US6320934B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sensor characterization in memory
Assignee: BLACKSTONE HOLDINGS LLC
•
Filing: 2001-03-19
•
Granted: 2001-11-20
•
Expires: 2021-03-19
Abstract
Abstract An X-ray image sensor comprising an array of sensor elements and a sensor characterization storage device is provided. The sensor characterization storage device stores sensor characterization information identifying defects in the array of sensor elements. The X-ray image sensor may have an intergrated interpolator, and the interpolator processes image data from the array of sensor elements by using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements. An X-ray imaging system comprising the X-ray image sensor and a computer also is provided. The X-ray image sensor provides to the computer a signal corresponding to image data from the array of sensor elements. The X-ray image sensor provides to the computer the sensor characterization information, and the computer processes the image data using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Seamus Carroll
- 👤 James Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/50; A61B6/51; H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/30; H04N23/70; H04N23/73; H04N25/00; H04N25/40; H04N25/44; H04N25/443; H04N25/60; H04N25/63; H04N25/67; H04N25/671; H04N25/68
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
40 words
An X-ray image sensor comprising: an array of sensor elements; and a sensor characterization storage device integrated in the X-ray image sensor, wherein the sensor characterization storage device stores sensor characterization information identifying defects in the array of sensor elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
An X-ray image sensor comprising: an array of sensor elements; and a sensor characterization storage device integrated in the X-ray image sensor, wherein the sensor characterization storage device stores sensor characterization information identifying defects in the array of sensor elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor characterization information includes a list of sensor elements corresponding to dead pixels or otherwise non-typical response pixels, rows or columns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 1 further comprising an interpolator, wherein the interpolator retrieves the sensor characterization information from the sensor characterization storage device, receives a signal corresponding to image data read out from the array of sensor elements, and processes the image data using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 3 , wherein the interpolator replaces data from a sensor element identified in the sensor characterization information as corresponding to a dead pixel by interpolating data from sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 4 , wherein the array of sensor elements have non-destructive readout.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 5 , wherein the interpolator uses the sensor characterization information to identify the sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel, and reads out the data from said sensor elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 1 further comprising a processing section having a defect determination module, wherein the defect determination module periodically determines the defects in the array of sensor elements by analyzing image data read out from the array of sensor elements, and the processing section, based on the defects information determined by the defect determination module, performs at least one of the following: (a) generates new sensor characterization information and replace the sensor characterization information in the sensor characterization storage device with the new sensor characterization information; (b) notifies at least one of a user and a controlling device; and (c) shuts down the sensor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray image sensor provides to a computing device the sensor characterization information and provides to the computing device a signal corresponding to image data read out from the array of sensor elements, and the computing device processes the image data using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the computing device replaces data from a sensor element identified in the sensor characterization information as corresponding to a dead pixel by interpolating data from sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 9 further comprising a processing section having a defect determination module, wherein the defect determination module under command from the computing device uses the image data read out from the array of sensor elements to determine the defects in the array of sensor elements, and the processing section uses the defects information determined by the defect determination module to generate new sensor characterization information and replaces the sensor characterization information in the sensor characterization storage device with the new sensor characterization information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The X-ray image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor including the sensor characterization storage device is integrated in an IC chip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
An X-ray imaging system comprising: an X-ray image sensor having an integrated sensor characterization storage device, wherein the sensor characterization storage device stores sensor characterization information identifying defects in an array of sensor elements in the X-ray image sensor; and a computer, wherein the X-ray image sensor provides to the computer a signal corresponding to image data from the array of sensor elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
An X-ray imaging system comprising: an X-ray image sensor having an integrated sensor characterization storage device, wherein the sensor characterization storage device stores sensor characterization information identifying defects in an array of sensor elements in the X-ray image sensor; and a computer, wherein the X-ray image sensor provides to the computer a signal corresponding to image data from the array of sensor elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor characterization information includes a list of sensor elements corresponding to dead pixels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the computer retrieves the sensor characterization information from the X-ray image sensor, and processes the image data from the array of sensor elements using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 14 , wherein the computer replaces data from a sensor element identified in the sensor characterization information as corresponding to a dead pixel by interpolating data from sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
88 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the X-ray image sensor further comprises a processing section, the computer generates new sensor characterization information by analyzing the image data read out from the array of sensor elements to determine the defects in the array of sensor elements, and communicates the new sensor characterization information to the processing section in the X-ray image sensor, and the processing section replaces the sensor characterization information in the sensor characterization storage device with the new sensor characterization information from the computer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
92 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the X-ray image sensor further comprises a processing section having a defect determination module, the defect determination module under command from the computer uses the image data read out from the array of sensor elements to determine the defects in the array of sensor elements, and the processing section uses the defects information determined by the defect determination module to generate new sensor characterization information and replaces the sensor characterization information in the sensor characterization storage device with the new sensor characterization information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein an interpolator in the X-ray image sensor retrieves the sensor characterization information from the sensor characterization storage device, and processes the image data read out from the array of sensor elements using the sensor characterization information to correct for the defects in the array of sensor elements to provide a signal corresponding to adjusted image data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 18 , wherein the interpolator replaces data from a sensor element identified in the sensor characterization information as corresponding to a dead pixel by interpolating data from sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the array of sensor elements have non-destructive readout.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 20 , wherein the interpolator uses the sensor characterization information to identify the sensor elements corresponding to live pixels surrounding the dead pixel, and reads out the data from said sensor elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The X-ray imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the X-ray image sensor including the integrated sensor characterization storage device is integrated in an IC chip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5182624A
Cited
US5331166A
Cited
US5744806A
Cited
US5886353A
Cited
US5912942A
Cited
US6069935A
Cited
US5959433A
Cited
US6084229A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-19 | 2005-05-21 | 2005-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-19 | 2009-05-21 | 2009-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-19 | 2013-05-21 | 2013-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |