Imaging control apparatus, radiographic imaging system, and imaging control method

• US 9,097,643 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Application Number:
  US13/727,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20130170617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/54 Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material

Abstract

A radiographic imaging apparatus includes: a radiation detection array configured to store charges to acquire an image signal; an output unit configured to output radiation image data based on the image signal to an external apparatus; a detection unit configured to detect an imaging mode changeover instruction; and a control unit configured to, when the detection unit detects an imaging mode changeover instruction during one unit of imaging processing including the charge storage and the charge-based radiation image data output to an external apparatus, control whether the imaging processing is to be interrupted, based on an operating state of the radiographic imaging apparatus.

Claims

1. An imaging control apparatus for executing initialization operation for repetitively reading an electrical signal from a sensor, the imaging control apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an instruction for starting an imaging mode;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire an imaging mode related to the instruction and a sensor state when the instruction is generated; and

a control unit configured to, based on the acquired imaging mode and sensor state, perform control so that the reading repetition interval in the initialization operation at the time of transition from a predetermined imaging mode to the still image capturing mode is shorter than the interval in the initialization operation at the time of transition from a non-imaging state to the still image capturing mode.

2. The imaging control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control so that in the initialization operation at the time of transition from a predetermined imaging mode to the still image capturing mode, the reading repetition interval is shorter and the number of repetitions is greater than those in the initialization operation at the time of transition from a non-imaging state to the still image capturing mode.

3. The imaging control unit according to claim 1, wherein, at the time of transition from the predetermined imaging mode to the still image capturing mode, the control unit waits for at least a specific wait time after the instruction is generated, and then performs control for executing the initialization operation.

4. The imaging control unit according to claim 3, further comprising:

a selection unit configured to select whether the control unit waits based on setting information.

5. The imaging control unit according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined imaging mode is a moving image capturing mode, and

wherein the control unit changes the wait time according to the frame rate in the moving image capturing mode.

6. The imaging control unit according to claim 3, wherein the control unit waits for at least a specific wait time after completing the predetermined imaging mode and before the initialization operation at the time of transition to the still image capturing mode, and then performs control for executing the initialization operation.

7. The imaging control unit according to claim 6, further comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine the specific wait time according to a time duration since the instruction is given until the predetermined imaging mode ends.

8. The imaging control unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection unit configured to select, according to setting information, that the initialization operation is performed after interrupting, when the instruction is given, one unit of imaging processing in the predetermined imaging mode according to the instruction, or that the initialization operation is performed after completion of the one unit of imaging processing.

9. A radiographic imaging system comprising:

the imaging control apparatus according to claim 1;

a radiation generation unit; and

the sensor configured to detect radiation generated by the radiation generation unit.