SYSTEM AND METHOD OF X-RAY DETECTION WITH A SENSOR
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of automatically detecting x-ray radiation with an x-ray sensor, the method comprising:
- resetting a pixel array by removing stored charge from the pixel array;
measuring an elapsed time since resetting of the pixel array;
executing a decision operation using the elapsed time and an average dark current trigger time;
determining that a threshold has been crossed, crossing of the threshold indicating that a predetermined amount of charge has been stored on at least a portion of the pixel array;
determining that x-ray radiation has been received at the at least a portion of the pixel array based on at the decision operation; and
upon determining that x-ray radiation has been received, outputting data from the pixel array to be used to generate an x-ray image.
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Abstract
A system and method for automatic detection of x-rays at an x-ray sensor. A source emits x-ray radiation towards an x-ray sensor, and the x-ray sensor automatically detects the x-ray radiation. The x-ray sensor automatically detects x-ray radiation by evaluating a time series and determining that a voltage threshold is crossed a certain amount of time earlier than the average time it takes the voltage threshold to be crossed from dark current and other noise.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of automatically detecting x-ray radiation with an x-ray sensor, the method comprising:
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resetting a pixel array by removing stored charge from the pixel array; measuring an elapsed time since resetting of the pixel array; executing a decision operation using the elapsed time and an average dark current trigger time; determining that a threshold has been crossed, crossing of the threshold indicating that a predetermined amount of charge has been stored on at least a portion of the pixel array; determining that x-ray radiation has been received at the at least a portion of the pixel array based on at the decision operation; and upon determining that x-ray radiation has been received, outputting data from the pixel array to be used to generate an x-ray image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An x-ray sensor that automatically detects receipt of x-rays, the x-ray sensor including a processor, a pixel array, and a memory, the processor configured to:
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reset the pixel array by removing stored charge from the pixel array; measure an elapsed time since resetting of the pixel array; execute a decision operation using the elapsed time and an average dark current trigger time; determine that a threshold has been crossed, crossing of the threshold indicating that a predetermined amount of charge has been stored on at least a portion of the pixel array; determine that x-ray radiation has been received at the at least a portion of the pixel array based on the decision operation; and upon determining that x-ray radiation has been received, output data from the pixel array to be used to generate an x-ray image. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification