X-ray imaging apparatus, control device, radiation imaging apparatus, and method of controlling the same

• US 9,198,271 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Miyachi, Norihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Midkiff, Anastasia
• Application Number:
  US13/752,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20130230141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 378/62, 378/91, 378/96, 378/98, 378/98.8, 378/204, 378/210, 378/901, 250/370.01, 250/370.08, 250/370.09, 250/371
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/54 Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/563 involving image data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/04 and forming images of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/003 Reconstruction from projections, e.g. tomography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/30 for generating image signals from X-rays
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/321 with video transmission of fluoroscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/00 X-ray apparatus involving X-ray tubes; Circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/08 Electrical details
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/30 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 1/60 Circuit arrangements for obtaining a series of X-ray photographs or for X-ray cinematography

Abstract

In transfer of image data (such as an X-ray image), if for example a transfer error occurs, a retransmission timeout time limit for an item of image data that is to be transferred last, in a time sequence of image data transfer, is set to be different from a retransmission timeout time limit for at least one other item of image data which is to be transferred.

Claims

1. A control device which performs radiation imaging by controlling a digital radiation imaging apparatus, the device comprising:

a detection unit which detects an imaging instruction in a specific imaging mode;

a transferring unit which performs a transfer of outside radiation image data obtained by the digital radiation imaging;

a control unit which executes retransmission processing within a retransmission timeout time when the transfer fails; and

a setting unit which sets, in a first imaging mode, a retransmission timeout time limit for an item of image data that is to be transferred last, in a time sequence of image data transfer, to be different from a retransmission timeout time limit for at least one other item of image data to be transferred.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said setting unit sets, as a retransmission timeout time limit for the image data transferred last, a value larger than a retransmission timeout time for the at least one other item of image data.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said setting unit sets, as a retransmission timeout time limit for the image data transferred last, a value smaller than a retransmission timeout time limit for the at least one other item of image data or 0.

4. A method of controlling a control device which performs radiation imaging by controlling a digital radiation imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

a detection step of detecting an imaging instruction in a specific imaging mode;

a transferring step of performing a transfer of outside radiation image data obtained by the digital radiation imaging;

a control step of executing retransmission processing within a retransmission timeout time when the transfer fails; and

a setting step of setting, in a first imaging mode, a retransmission timeout time limit for an item of image data that is to be transferred last, in a time sequence of image data transfer, to be different from a retransmission timeout time limit for at least one other item of image data to be transferred.

5. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:

an X-ray image generating unit which detects X-rays transmitted through an object and generates an X-ray image of the object based on the detected X-rays; and

a control unit which acquires the X-ray image from said X-ray image generating unit and transfers the X-ray image to a functional unit which processes the X-ray image,

wherein said control unit retransmits, to the functional unit, one X-ray image acquired by said X-ray image generating unit within a preset retransmission time, when a retransmission request for the X-ray image is received from the functional unit after the X-ray image is transferred to the functional unit,

wherein said control unit sets, as the retransmission time, a period until a start of capturing of a next X-ray image after the transfer, when a moving image mode for capturing a plurality of X-ray images by continuously capturing X-ray images is set, and

wherein said control unit sets a predetermined time as the retransmission time when a still image mode for capturing one X-ray image is set.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the functional unit transmits the retransmission request to said control unit when an error in the transfer is detected.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control unit sets a retransmission time shorter than a retransmission time set in a moving image mode and a retransmission time set in a still image mode as a retransmission time immediately after detection of switching from one of the moving image mode and the still image mode to the other.

8. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising:

a radiation detector which obtains an image signal by detecting radiation;

an output unit which outputs radiation image data based on the image signal to an external device;

a control unit which makes said output unit start re-outputting at least part of the radiation image data in accordance with a first signal from an external device, and receives a second signal from the external device or continues the re-outputting until elapse of a specific time from a start of the re-outputting; and

a setting unit which sets the specific time based on selection of a second imaging mode executed sequentially after a first imaging mode of radiation imaging for obtaining the image signal.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said setting unit sets, based on the second imaging mode, the specific time concerning radiation image data to be captured or transferred last concerning radiation image data obtained in the first imaging mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said setting unit sets the specific time based on the first imaging mode and the second imaging mode.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said setting unit sets the specific time to a shorter time than when the second imaging mode is not set, if the first imaging mode is moving image capturing and the second imaging mode is still image capturing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said setting unit makes setting to eliminate the specific time if the first imaging mode is moving image capturing and the second imaging mode is still image capturing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a detection unit which detects an imaging mode switching instruction,

wherein said control unit provides a standby time when switching the imaging mode, and

said setting unit sets the specific time to a time which does not exceed the standby time when said detection unit detects an instruction to switch from the first imaging mode to the second imaging mode.

14. A control device comprising:

a reception unit which receives image data from a radiation detector;

a transmission unit which transmits, to said radiation detector, a signal for requesting retransmission of the image data and a signal indicating a retransmission time for interrupting retransmission of the image data before completion of the retransmission; and

a setting unit which sets the retransmission time based on selection of a first imaging mode of radiation imaging for obtaining the image data and a second imaging mode executed sequentially after the first imaging mode.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the first imaging mode is moving image capturing and the second imaging mode is still image capturing.

15. A method of controlling an X-ray imaging apparatus including an X-ray image generating unit which detects X-rays transmitted through an object and generates an X-ray image of the object based on the detected X-rays, and a control unit which acquires the X-ray image from the X-ray image generating unit and transfers the X-ray image to a functional unit which processes the X-ray image, the method comprising:

a retransmitting step, in which the control unit retransmits, to the functional unit, one X-ray image acquired by the X-ray image generating unit within a preset retransmission time, when a retransmission request for the X-ray image is received from the functional unit after the X-ray image is transferred to the functional unit;

a first setting step, in which the control unit sets, as the retransmission time, a period until a start of capturing of a next X-ray image after the transfer, when a moving image mode for capturing a plurality of X-ray images by continuously capturing X-ray images is set; and

a second setting step, in which the control unit sets a predetermined time as the retransmission time when a still image mode for capturing one X-ray image is set.

16. A method of controlling a radiation imaging apparatus including a radiation detector which obtains an image signal by detecting radiation, the method comprising:

an output step of outputting radiation image data based on the image signal to an external device;

a control step of starting in the output step re-outputting at least part of the radiation image data in accordance with a first signal from an external device, and receiving a second signal from the external device or continuing the re-outputting until elapse of a specific time from a start of the re-outputting; and

a setting step of setting the specific time based on selection of a second imaging mode executed sequentially after a first imaging mode of radiation imaging for obtaining the image signal.

17. A method of controlling a control device, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving image data from a radiation detector;

a transmission step of transmitting, to the radiation detector, a signal for requesting retransmission of the image data and a signal indicating a retransmission time for interrupting retransmission of the image data before completion of the retransmission; and

a setting step of setting the retransmission time based on selection of a first imaging mode of radiation imaging for obtaining the image data and a second imaging mode executed sequentially after the first imaging mode.