Radiographic image capturing device

• US 8,546,777 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Utsunomiya, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malkowski, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US13/008,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20110222663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 250/580
• US Class Current: 250/580
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4283 characterised by a detector unit being housed in a cassette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4464 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings

Abstract

A radiographic image capturing device includes: a radiation detector that has plural sensor portions; a detection circuit that reads out, as electrical signals, electric charge quantities stored in each of the sensor portions and converts the electrical signals into digital image data; a receiver that receives electrical power; a power source that is charged by the electrical power and supplies electrical power for driving to at least the radiation detector and the detection circuit; and a controller which, in the case of performing video imaging, controls the detection circuit so as to allow electric charges to be stored in a predetermined storage period and which performs control such that, in the storage period of each imaging, it stops at least one of the charging of the power source with the received electrical power or the reception of the electrical power from the outside by the receiver.

Claims

1. A radiographic image capturing device comprising:

a radiation detector that has a plurality of sensor portions in which electric charges are generated as a result of being irradiated with radiation and which store the generated electric charges;

a detection circuit that reads out, as electrical signals, electric charge quantities stored in each of the sensor portions of the radiation detector, converts the electrical signals it has read out into digital data, and detects image data representing a radiographic image;

a receiver that receives external electrical power;

a power source that is charged by the electrical power received by the receiver and that supplies electrical power for driving at least the radiation detector and the detection circuit; and

a controller which, in the case of performing video imaging in which imaging is performed continuously, controls the detection circuit so as to allow electric charges to be stored in a predetermined storage period in each of the sensor portions of the radiation detector in each imaging and thereafter to read out the stored electric charges, and which performs control such that, in the storage period of each imaging, the controller stops at least one of the charging of the power source with the electrical power received by the receiver or the reception of the electrical power from the outside by the receiver, and performs control such that, in periods between the storage period of each imaging, the controller charges the power source with the electrical power received by the receiver.

2. The radiographic image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein in the case of a state of preparation for imaging, the controller performs control so as to repeatedly perform a reset operation that retrieves the electric charges stored in each of the sensor portions of the radiation detector, and, when performing imaging, the controller performs control so as to perform the reset operation until a reset operation equal to one frame is completed.

3. The radiographic image capturing device according to claim 2, wherein the controller, after completion of the reset operation equal to one frame, causes storage of the electric charges in the storage period to be started in each of the sensor portions of the radiation detector and stops at least one of the charging of the power source with the electrical power received by the receiver or the reception of electrical power from the outside by the receiver.

4. The radiographic image capturing device according to claim 2, wherein the controller communicates with an external console that is connected to a radiation source, and performs control so as to begin the reset operation when receiving an instruction from the console indicating that a request for imaging has been received.

5. The radiographic image capturing device according to claim 4, wherein the controller sends an instruction to the console to begin radiation after completion of the reset operation equal to one frame, and thereafter performs control so as to stop at least one of the charging of the power source with the electrical power received by the receiver or the reception of electrical power from the outside by the receiver.