X-ray imaging apparatus and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9747703-B2
Application number	US-201514729604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray detector including pixels, which is configured to change a pattern of binning applied to pixels and obtain first resolution X-ray images; and an image processor configured to reconstruct a second resolution X-ray image using the first resolution X-ray images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus comprising:
an X-ray detector comprising pixels, which is configured to change a binning pattern differently applied to the pixels and obtain first resolution X-ray images corresponding to a plurality of binning patterns which are different from each other; and
an image processor configured to generate a second resolution X-ray image using the first resolution X-ray images, the second resolution X-ray image having a higher resolution than the first resolution X-ray images.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray detector is configured to shift the binning pattern by at least one pixel in at least one of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pixels are two dimensionally arranged in columns and rows, and configured to output signals corresponding to incident X-rays, and the X-ray detector further comprises:
gate lines configured to connect to the pixels in a row direction;
data lines configured to connect to the pixels in a column direction;
a readout circuit configured to obtain the signals from the pixels through the data lines; and
a switch configured to selectively connect the data lines and the readout circuit.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the switch comprises switching elements configured to be connected to the data lines, and
at least one of the switching elements comprises a two-way switch.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the switching elements are configured to selectively connect P data lines to each other, among the data lines, and
P is equal to a number of pixel columns included in one binning set.

6. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the signals obtained from the selectively connected P data lines are combined into one signal which is input to the readout circuit,
the switching elements are grouped into groups of P switching elements, and
the groups of P switching elements are turned ON with a time difference.

7. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pixels are two dimensionally arranged in columns and rows, and configured to output signals corresponding to incident X-rays, and the X-ray detector further comprises:
gate lines configured to connect to the pixels in a row direction;
data lines configured to connect to the pixels in a column direction; and
a readout circuit configured to obtain the signals from the pixels through the data lines.

8. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the readout circuit comprises a multiplexer configured to output the signals in groups of P signals, among the signals obtained from the data lines, with a time difference,
the readout circuit further comprises P amplifiers connected to an output terminal of the multiplexer, and
P is equal to a number of data lines included in one binning set.

9. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first resolution X-ray images have different pieces of pixel information of a same portion of an object.

10. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to generate the second resolution image by using at least one of a spatial domain method and a frequency domain method.

11. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray detector is configured to obtain a video comprising frame images, and
the frame images comprise the first resolution X-ray images.

12. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the image processor is configured to generate the second resolution X-ray image in response to an input of one of the frame images.

13. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein, when a predetermined number of frame images are input, the image processor is configured to generate the second resolution X-ray image using the predetermined number of frame images.

14. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display configured to display the second resolution X-ray image.

15. An X-ray imaging method comprising:
changing a binning pattern differently applied to pixels of an X-ray detector and obtaining first resolution X-ray images corresponding to a plurality of binning patterns which are different from each other; and
generating a second resolution X-ray image using the first resolution X-ray images, the second resolution X-ray image having a higher resolution than the first resolution X-ray images.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the changing the binning pattern comprises:
shifting the binning pattern by at least one pixel in at least one of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
displaying the second resolution X-ray image.

18. An X-ray detector comprising:
a two-dimensional (2D) array of pixels arranged in columns and rows, and configured to output signals corresponding to incident X-rays;
gate lines configured to connect to the pixels in a row direction;
data lines configured to connect to the pixels in a column direction;
a readout circuit configured to obtain signals from the pixels through the data lines;
a switch configured to selectively connect the data lines and the readout circuit; and
a detector controller configured to control the switch to vary a binning pattern differently applied to the pixels and obtain a plurality of first resolution X-ray images corresponding to a plurality of different patterns of binning.

19. The X-ray detector according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a gate driver configured to apply an ON signal to the gate lines,
wherein the detector controller is configured to control the gate driver and the switch so that the gate lines and the data lines corresponding to binning pattern sets are selected.

20. The X-ray detector according to claim 18 , wherein the switch comprises switching elements configured to be connected to the data lines, respectively,
the switching elements selectively connect P data lines to each other, among the data lines,
the signals obtained from the selectively connected P data lines are combined into one signal which is input to the readout circuit, and
P is a number of pixel columns included in one binning set.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yi Jaemock
• Sung Young Hun
• Lee Jae Hak

Classifications

• G06T12/20

  Inverse problem, i.e. transformations from projection space into object space · CPC title

• G06T12/10 Primary

  Image preprocessing, e.g. calibration, positioning of sources or scatter correction · CPC title

• G06T11/005 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• A61B6/4441

  the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm · CPC title

• A61B6/5205

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data · CPC title