JP5591682B2 - Radiation imaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiographic image capturing apparatus, and more particularly to a radiographic image capturing apparatus including a wireless communication unit capable of wirelessly communicating with a control device.

  In recent years, radiation sensitive layers have been arranged on TFT (Thin Film Transistor) active matrix substrates to detect irradiated X-rays, γ-rays, α-rays, and other radiation, and to radiation image data representing the distribution of irradiation dose. An FPD (Flat Panel Detector) that directly converts and outputs has been put into practical use. It incorporates a panel-type radiation detector such as this FPD, an electronic circuit including an image memory, and a power supply unit, and is output from the radiation detector. A portable radiation detection panel (hereinafter also referred to as an electronic cassette) that stores radiation image data in an image memory has been put into practical use.

  As the radiation sensitive layer, for example, irradiated radiation is once converted into light by a scintillator (phosphor layer) such as CsI: Tl, GOS (Gd2O2S: Tb), and light emitted from the scintillator is converted into PD ( A configuration (indirect conversion method) is known in which a photodetection unit such as a photodiode) is reconverted into an electric charge and stored. Because the radiation detection panel is excellent in portability, the subject can be photographed while being placed on a stretcher or bed, and the position of the radiation detection panel can be easily adjusted to adjust the imaging part, so it cannot move. It is possible to flexibly cope with shooting of the subject.

  By the way, the electronic cassette is generally connected to the console (control device) with a signal line, but the configuration in which the electronic cassette is connected to the console with the signal line causes deterioration of the handling property of the electronic cassette. Equipped with a wireless communication function in the electronic cassette, eliminating the signal line connecting the electronic cassette and the console, transferring image data from the electronic cassette to the console, and various controls between the electronic cassette and the console It is desirable that the signal is transmitted and received by wireless communication.

  In relation to the above, Patent Document 1 discloses that the transfer rate is variable in a single communication unit, control data other than image data is communicated in mode 1 with a low transfer rate, and image data is communicated in mode 2 with a high transfer rate. And a configuration for reducing the transfer rate without switching modes when a pacemaker is detected in an image to be transmitted.

  In Patent Document 2, at least two types of wireless communication means are provided in the radiation image detector, wireless communication means with low power consumption is used for command communication, and wireless communication means with high communication speed is used for image data communication. The technique used is disclosed.

JP 2005-176773 A JP 2010-240339 A

  However, in order to omit the signal line connecting the electronic cassette and the console, it is necessary to perform processing for recognizing the radiation irradiation start timing with the electronic cassette in addition to mounting the function of performing wireless communication with the console on the electronic cassette. There is. Recognizing the irradiation start timing of the radiation with the electronic cassette can be realized by providing the electronic cassette with a sensor or the like that detects the irradiation of the radiation, for example, but in this configuration, while waiting for the radiation irradiation start, Since it is necessary to repeat the acquisition of radiation detection results from a sensor that detects the irradiation of radiation and to determine whether or not the irradiation of radiation has started, consumption during the period of waiting for the start of irradiation Electric power increases, leading to a shorter time during which the electronic cassette can be used with a single charge. Further, increasing the capacity of the battery built in the electronic cassette in order to ensure the usable time of the electronic cassette is not desirable because it increases the size of the casing of the electronic cassette.

  In contrast, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose configurations for performing wireless communication, but the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not consider any reduction in power consumption. Moreover, although the technique of patent document 2 switches the radio | wireless communication means to use in consideration of reduction of power consumption, since it is necessary to provide several radio | wireless communication means, the problem that a housing | casing enlarges. There is. In communication between an electronic cassette and a console, control information such as a command is often transmitted and received even during a period in which image data is transmitted. In such a case, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, image data is not transmitted. Since wireless communication is performed by a plurality of wireless communication means during the transmission period, the effect of reducing power consumption is not sufficient.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and in a configuration in which communication with a control device is performed wirelessly, a radiation image that can realize reduction of power consumption during a period of waiting for radiation irradiation start The object is to obtain a photographing device.

A radiographic imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a first detection unit that detects irradiated radiation as an image, a single wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a control device using a plurality of communication methods, and the first detection unit. Image data of a preliminarily photographed radiographic image is transmitted to the control device during an image data transfer period in which image data obtained by detecting the radiation irradiated with is transmitted to the control device. When transmitted, communication with the control device is performed by a second communication method that is slower than the first communication method and consumes less power, and image data of a radiographic image taken for diagnosis is the control. when sent to the device, the control device and the communication controls the wireless communication unit as is done in the first communication system, the waiting period until the irradiation is started, the the communication with the control unit first And control means for controlling the wireless communication unit as is done in the communication system, is configured to include a.

The radiographic image capturing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a single wireless communication unit capable of wirelessly communicating with the control device by a plurality of communication methods. In this way, by providing a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with the control device using a plurality of communication methods, there is no need to provide a plurality of wireless communication units that can perform wireless communication using different communication methods, and a plurality of wireless communication units are provided. The housing can be made smaller than the case.

In the present invention, the irradiated radiation is detected as an image by the first detection means, and the control means is a control device for image data obtained by detecting the radiation emitted by the first detection means as an image. When image data of a preliminarily captured radiographic image is transmitted to the control device during the image data transfer period during which transmission is performed , communication with the control device is consumed at a lower speed than in the first communication method. When image data of a radiographic image taken for diagnosis is transmitted to the control device using the second communication method with low power, communication with the control device is performed using the first communication method. The wireless communication unit is controlled, and the wireless communication unit is controlled so that communication with the control device is performed in the second communication method during a standby period until radiation irradiation is started.
That is, for example, in the case where a diagnostic radiographic image is captured after a radiographic image is preliminarily captured for the purpose of confirming a range captured as a radiographic image, etc., the control means includes: Image data of a preliminarily captured radiographic image (for example, thinning out pixels when reading an image detected by the first detection means, or lowering resolution by adding data of a plurality of pixels, or trimming readout (partial Area reading) or image data whose data amount has been reduced by applying lossy compression or the like) is transmitted to the control device, communication with the control device is performed in the second communication method, When the image data of the radiographic image photographed at the time is transmitted to the control device, the wireless communication unit is controlled so that communication with the control device is performed by the first communication method.
In addition, for the purpose of confirming at an early stage whether or not an appropriate range has been taken as a diagnostic radiographic image, after taking a full-size diagnostic radiographic image, the full-size image data of the radiographic image taken Before sending the image to the control device, the image data was reduced by sending the image data to the control device by reducing the amount of data by thinning out pixels or adding data of multiple pixels to the full-size image data. There is a case where the radiographic image is previewed by the control device and then the full-size image data is transmitted to the control device. In this case, when image data with a reduced amount of data is transmitted, the amount of data is small, so communication with the control device is performed using the second communication method, and when full-size image data is transmitted. Since the amount of data is large, the control unit may be configured so that communication with the control device is performed by the first communication method.
In addition, priority is given to shortening the time until the preview display of the radiographic image is performed, and if the full-size radiographic image for diagnosis is displayed in a proper range, the display may be slightly delayed. Contrary to the above, when image data with a reduced data amount is transmitted, communication with the control device is performed by the first communication method, and when full-size image data is transmitted, The control unit may be configured such that communication with the control device is performed by the second communication method. The above embodiments are also included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

As described above, the standby period until the start of radiation irradiation is such that the communication with the control device is performed at a lower speed and lower in power consumption than the first communication system. Power consumption due to communication with the control unit can be suppressed. In addition, since the amount of data transmitted and received during communication with the control device during the standby period is relatively small, communication with a low-speed communication method does not hinder the operation of the radiation imaging apparatus. Although the period in which the image data is transmitted to the control device of the captured radiographic image for diagnosis of the image data transfer period is relatively large amount of data transmitted and received between the control device, on the period of this Since the communication with the control device is performed by the first communication method that is faster than the second communication method, the transmission of the image data to the control device is completed in a short time, and the next radiographic image can be captured early. It is possible to start on.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in a configuration in which communication with the control device is performed wirelessly, it is possible to achieve both reduction in size of the housing and reduction in power consumption. In addition, the present invention switches the communication method used for communication according to the period (time), and the process is simpler than when the communication method is switched according to the type of data to be transmitted and received, thereby simplifying the configuration. Can be

In the present invention, the control means, the first period of irradiation Isa radiation is detected as an image by the first detection means and the image detected by the first detecting means is read out by the signal processing unit image It is preferable that the communication with the control device is stopped during at least one of the second periods written in the storage means as data. In wireless communication, electromagnetic waves are radiated. Therefore, wireless communication is performed during a first period in which an image is detected by the first detection unit, or in a second period in which the detected image is read by the signal processing unit and written as image data in the storage unit. When communication is performed, some noise or the like may be superimposed on the image (signal). However, in the present invention, communication with the control device is stopped during at least one of the first period and the second period. It is possible to prevent or reduce noise and the like from being superimposed on the image detected by the first detection means.

Further, in the present invention, the control means, the first period of irradiation Isa radiation is detected as an image by the first detection means, or, in the first period, the image detected by the first detection means signal processing The wireless communication unit may be configured so that communication with the control device is performed in the second communication method in a period including the second period read by the unit and written as image data in the storage unit. Good. In this case, since wireless communication is performed during a period in which an image detected by the first detection unit is read and written to the storage unit as image data, there is a possibility that some noise or the like is superimposed on the image (signal). Although it occurs, since it is not necessary to switch the communication method at the timing when the standby period ends (the timing when the first period has arrived), the process of switching the communication method is simplified.

Further, in the present invention, the control means is read during the first period of irradiation Isa radiation is detected as an image by the first detecting means, the image detected by the first detecting means by the signal processing unit image You may comprise so that a radio | wireless communication part may be controlled so that communication with a control apparatus may be performed by a 1st communication system in the period which added the 2nd period written in a memory | storage means as data. Also in this case, since wireless communication is performed during a period in which the image detected by the first detection unit is read and written to the storage unit as image data, there is a possibility that some noise or the like is superimposed on the image (signal). However, since it is not necessary to switch the communication method at the timing when the second period ends (the timing when the image data transfer period arrives), the process of switching the communication method is simplified.

In the present invention, the second detecting means provided for detecting the start of irradiation of radiology, the control means, triggered by the start of irradiation is detected by the second detecting means, that the waiting period has expired It is preferable that the radiation that is recognized and irradiated is detected as an image by the first detection means. In this case, although the configuration is complicated by providing the second detection unit, the timing at which radiation irradiation is started can be accurately detected. For example, the first detection unit detects the irradiated radiation as an image. By performing a process such as resetting the charge accumulated by the dark current immediately before, a higher quality image can be obtained.

Further, in the present invention, more specifically, the control means is responsive to the fact that the first detection time has elapsed since the start of radiation irradiation was detected by the second detection means. Recognizing that the detection has been completed, the signal processing unit performs a process of reading the image detected by the first detection unit and writing it to the storage unit as image data, and the writing of the image data to the storage unit is completed. And recognizing that the image data transfer period has arrived, and configured to cause the wireless communication unit to transmit the image data obtained by detecting the radiation irradiated by the first detection means to the control device. Can do. In this case, although it is necessary to obtain the radiation irradiation time as the first time in advance, the configuration for detecting the end of radiation irradiation can be omitted.

In the present invention , the second detection unit also detects the end of radiation irradiation, and the control unit detects the radiation detection by the first detection unit when the second detection unit detects the end of radiation irradiation. Recognizing that it has ended, the signal processing unit performs a process of reading the image detected by the first detection unit into the storage unit as read image data, and when the writing of the image data to the storage unit is completed, It may be configured to recognize that the image data transfer period has arrived, and to transmit the image data obtained by detecting the irradiated radiation as an image to the control device by the wireless communication unit. . In this case, although it is necessary to configure the second detection unit so as to detect the end of radiation irradiation, it is possible to accurately recognize the timing at which radiation irradiation has ended without acquiring the radiation irradiation time in advance. it can.

  Further, in the present invention, a notifying unit for notifying a state in which photographing can be performed is provided, and the control unit notifies the photographing possible state by the notifying unit while the first detecting unit is capable of detecting radiation, and the photographing is performed. It is configured to recognize that the waiting period has ended when a preset first time has passed since the notification of the possible state, and to detect the irradiated radiation as an image by the first detection means. May be.

Further, in the present invention, the first communication system and a second communication system, communication standard communication protocol identical, or as modulation scheme different communication schemes (one example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) 3.0 + HS ( High-speed (Low Speed) Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol and high-speed wireless LAN protocol, or IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11n, IEEE802.11g and IEEE802.11b, etc. ) Can be applied.

  Although IEEE802.11g realizes higher speed than IEEE802.11b using OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) which is a physical layer standard, the power consumption of the OFDM circuit unit is large, Although it is faster than IEEE802.11b, power consumption is increasing. IEEE802.11n also uses MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology to perform transmission / reception with multiple antennas (multistreaming), review of communication procedures, and multiple channels (bandwidth used for communication). Although speeding up and stabilization are realized by channel bonding (channel coupling), etc., power consumption is higher than IEEE802.11g by MIMO. Therefore, among IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11g, and IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11b has the slowest communication speed but the lowest power consumption, and IEEE802.11n has the fastest communication speed but the largest power consumption.

In the present invention, the first detecting means includes a light emitting unit which emits light by absorbing the irradiation Isa radiation, a first light detecting means for detecting the light emitted from the light emitting unit as an image, a It is preferable that the light emitting unit is disposed on the downstream side in the radiation arrival direction with respect to the first light detection means. In this configuration, compared to the case where radiation is incident from the light emitting unit side of the light emitting unit and the first light detecting unit, a portion closer to the first light detecting unit in the light emitting unit becomes the main light emitting region, and Since the amount of light received by the light detection means is increased, the radiation detection sensitivity in the radiographic imaging apparatus can be improved.

In the present invention, the first detection means is arranged in the radiation direction of arrival upstream side of the light emission portion, provided with a second light detection means for detecting the light emitted from the light emitting portion made of an organic photoelectric conversion material further It may be a configured. The second optical detection means, it is possible to function as the second detection means.

  As described above, the present invention provides a single wireless communication unit capable of wirelessly communicating with a control device using a plurality of communication methods, and the control device and the control device during an image data transfer period during which image data is transmitted to the control device. Is communicated by the first communication method, and in the standby period until radiation irradiation is started, communication with the control device is performed at a lower speed and lower in power consumption than the first communication method. Since the wireless communication unit is controlled so as to be performed, in the configuration in which communication with the control device is performed wirelessly, there is an excellent effect that both downsizing of the casing and reduction of power consumption can be achieved.

It is a perspective view which fractures | ruptures and shows the internal structure of an electronic cassette partially. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of the radiation detector demonstrated in 1st Embodiment. It is the schematic which shows typically an example of the crystal structure of a scintillator. It is a top view which shows the structure of a TFT substrate. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the electric system of the electronic cassette demonstrated in 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the electrical system of a console and a radiation generator. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the imaging | photography control process which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the schematic which shows each variation of communication mode switching. It is the schematic which shows each variation of communication mode switching. It is the schematic which shows each variation of communication mode switching. It is sectional drawing which shows typically the structure of the radiation detector demonstrated in 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the electric system of the electronic cassette demonstrated in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the imaging | photography control process which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is the schematic which each shows the variation (part of) of the communication mode switching in 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows an electronic cassette 32 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic cassette 32 includes a rectangular parallelepiped casing 54 made of a material that transmits the radiation X and having a rectangular irradiation surface 56 on which the radiation X is irradiated. When the electronic cassette 32 is used in an operating room or the like, blood or other bacteria may adhere to it. For this reason, the electronic cassette 32 is hermetically sealed by the housing 54 and has a waterproof structure, and the same electronic cassette 32 can be used repeatedly by sterilizing and washing as necessary.

  In the housing 54 of the electronic cassette 32, the radiation detector 62, the radiation detector 60, and the like in order from the radiation X irradiation surface 56 side of the housing 54 along the arrival direction of the radiation X that has passed through the subject. A scintillator 71 is stacked. The scintillator 71 and the radiation detector 60 are examples of the first detection means of the present invention, and the scintillator 71 and the radiation detection unit 62 are examples of the second detection means according to claim 5. The scintillator 71 is an example of a light emitting unit according to claim 10, the radiation detector 60 is an example of a first light detection unit according to claim 10, and the radiation detection unit 62 is according to claim 11. It is an example of a 2nd light detection means.

In addition, a case 31 that houses various electronic circuits including a microcomputer and a rechargeable and detachable battery 96 </ b> A is disposed inside the housing 54 at one end along the longitudinal direction of the irradiation surface 56. Yes. The radiation detector 60 and the various electronic circuits described above are operated by electric power supplied from a battery 96 </ b> A housed in the case 31. In order to avoid damaging the various electronic circuits housed in the case 31 with the radiation X, a radiation shielding member made of a lead plate or the like is provided on the irradiation surface 56 side of the case 31 in the housing 54. It is arranged.

  Further, the irradiation surface 56 of the housing 54 is composed of a plurality of LEDs, and the operation such as the operation mode of the electronic cassette 32 (for example, “ready state” or “data transmitting”), the remaining capacity state of the battery 96A, and the like. A display unit 56A for displaying the state is provided. The display unit 56A may be composed of a light emitting element other than an LED, or may be composed of display means such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 56 </ b> A may be provided at a site other than the irradiation surface 56. The display unit 56 </ b> A is an example of a notification unit according to the eighth aspect.

FIG. 2 shows details of the radiation detection unit 62, the radiation detector 60, and the scintillator 71. The electronic cassette 32 is configured to detect the radiation by an indirect conversion method in which the irradiated radiation is once converted into light and then converted into electric charge. The scintillator 71 passes through the body of the patient (subject) and irradiates the housing 54. The surface 56 irradiates the radiation X irradiated through the top plate of the housing 54 and the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 and emits light. The light emission wavelength range of the scintillator 71 is preferably the visible light range (wavelength 360 nm to 830 nm), and in order to allow the radiation detector 60 to capture a monochrome radiographic image, it includes a green wavelength range. Is more preferable. In general, phosphors applied to scintillators include materials such as CsI (Tl) (thallium activated cesium iodide), CsI (Na) (sodium activated cesium iodide), GOS (Gd ₂ O ₂ S: Tb), and the like. However, when imaging is performed using X-rays as radiation, those containing cesium iodide (CsI) are preferable, and CsI (Tl) having an emission spectrum of 420 nm to 600 nm at the time of X-ray irradiation is used. It is particularly preferred. Note that the emission peak wavelength of CsI (Tl) in the visible light region is 565 nm.

  Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the scintillator 71 is formed with a columnar crystal region composed of columnar crystals 71A on the radiation incident / light emission side (radiation detector 60 side). A non-columnar crystal region composed of a non-columnar crystal 71B is formed on the side opposite to the incident side, and a material containing CsI is used as the scintillator 71, and the material is vapor-deposited on the vapor deposition substrate 75, whereby the columnar crystal region and A scintillator 71 having a non-columnar crystal region is obtained. The vapor deposition substrate 75 is preferably made of a material having high heat resistance, and aluminum is preferable from the viewpoint of low cost. In the scintillator 71 according to this embodiment, the average diameter of the columnar crystals 71A is approximately uniform along the longitudinal direction of the columnar crystals 71A.

  As described above, the scintillator 71 has the structure in which the columnar crystal region and the non-columnar crystal region are formed, and the columnar crystal region including the columnar crystal 71A that can obtain high-efficiency light emission is disposed on the side, thereby scintillator 71. The light generated in step 1A travels through the columnar crystal 71A and is emitted to the radiation detector 60, and the diffusion of the light emitted to the radiation detector 60 side is suppressed, so that the radiation image detected by the electronic cassette 32 The decrease in sharpness is suppressed. Further, the light that reaches the deep part (non-columnar crystal region) of the scintillator 71 is also reflected by the non-columnar crystal 71B toward the radiation detector 60, so that the amount of light incident on the radiation detector 60 (in the scintillator 71). The detection efficiency of the emitted light is improved.

When the thickness of the columnar crystal region located on the radiation incident side of the scintillator 71 is t1, and the thickness of the non-columnar crystal region located on the vapor deposition substrate 75 side of the scintillator 71 is t2, t1 and t2 have the following relationship: It is preferable to satisfy the formula.
0.01 ≦ (t2 / t1) ≦ 0.25

  When the thickness t1 of the columnar crystal region and the thickness t2 of the non-columnar crystal region satisfy the above relational expression, a region that has high luminous efficiency and prevents light diffusion (columnar crystal region), and a region that reflects light (noncolumnar) The ratio of the scintillator 71 along the thickness direction of the scintillator 71 becomes a suitable range, and the light emission efficiency of the scintillator 71, the detection efficiency of the light emitted by the scintillator 71, and the resolution of the radiation image are improved. If the thickness t2 of the non-columnar crystal region is too thick, the region with low light emission efficiency increases and the sensitivity of the electronic cassette 32 is lowered. Therefore, (t2 / t1) is more preferably in the range of 0.02 or more and 0.1 or less. .

  The scintillator 71 has a structure in which a columnar crystal region and a non-columnar crystal region are continuously formed. For example, a light reflection layer made of aluminum or the like is provided in place of the non-columnar crystal region, and only the columnar crystal region is provided. May be configured, or other configurations may be employed.

  The radiation detector 60 detects light emitted from the light emission side of the scintillator 71, and includes a photoelectric conversion unit 72 including a photodiode (PD: PhotoDiode), a TFT 70, and a pixel unit including a storage capacitor 68. 4, a TFT active matrix substrate (hereinafter referred to as “TFT substrate”) 74 is formed in a matrix on an insulating substrate 66 having a flat plate shape and a rectangular outer shape in plan view as shown in FIG. It consists of The surface of the radiation detector 60 on the scintillator 71 side is flattened by a flattening layer 67.

  In this embodiment, the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 is disposed on the radiation irradiation surface side of the scintillator 71. However, the light emitting unit (scintillator 71) and the first light detection means (radiation detector 60) are provided. The method of arranging in such a positional relationship is referred to as “surface reading method (ISS: Irradiation Side Sampling)” (configuration corresponding to the invention of claim 10). Since the scintillator emits light more strongly on the radiation incident side, the surface reading method (ISS) in which the first light detection means (radiation detector 60) is arranged on the radiation incident side of the scintillator is the first on the side opposite to the radiation incident side of the scintillator. Since the first light detection means and the light emission position of the scintillator are closer to each other than the “PSS (Penetration Side Sampling)” in which the light detection means (radiation detector 60) is disposed, The resolution is high, and the amount of light received by the first light detection means (radiation detector 60) is increased. As a result, the sensitivity of the radiographic imaging device (electronic cassette) is improved.

The photoelectric conversion unit 72 is configured such that a photoelectric conversion film 72C that absorbs light emitted from the scintillator 71 and generates charges according to the absorbed light is disposed between the lower electrode 72A and the upper electrode 72B. Yes. Note that the lower electrode 72A is preferably made of a conductive material having a high light transmittance with respect to light having the emission wavelength of the scintillator 71 because the light emitted from the scintillator 71 needs to enter the photoelectric conversion film 72C. Specifically, it is preferable to use a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) having a high transmittance for visible light and a small resistance value. Although a metal thin film such as Au can be used as the lower electrode 72A, the TCO is preferable because it tends to increase the resistance value when an optical transmittance of 90% or more is obtained. For example, ITO, IZO, AZO, FTO, SnO ₂ , TiO ₂ , ZnO ₂ or the like is preferably used, and ITO is most preferable from the viewpoint of process simplicity, low resistance, and transparency. The lower electrode 72A may have a single configuration common to all the pixel portions, or may be divided for each pixel portion.

  The photoelectric conversion film 72C absorbs the light emitted from the scintillator 71 and generates a charge corresponding to the absorbed light. The material constituting the photoelectric conversion film 72 </ b> C may be any material that absorbs light and generates charges, and for example, amorphous silicon, an organic photoelectric conversion material, or the like can be used. When the photoelectric conversion film 72 </ b> C is made of amorphous silicon, the light emitted from the scintillator 71 can be configured to absorb over a wide wavelength range. However, the formation of the photoelectric conversion film 72C made of amorphous silicon requires vapor deposition. If the insulating substrate 66 is made of a synthetic resin, the heat resistance of the insulating substrate 66 may be insufficient.

  On the other hand, when the photoelectric conversion film 72C is made of a material containing an organic photoelectric conversion material, an absorption spectrum showing high absorption mainly in the visible light region is obtained, and light other than light emitted from the scintillator 71 by the photoelectric conversion film 72C is obtained. Since almost no electromagnetic wave is absorbed, it is possible to suppress noise generated when radiation such as X-rays and γ-rays is absorbed by the photoelectric conversion film 72C. In addition, the photoelectric conversion film 72C made of an organic photoelectric conversion material can be formed by attaching an organic photoelectric conversion material on a body to be formed using a droplet discharge head such as an inkjet head. Heat resistance is not required. For this reason, in the radiation detector 60, the photoelectric conversion film 72C of the photoelectric conversion unit 72 is made of an organic photoelectric conversion material.

  When the photoelectric conversion film 72C is made of an organic photoelectric conversion material, radiation is hardly absorbed by the photoelectric conversion film 72C. Therefore, in the surface reading method (ISS) in which the radiation detector 60 is disposed so that the radiation is transmitted, radiation detection is performed. Attenuation of radiation due to transmission through the vessel 60 can be suppressed, and a decrease in sensitivity to radiation can be suppressed. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for the surface reading method (ISS) to configure the photoelectric conversion film 72C with an organic photoelectric conversion material.

  The organic photoelectric conversion material constituting the photoelectric conversion film 72 </ b> C preferably has an absorption peak wavelength that is closer to the emission peak wavelength of the scintillator 71 in order to absorb light emitted from the scintillator 71 most efficiently. Ideally, the absorption peak wavelength of the organic photoelectric conversion material coincides with the emission peak wavelength of the scintillator 71, but if the difference between the two is small, the light emitted from the scintillator 71 can be sufficiently absorbed. . Specifically, the difference between the absorption peak wavelength of the organic photoelectric conversion material and the emission peak wavelength with respect to the radiation of the scintillator 71 is preferably within 10 nm, and more preferably within 5 nm.

  Examples of organic photoelectric conversion materials that can satisfy such conditions include quinacridone-based organic compounds and phthalocyanine-based organic compounds. For example, since the absorption peak wavelength in the visible region of quinacridone is 560 nm, if quinacridone is used as the organic photoelectric conversion material and CsI (Tl) is used as the material of the scintillator 71, the difference in peak wavelength can be made within 5 nm. Thus, the amount of charge generated in the photoelectric conversion film 72C can be substantially maximized.

  The photoelectric conversion film 72C applicable to the radiation image capturing apparatus will be specifically described. The electromagnetic wave absorption / photoelectric conversion site in the radiographic imaging apparatus is an organic layer including electrodes 72A and 72B and a photoelectric conversion film 72C sandwiched between the electrodes 72A and 72B. More specifically, this organic layer is a part that absorbs electromagnetic waves, a photoelectric conversion part, an electron transport part, a hole transport part, an electron blocking part, a hole blocking part, a crystallization preventing part, an electrode, and an interlayer contact. It can be formed by stacking or mixing improved parts.

  The organic layer preferably contains an organic p-type compound or an organic n-type compound. An organic p-type semiconductor (compound) is a donor organic semiconductor (compound) mainly represented by a hole transporting organic compound, and is an organic compound having a property of easily donating electrons. More specifically, an organic compound having a smaller ionization potential when two organic materials are used in contact with each other. Accordingly, any organic compound having an electron donating property can be used as the donor organic compound. The organic n-type semiconductor (compound) is an acceptor organic semiconductor (compound) mainly represented by an electron transporting organic compound, and is an organic compound having a property of easily accepting electrons. More specifically, the organic compound having the higher electron affinity when two organic compounds are used in contact with each other. Therefore, any organic compound can be used as the acceptor organic compound as long as it is an organic compound having an electron accepting property.

  Since the materials applicable as the organic p-type semiconductor and the organic n-type semiconductor and the configuration of the photoelectric conversion film 72C are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-32854, description thereof is omitted. Note that the photoelectric conversion film 72 </ b> C may further contain fullerenes or carbon nanotubes.

  In addition, the photoelectric conversion unit 72 only needs to include at least the electrode pairs 72A and 72B and the photoelectric conversion film 72C, but in order to suppress an increase in dark current, at least one of an electron blocking film and a hole blocking film is provided. It is preferable to provide both.

  The electron blocking film can be provided between the upper electrode 72B and the photoelectric conversion film 72C. When a bias voltage is applied between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A, the electron blocking film is applied from the upper electrode 72B to the photoelectric conversion film 72C. An increase in dark current due to injection of electrons can be suppressed. An electron donating organic material can be used for the electron blocking film. The material actually used for the electron blocking film may be selected according to the material of the adjacent electrode and the material of the adjacent photoelectric conversion film 72C, and the electron affinity is 1.3 eV or more from the work function (Wf) of the adjacent electrode material. A material having a large (Ea) and an Ip equivalent to or smaller than the ionization potential (Ip) of the material of the adjacent photoelectric conversion film 72C is preferable. Since the material applicable as the electron donating organic material is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-32854, description thereof is omitted.

  The thickness of the electron blocking film is preferably 10 nm or more and 200 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or more and 150 nm or less, and particularly preferably, in order to reliably exhibit the dark current suppressing effect and prevent a decrease in photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion unit 72. It is 50 nm or more and 100 nm or less.

  The hole blocking film can be provided between the photoelectric conversion film 72C and the lower electrode 72A, and when a bias voltage is applied between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A, the lower electrode 72A to the photoelectric conversion film 72C. It is possible to suppress the increase of dark current due to injection of holes into the substrate. An electron-accepting organic material can be used for the hole blocking film. The material actually used for the hole blocking film may be selected in accordance with the material of the adjacent electrode and the material of the adjacent photoelectric conversion film 72C, and the ionization is 1.3 eV or more from the work function (Wf) of the adjacent electrode material. It is preferable that the potential (Ip) is large and that the Ea is equal to or larger than the electron affinity (Ea) of the material of the adjacent photoelectric conversion film 72C. Since the material applicable as the electron-accepting organic material is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-32854, description thereof is omitted.

  The thickness of the hole blocking film is preferably 10 nm or more and 200 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or more and 150 nm or less, particularly preferably, in order to surely exhibit the dark current suppressing effect and prevent a decrease in the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion unit 72. Is from 50 nm to 100 nm.

  When the bias voltage is set so that holes move to the lower electrode 72A and electrons move to the upper electrode 72B among the charges generated in the photoelectric conversion film 72C, the electron blocking film and the hole blocking film are used. It is sufficient to reverse the position of. Moreover, it is not essential to provide both the electron blocking film and the hole blocking film, and if any of them is provided, a certain degree of dark current suppressing effect can be obtained.

  In the TFT 70, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, and an active layer (channel layer) are stacked, and a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the active layer at a predetermined interval. The active layer can be formed of any one of, for example, amorphous silicon, amorphous oxide, organic semiconductor material, carbon nanotube, etc., but the material capable of forming the active layer is not limited to these. .

As an amorphous oxide capable of forming an active layer, for example, an oxide containing at least one of In, Ga, and Zn (for example, an In-O system) is preferable, and at least one of In, Ga, and Zn is used. Oxides containing two (eg, In—Zn—O, In—Ga—O, and Ga—Zn—O) are more preferable, and oxides including In, Ga, and Zn are particularly preferable. As the In—Ga—Zn—O-based amorphous oxide, an amorphous oxide whose composition in a crystalline state is represented by InGaO ₃ (ZnO) _m (m is a natural number less than 6) is preferable, and InGaZnO is particularly preferable. ₄ is more preferable. Note that the amorphous oxide capable of forming the active layer is not limited to these.

  Examples of the organic semiconductor material capable of forming an active layer include, but are not limited to, phthalocyanine compounds, pentacene, vanadyl phthalocyanine, and the like. In addition, about the structure of a phthalocyanine compound, since it demonstrates in detail by Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2009-212389, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  If the active layer of the TFT 70 is formed of any one of an amorphous oxide, an organic semiconductor material, a carbon nanotube, etc., radiation such as X-rays is not absorbed, or even if it is absorbed, a very small amount remains. The superimposition of noise on the signal can be effectively suppressed.

  Further, when the active layer is formed of carbon nanotubes, the switching speed of the TFT 70 can be increased, and the degree of light absorption in the visible light region of the TFT 70 can be reduced. In addition, when the active layer is formed of carbon nanotubes, the performance of the TFT 70 is remarkably deteriorated just by mixing a very small amount of metallic impurities into the active layer. Therefore, it must be used for forming the active layer.

  In addition, since the film | membrane formed with the organic photoelectric conversion material and the film | membrane formed with the organic-semiconductor material have sufficient flexibility, the photoelectric conversion film 72C formed with the organic photoelectric conversion material, and an active layer are made into organic. If the TFT 70 made of a semiconductor material is combined, it is not always necessary to increase the rigidity of the radiation detector 60 to which the weight of the body of the patient (subject) 14 is applied as a load. For this reason, in the radiation detector 60, the active layer of the TFT 70 is formed of an organic semiconductor material.

  The insulating substrate 66 may be any substrate as long as it has optical transparency and little radiation absorption. Here, both the amorphous oxide constituting the active layer of the TFT 70 and the organic photoelectric conversion material constituting the photoelectric conversion film 72C of the photoelectric conversion portion 72 can be formed at a low temperature. Therefore, the insulating substrate 66 is not limited to a substrate having high heat resistance such as a semiconductor substrate, a quartz substrate, and a glass substrate, and a flexible substrate made of synthetic resin, aramid, or bionanofiber can also be used. Specifically, flexible materials such as polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene phthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethersulfone, polyarylate, polyimide, polycycloolefin, norbornene resin, and poly (chlorotrifluoroethylene). A conductive substrate can be used. By using such a flexible substrate made of synthetic resin, it is possible to reduce the weight, which is advantageous for carrying around, for example. The insulating substrate 66 includes an insulating layer for ensuring insulation, a gas barrier layer for preventing permeation of moisture and oxygen, an undercoat layer for improving flatness or adhesion to electrodes, and the like. May be provided.

  Since aramid can be applied at a high temperature process of 200 ° C. or more, the transparent electrode material can be cured at a high temperature to reduce the resistance, and can be applied to automatic mounting of a driver IC including a solder reflow process. Moreover, since aramid has a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of ITO (indium tin oxide) or a glass substrate, there is little warping after manufacturing and it is difficult to break. In addition, aramid can make a substrate thinner than a glass substrate or the like. Note that the insulating substrate 66 may be formed by stacking an ultrathin glass substrate and aramid.

  The bionanofiber is a composite of a cellulose microfibril bundle (bacterial cellulose) produced by bacteria (Acetobacter Xylinum) and a transparent resin. The cellulose microfibril bundle has a width of 50 nm and a size of 1/10 of the visible light wavelength, and has high strength, high elasticity, and low thermal expansion. By impregnating and curing a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin in bacterial cellulose, a bio-nanofiber having a light transmittance of about 90% at a wavelength of 500 nm can be obtained while containing 60 to 70% of the fiber. Bionanofiber has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (3-7ppm) comparable to silicon crystals, and is as strong as steel (460MPa), highly elastic (30GPa), and flexible, compared to glass substrates, etc. The insulating substrate 66 can be thinned.

  When a glass substrate is used as the insulating substrate 66, the thickness of the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 as a whole is, for example, about 0.7 mm. In the radiation detector 60, the electronic cassette 32 is also considered to be thin, As the insulating substrate 66, a thin substrate made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin is used. Thereby, the thickness of the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 as a whole can be reduced to about 0.1 mm, for example, and the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 can be made flexible. Further, by providing the radiation detector (TFT substrate) 60 with flexibility, the impact resistance of the radiation detector 60 is improved, and even when an impact is applied to the casing 54 of the electronic cassette 32, the radiation detector 60. Is difficult to break. In addition, plastic resin, aramid, bio-nanofiber, etc. all absorb little radiation, and when the insulating substrate 66 is formed of these materials, the amount of radiation absorbed by the insulating substrate 66 is also reduced. Even if the radiation is transmitted through the radiation detector 60 by (ISS), a decrease in sensitivity to radiation can be suppressed.

  Note that it is not essential to use a synthetic resin substrate as the insulating substrate 66 of the electronic cassette 32. Although the thickness of the electronic cassette 32 increases, a substrate made of another material such as a glass substrate may be used. You may make it use as.

  As described above, the electronic cassette 32 is a surface reading system (ISS) in which the radiation detector 60 and the scintillator 71 are arranged in this order along the radiation arrival direction, and the scintillator 71 is made of a material containing CsI. By adopting a structure in which a columnar crystal region is formed on the detector 60 side, an increase in the amount of light incident on the radiation detector 60 from the scintillator 71 and suppression of diffusion are realized. The photoelectric conversion film 72C is made of an organic photoelectric conversion material, the active layer of the TFT 70 is formed of an organic semiconductor material, and a synthetic resin substrate is used as the insulating substrate 66, so that the radiation detector 60 is transmitted through the scintillator. Since the absorption of radiation applied to 71 in the radiation detector 60 is suppressed, the radiation detection sensitivity is improved and the image quality of the radiographic image to be taken is improved. Kill.

  In addition, the radiation detector 62 provided on the opposite side of the scintillator 71 with the radiation detector 60 in between is formed with a wiring layer 142 and an insulating layer 144 in which wiring is patterned in order, and is emitted from the scintillator 71 on the upper layer. A plurality of sensor units 146 for detecting light transmitted through the radiation detector 60 are formed, and a protective layer 148 is formed on the upper layer of the sensor unit 146. The thickness of the radiation detection unit 62 is, for example, about 0.05 mm.

  The sensor unit 146 includes an upper electrode 147A and a lower electrode 147B, and a photoelectric conversion film 147C that generates light by absorbing light from the scintillator 71 is disposed between the upper electrode 147A and the lower electrode 147B. ing. As the sensor unit 146 (photoelectric conversion film 147C), a PIN-type or MIS-type photodiode using amorphous silicon can be applied. However, in the radiation detection unit 62, the photoelectric conversion film 72C of the photoelectric conversion unit 72 Similarly, the photoelectric conversion film 147C is made of an organic photoelectric conversion material. Accordingly, it is possible to form the photoelectric conversion film 147C by attaching the organic photoelectric conversion material on the object to be formed using a droplet discharge head such as an ink jet head, and the insulating substrate 66 has light transmittance. It is possible to use a thin substrate made of a synthetic resin.

  In addition, since detection (imaging) of a radiographic image is performed by the radiation detector 60, the sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62 has a larger arrangement pitch (lower arrangement density) than the pixel unit 74 of the radiation detector 60. In addition, the light receiving region of the single sensor unit 146 may have a size corresponding to several to several hundreds of the pixel units 74 of the radiation detector 60.

  As shown in FIG. 5, each gate line 76 of the radiation detector 60 is connected to a gate line driver 80, and each data line 78 is connected to a signal processing unit 82. When radiation that has passed through the subject (radiation carrying the image information of the subject) is irradiated onto the electronic cassette 32, the radiation corresponding to each position on the irradiation surface 56 in the scintillator 71 is irradiated with the radiation at each position. The amount of light corresponding to the amount is emitted, and the photoelectric conversion unit 72 of each pixel unit 74 generates a charge having a magnitude corresponding to the amount of light emitted from the corresponding portion of the scintillator 71. Charges are accumulated in the storage capacitors 68 of the individual pixel portions 74 (and between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A of the photoelectric conversion portion 72).

  When charges are accumulated in the storage capacitors 68 of the individual pixel portions 74 as described above, the TFTs 70 of the individual pixel portions 74 are row-wise by signals supplied from the gate line drivers 80 via the gate wirings 76. The charges stored in the storage capacitor 68 of the pixel unit 74 that is turned on in order and the TFT 70 is turned on are transmitted as an analog electric signal through the data wiring 78 and input to the signal processing unit 82. Accordingly, the charges accumulated in the storage capacitors 68 of the individual pixel portions 74 are sequentially read out in units of rows.

  The signal processing unit 82 includes an amplifier and a sample-and-hold circuit provided for each data wiring 78, and an electric signal transmitted through each data wiring 78 is amplified by the amplifier and then held in the sample-and-hold circuit. The In addition, a multiplexer and an A / D (analog / digital) converter are connected in order to the output side of the sample and hold circuit, and the electrical signals held in the individual sample and hold circuits are sequentially (serially) input to the multiplexer. The digital image data is converted by an A / D converter.

  An image memory 90 is connected to the signal processing unit 82, and image data output from the A / D converter of the signal processing unit 82 is sequentially stored in the image memory 90. The image memory 90 has a storage capacity capable of storing image data for a plurality of frames, and image data obtained by imaging is sequentially stored in the image memory 90 every time a radiographic image is captured.

  The image memory 90 is connected to a cassette control unit 92 that controls the operation of the entire electronic cassette 32. The cassette control unit 92 includes a microcomputer, and includes a CPU 92A, a memory 92B including a ROM and a RAM, a nonvolatile storage unit 92C including an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit 92C stores in advance a shooting control program for performing a shooting control process described later. The cassette control unit 92 functions as an example of the control means of the present invention by the CPU 92A executing the shooting control program.

  A wireless communication unit 94 is connected to the cassette control unit 92. The wireless communication unit 94 is capable of wireless communication using a plurality of communication methods, and performs wireless communication with an external device (for example, the console 42 as a control device) using a communication method selected from the plurality of communication methods. The communication method applicable to the wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 94 includes a first communication method having a high communication speed and a second communication method having a communication speed lower than that of the first communication method and lower power consumption. And are included. As the first and second communication methods, communication methods having the same communication standard and different communication protocols or modulation methods are suitable. Specifically, for example, in Bluetooth (registered trademark) 3.0 + HS (High Speed) Low power consumption Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol and high-speed wireless LAN protocol, IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11g, IEEE802.11b, or the like can be applied. The wireless communication unit 94 designates a communication mode corresponding to a different communication method from the cassette control unit 92, and performs various communication with the console 42 by wireless communication of a communication method corresponding to the communication mode instructed from the cassette control unit 92. Send and receive information. Thus, the wireless communication unit 94 is an example of a single wireless communication unit according to claim 1.

  On the other hand, the radiation detection unit 62 is provided with the same number of wirings 160 as the sensor units 146, and each sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62 is connected to the signal detection unit 162 via a different wiring 160. Yes. The signal detection unit 162 includes an amplifier, a sample hold circuit, and an A / D converter provided for each wiring 160, and is connected to the cassette control unit 92. Under the control of the cassette control unit 92, the signal detection unit 162 samples signals transmitted from the individual sensor units 146 via the wiring 160 at predetermined intervals, converts the sampled signals into digital data, and converts the cassettes into the cassette data. The data is sequentially output to the control unit 92.

  Further, the electronic cassette 32 is provided with a power supply unit 96, and the various electronic circuits described above (gate line driver 80, signal processing unit 82, image memory 90, wireless communication unit 94, cassette control unit 92, signal detection unit 162). Etc.) are connected to the power supply unit 96 (not shown), and are operated by the power supplied from the power supply unit 96. The power supply unit 96 incorporates the aforementioned battery (secondary battery) 96A so as not to impair the portability of the electronic cassette 32, and supplies power from the charged battery 96A to various electronic circuits.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the console 42 is composed of a computer, a CPU 104 that controls the operation of the entire apparatus, a ROM 106 that stores various programs including a control program in advance, a RAM 108 that temporarily stores various data, and various data Are connected to each other via a bus. In addition, a communication I / F unit 132 and a wireless communication unit 118 are connected to the bus, the display 100 is connected via the display driver 112, and the operation panel 102 is further connected via the operation input detection unit 114. . The wireless communication unit 118 includes a low-power Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol and a high-speed wireless LAN protocol in a plurality of communication methods (for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) 3.0 + HS (High Speed)) in which the wireless communication unit 94 can perform wireless communication. Or IEEE802.11n and IEEE802.11g, IEEE802.11b, etc.).

  Bluetooth (registered trademark) 3.0 + HS (High Speed) is a part corresponding to the physical layer and data link layer of the communication protocol, so that both the conventional Bluetooth (registered trademark) method and the wireless LAN method can be used. Therefore, when transferring a large amount of data between devices at high speed, it is possible to switch from Bluetooth (registered trademark) to a wireless LAN. To achieve this, Bluetooth (Registered Trademark) 3.0 + HS (High Speed) is used in (1) “Alternate MAC / PHY” (Alternate Mac / Phi) and (2) “Protocol Adaptation Layer” (Protocol Adaptation Layer). 2 layers) technology is used. In transmitting and receiving data between devices, authentication and connection are first performed between devices that transmit and receive data. At that time, communication is performed using the Bluetooth (registered trademark) system. When a large amount of data is exchanged between devices after connection, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) application switches the communication protocol from Bluetooth (registered trademark) to wireless LAN. This switching destination is Alternate MAC / PHY.

  Alternate MAC / PHY includes a Protocol Adaptation Layer (PAL) that sends and receives data and commands between the Bluetooth (registered trademark) application and the physical layer of the wireless LAN. ) Command as a “translator” to handle the existing wireless LAN MAC / PHY. As a result, it is possible to translate a Bluetooth (registered trademark) command into a wireless LAN command and control the wireless LAN using the MAC / PHY of an existing wireless LAN with the translated command. In addition, when supporting a new wireless communication method, it can be supported by installing an Alternate MAC / PHY created by combining Protocol Adaptation Layer with a MAC / PHY adapted to the new wireless communication method. . As a result, Bluetooth (registered trademark) 3.0 + HS (High Speed) uses the low-power-consumption Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol for communication during the period of waiting for the start of radiation irradiation, and consumes power during image transmission. However, by switching to a high-speed wireless LAN protocol communication method using Bluetooth (registered trademark) application, it is possible to reduce power consumption during the period of waiting for the start of radiation irradiation, and to extend battery life. Life expectancy can be realized.

  Although IEEE802.11g uses OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), which is a physical layer standard, to achieve higher speed than IEEE802.11b, the power consumption of the OFDM circuit section is large. Although it is faster than IEEE802.11b, power consumption is increasing. IEEE802.11n also uses MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology to perform transmission / reception with multiple antennas (multistreaming), review of communication procedures, and multiple channels (bandwidth used for communication). Although speeding up and stabilization are realized by channel bonding (channel coupling), etc., power consumption is higher than IEEE802.11g by MIMO. Therefore, among IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11g, and IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11b has the slowest communication speed but the lowest power consumption, and IEEE802.11n has the fastest communication speed but the largest power consumption. For this reason, during the period of waiting for the start of radiation irradiation, the communication method is switched from IEEE802.11n to IEEE802.11g, which consumes less power, and more preferably, IEEE802.11b, which consumes less power. Reduction of power consumption during the period of waiting for the start of irradiation can be realized, and the battery life can be extended.

  The communication I / F unit 132 is connected to the radiation generator 34 via the connection terminal 42 </ b> A and the communication cable 35. The console 42 (the CPU 104 thereof) transmits / receives various information such as an exposure condition to / from the radiation generator 34 via the communication I / F unit 132. The wireless communication unit 118 has a function of performing wireless communication with the wireless communication unit 94 of the electronic cassette 32, and the console 42 (the CPU 104) transmits and receives various information such as image data to and from the electronic cassette 32. 118. The display driver 112 generates and outputs signals for displaying various information on the display 100, and the console 42 (the CPU 104 of the console 42) displays an operation menu, a captured radiation image, and the like on the display 100 via the display driver 112. Display. The operation panel 102 includes a plurality of keys, and various information and operation instructions are input. The operation input detection unit 114 detects an operation on the operation panel 102 and notifies the CPU 104 of the detection result.

  The radiation generator 34 also includes a communication I / F unit 132 that transmits and receives various types of information such as an exposure condition between the radiation source 130 and the console 42, and an exposure condition (this exposure) received from the console 42. And a radiation source controller 134 for controlling the radiation source 130 based on the conditions (including the tube voltage and tube current information).

  Next, radiographic imaging will be described as an operation of the present embodiment. When a radiographic image is captured, the console 42 receives information indicating the content of imaging (for example, an imaging site and, if necessary, tube voltage, tube current, etc.) and attribute information of the subject from a server (not shown). The information is displayed on the display 100 (see FIG. 6). The radiographer (radiologist) performs preparatory work for taking radiographic images based on the information displayed on the display 100. That is, the electronic cassette 32 is turned on, and the electronic cassette 32 is arranged at a position corresponding to the imaging region. Also, the identity of the subject is confirmed, and the tube voltage and tube current when the operation panel 102 is irradiated with the radiation X are designated.

  When the power of the electronic cassette 32 is turned on as described above, the cassette control unit 92 of the electronic cassette 32 executes the shooting control program stored in the storage unit 92C by the CPU 92A, so that the shooting control shown in FIG. Process.

  In this photographing control process, first, in step 200, as a communication mode in wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 94, a mode (low speed / power saving communication mode) corresponding to the second communication method with low communication speed and low power consumption is set. The wireless communication unit 94 is set. As a result, subsequent wireless communication between the console 42 and the electronic cassette 32 (for example, communication such as a status inquiry from the console 42 to the electronic cassette 32 or a response to a status inquiry from the electronic cassette 32 to the console 42) is the second. (See FIG. 8A). As a result, the power consumption in the period of waiting for the start of radiation irradiation to the electronic cassette 32 (the “radiation irradiation start detection period” shown in FIG. 8A) is reduced.

  In step 202, the level of the signal supplied from the gate line driver 80 to the TFT 70 via the gate line 76 is switched to the level at which the TFT 70 is turned on simultaneously for all the gate lines 76 of the radiation detector 60. As a result, all the TFTs 70 of the radiation detector 60 are turned on. As a result, the charges accumulated in the storage capacitors 68 of the individual pixel parts 74 of the radiation detector 60 (and between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A of the photoelectric conversion part 72) are discarded and stored in the electronic cassette 32. Until the radiation is irradiated, the dark current output from the photoelectric conversion unit 72 of each pixel unit 74 is also prevented from being accumulated as a charge.

  In step 204, an output signal transmitted from each sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62 via the wiring 160 is acquired as digital data (radiation dose detection value) via the signal detection unit 162, and the next step In 206, based on the radiation dose detection value acquired from each sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62, it is determined whether or not the radiation dose detection value is greater than or equal to a threshold value, thereby irradiating the electronic cassette 32 with radiation. It is determined whether or not is started. If the determination in step 206 is negative, the process returns to step 204, and steps 204 and 206 are repeated until the determination in step 206 is affirmed.

  Note that, as the radiation dose detection value to be compared with the threshold value, an average value of the radiation dose detection values acquired from each sensor unit 146 may be used, but the subject to be imaged in the irradiation surface 56 of the electronic cassette 32 may be used. As for a portion irradiated with radiation that has passed through the body of the subject, since a part of the radiation is absorbed by the body of the subject to be irradiated, the radiation dose is reduced. It is preferable to use an irradiation amount detection value acquired from the sensor unit 146 corresponding to a portion that is directly irradiated (irradiated without passing through the body of the subject).

  In this aspect, the sensor unit 146 using the irradiation amount detection value is disposed, for example, at a position close to any one of the four corners of the irradiation surface 56 that is rarely irradiated with radiation that has passed through the body of the subject. The sensor unit 146 can be applied. In addition, since the range in which the radiation from the radiation source 130 is directly irradiated on the irradiation surface 56 differs depending on the imaging region, information on the imaging region is acquired from the console 42, and according to the imaging region represented by the acquired information. The sensor unit 146 that uses the detected dose value may be switched.

  When the above-described preparation work is completed, the photographer performs an operation of notifying the completion of the preparation work via the operation panel 102 of the console 42, and the console 42 uses the operation as a trigger to designate the specified tube voltage and tube current. Is transmitted to the radiation generator 34 as an exposure condition. The radiation source control unit 134 of the radiation generator 34 stores the exposure conditions received from the console 42 in a built-in memory or the like, and the cassette control unit 92 of the electronic cassette 32 stores the imaging conditions received from the console 42 in the storage unit 92C. Remember. Further, the console 42 performs communication for inquiring of the electronic cassette 32 as to whether or not photographing is possible.

  When the console 42 confirms that the transmission of the exposure conditions to the radiation generator 34 has been normally completed and the electronic cassette 32 is also in a state in which imaging is possible, the console 42 is in a state in which imaging is possible by switching the display on the display 100. The photographer who has confirmed this notification performs an operation of instructing the start of photographing via the operation panel 102 of the console 42. As a result, the console 42 transmits an instruction signal instructing the start of exposure to the radiation generator 34, and the radiation generator 34 emits radiation with a tube voltage and a tube current corresponding to the exposure conditions received in advance from the console 42. Radiation is emitted from the source 130.

  As described above, when the radiation emitted from the radiation source 130 is applied to the electronic cassette 32, the determination in step 206 of the imaging control process (FIG. 7) is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 208, and the wireless communication unit 94 is activated. Set to the communication stopped state. Thereby, the wireless communication between the console 42 and the electronic cassette 32 is temporarily stopped. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, the communication stop state is a period during which charges are accumulated in the radiation detector 60 (“radiation image capturing period” shown in FIG. 8A) and Since this is continued for a period of reading an image from the radiation detector 60 and writing image data to the image memory 90 (“between image reading / data writing” shown in FIG. 8A), Due to the fact that wireless communication with the electronic cassette 32 has been performed, it is possible to prevent noise and the like from being superimposed on the captured radiation image.

  The wireless communication may be stopped by stopping the emission of radio waves by the analog circuit unit in the wireless communication unit 94. In general, the wireless communication unit 94 is provided before the analog circuit unit. The digital circuit unit that performs processing such as modulation consumes more power and is more likely to be a noise source.Therefore, the operation of the digital circuit unit is stopped (for example, the supply of power to the digital circuit unit is stopped). It is more desirable to stop communication.

  In the next step 210, the level of the signal supplied from the gate line driver 80 to the TFT 70 via the gate wiring 76 is switched to the level at which the TFT 70 is turned off simultaneously for all the gate wirings 76 of the radiation detector 60. As a result, all the TFTs 70 of the radiation detector 60 are turned off. As a result, accumulation of electric charges in the storage capacitors 68 of the individual pixel units 74 of the radiation detector 60 (and between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A of the photoelectric conversion unit 72) is started.

  In step 212, a radiation dose detection value is acquired from each sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62. In the next step 214, whether the radiation dose detection value acquired from each sensor unit 146 is 0 or a value close to zero. Determine whether or not. In this determination, it is determined whether or not the emission of radiation from the radiation source 130 has been stopped and it has been detected that the irradiation of radiation to the electronic cassette 32 has been completed. Returning, steps 212 and 214 are repeated until the determination in step 214 is affirmed. In place of these steps 212 and 214, whether or not the irradiation of the radiation to the electronic cassette 32 is completed by determining whether or not a preset time has elapsed since the start of the irradiation of the radiation was detected. You may comprise so that it may determine.

  The console 42 monitors the arrival of the exposure end timing. When the exposure end timing arrives, the console 42 instructs the radiation generation apparatus 34 to end radiation emission, and the radiation generation apparatus 34 receives the radiation from the radiation source 130. Stop emitting radiation. In this case, the irradiation of the radiation to the electronic cassette 32 is stopped, so that the determination in step 214 of the imaging control process (FIG. 7) is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 216, and the TFT 70 of the radiation detector 60 is connected to the gate wiring 76. By sequentially turning on the unit, the charge accumulated in the storage capacitor 68 of each pixel unit 74 (and between the upper electrode 72B and the lower electrode 72A of the photoelectric conversion unit 72) is sequentially used as a radiographic image signal. At the same time as reading out, the image data of the radiation image sequentially output from the signal processing unit 82 to which the image signal is input is written in the image memory 90.

  In the next step 218, as a communication mode in the wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 94, a mode (high-speed communication mode) corresponding to the first communication method having higher power consumption than the second communication method instead of the high communication speed. ) Is set in the wireless communication unit 94. As a result, subsequent wireless communication between the console 42 and the electronic cassette 32 (for example, communication such as a status inquiry from the console 42 to the electronic cassette 32 or a response to a status inquiry from the electronic cassette 32 to the console 42) is the first. The communication method is used. In step 220, the image data of the radiation image data is read from the image memory 90 and transmitted to the console 42 by the wireless communication unit 94 by wireless communication. Since this wireless communication is performed by the first communication method (see also FIG. 8 (A)), transmission of image data to the console 42 is completed in a short time until the next radiographic image can be taken. Time can be shortened.

  When transmission of the image data of the radiographic image to the console 42 is completed, the process proceeds to step 222, and it is determined whether or not the radiographing of the radiographic image has been instructed by turning off the power of the electronic cassette 32. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 200, and the low-speed / power-saving communication mode is set again as the communication mode in the wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 94 as described above. If the determination in step 222 is affirmative, the shooting control process is terminated.

  In the imaging control process described above, as shown in FIG. 8A, during the radiation irradiation start detection period, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode, and the radiographic imaging period and image are displayed. The wireless communication with the console 42 is stopped during the read / data writing period, and the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode during the image data transfer period. However, the present invention is limited to this. Rather, the present invention includes each aspect described below within the scope of the right.

  That is, in the mode shown in FIG. 8B, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, and wireless communication with the console 42 is stopped during the radiation image capturing period. During the image reading / data writing period and the image data transfer period, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode. In this mode, since radio communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode during the image reading / data writing period, there is a possibility that the power consumption may increase as compared with the mode shown in FIG. In parallel with the reading of the image from the device 60, the image data of the image reading / data writing period is transmitted when the image data of the radiation image output from the signal processing unit 82 is transmitted to the console 42, etc. Can be performed at high speed, and transmission of the image data of the radiation image to the console 42 can be completed earlier. Further, by performing wireless communication with the console 42 in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, power consumption during this period is suppressed to a low level.

  8C performs wireless communication with the console 42 in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, and stops wireless communication with the console 42 during the radiation image capturing period. The wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low speed / power saving communication mode during the image reading / data writing period, and the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high speed communication mode during the image data transfer period. In this mode, since wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the image reading / data writing period, the power consumption may increase compared to the mode shown in FIG. When the image data of the radiation image output from the signal processing unit 82 is transmitted to the console 42 in parallel with the reading of the image from the radiation detector 60, the image is read during the image reading / data writing period. Data can be transmitted and power consumption can be reduced as compared with the mode shown in FIG. Further, by performing wireless communication with the console 42 in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, power consumption during this period is suppressed to a low level.

  Further, in the mode shown in FIG. 9A, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period and the radiographic image capturing period, and the console is used during the image reading / data writing period. Wireless communication with the terminal 42 is stopped, and wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode during the image data transfer period. In this aspect, although there is a possibility that the power consumption is increased as compared with the aspect shown in FIG. 8A, it is possible to perform wireless communication with the console 42 during the radiographic image capturing period. Further, by performing wireless communication with the console 42 in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, power consumption during this period is suppressed to a low level.

  Further, in the mode shown in FIG. 9B, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, and wireless communication with the console 42 is performed at high speed during the radiation image capturing period. The wireless communication with the console 42 is stopped during the image reading / data writing period, and the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode during the image data transfer period. In this mode, although there is a possibility that the power consumption is increased as compared with the mode shown in FIG. 8A, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed during the radiographic image capturing period as in the mode shown in FIG. 9A. It becomes possible. Further, by performing wireless communication with the console 42 in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, power consumption during this period is suppressed to a low level.

  Further, in the mode shown in FIG. 10A, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode in the radiation irradiation start detection period, the radiographic image capturing period, and the image reading / data writing period. During the transfer period, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode. Further, in the mode shown in FIG. 10B, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period and the radiographic imaging period, and the image reading / data writing period and the image data During the transfer period, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode. Furthermore, in the mode shown in FIG. 10C, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, and the radiographic image capturing period, the image reading / data writing period, and the image data During the transfer period, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode.

  Each mode shown in FIG. 10 may increase power consumption as compared with the mode shown in FIG. 8A, and wireless communication is not stopped in the radiographic image capturing period and the image reading / data writing period. However, it is possible to perform wireless communication with the console 42 during the radiographic image capturing period, and output from the signal processing unit 82 in parallel with the reading of the image from the radiation detector 60. It is possible to transmit the image data of the radiographic image to the console 42.

  In the first embodiment described above, the radiation detection unit 62 detects the end of radiation irradiation. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is preset after the start of radiation irradiation is detected. With the passage of time as a trigger, it is determined that radiation (radiation image capturing) has ended, and the radiation image is read from the radiation detector 60 and the image data is written to the image memory 90. Also good.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted and hereafter, only a different part from 1st Embodiment is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the radiation detection unit 62 is omitted in the second embodiment, and the signal detection unit 162 connected to each sensor unit 146 of the radiation detection unit 62 via the wiring 160 is also omitted. Has been.

Next, the shooting control process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the shooting control process according to the second embodiment is an example of a process performed by the control unit according to the eighth aspect . In the imaging control processing according to the second embodiment, the low-speed / power-saving communication mode is set in the wireless communication unit 94 as a communication mode of wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 94 (step 200), and all the TFTs 70 of the radiation detector 60 are set. Are turned on and the charges accumulated in the individual pixel portions 74 are discarded (step 202), and in the next step 203, the display state of the display portion 54A provided in the housing 54 of the electronic cassette 32 is changed. , And switch to a display state that means “capable of shooting”.

  In the next step 205, it is determined whether a preset first time has elapsed, and step 205 is repeated until the determination is affirmed. As described above, in the second embodiment, the radiation detection unit 62 is omitted, and the start of radiation irradiation cannot be detected. Instead, by determining whether or not the first time has passed, It is estimated whether or not irradiation has started. When the first time elapses, the determination in step 205 is affirmed, the display state of the display unit 54A of the electronic cassette 32 is switched to a display state meaning “being photographed” (step 207), and the wireless communication unit 94 is in a communication stopped state. (Step 208), all the TFTs 70 of the radiation detector 60 are turned off (step 210), and charge accumulation in the individual pixel portions 74 of the radiation detector 60 is started.

  In the next step 211, it is determined whether a preset second time has elapsed, and step 211 is repeated until the determination is affirmed. In this step 211, it is estimated whether or not the irradiation of radiation has ended by determining whether or not the second time has elapsed. When the second time elapses, the determination in step 211 is affirmed, the display state of the display unit 54A of the electronic cassette 32 is switched to a display state meaning “reading image” (step 213), and the captured radiation image is changed to radiation. In addition to reading sequentially from the detector 60, the image data of the radiation image sequentially output from the signal processing unit 82 is written into the image memory 90 (step 216).

  When the writing of the image data to the image memory 90 is completed, the high-speed communication mode is set as the wireless communication mode by the wireless communication unit 94 (step 218), and the display state of the display unit 54A of the electronic cassette 32 is changed to “ The display state is switched to “Transferring image” (step 219), and the image data of the radiation image data is read from the image memory 90 and transmitted to the console 42 by the wireless communication unit 94 by wireless communication (step 220).

  With the above imaging control processing, as shown in FIG. 14A, during the radiation irradiation waiting period until the first time elapses after the display state of the display unit 54A of the electronic cassette 32 is switched to “capable of imaging”. Since the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low speed / power saving communication mode, the power consumption during this period is suppressed. In addition, wireless communication with the console 42 is stopped during the radiographic image capturing period and the image reading / data writing period, thereby preventing noise and the like from being superimposed on the captured radiographic image. In addition, during the image data transfer period, the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode, so that the transmission of the image data to the console 42 is completed in a short time.

  Note that, even in a mode in which the electronic cassette 32 does not detect the start and end of radiation irradiation as in the second embodiment, for example, as shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, image reading / data writing is performed. During the period, wireless communication with the console 42 may be performed in the high-speed communication mode or the low-speed / power-saving communication mode, and although not shown, it is similar to the above-described FIGS. 9A and 9B. In addition, during the radiographic image capturing period, wireless communication with the console 42 may be performed in the high-speed communication mode or the low-speed / power-saving communication mode, as in FIGS. 10A to 10B described above. The wireless communication with the console 42 may be performed in the high-speed communication mode or the low-speed / power-saving communication mode during the image reading / data writing period and the radiation image capturing period. In any aspect, since the wireless communication with the console 42 is performed in the low speed / power saving communication mode during the radiation irradiation start detection period, the power consumption during this period is suppressed to a low level.

  In the above description, a case where a still image is captured as a radiographic image has been described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where a moving image is captured as a radiographic image.

  In the above description, the scintillator 71 having a structure in which the columnar crystal region and the non-columnar crystal region are continuously formed has been described as an example of the light emitting unit according to claim 10. For example, instead of the non-columnar crystal region, A structure in which a light reflecting layer made of aluminum or the like is provided and only a columnar crystal region is formed may be used, or another structure may be used.

  Furthermore, in the above description, the display unit 56A that displays the state of the electronic cassette 32 by turning on and off the plurality of light emitting units has been described as an example of the notification unit according to claim 8, but the display unit 56A is not limited thereto. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the state of the electronic cassette 32 is notified by voice or the like.

  In the above, as an example of the first detection means according to the present invention, the irradiated radiation is once converted into light by the scintillator 71, and then the converted light is converted into electric charge by the radiation detector 60 (radiation detection unit 62). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a direct conversion system that directly converts radiation into charges using amorphous selenium or the like may be employed. .

In the above description, the mode in which wireless communication with the console 42 is always performed in the high-speed communication mode at least during the image data transfer period has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and confirmation of the range captured as a radiographic image is performed. For example, a radiographic image is preliminarily taken for the purpose, and then a diagnostic radiographic image is taken. Image data of the preliminarily taken radiographic image is, for example, in pixel units when reading the image from the radiation detector 60. If the image data has been reduced in size by thinning out or by reducing the resolution by adding data of multiple pixels, trimming readout (partial area readout), or application of lossy compression, etc. When transmitting image data of a radiographic image taken automatically to the console 42, wireless communication with the console 42 is performed at low speed / power saving. Performed in Shin mode, when transmitting the image data of the captured radiographic image for diagnosis to the console 42, the wireless communication with the console 42 may be performed at a high speed communication mode. The above aspect corresponds to the invention described in claim 1 .

  In addition, for the purpose of confirming at an early stage whether or not an appropriate range has been taken as a diagnostic radiographic image, after taking a full-size diagnostic radiographic image, the full-size image data of the radiographic image taken Before sending the image to the control device, the image data obtained by reducing the amount of data by thinning out pixels or adding data of a plurality of pixels to the full-size image data is sent to the console 42. There is a case where a preview image of a radiation image is displayed on the control device, and then full-size image data is transmitted to the console 42. In this case, when image data with a reduced data amount is transmitted, the amount of data is small, so communication with the console 42 is performed in the low speed / power saving communication mode, and when full size image data is transmitted. Because of the large amount of data, communication with the console 42 may be performed in the high-speed communication mode.

  In addition, priority is given to shortening the time until the preview display of the radiographic image is performed, and if the full-size radiographic image for diagnosis is displayed in a proper range, the display may be slightly delayed. Contrary to the above, when image data with a reduced amount of data is transmitted, communication with the console 42 is performed in the high-speed communication mode, and when full-size image data is transmitted, the console 42 The communication may be performed in the low speed / power saving communication mode. The present invention includes each of the above aspects within the scope of rights.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the said embodiment contains the aspect of the matter described below other than embodiment of the matter described in the claim.

(1) In addition, the control unit is further provided with a notification unit for notifying of a state in which imaging is possible, and the control unit notifies the imaging unit of the state in which imaging is possible while the first detection unit is capable of detecting radiation. , Recognizing that the waiting period has expired when a preset first time has passed since the state in which the imaging is possible was notified, and detecting the irradiated radiation as an image by the first detection means The radiographic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein:

(2) The control means has completed detection of radiation by the first detection means when a preset second time has elapsed since the start of detection of radiation by the first detection means. , The signal processing unit performs a process of writing the image detected by the first detection unit to the storage unit as read image data, and when the writing of the image data to the storage unit is completed, the image The image data obtained by recognizing that the data transfer period has arrived and detecting the radiation applied by the first detection unit as an image is transmitted to the control device by the wireless communication unit ( 1 ) Radiation imaging device.

32 Electronic cassette 42 Console 56A Display unit 60 Radiation detector 62 Radiation detection unit 71 Scintillator 90 Image memory 92 Cassette control unit 94 Wireless communication unit 118 Wireless communication unit

Claims (11)

First detection means for detecting the irradiated radiation as an image;
A single wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication with the control device by a plurality of communication methods;
Image data of a preliminarily photographed radiographic image during an image data transfer period in which image data obtained by detecting radiation emitted by the first detection means as an image is transmitted to the control device Is transmitted to the control device, communication with the control device is performed by the second communication method, which is slower than the first communication method and consumes less power, and the radiographic image captured for diagnosis is transmitted. waiting until the image data is as it is transmitted to the control device, communication with the control unit controls the wireless communication unit as is done in the first communication method, the irradiation of the radiation is started During the period, control means for communicating with the control device controls the wireless communication unit as is done in the second communication mode,
A radiographic imaging apparatus including:   The control means includes a first period in which irradiated radiation is detected as an image by the first detection means, and an image detected by the first detection means is read out by a signal processing unit and stored as image data. The radiographic image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein communication with the control device is stopped during at least one of the second periods written to the control unit.   The control means reads out an image detected by the first detection means by a signal processing unit in a first period in which the irradiated radiation is detected as an image by the first detection means, or in the first period. 2. The radiation according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is controlled so that communication with the control device is performed in the second communication method in a period including a second period written in the storage unit as image data. Image shooting device.   In the first period in which the irradiated radiation is detected as an image by the first detection unit, the control unit reads the image detected by the first detection unit by the signal processing unit and stores it in the storage unit as image data. The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radio communication unit is controlled so that communication with the control apparatus is performed by the first communication method in a period including a second period to be written. A second detecting means for detecting the start of radiation irradiation;
The control means recognizes that the waiting period has ended when the radiation detection start is detected by the second detection means, and causes the first detection means to detect the irradiated radiation as an image. The radiographic imaging device of any one of Claims 1-4.   The control means recognizes that the detection of radiation by the first detection means has been completed when a preset first time has elapsed since the start of radiation irradiation was detected by the second detection means. Then, the signal processing unit performs the process of writing the image detected by the first detection unit to the storage unit as read image data, and the image data transfer is triggered when the writing of the image data to the storage unit is completed. 6. The radiographic image according to claim 5, wherein the radio communication unit transmits the image data obtained by recognizing that the period has arrived and detecting the radiation applied by the first detection unit as an image to the control device. Shooting device. The second detection means detects the end of radiation irradiation,
The control means recognizes that the detection of the radiation by the first detection means is completed when the second detection means detects the end of radiation irradiation, and is detected by the first detection means. The signal processing unit performs a process of reading an image as read image data into the storage unit, and recognizes that the image data transfer period has arrived when the writing of the image data into the storage unit is completed, The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein image data obtained by detecting radiation emitted by one detection unit as an image is transmitted to the control device by the wireless communication unit.   In addition, a notification means for notifying of a state where photographing is possible is provided,
  The control means notifies the imaging possible state by the notification means in a state where the first detection means is capable of detecting radiation, and a preset first time after notifying the imaging possible state. 5. The radiographic imaging according to claim 1, wherein the waiting period has ended when the period of time elapses, and the irradiated radiation is detected as an image by the first detection unit. apparatus.   The radiographic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first communication method and the second communication method are communication methods having the same communication standard but different communication protocols or modulation methods. .   The first detection unit includes a light emitting unit that emits light by absorbing the irradiated radiation, and a first light detection unit that detects light emitted from the light emitting unit as an image. The radiographic imaging apparatus of any one of Claims 1-9 arrange | positioned in the radiation arrival direction downstream rather than 1 light detection means.   The said 1st detection means is arrange | positioned in the radiation arrival direction upstream rather than the said light emission part, and is further provided with the 2nd light detection means which consists of an organic photoelectric conversion material, and detects the light discharge | released from the said light emission part. The radiographic imaging apparatus according to 10.

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