POSITION SENSING DEVICE FOR A PORTABLE DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20110305319A1
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: LIU, JAMES ZHENGSHE, SAUNDERS, ROWLAND, KUMP, KENNETH, LANGLER, DONALD, SCHLEY, ROY
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/98
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 42/02 using X-rays

Abstract

A method of fabricating a portable x-ray detector includes coupling a gravity sensor to the portable x-ray detector and coupling a processor to the gravity sensor. The processor is programmed to receive an input from the gravity sensor, determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input, and generate ah indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector. A portable detector and an imaging system including the portable detector are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a portable x-ray detector, said method comprising:

coupling a gravity sensor to the portable x-ray detector;

coupling a processor to the gravity sensor, the processor being programmed to receive an input from the gravity sensor;

determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input; and

generate an indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector based on the determined physical orientation.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

coupling a 3-axis gravity sensor to the portable x-ray detector; and

determining a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector using the 3-axis gravity sensor.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a wireless request from a workstation; and

wirelessly transmit orientation information from the gravity sensor to the workstation, the orientation information representing the physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector with respect to the earth.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to transmit orientation information from the portable detector to a workstation, the workstation re-orienting a displayed image based on the orientation information.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to generate an indication representing the alignment of the portable x-ray detector with respect to an x-ray source.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to inhibit the operation of the portable x-ray detector based oh the received input from the gravity sensor.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor is further programmed to adjust an angle of an x-ray source such that the x-ray source is perpendicular to the portable x-ray detector based on the received input from the gravity sensor.

8. A portable x-ray detector comprising:

a detector panel including a plurality of detector elements;

a gravity sensor installed within the portable x-ray detector; and

a processor, the processor programmed to;

receive an input from the gravity sensor,

determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input; and

generate an indication to reposition the portable x-ray detector based on the determined physical orientation.

9. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the gravity sensor comprises a 3-axis gravity sensor and the processor is further programmed to determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector using the 3-axis gravity sensor.

10. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a wireless request from a workstation; and

wirelessly transmit orientation information from the gravity sensor to the Workstation, the orientation information representing the physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector with respect to the earth.

11. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further programmed to transmit orientation information from the portable detector to a workstation, the workstation re-orienting a displayed image based the orientation information.

12. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further programmed to generate an indication representing the alignment of the portable x-ray detector With respect to an x-ray source.

13. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further programmed to inhibit the operation of an x-ray source based on the received input from the gravity sensor.

14. A portable x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the processor is further programmed to adjust an angle of an x-ray source such that the x-ray source is perpendicular to the portable x-ray detector based on the received input from the gravity sensor.

15. A medical imaging system comprising:

an x-ray source; and

a portable x-ray detector configured to receive x-rays generated by the x-ray source, the portable x-ray detector including a gravity sensor installed within, a portable detector, and a processor coupled to the gravity sensor, the processor to receive an input from the gravity sensor, generate orientation information that represents a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector based on the received input from me gravity sensor and transmit the orientation information to a workstation to enable an operator to reposition the portable x-ray detector based on the determined physical orientation.

16. A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the gravity sensor comprises a 3-axis gravity sensor and the processor is further programmed to determine a physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector using the 3-axis gravity sensor.

17. A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the processor is further programmed to wirelessly transmit the orientation information from the gravity sensor to the workstation, the orientation information representing the physical orientation of the portable x-ray detector with respect to the earth.

18. A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the workstation is configured to generate an image of an object, and re-orient the image based the orientation information.

19. A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the workstation is further programmed to generate an indication representing the alignment of the portable x-ray detector with respect to an x-ray source.

20. A medical imaging system in accordance with claim 15 wherein the workstation is configured to inhibit the operation of the x-ray source based on the orientation information.