RADIOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120014512A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Hyung Chan, KIM, Hyun Sun, KIM, Sung Nam, SHIN, Seung Woo
• Application Number:
  US13/166,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20120014512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4452 the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4476 related to motor-assisted motion of the source unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/54 Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/588 Setting distance between source unit and detector unit

Abstract

A radiography apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. With provision of a user centered input unit, automated horizontal and rotational movement of a detector may be performed, enabling automated full-body radiography.

Claims

1. A radiography apparatus comprising an arm to which a radiation emitter is coupled and a detector which records radiation passing through an object to form a radiography image, the apparatus further comprising:

an input unit which inputs a change in a position of the detector; and

a control unit which controls motors which drive the arm and the detector to move the detector in a direction input through the input unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is movable in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm is a U-shaped arm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input unit includes a direction input device which inputs a movement direction of the detector.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the motors by calculating a movement distance and a rotating angle of the arm and the detector.

6. A method of controlling a movement of a detector, the method comprising:

determining a rotating direction of an arm coupled to the detector based on a movement direction of the detector;

rotating the arm by a control unit based on a result of the determining, and correcting, by the control unit, a position of the detector after rotation of the arm is completed.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the rotation of the arm includes:

determining, by the control unit, whether the arm is rotatable in the determined rotating direction;

moving the arm downward by the control unit if the arm is not rotatable in the determined rotating direction; and

rotating the arm in the determined rotating direction by the control unit if the arm is rotatable in the determined rotating direction.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the correcting the position of the detector includes:

correcting, by the control unit, an angle of the detector, which is deviated from a horizontal direction due to the rotation of the arm; and

after correcting the angle of the detector, correcting, by the control unit, a height of the detector, which is vertically moved due to the rotation of the arm.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control unit repeats the control operations of rotating the arm and correcting the position of the detector until the detector moves to an input position.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the movement of the detector based on information about movable ranges of the arm and the detector with respect to previously input angles of the arm and the detector.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the movement of the detector based on information about movable ranges of the arm and the detector obtained from sensors attached to the arm and the detector.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the movement of the detector based on a combination of information about movable ranges of the arm and the detector with respect to previously input angles of the arm and the detector and information about movable ranges of the arm and the detector obtained from sensors attached to the arm and the detector.

13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the arm is a U-shaped arm.

14. A method of performing full-body radiography on an object using a radiography apparatus, the method comprising:

horizontally moving a detector by a control unit if full-body radiography is selected; and

adjusting, by the control unit, a radiation dose emitted from a radiation emitter to provide an evenly distributed radiation dose throughout the object during horizontal movement of the detector.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein evenly distributing the radiation dose throughout the object includes:

determining, by the control unit, a rotating angle of an arm;

calculating, by the control unit, a distance between the radiation emitter and the object after the arm is rotated by the determined rotating angle; and

adjusting, by the control unit, the radiation dose to provide the evenly distributed radiation dose throughout the object based on the calculated distance.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein evenly distributing the radiation dose throughout the object includes adjusting, by the control unit, a distance between the radiation emitter and the object to a constant value to provide the evenly distributed radiation dose throughout the object.

17. A control method of a radiography apparatus, the method comprising:

simultaneously controlling, by a control unit, motors used to drive an arm and a detector if a movement direction of the detector is input through an input unit;

horizontally moving the detector in the inputted movement direction by controlling the motors by the control unit; and

performing radiography of an object after stopping a movement of the detector when the detector reaches a target position.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the arm is a U-shaped arm.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the detector is movable in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.

20. A radiography apparatus which forms a radiography image, the apparatus comprising:

an arm to which a radiation emitter is coupled;

a detector which records radiation passing through an object to form the radiography image;

an input unit which inputs a change in a position of the detector; and

a control unit which controls motors which drive the arm and the detector to move the detector in a direction input through the input unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the detector is rotatably coupled to the arm.