TRANSPORT ASSISTING METHOD AND TRANSPORT ASSISTING DEVICE FOR RADIATION-IRRADIATION DEVICE, AND RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20180192979A1
• Filed: 03/06/2018
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuji, Tetsuya, Nakatsugawa, Haruyasu, Ohkubo, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US15/913,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/10 Safety means specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/587 Alignment of source unit to detector unit

Abstract

A transport assisting method includes: setting a target position of the radiation-irradiation device where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at a radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit and a work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device; detecting a current position of the radiation-irradiation device; detecting a position of an obstacle that obstructs the transport of the radiation-irradiation device; and notifying the user of the transport assistance of the radiation-irradiation device to the target position on the basis of the target position, the current position, and the position of the obstacle.

Claims

1. A transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device assisting a user to transport a radiation-irradiation device, on which a radiation source irradiating a radiation image recording medium with radiation and a movable radiation source holding unit holding the radiation source so as to allow the position of the radiation source to be changeable are mounted and which is capable of being transported by the user, to a target position where the radiation image recording medium is irradiated with radiation, the transport assisting method comprising:

setting a target position of the radiation-irradiation device where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at a radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit and a work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device;

detecting a current position of the radiation-irradiation device;

detecting a position of an obstacle that obstructs the transport of the radiation-irradiation device; and

notifying the user of the transport assistance of the radiation-irradiation device to the target position on the basis of the target position, the current position, and the position of the obstacle.

2. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1,

wherein the notifying is started in a case in which the radiation-irradiation device approaches the target position by a predetermined distance, which is shorter than a distance to the target position at the time of setting of the target position, after the setting of the target position.

3. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying is started in a case in which the radiation-irradiation device approaches the obstacle by a predetermined distance after the setting of the target position.

4. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which the radiation-irradiation device is positioned at the target position, the work space is secured on at least a right side of the radiation-irradiation device in a case in which the radiation-irradiation position of the radiation source is present on the right side of the radiation-irradiation device and the work space is secured on at least a left side of the radiation-irradiation device in a case in which the radiation-irradiation position of the radiation source is present on the left side of the radiation-irradiation device.

5. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein a position of the radiation image recording medium, which is used to set the target position, is detected on the basis of an image that is reconstructed from images taken by a plurality of cameras mounted on the radiation-irradiation device and/or an image that is taken by one camera.

6. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein a position of the radiation image recording medium, which is used to set the target position, is detected on the basis of a radio signal that is transmitted from the radiation image recording medium.

7. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein a position of the radiation image recording medium, which is used to set the target position, is acquired from an order for taking a radiation image.

8. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the current position of the radiation-irradiation device is detected on the basis of an image that is reconstructed from images taken by a plurality of cameras mounted on the radiation-irradiation device and/or an image that is taken by one camera.

9. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the position of the obstacle is detected on the basis of an image that is reconstructed from images taken by a plurality of cameras mounted on the radiation-irradiation device and/or an image that is taken by one camera.

10. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the target position is performed under conditions where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at the radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit, the work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device, and the obstacle is not present in a movable range of the radiation source holding unit.

11. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the target position is performed under conditions where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at the radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit, the work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device, and whether or not a radiation image is not capable of being taken due to the presence of the obstacle in a case in which the obstacle is present in a movable range of the radiation source holding unit.

12. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying is performed using an image that is displayed on display section for displaying an image.

13. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 12, wherein the image, which is displayed on the display section as the notifying, includes a display that shows a path to the target position from the current position of the radiation-irradiation device.

14. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 12, wherein the image, which is displayed on the display section as the notifying, includes an image that shows a field of view on a front side of the radiation-irradiation device in a transport direction.

15. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 12, wherein the image, which is displayed on the display section as the notifying, includes an image obtained by viewing the radiation-irradiation device from above.

16. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying is performed using a voice.

17. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 16, wherein the notifying using the voice is to notify the user of a transport direction with respect to the transport direction of the radiation-irradiation device at a point of time in a case in which the notifying is performed.

18. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which the radiation-irradiation device deviates from an appropriate movement path based on the notifying during the transport of the radiation-irradiation device, the notifying of a warning indicating a fact of the deviation of the radiation-irradiation device is generated.

19. The transport assisting method for a radiation-irradiation device according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which the radiation-irradiation device arrives at the target position, notifying the user of the arrival of the radiation-irradiation device is generated.

20. A transport assisting device for a radiation-irradiation device assisting a user to transport a radiation-irradiation device, on which a radiation source irradiating a radiation image recording medium with radiation and a movable radiation source holding unit holding the radiation source so as to allow the position of the radiation source to be changeable are mounted and which is capable of being transported by the user, to a target position where the radiation image recording medium is irradiated with radiation, the transport assisting device comprising:

target position setting section for setting a target position of the radiation-irradiation device where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at a radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit and a work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device;

current position detecting section for detecting a current position of the radiation-irradiation device;

obstacle position detecting section for detecting a position of an obstacle that obstructs the transport of the radiation-irradiation device; and

notification section for notifying the user of the transport assistance of the radiation-irradiation device to the target position on the basis of the target position, the current position, and the position of the obstacle.

21. A radiographic imaging apparatus comprising:

a radiation-irradiation device on which a radiation source irradiating a radiation image recording medium with radiation and a movable radiation source holding unit holding the radiation source so as to allow the position of the radiation source to be changeable are mounted and which is capable of being transported by a user;

target position setting section for setting a target position of the radiation-irradiation device where the radiation source is capable of being disposed at a radiation-irradiation position where a radiation image is capable of being taken with respect to the radiation image recording medium in a movable range where the position of the radiation source is capable of being changed by the radiation source holding unit and a work space is capable of being secured around the radiation-irradiation device;

current position detecting section for detecting a current position of the radiation-irradiation device;

obstacle position detecting section for detecting a position of an obstacle that obstructs the transport of the radiation-irradiation device; and

notification section for notifying the user of the transport assistance of the radiation-irradiation device to the target position on the basis of the target position, the current position, and the position of the obstacle.