TRIGGERING OF INTRAORAL X-RAY SENSOR USING PIXEL ARRAY SUB-SAMPLING
First Claim
1. An intraoral x-ray system comprising:
- an intraoral sensor having an array of pixels, the array of pixels having a plurality of clusters of pixels located at a perimeter of the array of pixels, each of the pixels generating an electrical signal correlated to x-ray radiation that impinges that pixel; and
an electronic control unit connected to the intraoral sensor to receive electric signals from the array of pixels, the electronic control unit destructively reading each pixel clusters one-at-a-time, the electronic control unit configured to generate a dose-correlated signal based on the signals from the pixel clusters and initiate capture of an image generated with information from each of the pixels in the array of pixels, when the dose-correlated signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automatic triggering of an intraoral x-ray sensor used in a dental x-ray imaging system. The intraoral sensor has an array of pixels. The array of pixels has a plurality of lines of pixels, and each of the pixels generates an electrical signal correlated to x-ray radiation that impinges that pixel. An electronic control unit is connected to the intraoral sensor to receive electric signals from the array of pixels. The electronic control unit destructively reads pixel clusters in one or more of the plurality of lines of pixels, each of the pixel clusters located at a perimeter of the array of pixels. The electronic control unit is configured to generate a dose-correlated signal based on the signals from each of the pixel clusters in each of the one or more lines of pixels and initiate capture of an image generated with information from each of the pixels in the array of pixels, when the combined signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An intraoral x-ray system comprising:
-
an intraoral sensor having an array of pixels, the array of pixels having a plurality of clusters of pixels located at a perimeter of the array of pixels, each of the pixels generating an electrical signal correlated to x-ray radiation that impinges that pixel; and an electronic control unit connected to the intraoral sensor to receive electric signals from the array of pixels, the electronic control unit destructively reading each pixel clusters one-at-a-time, the electronic control unit configured to generate a dose-correlated signal based on the signals from the pixel clusters and initiate capture of an image generated with information from each of the pixels in the array of pixels, when the dose-correlated signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of automatically triggering an intraoral x-ray sensor to capture an image, the intraoral sensor having and array of pixels, the array of pixels having a plurality of pixel clusters, the method comprising:
-
directing x-ray radiation toward the intraoral sensor when x-ray radiation impinges a pixel in the array of pixels, generating an electrical signal correlated to the x-ray radiation that impinges the pixel; processing electrical signals generated by one or more pixels in the array of pixels in an electronic control unit by destructively reading pixel clusters, wherein each of the pixel clusters is read consecutively and each is located at a perimeter of the array of pixels; generating a combined signal based on the signals from each of the pixel clusters; and when the combined signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, initiating capture of an image generated with information from each of the pixels in the array of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An intraoral x-ray system comprising:
-
an array of pixels including a perimeter, wherein each pixel generates an electrical signal correlated to x-ray radiation that impinges that pixel; wherein the array of pixels includes a plurality of pixel clusters including at least a first cluster and a second cluster at a first side of the perimeter, and a third cluster and a fourth cluster at a second side of the perimeter, wherein the second side of the perimeter is opposite of the first side of the perimeter; a processor coupled to the array of pixels; cluster select lines that are selectively enabled to couple the processor to the first cluster, the second cluster, the third cluster, and the fourth cluster to enable the processor to destructively read the first cluster, the second cluster, the third cluster, and the fourth cluster one-at-a-time, and determine an amount of electrical signal generated by each of the first cluster, the second cluster, the third cluster, and the fourth cluster when destructively read; wherein the processor reads the array of pixels if the processor determines the amount of electrical signal generated crosses a threshold.
-
Specification