Image Plate Readout Device

• US 20100156590A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palodex Group Oy (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Palodex Group Oy (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kyllonen, Mika, Taskinen, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4216 using storage phosphor screens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/46 Arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/00 Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation G01T3/00, G01T5/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00251 with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00381 Input by recognition or interpretation of visible user gestures manual input means, e.g. digitisers, writing tablets H04N1/00392; gesture input to computers G06F3/017; recognition algorithms G06V40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0079 Medical imaging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to an image plate readout device, the readout device comprising receiver elements for the reception of an image plate and/or a transfer element intended for an image plate. In connection with the readout device is provided, for detecting an object, at least one sensing element, which is in turn set in data communication with the readout device in such a way that, upon detecting an object, the sensing element delivers a signal to the readout device. In response to being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, the readout device executes some function.

Claims

1. An image plate readout device, said readout device comprising receiver elements for receiving an image plate and/or a transfer element intended for an image plate, wherein

in communication with the readout device is provided at least one sensing element for detecting an object,

the sensing element is set in data communication with the readout device in such a way that, upon detecting an object, the sensing element is adapted to deliver a signal to the readout device, and

said readout device is adapted, having been triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, to execute a function.

2. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the readout device is adapted, having been triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, to proceed to an operating mode.

3. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the function comprises the activation of an instrumentation relevant to an entrance of the readout device for enabling the placement of an image plate in said entrance either as such or disposed in a transfer element, and/or the setting of a gripper element encompassed by the readout device in a standby mode for enabling the placement of an image plate in said gripper element either as such or disposed in a transfer element.

4. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the function comprises the setting of an instrumentation relevant to an entrance of the readout device in an offering condition for offering an image plate to be picked up from the entrance.

5. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the readout device further comprises also a conveyor mechanism for setting an image plate, either as such or disposed in a transfer element, to be read by a reader unit of the readout device after being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element.

6. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the readout device further comprises also guidelining elements for instructing a readout device operator, wherein the readout device is adapted, after being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, to activate said guidelining element and to supply said guidelining element with user instruction information.

7. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein said sensing element has been implemented for example by means of an infrared sensor, a thermal sensor, an RFID sensor, a photocell, a laser rangefinder, a mechanical sensor, a radar, a camera, a capacitive sensor and/or a resistive sensor.

8. A readout device according to claim 1, wherein the readout device, or a component, an element, or a function encompassed thereby, is activated when at least one of the following is fulfilled:

at least one sensing element detects an object and delivers a signal to the readout device upon detecting some gesture or motion performed by an operator or upon detecting that the object dwells in the proximity of the readout device for a time period which is longer or shorter than a preset time.

9. A method for the reception of an image plate and/or a transfer element intended for an image plate in a readout device, comprising the steps of

detecting an object by means of at least one sensing element provided in connection with the readout device, in response to said detection a signal being delivered from the sensing element to the readout device by way of a data communication link connecting the same, and

executing a function upon being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the readout device is adapted, after being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, to proceed to an operating mode.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the function comprises the activation of an instrumentation relevant to an entrance of the readout device for enabling the placement of an image plate in said entrance either as such or disposed in a transfer element, and/or the setting of a gripper element encompassed by the readout device in a standby mode for enabling the placement of an image plate in said gripper element either as such or disposed in a transfer element.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the function comprises the setting of an instrumentation relevant to an entrance of the readout device in an offering condition for offering an image plate to be picked up from the entrance.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the readout device further comprises also a conveyor mechanism for setting an image plate, either as such or disposed in a transfer element, to be read by a reader unit of the readout device after being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the readout device further comprises also guidelining elements for instructing a readout device operator, wherein the readout device, after being triggered by a signal delivered by the sensing element, activates said guidelining element and supplies said guidelining element with user instruction information.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein said sensing element is implemented for example by means of an infrared sensor, a thermal sensor, an RFID sensor, a photocell, a laser rangefinder, a mechanical sensor, a radar, a camera, a capacitive sensor and/or a resistive sensor.

16. A method according to claim 9, wherein the readout device, or a component, an element, or a function encompassed thereby, is activated when at least one of the following is fulfilled:

at least one sensing element detects an object and delivers a signal to the readout device upon detecting some gesture or motion performed by an operator or upon detecting that the object dwells in the proximity of the readout device for a time period which is longer or shorter than a preset time.