# US 2014/0192955 A1 · Method and apparatus for improved sampling resolution in x-ray imaging systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192955 A1 - Document ID: US20140192955A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,614 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Novary Medical, Inc. - Applicants: Novary Medical, Inc. - Inventors: AUGUSTUS PERCIVAL LOWELL; TOBIAS FUNK; CHWEN-YUAN KU; JOSH STAR-LACK; EDWARD GERALD SOLOMON; WINSTON Y. SUN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192955A1 ## CPC - A61B 6/40: Arrangements for generating radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis - A61B 6/4233: {using matrix detectors} - A61B 6/5205: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data} - G01N 23/044: using laminography or tomosynthesis - H01J 35/04: Electrodes {; Mutual position thereof; Constructional adaptations therefor} - H01J 35/065: {Field emission, photo emission or secondary emission cathodes} - A61B 6/025: {Tomosynthesis} - A61B 6/4007: {characterised by using a plurality of source units} - A61B 6/487: {involving fluoroscopy} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for X-ray imaging wherein a radiation source comprising rows of discrete emissive locations can be positioned such that these rows are angularly offset relative to rows of sensing elements on a radiation sensor. A processor can process and allocate responses of the sensing elements in appropriate memory locations given the angular offset between source and sensor. This manner of allocation can include allocating the responses into data rows associated with unique positions along a direction of columns of discrete emissive locations on the source. Mapping coefficients can be determined that map allocated responses into an image plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An X-ray imaging system comprising: a radiation source configured to emit radiation from a plurality of discrete emissive locations through an imaging volume, wherein said plurality of discrete emissive locations includes rows of discrete emissive locations; a radiation sensor having rows of sensing elements, wherein an angular offset exists between said rows of sensing elements and said rows of discrete emissive locations; and a processor configured to process and allocate responses of said sensing elements to said radiation from one of said discrete emissive locations into an appropriate memory location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The X-ray imaging system of claim 1 wherein said angular offset is less than 90 degrees. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The X-ray imaging system of claim 1 wherein said angular offset is less than 5 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The X-ray imaging system of claim 1 wherein said radiation sensor further comprises columns of said sensing elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The X-ray imaging system of claim 4 wherein said angular offset is configured to displace one of said sensing elements a distance equal to a length of an integer number of said sensing elements along direction of said columns of sensing elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The X-ray imaging system of claim 5 wherein said integer number of sensing elements is one. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The X-ray imaging system of claim 5 wherein said integer number of sensing elements is two. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The X-ray imaging system of claim 5 wherein said integer number of sensing elements is three. ### Claim 9 A method for image reconstruction comprising: positioning an object for imaging between a radiation source having rows and columns of discrete emissive locations and a radiation sensor having rows and columns of sensing elements, wherein an angular offset exists between said rows and columns of sensing elements and said rows and columns of said discrete emissive locations, respectively; illuminating a portion of said object with radiation from one of said discrete emissive locations; detecting responses of said sensing elements to said radiation; allocating said responses into a data set wherein data rows correspond to unique positions along a direction of columns of said discrete emissive locations; and determining mapping coefficients relating said data set to an image plane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: mapping said data sets into image plane rows along a first dimension. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising: illuminating additional portions of said object sequentially by additional discrete emissive locations; detecting additional responses from said sensing elements; allocating said additional responses from said sensing elements into additional data sets; mapping said additional data sets into said image plane rows along said first dimension; aggregating a predetermined number of said image plane rows; and mapping said image plane rows into image plane columns along a second dimension. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: modeling said rows and columns of sensing elements as a collection of rectangular segments shifted by predetermined non-zero shift values relative to one another. ### Claim 13 A method for optimizing sampling resolution of an imaging system comprising: positioning a radiation source that has columns of discrete emissive locations on a first side of an imaging volume; positioning a radiation sensor that has columns of sensing elements on a second side of said imaging volume such that an angular offset less than 90 degrees exists between said columns of said discrete emissive locations and said columns of sensing elements; illuminating a portion of said imaging volume with radiation from one of said discrete emissive locations; and recording responses of each of said sensing elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said angular offset is less than 5 degrees. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said angular offset is configured to displace one of said sensing elements by a distance equal to a length of an integer number of sensing elements along direction of said columns of discrete emissive locations. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein said integer number of sensing elements is one. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising: sequentially illuminating additional portions of said imaging volume by said discrete emissive locations; recording additional responses of each of said sensing elements; and reconstructing an image plane from said responses and said additional responses. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: mapping said responses and said additional responses into said image plane in a first dimension as said responses and said additional responses are received. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising: aggregating said responses and said additional responses mapped in said first dimension into subsets; and mapping said subsets into said image plane in a second dimension ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: mapping said responses and said additional responses into said image plane as said responses and said additional responses are received.