MOBILE RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MOBILE RADIATION IMAGING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20140264061A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Tetsuo, Kato, Katsushi, Kobayashi, Kensuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,668,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/394
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A mobile radiation imaging apparatus includes: an irradiation unit that emits radiation; a moving unit that moves with the irradiation unit; an imaging unit that takes an image of an object irradiated with radiation and is able to transmit the image via the wireless communication or the wired communication; an obtaining unit that obtains information indicating in which area the moving unit is located among a wired communication area, a wirelessly communicable area, and a switching area for switching between the wireless communication and the wired communication; and a control unit that switches the communication with the imaging unit depending on the obtained information.

Claims

1. A mobile radiation imaging apparatus having an irradiation unit configured to emit radiation, and a moving unit configured to move with the irradiation unit, the mobile radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to take an image of an object irradiated with radiation, and is capable of transmitting the image via wireless communication or wired communication;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain information indicating in which area the moving unit is located among a wired communication area, a wirelessly communicable area, and a switching area for switching between the wireless communication and the wired communication; and

a control unit configured to switch the communication with the imaging unit depending on the obtained information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an instructing unit configured to instruct an operator to switch from the wireless communication to the wired communication if the obtaining unit obtains information indicating that the moving unit that has moved from the wirelessly communicable area is located in the switching area.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives the image transmitted from the imaging unit via the wireless communication when the moving unit is located in the wirelessly communicable area.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit restricts the wireless communication with the imaging unit when the moving unit is located in the wired communication area.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining unit obtains the information by receiving a signal that is transmitted from an external transmitting unit and indicates the boundary between the wired communication area and the switching area, and a signal that is transmitted from another external transmitting unit that is different from that transmitting unit and indicates the boundary between the wirelessly communicable area and the switching area.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect position information indicating a position of the moving unit,

wherein the obtaining unit obtain the information by comparing the position information with map information indicating a layout of the areas in which the moving unit can move.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a display unit configured to display a relative position of the moving unit in the areas in which the moving unit can move based on the result of the comparison between the position information and the map information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the instructing unit instructs the operator to switch from the wireless communication to the wired communication by displaying, on the display unit, a message to switch from the wireless communication to the wired communication, or alarming by sound the operator to switch from the wireless communication to the wired communication.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, if the switching from the wireless communication to the wired communication is not performed, the control unit increases an operation load needed for the movement of the moving unit.

10. A method for controlling a mobile radiation imaging apparatus that includes:

an irradiation unit configured to emit radiation;

a moving unit configured to move with the irradiation unit; and

an imaging unit configured to take an image of an object irradiated with radiation and is capable of transmitting the image via wireless communication or wired communication, the method comprising;

an obtaining step of an obtaining unit of the mobile radiation imaging apparatus obtaining information indicating in which area the moving unit is located among a wired communication area, a wirelessly communicable area, and a switching area for switching between the wireless communication and the wired communication; and

a control step of a control unit of the mobile radiation imaging apparatus switching the communication with the imaging unit depending on the obtained information.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of the method for controlling a mobile radiation imaging apparatus according to claim 10.

12. A mobile radiation imaging apparatus having an irradiation unit configured to emit radiation, and a moving unit configured to move with the irradiation unit, the mobile radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to take an image of an object irradiated with radiation, and is capable of transmitting the image via wireless communication or wired communication;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain position information of the mobile radiation imaging apparatus; and

a control unit configured to switch the communication with the imaging unit based on the obtained position information.