US9270907B2 - Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium - Google Patents

Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US9270907B2
US9270907B2 US13/237,354 US201113237354A US9270907B2 US 9270907 B2 US9270907 B2 US 9270907B2 US 201113237354 A US201113237354 A US 201113237354A US 9270907 B2 US9270907 B2 US 9270907B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
output
unit
selection
signal
pixel circuits
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active, expires
Application number
US13/237,354
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20120087471A1 (en
Inventor
Yuichi Naito
Hidehiko Saito
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Canon Inc
Original Assignee
Canon Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA reassignment CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: NAITO, YUICHI, SAITO, HIDEHIKO
Publication of US20120087471A1 publication Critical patent/US20120087471A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US9270907B2 publication Critical patent/US9270907B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/30—Transforming light or analogous information into electric information
    • H04N5/32—Transforming X-rays
    • H04N5/357—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/60—Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise
    • H04N25/65—Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise applied to reset noise, e.g. KTC noise related to CMOS structures by techniques other than CDS
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/40—Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/40—Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
    • H04N25/41—Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/40—Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
    • H04N25/44—Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled by partially reading an SSIS array
    • H04N25/445—Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled by partially reading an SSIS array by skipping some contiguous pixels within the read portion of the array
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/60—Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/60—Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise
    • H04N25/68—Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise applied to defects
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/71—Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
    • H04N25/75—Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H04N25/767—Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N25/00—Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
    • H04N25/70—SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
    • H04N25/76—Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
    • H04N25/77—Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
    • H04N25/771—Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components comprising storage means other than floating diffusion
    • H04N5/341—
    • H04N5/3415—
    • H04N5/3456—
    • H04N5/3742—
    • H04N5/37452—
    • H04N5/378—

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a radiation imaging apparatus, a control method for the radiation imaging apparatus, a storage medium, and, more particularly, to a radiation imaging apparatus that reduces image artifacts upon imaging an object by intermittently irradiating the object with radiation in the form of pulses, a control method for the radiation imaging apparatus, and a storage medium.
  • a large-area flat panel sensor formed by two-dimensionally joining photoelectric conversion elements generated on a silicon semiconductor wafer by a CMOS semiconductor manufacturing process is available as a flat panel sensor based on a 1 ⁇ optical system that is used for a radiation imaging apparatus.
  • Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-026302 discloses a method of manufacturing a large-area flat panel sensor by tiling a plurality of rectangular semiconductor substrates that are rectangular imaging elements obtained by cutting photoelectric conversion elements in the form of strips from a silicon semiconductor wafer, in order to implement a large-area flat panel sensor equal to or larger than the silicon semiconductor wafer size.
  • Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-344809 discloses a circuit arrangement for each rectangular semiconductor substrate obtained by cutting out photoelectric conversion elements in the form of strips. On each of the rectangular semiconductor substrates cut out in the form of strips, vertical and horizontal shift registers as readout control circuits are arranged together with two-dimensionally arrayed photoelectric conversion elements. External terminals (electrode pads) are provided near the horizontal shift register. Control signals and clock signals input from the external terminals control the vertical and horizontal shift registers on each rectangular semiconductor substrate to cause the respective shift registers to sequentially output the respective pixel arrays in synchronism with the clock signals.
  • FIG. 5B shows an example of an imaging mode in which the sum of the scanning time ST required to output electrical signals from all of the photoelectric conversion elements and the radiation signal accumulation time XT (exposure time XT) is greater than the imaging interval FT of a synchronization signal. That is, this is an imaging mode in which the frame rate is relatively high, in which the shift registers on each rectangular semiconductor substrate are scanned to perform a resetting operation for starting accumulation of radiation signals at the time point indicated by t 9 in FIG. 5B during an output period of an analog signal. If, however, a resetting operation is performed during an analog signal scan, currents simultaneously flow in all of the pixels on the rectangular semiconductor substrate to cause fluctuations in the power supply voltage of the rectangular semiconductor substrate. That is, an analog signal output during a resetting operation is disturbed to produce artifacts in a moving image.
  • the present invention provides a technique of obtaining a high-quality image by reducing artifacts even in a high-speed imaging mode, in consideration of the above problem.
  • the present invention provides a radiation imaging apparatus comprising an output unit adapted to output an analog signal for each pixel circuit by sampling and holding an electrical signal converted from radiation, and a selection unit adapted to sequentially select positions of pixel circuits that output the analog signals, wherein after the output unit outputs the electrical signals corresponding to a predetermined number of pixel circuits as analog signals, the selection unit stops the selection and the output unit stops the output in accordance with the stoppage of the selection.
  • the present invention provides a control method for a radiation imaging apparatus, comprising an output step of outputting an analog signal for each pixel circuit by sampling and holding an electrical signal converted from radiation, and a selection step of sequentially selecting positions of pixel circuits that output the analog signals, wherein after the electrical signals corresponding to a predetermined number of pixel circuits are output as analog signals in the output step, the selection is stopped in the selection step and the output is stopped in accordance with the stoppage of the selection in the selection step.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an overall radiation moving image capturing system
  • FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing the internal structure of a rectangular semiconductor substrate
  • FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an example of an image readout operation
  • FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an equivalent circuit corresponding to one pixel on a rectangular semiconductor substrate
  • FIGS. 5A and 5B are timing charts of rectangular semiconductor substrate control signals
  • FIG. 6 is a timing chart of rectangular semiconductor substrate control signals
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart at the time of rectangular semiconductor substrate control.
  • the radiation moving image capturing system includes a radiation imaging apparatus 100 , an image processing/system control apparatus 101 , an image display apparatus 102 , an X-ray generator 103 , and an X-ray tube 104 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 synchronously controls the radiation imaging apparatus 100 and the X-ray generator 103 .
  • a scintillator (not shown) converts radiation transmitted through an object into visible light, which is subjected to photoelectric conversion in accordance with the amount of light.
  • the resultant data is then A/D-converted.
  • the radiation imaging apparatus 100 transfers the frame image data corresponding to the X-ray application to the image processing/system control apparatus 101 .
  • the image display apparatus 102 displays the radiation image in real time.
  • the radiation imaging apparatus 100 includes a flat panel sensor 106 .
  • the flat panel sensor 106 includes rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 two-dimensionally cut out from a silicon semiconductor wafer in the form of strips.
  • the rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 are tiled on a flat base (not shown) in a matrix of 14 columns ⁇ 2 rows.
  • External terminals (electrode pads) (not shown) provided on the rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 arrayed in a matrix are arrayed in a line on each of the upper side portion and lower side portion of the flat panel sensor 106 .
  • the electrode pads provided on the rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 are connected to external circuits through flying lead type printed circuit boards (not shown).
  • Analog multiplexers 131 to 138 select pixel outputs from the connected rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 in accordance with control signals from an imaging unit control circuit 108 , and output the selected outputs to differential amplifiers 141 to 148 , respectively connected to the analog multiplexers 131 to 138 .
  • A/D converters 151 to 158 convert analog signals from the differential amplifiers 141 to 148 into digital signals in accordance with synchronization clocks output from the imaging unit control circuit 108 , and output the signals to the imaging unit control circuit 108 .
  • the imaging unit control circuit 108 combines digital image data having undergone A/D conversion in blocks by the A/D converters 151 to 158 into frame data, and transfers the frame data to the image processing/system control apparatus 101 via a connecting portion 109 .
  • Each of the rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 cut out in the form of strips is a substrate having, for example, a width of about 20 mm and a length of about 140 mm.
  • the flat panel sensor 106 formed by tiling the substrates in a matrix of 14 columns ⁇ 2 rows has, for example, a length of about 280 mm and a width of about 280 mm, that is, a square shape having a size of about 11 inches square.
  • FIG. 2 A timing chart showing an example of image readout processing from the flat panel sensor 106 , on which the rectangular semiconductor substrates 107 are tiled, will be described with reference to FIG. 3 .
  • the rectangular semiconductor substrate 107 includes pixel circuits 201 , a vertical shift register 202 , and a horizontal shift register 203 .
  • a row control signal 204 is a signal in the row direction.
  • a column control signal 205 is a signal in the column direction.
  • the pixel circuits 201 are pixel circuits including photoelectric conversion elements two-dimensionally arrayed on the rectangular semiconductor substrate 107 .
  • the vertical shift register 202 and the horizontal shift register 203 function as readout control circuits, which receive a horizontal shift register start signal HST, a vertical shift register start signal VST, a horizontal shift clock signal CLKH, and a vertical shift clock signal CLKV, via the external terminals.
  • An “H” signal is then output to an output H 0 of the horizontal shift register 203 to output one of the pixel outputs enabled by the row control signal 204 , which is output from the pixel circuit 201 selected by the output H 0 , to the analog output terminal.
  • Horizontal shift clock signal CLKH pulses are sequentially input to the horizontal shift register 203 to sequentially shift the “H” output to H 0 , H 1 , . . . , H 126 , and H 127 , thus completing a readout operation corresponding to one line.
  • the vertical shift clock signal CLKV is then input to the vertical shift register 202 to switch the “H” output to V 1 .
  • pixel outputs corresponding to one line controlled by the row control signal 204 are enabled to perform a pixel readout operation. Sequentially repeating this operation will read out pixel outputs from the entire rectangular semiconductor substrate 107 .
  • the A/D converter Since pixel values from the rectangular semiconductor substrate 107 are sequentially output to the external analog output terminal in synchronism with the horizontal shift clock signal CLKH, the A/D converter performs A/D conversion in response to an A/D conversion clock CLKAD synchronized with the horizontal shift clock signal CLKH.
  • FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram corresponding to one pixel on each tiled rectangular semiconductor substrate. Referring to FIG. 4 , applying a reset voltage VRES to a switching MOS transistor 301 will reset a photodiode unit 302 and a floating diffusion capacitor 310 .
  • a switching MOS transistor 303 activates a MOS transistor 314 functioning as a floating diffusion amplifier.
  • a switching MOS transistor 313 activates a MOS transistor 315 functioning as a source follower amplifier.
  • a switching MOS transistor 304 is combined with a clamp capacitor 305 (capacitor 305 ) to form a clamp circuit, which can remove kTC noise (reset noise) generated by the photodiode unit 302 .
  • a switching MOS transistor 306 samples and holds a signal voltage corresponding to an amount of light.
  • a switching MOS transistor 307 samples and holds the clamp voltage VCL.
  • a capacitor 308 accumulates electrical charge.
  • the capacitor 308 accumulates electrical charge corresponding to the voltage of the photodiode unit 302 to which noise and dark current components are added.
  • a capacitor 309 accumulates electrical charge.
  • the capacitor 309 accumulates electrical charge corresponding to the clamp voltage VCL, that is, noise and dark current components. Subtracting the electrical charge accumulated in the capacitor 309 from the electrical charge accumulated in the capacitor 308 can obtain a voltage corresponding to the amount of light from the photodiode unit 302 .
  • the differential amplifiers 141 to 148 perform this subtraction.
  • the pixel value data obtained from the rectangular semiconductor substrate 107 contains the noise component generated by the photodiode unit 302 , which cannot be removed by subtracting the electrical charge accumulated in the capacitor 309 from the electrical charge accumulated in the capacitor 308 . For this reason, as is well known, such pixel value data is corrected by using pixel value data captured without application of radiation as fixed pattern noise (FPN), that is, an FPN image.
  • FPN fixed pattern noise
  • a sampling operation to be performed when a moving image is to be captured by intermittently irradiating an object with radiation in the form of pulses will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5A .
  • a synchronization signal SYNC is input from the image processing/system control apparatus 101 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal to High at time t 2 to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 then activates the pixel circuit on the sensor chip and sets the PRES signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 301 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 applies the reset voltage VRES to the floating diffusion capacitor 310 to reset the sensor.
  • the interval at which the synchronization signal SYNC is input corresponds to the imaging interval FT for a moving image.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 cancels the reset by turning off the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal), and then sets the PCL signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 304 , thereby applying the clamp voltage VCL to the clamp capacitor 305 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 303 (EN signal) and the switching MOS transistor 304 (PCL signal) to finish a pixel resetting operation and to start accumulation in the photodiode unit 302 , thus enabling the exposure of radiation.
  • the object is irradiated with radiation in the form of pulses for a predetermined period of time. Therefore, in order to minimize the influence of noise components generated by the photodiode unit 302 , the image processing/system control apparatus 101 finishes accumulation when a time corresponding to the application time of radiation has elapsed.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal at High again to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 and to activate the pixel circuit on the sensor chip.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the TS signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 306 and to cause the capacitor 308 to sample and to hold the voltage of the photodiode unit 302 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 306 (TS signal) to finish sampling and holding, and to disable the exposure of radiation. Subsequently, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PRES signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 301 and to apply the reset voltage VRES to the floating diffusion capacitor 310 , thereby resetting the sensor.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal), and then sets the PCL signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 304 and to apply the clamp voltage VCL to the capacitor 305 . Subsequently, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the TN signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 307 and to cause the capacitor 309 to sample and to hold the clamp voltage VCL.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 finishes sampling and holding by turning off the switching MOS transistor 307 (TN signal), switching MOS transistor 304 (PCL signal), switching MOS transistor 303 , and switching MOS transistor 313 (EN signal).
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sequentially outputs the voltages sampled and held by the capacitor 308 and the capacitor 309 to the outside, by scanning the vertical and horizontal shift registers.
  • the set driving operation is repeated during an imaging operation to simplify control. That is, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 detects the synchronization signal SYNC again at time t 9 . Upon detecting the synchronization signal SYNC, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal at High at time t 10 to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 , and to activate the pixel circuit on the sensor chip. The image processing/system control apparatus 101 repeats the above operation. The image processing/system control apparatus 101 simultaneously performs the above sampling operation for all pixels.
  • the sampled and held voltages are read out as analog signals by scanning the shift registers in the horizontal and vertical directions for each rectangular semiconductor substrate. Converting this analog signal into a digital signal by the A/D converter will generate a digital image signal. Performing scanning while performing exposure of radiation can cope with a high frame rate at the time of moving image capturing, because it is possible to perform accumulation of radiation and scanning at the same timing.
  • a sampling operation to be performed when a moving image is captured by intermittently irradiating an object with radiation in the form of pulses will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A , 5 B, 6 , and 7 .
  • the radiation imaging apparatus 100 starts operation in the imaging mode set by the image processing/system control apparatus 101 .
  • the imaging mode is, for example, imaging at a high or a low frame rate.
  • step S 402 the radiation imaging apparatus 100 determines whether a synchronization signal corresponding to the first image input from the image processing/system control apparatus 101 is detected. If the radiation imaging apparatus 100 determines that a synchronization signal is detected (YES in step S 402 ), the process advances to step S 403 . If the radiation imaging apparatus 100 determines that no synchronization is detected (No in step S 402 ), the process waits until a synchronization signal is detected.
  • step S 403 the image processing/system control apparatus 101 resets all of the pixels and starts accumulation of radiation.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal at High at time t 2 to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 to activate the pixel circuit on the sensor chip.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PRES signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 301 and to apply the reset voltage VRES to the photodiode unit 302 and the floating diffusion capacitor 310 , thereby resetting the sensor.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal) at time t 3 to cancel the reset. Thereafter, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PCL signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 304 and to apply the clamp voltage VCL to the clamp capacitor 305 (capacitor 305 ). At time t 4 , the image processing/system control apparatus 101 finishes a resetting operation by turning off the switching MOS transistor 304 (PCL signal) and the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal). This starts accumulation in the photodiode unit 302 and enables exposure of radiation.
  • step S 404 after a predetermined accumulation time X elapses, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 performs sampling and holding.
  • the object is irradiated with radiation in the form of pulses for a predetermined period of time.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal at High at time t 5 to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 and activate the pixel circuit on the sensor chip.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the TS signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 306 and to cause the capacitor 308 to sample and to hold the voltage of the photodiode unit 302 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 When the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 306 (TS signal) at time t 6 , the sampling and holding operation ends, thus disabling the exposure of radiation. Subsequently, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PRES signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 301 and to apply the reset voltage VRES to the floating diffusion capacitor 310 , thereby resetting the sensor. At time t 7 , the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal), and then sets the PCL signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 304 and to apply the clamp voltage VCL to the capacitor 305 . The image processing/system control apparatus 101 then sets the TN signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 307 and to cause the capacitor 309 to sample and to hold the clamp voltage VCL.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 turns off the switching MOS transistor 307 (TN signal), and turns off the switching MOS transistor 304 (PCL signal), the switching MOS transistor 303 , and the switching MOS transistor 313 (EN signal), thereby finishing a sampling and holding operation.
  • step S 405 the image processing/system control apparatus 101 decides the minimum imaging interval FT of a synchronization signal from the set imaging mode.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines whether the total time of the scanning time ST (also to be referred to as the output time ST) required to output electrical signals from all of the photoelectric conversion elements and the radiation signal accumulation time XT (also to be referred to as the exposure time XT) is greater than the imaging interval FT of the synchronization signal. If the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines that the total time is longer than the imaging interval FT of the synchronization signal (YES in step S 405 ), the process advances to step S 406 .
  • step S 412 If the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines that the total time is shorter than the imaging interval FT of the synchronization signal (NO in step S 405 ), the process advances to step S 412 . Since the timing of the driving signal in step S 412 is the same as that in FIG. 5A , a description of this will be omitted.
  • step S 406 the image processing/system control apparatus 101 waits for a predetermined period of time until fluctuations in power supply voltage converge.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 scans each pixel circuit in which radiation is accumulated by radiation exposure A to start a scan A 1 to output the resultant value as an analog signal.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 temporarily stops scanning the shift registers at time t 10 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 stops inputting the horizontal shift register start signal HST, vertical shift register start signal VST, horizontal shift clock signal CLKH, and vertical shift clock signal CLKV to the vertical shift register 202 and the horizontal shift register 203 , in FIG. 2 , to temporarily stop outputting analog signals.
  • step S 407 the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines at time t 11 in FIG. 6 whether the synchronization signal SYNC for the second image is detected. If the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines that the synchronization signal SYNC is detected (YES in step S 407 ), the process advances to step S 408 . If the image processing/system control apparatus 101 determines that the synchronization signal SYNC is not detected (NO in step S 407 ), the process waits until the signal is detected.
  • step S 408 in order to start accumulation of radiation, the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the EN signal at High at time t 12 to turn on the switching MOS transistor 303 and the switching MOS transistor 313 , and to activate the pixel circuit on the sensor chip.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PRES signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 301 and to apply the reset voltage VRES to the photodiode unit 302 and the floating diffusion capacitor 310 , thereby resetting the sensor.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 cancels the reset by turning off the switching MOS transistor 301 (PRES signal).
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 sets the PCL signal at High to turn on the switching MOS transistor 304 , and to apply the clamp voltage VCL to the capacitor 305 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 finishes the resetting operation of the pixel by turning off the switching MOS transistor 304 (PCL signal), the switching MOS transistor 303 , and the switching MOS transistor 313 (EN signal). This causes the photodiode unit 302 to start accumulation, and enables radiation exposure B.
  • the power supply voltage of the semiconductor circuit board fluctuates due to a resetting operation, from time t 12 to time t 14 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 resumes a scan A 2 at time t 15 to cause the semiconductor circuit board to output an analog signal that has not been output (S 409 to S 411 ).
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 stops scanning when all of the semiconductor circuit boards output analog signals.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 decides a scanning time ST 1 , such that a scanning time ST 2 for the scan A 2 becomes equal to or less than the exposure time XT.
  • the number of pixels to be scanned in the scan A 1 may be the number of pixels corresponding to the scanning time ST 1 .
  • the process shifts from step S 405 to step S 406 in FIG. 7 .
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 temporarily stops scanning the shift registers, and performs a control operation in the manner as shown in FIG. 6 .
  • the scanning time ST 1 may be set to 9 ms.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 temporarily stops scanning.
  • the image processing/system control apparatus 101 when the number of pixels scanned has reached a predetermined number, temporarily disables the horizontal shift register start signal HST, vertical shift register start signal VST, horizontal shift clock signal CLKH, and vertical shift clock signal CLKV input to the vertical shift register 202 , and the horizontal shift register 203 , and detects a synchronization signal.
  • the present invention is not limited to this method.
  • the apparatus may be configured to temporarily disable a horizontal shift register start signal HST, vertical shift register start signal VST, horizontal shift clock signal CLKH, and vertical shift clock signal CLKV, upon scanning a predetermined number of rows, and to detect a synchronization signal.
  • aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or an apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or an MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or an apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s).
  • the program is provided to the computer, for example, via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (for example, a computer-readable storage medium).

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Transforming Light Signals Into Electric Signals (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Radiation Diagnosis (AREA)
US13/237,354 2010-10-12 2011-09-20 Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium Active 2033-12-12 US9270907B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2010230102A JP5559000B2 (ja) 2010-10-12 2010-10-12 放射線撮像装置、放射線撮像装置の制御方法、およびプログラム
JP2010-230102 2010-10-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20120087471A1 US20120087471A1 (en) 2012-04-12
US9270907B2 true US9270907B2 (en) 2016-02-23

Family

ID=44862262

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/237,354 Active 2033-12-12 US9270907B2 (en) 2010-10-12 2011-09-20 Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US9270907B2 (uk)
EP (1) EP2442557B1 (uk)
JP (1) JP5559000B2 (uk)
KR (1) KR101464630B1 (uk)
CN (2) CN102547148B (uk)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170350994A1 (en) * 2016-06-03 2017-12-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus and method of controlling same
US11047808B2 (en) 2016-11-10 2021-06-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, and radiation imaging method

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6053374B2 (ja) * 2012-07-31 2016-12-27 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置、放射線撮像装置の制御方法、およびプログラム
JP6383191B2 (ja) * 2014-06-25 2018-08-29 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置、その駆動方法およびプログラム
JP6532214B2 (ja) * 2014-11-08 2019-06-19 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置及び放射線撮像システム
US10416323B2 (en) * 2016-03-29 2019-09-17 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, and method of operating radiation imaging apparatus
JP6417368B2 (ja) * 2016-03-29 2018-11-07 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置および放射線撮像システム
JP6974948B2 (ja) 2017-02-10 2021-12-01 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置および放射線撮像方法
JP6934769B2 (ja) * 2017-07-28 2021-09-15 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置および放射線撮像方法
JP2019149615A (ja) * 2018-02-26 2019-09-05 コニカミノルタ株式会社 画像処理装置、画像読み取り装置及び画像形成装置
JP7245001B2 (ja) * 2018-05-29 2023-03-23 キヤノン株式会社 放射線撮像装置および撮像システム
JP7063199B2 (ja) * 2018-08-31 2022-05-09 コニカミノルタ株式会社 放射線画像撮影システム
KR102498086B1 (ko) * 2021-05-07 2023-02-10 오스템글로벌 주식회사 광 센서를 이용하여 오프셋이 보정된 이미지를 제공하는 방법, 디바이스 및 기록매체

Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5812191A (en) 1994-06-01 1998-09-22 Simage Oy Semiconductor high-energy radiation imaging device
KR20000005777A (ko) 1998-06-02 2000-01-25 니시무로 타이죠 고속도동작고체촬상장치
US6035013A (en) 1994-06-01 2000-03-07 Simage O.Y. Radiographic imaging devices, systems and methods
US6127684A (en) * 1996-02-26 2000-10-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Photoelectric conversion apparatus and driving method of the apparatus
US6130965A (en) 1995-08-03 2000-10-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image data outputting apparatus and facsimile apparatus in which image data on a plurality of record sheets are combined into one page of image data for transmission
JP2002026302A (ja) 2000-07-11 2002-01-25 Canon Inc 放射線撮像装置とその製造方法
JP2002344809A (ja) 2001-05-18 2002-11-29 Canon Inc 撮像装置、撮像装置の駆動方法、放射線撮像装置及びそれを用いた放射線撮像システム
JP2003329777A (ja) 2002-05-08 2003-11-19 Canon Inc 撮像装置
JP2005094108A (ja) 2003-09-12 2005-04-07 Canon Inc 画像読出装置及びｘ線撮影装置
US20050094768A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2005-05-05 Ghelmansarai Farhad A. X-ray therapy electronic portal imaging system and method for artifact reduction
US7110498B2 (en) 2003-09-12 2006-09-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image reading apparatus and X-ray imaging apparatus
JP2007142776A (ja) 2005-11-17 2007-06-07 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 固体撮像装置及びカメラ
KR20070082053A (ko) 2006-02-14 2007-08-20 가부시키가이샤 시마즈세이사쿠쇼 방사선 촬상장치 및 방사선 검출신호처리 방법
CN101137018A (zh) 2006-08-31 2008-03-05 佳能株式会社 成像装置、其驱动方法和放射线成像系统
JP2008131127A (ja) 2006-11-17 2008-06-05 Olympus Corp 固体撮像装置
CN101234025A (zh) 2007-02-01 2008-08-06 佳能株式会社 放射线成像设备、其控制方法以及放射线成像系统
US20090135245A1 (en) 2007-11-27 2009-05-28 Jiafu Luo Camera system with multiple pixel arrays on a chip
US20120075507A1 (en) 2010-09-29 2012-03-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus and control method for radiation imaging apparatus

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5253028B2 (ja) * 2008-07-23 2013-07-31 キヤノン株式会社 撮像システムおよびその制御方法
JP5251778B2 (ja) * 2009-08-03 2013-07-31 ソニー株式会社 固体撮像装置、固体撮像装置のアナログ−デジタル変換方法および電子機器

Patent Citations (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN1132408C (zh) 1994-06-01 2003-12-24 西玛茨有限公司 成象装置、成象系统及成象方法
US8169522B2 (en) 1994-06-01 2012-05-01 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Imaging devices, systems and methods
US6035013A (en) 1994-06-01 2000-03-07 Simage O.Y. Radiographic imaging devices, systems and methods
US5812191A (en) 1994-06-01 1998-09-22 Simage Oy Semiconductor high-energy radiation imaging device
US6856350B2 (en) 1994-06-01 2005-02-15 Simage Oy Semiconductor radiation imaging device including threshold circuitry
US6130965A (en) 1995-08-03 2000-10-10 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image data outputting apparatus and facsimile apparatus in which image data on a plurality of record sheets are combined into one page of image data for transmission
US6127684A (en) * 1996-02-26 2000-10-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Photoelectric conversion apparatus and driving method of the apparatus
US6801256B1 (en) 1998-06-02 2004-10-05 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba High-speed solid-state imaging device capable of suppressing image noise
US7362366B2 (en) 1998-06-02 2008-04-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba High-speed solid-state imaging device capable of suppressing image noise
KR20000005777A (ko) 1998-06-02 2000-01-25 니시무로 타이죠 고속도동작고체촬상장치
US7292276B2 (en) 1998-06-02 2007-11-06 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba High-speed solid-state imaging device capable of suppressing image noise
JP2002026302A (ja) 2000-07-11 2002-01-25 Canon Inc 放射線撮像装置とその製造方法
JP2002344809A (ja) 2001-05-18 2002-11-29 Canon Inc 撮像装置、撮像装置の駆動方法、放射線撮像装置及びそれを用いた放射線撮像システム
US20050094768A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2005-05-05 Ghelmansarai Farhad A. X-ray therapy electronic portal imaging system and method for artifact reduction
JP2003329777A (ja) 2002-05-08 2003-11-19 Canon Inc 撮像装置
JP2005094108A (ja) 2003-09-12 2005-04-07 Canon Inc 画像読出装置及びｘ線撮影装置
US7110498B2 (en) 2003-09-12 2006-09-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image reading apparatus and X-ray imaging apparatus
JP2007142776A (ja) 2005-11-17 2007-06-07 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 固体撮像装置及びカメラ
US7567281B2 (en) 2005-11-17 2009-07-28 Panasonic Corporation Solid state imaging device, method for driving the same, and camera
US7460643B2 (en) 2006-02-14 2008-12-02 Shimadzu Corporation Radiographic apparatus and radiation detection signal processing method
KR20070082053A (ko) 2006-02-14 2007-08-20 가부시키가이샤 시마즈세이사쿠쇼 방사선 촬상장치 및 방사선 검출신호처리 방법
CN101137018A (zh) 2006-08-31 2008-03-05 佳能株式会社 成像装置、其驱动方法和放射线成像系统
US7564038B2 (en) 2006-08-31 2009-07-21 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Imaging apparatus, method for driving the same and radiation imaging system
US7786448B2 (en) 2006-08-31 2010-08-31 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Imaging apparatus, method for driving the same and radiation imaging system
US8023026B2 (en) 2006-11-17 2011-09-20 Olympus Corporation Solid-state imaging apparatus for overcoming effects of power fluctuations
JP2008131127A (ja) 2006-11-17 2008-06-05 Olympus Corp 固体撮像装置
US20080136950A1 (en) * 2006-11-17 2008-06-12 Olympus Corporation Solid-state imaging apparatus
CN101234025A (zh) 2007-02-01 2008-08-06 佳能株式会社 放射线成像设备、其控制方法以及放射线成像系统
US7994481B2 (en) 2007-02-01 2011-08-09 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus, method of controlling the same, and radiation imaging system
US20090135245A1 (en) 2007-11-27 2009-05-28 Jiafu Luo Camera system with multiple pixel arrays on a chip
US20120075507A1 (en) 2010-09-29 2012-03-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus and control method for radiation imaging apparatus

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Chinese Office Action in Chinese Patent Appln. No. 201110308537.0 issued Dec. 4, 2013.
European Search Report in European Application No. 11007698.1 issued Nov. 7, 2013.

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170350994A1 (en) * 2016-06-03 2017-12-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus and method of controlling same
US10139499B2 (en) * 2016-06-03 2018-11-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus and method of controlling same
US11047808B2 (en) 2016-11-10 2021-06-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, and radiation imaging method
US11686691B2 (en) 2016-11-10 2023-06-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Radiation imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, and radiation imaging method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20120087471A1 (en) 2012-04-12
CN104660921A (zh) 2015-05-27
CN104660921B (zh) 2018-04-06
CN102547148A (zh) 2012-07-04
JP2012085124A (ja) 2012-04-26
CN102547148B (zh) 2015-02-11
EP2442557A2 (en) 2012-04-18
JP5559000B2 (ja) 2014-07-23
KR20120037883A (ko) 2012-04-20
EP2442557A3 (en) 2013-12-11
EP2442557B1 (en) 2019-03-13
KR101464630B1 (ko) 2014-12-04

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9270907B2 (en) Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and storage medium
US10148898B2 (en) Image sensor driving apparatus, method and radiation imaging apparatus
US9482628B2 (en) Imaging apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium
US8785870B2 (en) Imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, and control method of image sensor
US9354184B2 (en) Imaging apparatus, X-ray detector, and imaging method
US9838619B2 (en) Radiation imaging apparatus and radiation inspection apparatus
US9467631B2 (en) Radiation imaging apparatus, method of driving the same, and radiation inspection apparatus
US10742911B2 (en) Radiation imaging apparatus, control method for radiation imaging apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
US9897709B2 (en) Imaging apparatus and radiographic imaging system
US10574928B2 (en) Solid-state imaging element and method for controlling solid-state imaging element
US20190230299A1 (en) Imaging apparatus and radiation imaging system
JP5781198B2 (ja) 放射線撮像装置
US10969501B2 (en) Radiation imaging apparatus, driving method therefor, and radiation imaging system
JP2016163224A (ja) 放射線撮像装置、放射線撮像システム及び放射線撮像装置の駆動方法
JP6053374B2 (ja) 放射線撮像装置、放射線撮像装置の制御方法、およびプログラム
JP2014030130A (ja) 放射線検出器、放射線撮像装置及び制御方法
JP6103847B2 (ja) イメージセンサ駆動装置および方法、放射線画像撮像装置
JP2021168450A (ja) 放射線撮像装置、放射線撮像システム、放射線撮像装置の駆動方法、および、プログラム
JP2012235248A (ja) 撮像装置、放射線撮像装置、及び撮像装置の制御方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:NAITO, YUICHI;SAITO, HIDEHIKO;REEL/FRAME:027596/0042

Effective date: 20110914

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1551); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 4

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 8