Imaging apparatus, imaging control apparatus, imaging system, and method for controlling imaging apparatus

• US 8,618,494 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Konishi, Shimpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kiho
• Application Number:
  US13/398,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20120217412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 250/394, 25037001-37015, 378/98.8
• US Class Current: 250/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/30 for transforming X-rays into image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/40 Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

An imaging apparatus configured to output an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction includes an imaging unit, a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal, and a determination unit configured to determine whether to start new initialization driving before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus for outputting an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction, the imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether to start new initialization driving before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit configured to, if the determination unit determines to start the new initialization driving, output the imaging enabling signal in response to completion of the new initialization driving, and, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, output the imaging enabling signal without causing the imaging unit to start the new initialization driving.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, the output unit outputs the imaging enabling signal according to a lapse of a period of time required for the initialization driving performed by the imaging unit from the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, the output unit immediately outputs the imaging enabling signal.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the determination unit determines that the elapsed time from the completion of the last initialization driving is shorter than a threshold, the control unit does not start new initialization driving until reading of an image signal is complete.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a setting unit configured to set the threshold according to an elapsed time from startup of the imaging unit.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit receives radiation emitted in response to the imaging enabling signal, to accumulate an electrical signal, and

wherein the control unit causes the imaging unit to perform driving for reading the electrical signal.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initialization driving performed by the imaging unit is driving for reading an electrical signal that is not used to generate an image and that is accumulated in the imaging unit in a non-radiation-receiving state in which the imaging unit does not receive radiation.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive a signal from an operation unit configured to receive an operation providing an instruction to perform imaging.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls, after reading an electrical signal accumulated according to receipt of radiation, the imaging unit to accumulate an electrical signal in a non-radiation-receiving state, in which the imaging unit does not receive radiation, for a period of time between the completion of the last initialization driving and the start of reading of the electrical signal accumulated according to the receipt of radiation, reads the electrical signal accumulated in the non-radiation-receiving state to acquire an offset data, and stores the offset data in a storage unit.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the elapsed time from the completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction exceeds a threshold.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the imaging unit to start the new initialization driving in response to the receipt of the imaging instruction.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the imaging unit to start the new initialization driving immediately after the receipt of the imaging instruction.

14. An imaging control apparatus configured to control an imaging unit and to output an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction, the imaging control apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether to start new initialization driving before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

15. An imaging system comprising:

the imaging control apparatus according to claim 14;

the imaging unit; and

a display unit configured to display an image acquired by the imaging unit.

16. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus configured to output an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction, the method comprising:

causing an imaging unit of the imaging apparatus to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal; and

determining whether to start new initialization driving before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

17. An imaging control apparatus configured to control an imaging unit and to output an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction, the imaging control apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether to start new initialization driving in response to the receipt of the imaging instruction before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the imaging unit to start the new initialization driving immediately after the receipt of the imaging instruction.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising an output unit configured to output the imaging enabling signal immediately after the completion of the new initialization driving.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising an output unit configured to, if the determination unit determines to start the new initialization driving, output the imaging enabling signal in response to completion of the new initialization driving, and, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, output the imaging enabling signal without causing the imaging unit to start the new initialization driving.

21. The imaging apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, the output unit outputs the imaging enabling signal according to a lapse of a period of time required for the initialization driving performed by the imaging unit from the time of receipt of the imaging instruction.

22. The imaging apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, if the determination unit determines not to start the new initialization driving, the output unit immediately outputs the imaging enabling signal.

23. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, if the determination unit determines that the elapsed time from the completion of the last initialization driving is shorter than a threshold, the control unit does not start new initialization driving until reading of an image signal is complete.

24. The imaging apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a setting unit configured to set the threshold according to an elapsed time from startup of the imaging unit.

25. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the imaging unit receives radiation emitted in response to the imaging enabling signal, to accumulate an electrical signal, and

wherein the control unit causes the imaging unit to perform driving for reading the electrical signal.

26. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the initialization driving performed by the imaging unit is driving for reading an electrical signal that is not used to generate an image and that is accumulated in the imaging unit in a non-radiation- receiving state in which the imaging unit does not receive radiation.

27. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive a signal from an operation unit configured to receive an operation providing an instruction to perform imaging.

28. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit controls, after reading an electrical signal accumulated according to receipt of radiation, the imaging unit to accumulate an electrical signal in a non-radiation-receiving state, in which the imaging unit does not receive radiation, for a period of time between the completion of the last initialization driving and the start of reading of the electrical signal accumulated according to the receipt of radiation, reads the electrical signal accumulated in the non-radiation-receiving state to acquire an offset data, and stores the offset data in a storage unit.

29. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the determination unit determines whether the elapsed time from the completion of the last initialization driving to the time of receipt of the imaging instruction exceeds a threshold.

30. An imaging system comprising:

the imaging control apparatus according to claim 17;

the imaging unit; and

a display unit configured to display an image acquired by the imaging unit.

31. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus configured to output an imaging enabling signal in response to an imaging instruction, the method comprising:

controlling an imaging unit to repeatedly perform initialization driving for reading an accumulated electrical signal;

determining whether to start new initialization driving in response to the receipt of the imaging instruction before the imaging enabling signal is output, according to an elapsed time from completion of the last initialization driving.