Radiography Capture Mode Switching for Accurate Order Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Radiographic image capturing apparatuses face challenges in switching between controlled and stand-alone modes, leading to incorrect correspondence between images and capturing order information, making additional or extra image capturing cumbersome and inconvenient for operators or radiologists.

Innovation Solution

A radiographic image capturing apparatus with a control unit that switches between controlled and stand-alone modes, allowing autonomous operation without a console, enabling flexible image capturing while maintaining accurate correspondence between images and order information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the radiographic image capturing apparatus operates in controlled mode under console control, then the correspondence between images and capturing order information is accurate, but the operational flexibility and ease of additional image capturing are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrespondence accuracyVSAvoidoperational flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between controlled mode and stand-alone mode based on operational needs. The control unit can transition the apparatus from console-controlled operation to autonomous operation, allowing flexible adaptation between accurate correspondence (controlled mode) and operational flexibility (stand-alone mode)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the radiographic image capturing apparatus operates in stand-alone mode without console control, then the operational flexibility and ease of additional image capturing are improved, but the correspondence between images and capturing order information may become incorrect

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidcorrespondence accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

In stand-alone mode, the control unit autonomously manages image capturing operations without console intervention. The system self-services by independently controlling the radiation irradiating apparatus and managing image data, enabling flexible additional capturing while maintaining correspondence accuracy through autonomous control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional image capturing is performed in controlled mode, then the operational flexibility is improved, but the correspondence between images and capturing order information becomes incorrect due to order shifting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadditional capturing capabilityVSAvoiddata correspondence

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches from controlled mode to stand-alone mode when additional image capturing is needed. This mode transition allows the apparatus to perform additional captures without being constrained by the original capturing order, while the stand-alone mode's autonomous control maintains accurate data correspondence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If the radiographic image capturing apparatus requires console control for operation, then the data correspondence is maintained, but the device complexity and operational inconvenience are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata correspondenceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments operational modes into controlled mode (with console) and stand-alone mode (without console). The control unit can selectively engage or disengage the console control function, allowing the apparatus to operate with full data correspondence when needed or with reduced complexity when autonomous operation suffices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables easy and flexible image capturing in both modes, reducing operational complexity and inconvenience by allowing autonomous operation and maintaining accurate data correspondence.

Implementation Method 1

a two-dimensional array of radiation detecting elements which generate one or more electric charges in proportion to a dose of incident radiation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS11793479B2Radiography apparatus and radiography system

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

A radiographic image capturing apparatus includes: a two-dimensional array of radiation detecting elements that generate one or more electric charges in proportion to a dose of incident radiation; and a control unit that performs control, at least, to read the electric charges from the radiation detecting elements and generate image data. An image capturing mode is switchable between a controlled mode in which the radiographic image capturing apparatus is under control of an external console and a stand-alone mode in which the radiographic image capturing apparatus autonomously performs image capturing without the control of the console. When the image capturing mode is switched to the controlled mode or the stand-alone mode, the control unit changes its own process so as to meet the switched image capturing mode.