# US 2017/0281115 A1 · Method and system for taking medical radiology images with control of the stopping of the x-ray source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281115 A1 - Document ID: US20170281115A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/507,864 - Filed: 2015-08-11 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-02 - Assignees: E2V Semiconductors - Applicants: E2V Semiconductors - Inventors: Florian JULIEN; Laurent LUSSEREAU; Pascal PELLET; Yves DELZOPPO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281115A1 ## CPC - A61B 6/542: {involving control of exposure} - A61B 6/4233: {using matrix detectors} - A61B 6/461: {Displaying means of special interest} - A61B 6/512: {Intraoral means} - A61B 6/548: {Remote control of the apparatus or devices} - A61B 6/563: {involving image data transmission via a network} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A medical radiology system comprises an external x-ray source (1) and a CMOS image sensor (2) that is connected via a USB link (4) by way of USB peripheral of a device (3) for digitally processing the image data of the sensor. A tracking device is placed on the USB link (4) in order to continuously read and decode the data transmitted over this link in a way that is transparent to the device and to the sensor, and to detect, in the transmitted data stream, one particular datum (XAMC=1) representing a signal indicating detection, by the sensor, that a sufficient dose of radiation has been received. On detection of this particular datum, the tracking device sends an electrical signal Stop-X to the radiation source, in order to stop the emission of the radiation. The system is especially suitable for taking dental radiology images with an intra-oral CMOS sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for taking images in a medical radiology system comprising an external x-ray source and a CMOS image sensor that is connected via a USB link by way of USB peripheral of a device for digitally processing the image data of the sensor, the method comprising continuously reading and decoding the data transmitted over the USB link, in a way that is transparent to the device and to the sensor, in order to detect, in the transmitted data stream, one particular datum representing a signal indicating detection, by the sensor, that a sufficient dose of radiation has been received and, on detection of this particular datum, sending an electrical signal to the radiation source in order to stop the emission of the radiation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein on detection of this particular datum at least one other electrical signal is sent to the source, in order to command a display indicator light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said particular datum is a datum transmitted by the sensor over the USB link in an interrupt transfer mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: definition of N regions of interest in the matrix of pixels of the sensor, N being an integer at least equal to two, where the defined regions of interest are sub-matrices of pixels of equal size, all with the same number of rows and the same number of columns, repeated and nondestructive read-out of the pixels of each of the regions of interest during the duration of the integration phase of the sensor, with, for each of the regions of interest, calculation of an average value of the signal level read from the pixels of the one or more regions of interest and comparison to a preset threshold value, and a detection signal indicating that a sufficient dose of radiation has been received is activated by the sensor and a corresponding piece of information is transmitted over the USB link by the sensor as soon as, for one or more of the N regions of interest, the calculated average value exceeds the threshold value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the definition of the N regions of interest in the sensor is programmable, via the device and the USB link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Use of the method of claim 1 to take dental radiological images by means of an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 7 A medical radiology system comprising an external x-ray source, a CMOS sensor comprising a matrix of pixels, which sensor is placed facing the source, and a device for digitally processing the images delivered by the sensor, wherein the sensor is connected as a USB peripheral of said processing device, via a serial USB link: the sensor is configured to detect that a sufficient dose of x-rays has been received and to transmit a corresponding particular datum over the USB link; a tracking device is connected to the USB link, between the sensor and the device, said tracking device furthermore having an electrical connection to the source, in order to transmit at least one electrical signal to the source in order to command the stoppage of the x-ray source, said tracking device being able to detect said particular datum in the data stream transmitted over the USB link, and to activate said electrical signal commanding the stoppage of the source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein said electrical connection of the tracking device with the source transmits at least one other signal to the source in order to command a display indicator light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein said tracking device comprises at least: one USB transceiver that is connected to the data wires of the USB link, in order to transmit as output the data transiting the USB link over a parallel bus, a programmable logic circuit that is programmed to detect said particular datum among said data received from the parallel bus and to activate as output at least one logic signal that is transmitted to the source to command the stoppage of the radiation. ### Claim 10 (canceled) ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein said tracking device comprises at least: one USB transceiver that is connected to the data wires of the USB link, in order to transmit as output the data transiting the USB link over a parallel bus, a programmable logic circuit that is programmed to detect said particular datum among said data received from the parallel bus and to activate as output at least one logic signal that is transmitted to the source to command the stoppage of the radiation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The medical radiology system of claim 7 and applied in the field of dental radiology, wherein the sensor is an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, comprising taking a dental radiological image with an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, comprising taking a dental radiological image with an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising taking a dental radiological image with an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, comprising taking a dental radiological image with an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The medical radiology system of claim 8 and applied in the field of dental radiology, wherein the sensor is an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The medical radiology system of claim 9 and applied in the field of dental radiology, wherein the sensor is an intra-oral CMOS image sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The medical radiology system of claim 11 and applied in the field of dental radiology, wherein the sensor is an intra-oral CMOS image sensor.