JP2601542B2 - Support device for radiation image information processing system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a support apparatus in a radiation image information processing system, and more specifically, for example, reads radiation image information from a stimulable phosphor sheet, The present invention relates to a support apparatus that enables a smooth operation of a radiographic image information processing system that performs processing and displays it on a film, a CRT, or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Recently, a radiation image information processing system for obtaining a radiographic image of a subject using a stimulable phosphor has been developed by the present applicant, and a number of patent applications have been made in this connection (for example, JP-A-55-12429, JP-A-55-103472,
Nos. 55-116340 and 55-87970). They are,
In particular, it is becoming widespread in the medical field. Here, the stimulable phosphor means that when radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.) is irradiated, a part of the radiation energy is accumulated, and later excitation light such as visible light Refers to a phosphor that emits photostimulated light in accordance with the energy stored by irradiating the phosphor.

That is, the above-mentioned radiation image information processing system uses this stimulable phosphor, and temporarily stores radiation image information of a human body or the like on a sheet having a layer composed of a stimulable phosphor (hereinafter referred to as a stimulable phosphor sheet or simply a sheet. The sheet is scanned with excitation light such as laser light to generate stimulated emission light, and the resulting stimulated emission light is photoelectrically read to obtain an image signal. After the image processing described above, the image is output as a visible image on a recording material such as a photographic photosensitive material or a CRT of a display device.

By the way, when monitoring the operation state of such a system, for example, when testing the operation state of the system at the time of occurrence of a failure, conventionally, only when within the processing capability of the existing control system of the system, Only the test can be performed. Therefore, it has been pointed out that it takes a long time to find a trouble spot.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to overcome the above-described disadvantages. When monitoring the operation state of a radiation image information processing system, a support control board and a bus monitoring board having a test program in the system are provided. And storing the data on the bus obtained by executing the test program in the storage means, monitoring the operating state of the system in detail based on the data, finding a fault or improving the efficiency of developing a new program. The purpose is to achieve the conversion.

[Means for Achieving the Object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a radiation image information processing system that performs predetermined signal processing on a radiation image to obtain an image signal, and forms a visualized image from the image signal. A support device including a support control board and a bus monitoring board, wherein the support control board has first storage means for storing a test program, and arithmetic processing for executing the test program Means, and the bus monitoring board is provided with second storage means for storing data on a bus of the radiation image information processing system based on a test program, and based on the data stored in the second storage means. It is characterized by monitoring the status of the system.

[Embodiment] Next, a preferred embodiment of a support apparatus for a radiation image information processing system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a radiation image information processing system according to the present embodiment in which a support device 13 is connected. This radiation image processing system uses an imaging device
An image reading device 14 that photoelectrically reads the stimulable phosphor sheet A in which the transmitted X-rays radiated on the recording sheet 12 are recorded under predetermined conditions and converts it into a digital signal; A control device 16 that performs image processing, an image output device 18 that outputs the image signal as a visible image on a film that is a photographic photosensitive material, and an image output device 20 that outputs the image signal on a screen such as a CRT. It is basically composed of

Here, the image reading device 14, for example, irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet A with excitation light such as laser light and converts the stimulated emission light generated from the sheet A into an image signal by a photomultiplier, It includes a mechanism for erasing image information by irradiating erasing light to the stimulable phosphor sheet A from which the image signal has been read, thereby making the stimulable phosphor sheet A reusable. On the other hand, the control device 16 controls the transport mechanism of the stimulable phosphor sheet A in the image reading device 14, controls the reading operation of the photoelectric conversion unit, recognizes photographing conditions, and performs gradation processing, frequency processing, and the like on the image. It performs overall control of image processing to be performed, collation of patient information with images, monitoring and control of the operation status of the system, and the interface between the image reading device 14 and the image output devices 18 and 20. The image output device 18 irradiates a laser beam onto the film based on the image signal obtained from the image reading device 14, develops the film, and outputs a visible image. Is for displaying the image signal on a CRT or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a support control board 22 and a bus monitoring board 34 constituting the support device 13 according to the present embodiment. The support control board 22 is connected to a control board 24 mounted on the control device 16 shown in FIG. In this case, operation control is performed in the control device 16.
The CPU 26 is removed from the control board 24 and mounted on the support control board 22. And, the support control board 22 and the control board 24 are CP
It is connected by a flexible cable or the like via the IC socket of U26.

The support operation for the control device 16 which is a basic operation of the support control board 22 is controlled by a support CPU (hereinafter, referred to as SCPU) 32 based on a support program stored in a ROM 30. The support control board 22 has a bus 35, and the bus 35 has a ROM 3
0 and the SCPU 32 are connected, a RAM 36 as first storage means for holding recovery data for holding failure recovery data and a test program, and a timer calendar 3
8. The input / output interface SIO40 and the logic circuit 42 are connected. In this case, a display unit 44 and a keyboard 46 for displaying a failure, setting data, and the like are connected to the SIO 40. The logic circuit 42 is supplied with signals from a reset terminal and a power supply. Further, the bus 35 has an address counter 48, a RAM (1) 50, a RAM (2) 52, and a logic circuit 54 that hold information including a processing address by the CPU 26.
Are connected respectively.

The address counter 48 specifies the address of the RAM (1) 50 based on instructions from the SCPU 32 and the logic circuit 54. RAM
(1) 50 shifts a part of the region sequentially through the gate 28
Data such as a processing address and instructions of the CPU 26 are sequentially held. The data is also supplied to the comparator (1) 56 via the gate 28. RAM (2) 52
Holds, for example, a specific address and an instruction of a fault that has occurred in the control device 16, and outputs these data to the comparator (1) 56. Comparator (1) 56 is CPU26
Is compared with the address of the failure in the RAM (2) 52, and the result of the comparison is output to the logic circuit 54. The logic circuit 54 outputs an operation stop command (WAIT signal) to the CPU 26 via the gate 28 based on the comparison result, and interrupts the SCPU 32.

Further, an interface PIO68 with the bus monitor board 34 and an address drive 70 are connected to the bus 35, and a terminal T
₁ , T ₁ ′ and T ₂ , T ₂ ′ are connected to the bus monitoring board 34. The bus monitoring board 34 has a cable connected to a bus 80 passing between the control board 24 and the control board in the common control device 16.
A portion that is connected by C ₁ and C ₂ and stores a plurality of images, for example, includes storage units 84 a to 84 d having a capacity enough to secure four pieces of image data, and holds data on the bus 80. An image memory 84, an address decoder 86 connected to the address drive 70, REG (1) 82, REG (2) 88 connected to the address decoder 86, and the REG (1) 8
2. a comparator 90 connected to REV (2) 88 and a logic circuit 92
And address counters 94 and 96.

The support device in the radiation image information processing system according to the present embodiment is basically configured as described above, and the operation and operation will be described next.

First, the operation of the radiation image information processing system will be described. When the subject 12 is irradiated with X-rays from the X-ray source 11 in the imaging device 10, the X-rays pass through the subject 12, and fall on the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet A loaded in the imaging device 10. A subject image is formed as a radiation transmission image. Next, the stimulable phosphor sheet A on which the subject image is stored is loaded into the image reading device 14, and is converted into image data as an electric signal under the control of the control device 16.

That is, in the control device 16, the patient information, the image processing conditions,
Shooting conditions and the like are input. Therefore, the image reading device 14 irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet A, which is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction, with the excitation light such as a laser beam in the main scanning direction under the control of the control device 16, and emits the stimulated emission emitted from the sheet A The light is read using a photoelectric conversion means such as a photomultiplier and converted into a digital signal to obtain image data. in this case,
The image data is obtained by setting reading conditions based on image information obtained by temporarily reading the stimulable phosphor sheet A once, and then performing the main reading operation in accordance with the reading conditions to obtain optimal image data. On the other hand, the radiation image information remaining on the stimulable phosphor sheet A from which the image information has been read is erased by irradiating the entire surface with the erasing light, and the stimulable phosphor sheet A is provided again for photographing by the imaging device 10.

Next, the image data converted into the electric signal by the image reading device 14 is subjected to a gradation process, a frequency process, and the like as necessary by the control device 16, and then the image output device 18
Alternatively, it is output as a visible image by 20. in this case,
In the image output device 18, an image is recorded by irradiating a laser beam modulated in accordance with the image data on a film as a photographic recording material conveyed in the sub-scanning direction in the main scanning direction. To obtain a visible image. In the image output device 20, a subject image corresponding to the image data is displayed on a screen such as a CRT.

Here, when a failure occurs during the use of the above-described radiation image information processing system, the system performs predetermined error processing, and then sets the system to the HALT state. For example, in such a radiation image information processing system, frequency processing is performed on an image, and at that time, image data is divided by a predetermined coefficient. In this case, if the coefficient is not set or is 0, the division result becomes infinite. Therefore, in such a system, when such an error occurs, the processing program is jumped to a specific address, the contents of the status register and the control register at the time of the occurrence of the error are saved, and then the system is set to the HALT state. In this state, the user attempts a recovery operation by restarting the system or the like, and calls a maintenance person if recovery is not possible.

As shown in FIG. 2, the maintenance staff connects the support control board 22 of the support device 13 and each control board to the control device 16 and also connects the bus monitoring board 34 to the bus 80 of the control device 16. In other words, the maintenance personnel
The CPU 26 is removed from 24, and the CPU 26 is mounted on the support control board 22 constituting the support device 13 (see FIG. 2). Then, the support control board 22 and the control board 24 are connected via a gate 28 with a flexible cable or the like. The support control board
Control terminal 22 is connected to terminal 22 via terminals T ₁ , T ₁ ′ and T ₂ , T ₂ ′.
And a bus monitoring board 34 having a common bus. The REG (1) 82 and the image memory 84 of the bus monitor board 34 are connected to the bus 80 of the control board 24 via cables C ₁ and C ₂ , respectively.

Next, the operation of the support device 13 when an error occurs, which is a basic operation of the support device, will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, an image transfer address corresponding to a failure address, which is an error processing address of a processing program when an error occurs, and a start command address for executing image transfer are set in the RAM (2) 52 of the support control board 22. That is, the fault address and the image transfer address are stored in the support control board 22.
The data is input using a keyboard 46 having a display unit 44 such as a CRT connected to a RAM (2) 52 via the SIO 40.

Next, the user restarts the system after setting the failure address and the image transfer address, and performs processing by the system. In this case, the selectors 60a to 60c and 62a to 62c select the select signals a ₁ and
a control unit 16 by a ₂ connects the CPU 26. The selectors 64a and 64b connect the control device 16 and the CPU 26 to the RAM (1) 50 and the comparator (1) 56 by the select signal a3.

Therefore, first, an operation of saving processing information when a failure occurs based on the setting of the failure address will be described. CPU2
The processing information by 6 is transferred to the control device 16 via the gate 28, and predetermined operation control for the image reading device 14 and the like is executed. On the other hand, the processing information is stored in the RAM via the gate 28.
(1) Transferred to 50 and comparator (1) 56. In this case, the RAM (1) 50 stores the processing information. The comparator (1) 56 stores the address of the processing information and the RAM (2) 52.
Is compared with the failed address stored in On the other hand, the control device 16 transfers the control signals S ₁ and S ₂ and the address data signal AD / DATA to the CPU 26 via the gate 28. These signals are also passed through the gate 28 to the RAM (1) 50 and the comparator (1) 5
Transferred to 6. Then, the comparator (1) 56 compares the address of the processing information in the control device 16 with the failure address held in the RAM (2) 52, as in the case described above.

Here, the comparator (1) 56 sequentially compares the processing address by the CPU 26, the address data signal from the control device 16, and the like, and if these match the fault address set in the RAM (2) 52 in advance or within a predetermined range of conditions. When it is confirmed that the error is within the range, a failure detection signal is output to the logic circuit 54. In this case, the logic circuit 54 outputs a wait signal WAIT to the CPU 26 via the gate 28 and interrupts the SCPU 32 via the bus 35. As a result, the CPU 26 enters a wait state. On the other hand, the SCPU 32 checks and stores the processing information of the CPU 26 secured in the RAM (1) 50 based on the interrupt signal from the logic circuit 54. Next, when a jump instruction to a specific address, that is, an error processing instruction is found,
A jump instruction is written to M (1) 50, a recovery program for avoiding the error processing is written to the address of the RAM (1) 50 designated by the jump instruction, and the wait state of the CPU 26 is changed via the logic circuit 54. To release.

Next, the CPU 26 continues the processing operation by the control device 16 based on the restoration program secured in the RAM (1) 50. That is, the CPU 26 executes the restoration program of the RAM (1) 50 through the gate 28, and outputs a predetermined operation command to the control device 16 through the gate 28. In this case, the control device 16
(1) Continue operations such as image processing based on the restoration program secured in 50. Also, the CPU 26 can display an error message or the like on the console of the control device 16 based on the restoration program set in the RAM (1) 50, and can suggest to the user the error processing of the image in response to the occurrence of the error. Become.

Next, the operation of storing the image information to be transferred and storing the abnormal image, if any, will be described.

The comparator (1) 56 compares the address of the processing information by the CPU 26 transferred through the gate 28 and various information in the control device 16 with the image transfer address held in the RAM (2) 52.

Therefore, when the CPU 26 instructs the processing address at the time of the image transfer to the control device 16, the RAM (2) 52
Is compared with the specified address. In this case, since the specific address matches the processing address or falls within a predetermined condition, the comparator (1) 56 outputs a detection signal indicating image transfer to the logic circuit 54. And the logic circuit 54 is the CPU 26
, Outputs a WAIT signal via the gate 28, stops the operation of the CPU 26, and interrupts the SCPU 32. Next, the SCPU 32 checks the inside of the RAM (1) 50, identifies the transfer image size and the address, and sets the transfer address of the line size and the number of lines to the DMA of the control device 16. Further, the SCPU 32 clears the REG (1) 82 via the PIO 68, enables it, and sets the end address in the REG (2) 88. The logic circuit 92 is enabled. Therefore, the SCPU 32 continues the processing. As a result, the DMA is started, and the transfer of the image signal is started.

Here, the REG (1) 82 latches the address on the bus 80, and is compared with the end address of the REG (2) 88 by the comparator (2) 90 until it matches the end address.
The image signals on the bus 80 are taken into 84a to 84d. When the addresses match, the comparator (2) 90 sends a match signal to the logic circuit 92 to disable the address counter 94 and stop writing. Images are sequentially written to the image memory 84 in this way, and when the user detects an abnormal image, the user instructs to hold the image via the keyboard 46, and the SCPU 32 issues the hold command. receive. And the SCPU 32 is a logic circuit 92
To avoid addresses in the storage units 84a to 84d of the image memory 84 in which the value of the address counter is written based on the above. When a maximum of four images are held in this manner, subsequent accumulation is stopped.

The maintenance staff instructs, via the keyboard 46, the SIO 40 to read the processing information leading to the occurrence of the failure stored in the RAM (1) 50, and saves the information to a floppy disk or the like. Also, each storage unit 84a of the image memory 84 of the bus monitoring board 34
The abnormal image stored in and stored in 84d through 84d is
A reading instruction is issued via the IO40. As a result, SCPU32 becomes PIO6
The reading address counter 96 is set via the PIO 8, and at the same time data is read in a cycle via the PIO 68, and the image output device 18 reproduces an abnormal image. After that, the maintenance person performs a pursuit of the cause of the failure, recovery measures, and the like based on the floppy disk and the reproduced image.

The support device that operates as described above can monitor the bus 80 and the CPU 26 of the control device 16 and check for a failure, perform an operation test of a new program, and the like. Therefore,
Next, a failure checking operation using the support device 13 will be described.

First, a test program for testing the bus 80 of the control device 16 is loaded from the RAM 36 into the RAM (1) 50 of the support control board 22. The test program is started from the keyboard 46 of the support device 13. In this case, the SCPU 32 controls the gate 28, and the CPU 26 processes the test program on the RAM (1) 50 to start the test operation.

When data is generated on the bus 80 of the control device 16 by the operation of the CPU 26, the SCPU 32 operates the bus monitoring board 34 and stores the data on the bus 80 in the image memory 84.

Here, if the data is image data, the SCPU 32
Controls the bus monitoring board 34 as follows. That is, SC
The PU 32 first clears the REG (1) 82 of the bus monitor board 34, sets an end address in the REG (2) 88 via the RIO 68, and enables the logic circuit 92. REG (1) 82 latches the address on bus 80,
This address is compared with the end address of REG (2) 88 by the comparator 98, and the image data on the bus 80 is taken into the image memory 84 until the address matches. When the comparator 98 detects the address match, it outputs a match signal to the logic circuit 92, disables the address counter 94, and completes the data fetch.

On the other hand, the SCPU 32 performs the same processing as the processing of the test program performed by the CPU 26, sends the processing result to the bus monitoring board 34 via the PIO 68, and transfers the data taken into the image memory 84 and the data from the support control board 22. By comparing, it is possible to check whether the image processing operation of the radiation image information processing system is correct.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the support control board and the bus monitoring board are connected to the radiation image information processing system,
By monitoring the data on the bus, it is possible to monitor system failures or test the operation of a new program in detail.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the support control board and the bus monitoring board may include other components such as an image reading device and an image output device. It goes without saying that various improvements and design changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention, for example, the present invention can be applied to the above-mentioned device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a radiation image information processing system to which a support device according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected, and FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a support control board and a bus monitoring board in the support device shown in FIG. It is. 10 imaging device 12 subject 13 support device 14 image reading device 16 control device 18 image output device 20 image output device 22 support control board 24 Control board, 26 CPU 32 SCPU 34 Bus monitoring board A A stimulable phosphor sheet

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An assisting device connected to a radiation image information processing system for performing a predetermined signal processing on a radiation image to obtain an image signal and forming a visualized image from the image signal,
The support device includes a support control board and a bus monitoring board,
A first program for storing a test program is stored in the support control board.
The bus monitoring board is provided with second storage means for storing data on a bus of the radiation image information processing system based on the test program. A radiographic image information processing system support apparatus for monitoring a state of the system based on data stored in a second storage unit.