Control system and radiographic imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020008771-A1
Application number	US-201916448640-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jul 9, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control system includes a radiation emission apparatus and a radiographic imaging apparatus that generates image data by receiving radiation. A first apparatus of the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus includes a first timer that performs time measurement to periodically generate first time measurement information. A second apparatus of the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus includes a second timer that performs time measurement to periodically generate second time measurement information. The first apparatus includes an interface that transmits the first time measurement information to the second timer. At least one apparatus includes a hardware processor which adjusts the operation of the first or second timer based on adjustment conditions in a state where the second timer does not acquire the first time measurement information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control system, comprising:
a radiation emission apparatus that generates radiation; and a radiographic imaging apparatus that generates image data by receiving radiation, wherein a first apparatus of the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus includes a first timer that performs time measurement in conjunction with the first apparatus to periodically generate first time measurement information, a second apparatus of the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus includes a second timer that performs time measurement in conjunction with the second apparatus to periodically generate second time measurement information, the first apparatus includes an interface that transmits the first time measurement information generated by the first timer to the second timer of the second apparatus, and at least one apparatus of the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus comprises:
a storage that stores adjustment conditions for adjusting an operation of the first or second timer provided in the at least one apparatus; and
a hardware processor that adjusts the operation of the first or second timer provided in the at least one apparatus based on the stored adjustment conditions in a state where the second timer does not acquire the first time measurement information.

2 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor calculates the adjustment conditions.

3 . The control system according to claim 2 , wherein
immediately after adjusting the operation of the first or second timer provided in the at least one apparatus comprising the hardware processor, the hardware processor calculates, as the adjustment conditions, operations of the first timer and the second timer for making a difference between the first time measurement information generated by the first timer and the second time measurement information generated by the second timer smaller than a difference between the transmitted first time measurement information and the generated second time measurement information, and the storage stores the calculated adjustment conditions.

4 . The control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the first time measurement information and the second time measurement information are pulsed timing signals, the adjustment conditions are a signal interval and a number of signals when thinning out or adding up the timing signals, and (i) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a higher time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer thins out at least one timing signal to be generated each time the timer with the higher time measurement speed generates a predetermined number of timing signals, or (ii) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a lower time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer inserts at least one new timing signal each time the timer with the lower time measurement speed generates a predetermined number of timing signals, or (iii) both of (i) and (ii) are performed.

5 . The control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the first time measurement information and the second time measurement information are time information, the adjustment conditions are a time adjustment amount of the time information, and (i) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a higher time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer subtracts the time adjustment amount from time measurement information generated by the timer with the higher time measurement speed, or (ii) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a lower time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer adds the time adjustment amount to time measurement information generated by the timer with the lower time measurement speed, or (iii) both of (i) and (ii) are performed.

6 . The control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the adjustment conditions are a speed adjustment amount of time measurement speed, and (i) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a higher time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer reduces the time measurement speed of the timer with the higher time measurement speed by the speed adjustment amount, or (ii) a hardware processor of an apparatus including a timer with a lower time measurement speed between the first timer and the second timer increases the time measurement speed of the timer with the lower time measurement speed by the speed adjustment amount, or (iii) both of (i) and (ii) are performed.

7 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein, other than an imaging period, the hardware processor performs at least one of calculation of the adjustment conditions, storage of the adjustment conditions by the storage, and adjustment by the hardware processor.

8 . The control system according to claim 7 , wherein, before the imaging period, the hardware processor performs at least one of calculation of the adjustment conditions, storage of the adjustment conditions in the storage, and adjustment by the hardware processor.

9 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the interface transmits the first time measurement information by wired communication using a communication cable that connects the radiation emission apparatus and the radiographic imaging apparatus to each other, and by removing the communication cable from the radiation emission apparatus or the radiographic imaging apparatus, the second timer does not acquire the first time measurement information.

10 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein a timing of radiation generation by the radiation emission apparatus and a timing of image data generation by the radiographic imaging apparatus are respectively controlled by using the first timer and the second timer.

11 . A radiographic imaging system comprising the control system according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Isogai Kohei
• Tezuka Hidetake
• Miyake Nobuyuki
• Hara Kentaro
• Kuwata Masahiro
• Kashima Koji

Classifications

• A61B6/486

  involving generating temporal series of image data · CPC title

• A61B6/4405

  the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley · CPC title

• A61B6/42

  Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• A61B6/54 Primary

  Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• G01T7/00

  Details of radiation-measuring instruments · CPC title