-by-row reading after a predetermined time, allowing for asynchronous image capturing and reducing noise and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the control unit and radiation apparatus are not electrically connected to avoid synchronization issues, then compatibility between different manufacturers' equipment is improved, but image capturing timing accuracy deteriorates leading to noise and residual image overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a timing signal generation unit in the control unit that generates timing signals independent of electrical connection to the radiation apparatus. This timing signal serves as an intermediary to synchronize the image capturing process without requiring direct electrical connection between the control unit and radiation apparatus, thus maintaining compatibility while ensuring timing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit receives status information from the radiation apparatus and adjusts timing signals accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that even without direct electrical connection for synchronization, the system can maintain accurate timing by continuously monitoring and adjusting based on apparatus status.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the electronic cassette remains in sleep mode to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but image capturing fails when user selection mistake occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pre-check mechanism that verifies whether the selected electronic cassette is in the correct mode before initiating image capturing. This preliminary action allows the system to detect selection mistakes early and prompt user correction, ensuring reliable image capturing while allowing the cassette to remain in sleep mode for power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification of the electronic cassette status and provides automatic guidance for correction when mistakes are detected. This self-service approach maintains reliability without requiring continuous power consumption, as the check is performed only when needed rather than continuously.
3Reliability
If the electronic cassette is switched from sleep mode to image capturing mode to ensure readiness, then image capturing reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a pre-check mechanism that verifies cassette readiness before image capturing. This allows the cassette to remain in sleep mode during normal operation, consuming minimal power, and only transitions to active mode when actually needed for capturing, thus balancing reliability with power efficiency.
4Device complexity
If radiation emission timing is inaccurate due to lack of synchronization, then device complexity is reduced, but noise content in images increases due to excessive exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a timing signal generation unit that acts as an intermediary to control radiation emission timing independently of complex synchronization systems. This unit generates precise timing signals based on pre-set parameters, ensuring accurate exposure timing without requiring complex electrical synchronization between devices, thus reducing noise while maintaining simplicity.
5Ease of manufacture
If multiple electronic cassettes are shared by multiple image capturing rooms, then cost is reduced, but selection mistakes increase leading to failed image capturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a pre-check mechanism that verifies whether the selected electronic cassette is correctly configured and ready for image capturing before the actual capturing process. This preliminary verification step detects selection mistakes early and prompts user correction, ensuring reliable image capturing while allowing cost-effective sharing of multiple cassettes across multiple rooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the user when a selection mistake is detected, guiding the user to correct the selection. This feedback mechanism maintains high reliability in image capturing success rate while enabling cost-effective sharing of resources across multiple locations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables radiographic image capturing with reduced noise content and power consumption without the need for synchronized image capturing timings, ensuring accurate radiation emission timing and minimizing residual image overlap.
Implementation Method 1
an image capturing panel containing a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix for converting a radiation (which is emitted from a radiation source and transmitted through a subject) into electric charges and storing the electric charges
Data Source
AI summary
A radiological image-capturing device includes: a first read control section that executes a first read mode in which electric signals stored in a plurality of pixels are read out simultaneously in units of a plurality of rows; and an emission-start determining section that determines that the emission of radiation from a radiation source onto an image-capturing panel has started when the values of the electric signals read by the first read control section have become greater than an arbitrarily settable threshold. If it is determined by the emission-start determining section that the emission of the radiation has started, the first read control section terminates the reading of the electric signals, and thereby brings the image-capturing panel into an exposure state.