X-ray Imaging Device Readout Subsystem with Shared Digital Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current x-ray and gamma-ray imaging devices with in-pixel counters face limitations such as limited energy resolution, high power consumption, and increased electronic noise due to the need for multiple counters on each pixel, which complicates shielding and requires active cooling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a readout substrate with Analog to Digital Conversion and a digital controller, utilizing Digital Processing Units to reduce data by integrating photon events over time and combining pixels into super pixels for energy bin analysis, eliminating the need for in-pixel counters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If in-pixel counters are used for counting photons in multiple energy bins, then energy range discrimination capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the counter functionality from individual pixels and relocates it to a shared readout circuit. Instead of having counters embedded in each pixel, the invention uses a centralized readout circuit that services multiple pixels, thereby reducing in-pixel complexity while maintaining the ability to count photons across multiple energy bins through shared resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The readout circuit is designed to serve multiple pixels simultaneously, performing counting and energy discrimination functions for several pixels through a single shared circuit. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain energy binning capability while reducing the overall number of counters needed, as one readout circuit replaces what would traditionally require multiple in-pixel counters.
2Measurement precision
If in-pixel counters are implemented for each pixel, then photon counting capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the counting functionality of multiple pixels into a single shared readout circuit. Instead of each pixel having its own dedicated counter that consumes power continuously, the invention combines these functions so that one readout circuit serves multiple pixels, thereby maintaining photon counting capability while significantly reducing total power consumption through resource sharing.
3Measurement precision
If multiple in-pixel counters are used for energy binning, then energy resolution is improved, but electronic noise and shielding complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the digital counter functionality from the analog pixel region and places it in a separate readout circuit. This physical separation reduces electromagnetic interference and electronic noise coupling between the sensitive analog detector pixels and the digital counting circuitry, while still maintaining the ability to perform energy binning through the shared readout circuit's multiple comparators.
4Measurement precision
If in-pixel counters are used for each pixel, then counting accuracy is improved, but device manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detector into two functional parts: simple analog pixels for photon detection and a separate digital readout circuit for counting and energy discrimination. This segmentation allows the pixels to be manufactured with simpler, more reliable analog circuitry while the complex digital counter functionality is implemented in a dedicated readout chip, thereby improving manufacturability while maintaining counting accuracy.
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 enhances energy resolution, reduces power consumption, and increases count rates while maintaining high diagnostic capabilities, suitable for medical and industrial applications with improved contrast and reduced complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a detector element produced with lithography semiconductor techniques on a monolithic detector substrate for converting x/gamma rays into an electronic signal
Data Source
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AI summary
A photon (energy) identifying radiation imaging device, for imaging x-ray, gamma ray and charged radiation in medical, dental and industrial applications. The imaging device includes a detector substrate and a readout substrate. The detector substrate has a plurality of detector pixels and the readout substrate has a plurality of corresponding pixel readout circuits. Each pixel readout circuit has circuitry for processing an input analog signal and also has one or more buffers for temporarily storing values corresponding to the signal of at least two individual incoming radiation events. The readout substrate includes a digital controller having digital processing units for carrying out off-pixel digital signal processing and data/rate reduction prior to readout.