Variable Depth Pinhole Aperture for Uniform Imaging Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pinhole imaging apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform sensitivity and resolution across the entire volume of interest, with prior art configurations often prioritizing the primary volume of interest at the expense of regions outside, and failing to adapt to specific examination requirements.
Innovation Solution
The imaging apparatus features a unique pinhole arrangement where central and peripheral pinholes have focal openings of different depths, allowing for non-overlapping projections and improved sensitivity and resolution by shifting focal openings from a common plane, enabling better imaging characteristics tailored to the type of examination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If all pinholes have focal openings at the same depth (common focal plane), then the aperture structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but sensitivity and resolution are not uniform across the volume of interest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different focal opening depths to different pinholes based on their positions. Central pinholes have focal openings at a first depth while peripheral pinholes have focal openings at a second depth. This localized differentiation optimizes sensitivity and resolution uniformly across the entire volume of interest, rather than using a uniform structure for all pinholes.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture is segmented into different regions (central and peripheral) with distinct focal opening depth configurations. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently for its specific imaging requirements, achieving uniform performance across the volume of interest while managing overall system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the aperture samples the entire volume of interest uniformly, then complete coverage is achieved, but diagnostic quality improves when sampling is concentrated in the primary volume of interest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by configuring central pinholes (associated with the primary volume of interest) with focal openings at a first depth to optimize sensitivity and resolution for that region. Peripheral pinholes are configured with focal openings at a second depth to provide appropriate sampling for surrounding regions. This localized optimization enhances diagnostic quality in the primary volume while maintaining adaptability to different examination requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If focal openings are shifted from a common plane to different depths, then sensitivity and resolution are improved in the primary volume of interest, but the aperture manufacturing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing different focal opening depths only where needed - central pinholes have focal openings at a first depth while peripheral pinholes have focal openings at a second depth. This localized approach improves sensitivity and resolution in the primary volume of interest while limiting manufacturing complexity to specific regions rather than requiring complex structures throughout the entire aperture.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is an imaging apparatus comprising a detector device (12) for determining points of incidence of photons and having an impact surface (13), and an aperture (16) suitable for projecting the photons to the detector device (12) having an inlet surface (17) and an outlet surface facing the impact surface (13), and comprising pinholes (18', 18", 22) connecting the inlet surface (17) and the outlet surface. The pinholes (18', 18", 22) comprise one or more central pinholes (18', 22) and one or more peripheral pinholes (18"), and at least one central pinhole (18', 22) and at least one peripheral pinhole (18") are formed with focal opening (20', 20", 23) depth or focal opening (20', 20", 23) sizes different from each other. Furthermore, the invention is an aperture for the imaging apparatus and a method of manufacturing an aperture of an imaging apparatus.