Radiation image capturing apparatus and radiation image capturing system, and control methods therefor

A method for controlling an image capturing apparatus comprising a detector including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a conversion element for converting radiation or light into an electrical signal, a driving circuit configured to drive the pixel array by a changeable number of pixels to be added, and a readout circuit configured to amplify and output the electrical signal from the driven pixel array, the method comprising:

• performing a first image capturing operation for continuously repeating a set of a first accumulation operation for accumulating an electrical signal in the pixel during a first time period and a first image output operation for amplifying the electrical signal accumulated in the pixel by the first accumulating operation and output from the pixel array driven by a first number of pixels to be added using a first amplification factor of the readout circuit as an amplification factor and outputting the amplified electrical signal as image data a plurality of times at a first frame rate;
• performing a second image capturing operation for continuously repeating a set of a second accumulation operation for accumulating the electrical signal in the pixel during a second time period different from the first time period and a second image output operation for amplifying the electrical signal accumulated in the pixel by the second accumulating operation and output from the pixel array driven by a second number of pixels to be added using a second amplification factor of the readout circuit as an amplification factor and outputting the amplified electrical signal as image data a plurality of times at a second frame rate different from the first frame rate;
• and
• repeating by the detector, with a change from the first image capturing operation to the second image capturing operation, a set of the second accumulation operation and an initialization operation for initializing the conversion element by the pixel array being driven by the second number of pixels to be added and using the second amplification factor of the readout circuit as the amplification factor a plurality of times at the second frame rate in a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• a detector including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photodiode and including a conversion element for converting radiation or light into an electrical signal, a driving circuit configured to drive the pixel array by a changeable number of pixels to be added, and a readout circuit configured to output the electrical signal from the driven pixel array;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the driving circuit and the readout circuit,
• wherein the control unit controls, with a change from a first image capturing operation for performing a first image output operation for outputting an electrical signal accumulated in the pixel by an accumulation operation and output from the pixel array driven by a first number of pixels to be added as image data, to a second image capturing operation for performing a second image output operation for outputting the electrical signal accumulated in the pixel by an accumulation operation and output from the pixel array driven by a second number of pixels to be added different from the first number of pixels to be added as image data, the driving circuit and the readout circuit so that the detector performs an initialization operation for initializing the conversion element by the pixel array being driven by the second number of pixels to be added in a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• a detector including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photodiode and including a conversion element for converting radiation or light into an electrical signal, a driving circuit configured to drive the pixel array, and a readout circuit configured to amplify and output the electrical signal from the driven pixel array;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the driving circuit and the readout circuit,
• wherein the control unit controls, with a change from a first image capturing operation for performing a first image output operation for amplifying the electrical signal output from the pixel array accumulated in the pixel by an accumulation operation using a first amplification factor of the readout circuit as a amplification factor and outputting the amplified electrical signal as image data to a second image capturing operation for performing a second image output operation for amplifying the electrical signal output from the pixel array accumulated in the pixel by an accumulation operation using a second amplification factor of the readout circuit as an amplification factor different from the first amplification factor and outputting the amplified electrical signal as image data, the driving circuit and the readout circuit so that the detector performs an initialization operation for initializing the conversion element by the pixel array being driven and using the second amplification factor of the readout circuit as the amplification factor in a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• a detector including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photodiode and including a conversion element for converting radiation or light into an electrical signal, a driving circuit configured to drive the pixel array, and a readout circuit configured to output the electrical signal from the driven pixel array;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the driving circuit and the readout circuit,
• wherein the control unit controls, with a change from a first image capturing operation for continuously repeating a set of a first accumulation operation for accumulating an electrical signal in the pixel during a first time period and a first image output operation for outputting the electrical signal from the pixel array accumulated in the pixel by the first accumulation operation as image data a plurality of times at a first frame rate to a second image capturing operation for continuously repeating a set of a second accumulation operation for accumulating an electrical signal in the pixel in a second time period different in length from the first time period and a second image output operation for outputting the electrical signal from the pixel array accumulated in the pixel by the second accumulation operation a plurality of times at a second frame rate different from the first frame rate, the driving circuit and the readout circuit so that the detector continuously repeats a set of the second accumulation operation and an initialization operation for initializing the conversion element by the pixel array being driven to initialize the conversion element a plurality of times at the second frame rate in a period between the first image capturing operation and the second image capturing operation.