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US 4,379,967 AGranted
Fiber optic matrix coding method and apparatus for radiation image amplifier
OwnerJohn A. McIntyreinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved fiber optic matrix coding method and apparatus for a radiation image amplifier is disclosed. The improved method and apparatus permits the determination of the location of detected incident radiation to within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the optical fibers in the coding matrix, thereby providing a four-fold reduction in the number of optical fibers currently required to obtain a radiation image of comparable resolution. The improved method and apparatus also yields a four-fold improvement in the resolution of the timing pulse, thereby permitting the achievement of correspondingly higher rates for processing radiation image data.
Claims47
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern.
3 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements arranged in columns of n elements and in rows of m elements thereby forming an array with a total of n times m elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m elements of the array of light transmitting elements of the first coding means.
3 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements, said elements arranged in columns of n elements and in rows of m elements thereby forming an array with a total of n times m elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern.
3 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements, said elements arranged in columns of n elements and rows of m elements thereby forming an array with a total of n times m elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals wherein said output means comprises a plurality of light converting output elements with
- a first selected part of the output elements connected to a number of the total n times m elements of the first coding means, wherein said first selected part of the output elements addresses a particular group of columns of the elements of the first coding means, and with
- a second selected part of the output elements connected to a number of the total n times m elements of the first coding means, wherein second selected part of the output elements addresses a particular column in a group of columns of the elements of the first coding means, and with
- a third selected part of the output elements connected to a number of the total n times m elements of the first coding means, wherein said third selected part of the output elements addresses a particular row in a group of rows of the elements of the first coding meeans, and with
- a fourth selected part of the output elements connected to the light transmitting conduits of the second coding means, wherein said fourth selected part of the output elements addresses a particular group of rows of the elements of the first coding means;
- and
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m elements of the first coding means.
7 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements, said elements being optically coupled to the input means;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits, said conduits being optically coupled to the input means;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals wherein said output means comprises a plurality of light converting output elements with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting elements of the first coding means and with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting conduits of the second coding means;
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- means for reducing the time required by the light converting output elements of the output means to detect the presence of light in the input means.
4 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements, said elements being optically coupled to the input means and said elements arranged in columns of n elements and in rows of m elements thereby forming an array with a total of n times m elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of the light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits, said conduits being optically coupled to the input means;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals wherein said output means comprises a plurality of light converting output elements with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting elements of the first coding means and with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting conduits of the second coding means;
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m elements of the array of light transmitting elements of the coding means;
- and
- means for reducing the time required by the light converting output elements of the output means to detect the presence of light in the input means.
4 more elements
An apparatus for analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- input means for receiving radiation in the pattern of an image to be reproduced and for converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- first coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said first coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting elements, said elements being optically coupled to the input means and said elements arranged in columns of n elements and in rows of m elements thereby forming an array with a total of n times m elements;
- second coding means for conducting said light pattern from the input means and for coding portions of the light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern wherein said second coding means comprises a plurality of light transmitting conduits, said conduits being optically coupled to the input means;
- output means for receiving said coded portions of the light pattern from the first coding means and from the second coding means and for converting said coded portions of the light pattern into electrical signals wherein said output means comprises a plurality of light converting output elements with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting elements of the first coding means and with a portion of said output elements connected to the light transmitting conduits of the second coding means;
- means for determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from the electrical signals provided by the output means to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- means for reducing the time required by the light converting output elements of the output means to detect the presence of light in the input means.
4 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in an input means in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting elements and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of light converting output elements;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern.
4 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in an input means in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting elements formed into an array with columns of n elements and with rows of m elements and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of light converting output elements;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals wherein the location of detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern is determined to within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m elements of the first coding means.
4 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in an input means in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting elements and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of light converting output elements;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- reducing the time required by the light converting output elements to detect the presence of light in the input means.
5 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in an input means in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting elements formed into an array with columns of n elements and with rows of m elements and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of light transmitting conduits;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of light converting output elements;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- reducing the time required by the light converting output elements to detect the presence of light in the input means.
5 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in a scintillator in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers formed into an array with columns of n optical fibers and with rows of m optical fibers and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of pieces of solid transparent material;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of photomultipliers;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals wherein the location of detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern is determined to within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m optical fibers of the first coding means.
4 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in a scintillator in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers formed into an array with columns of n optical fibers and with rows of m optical fibers and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of pieces of solid transparent material;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of photomultipliers;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- reducing the time required by the photomultipliers to detect the presence of light in the scintillator.
5 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in a scintillator in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers formed into an array with columns of n optical fibers and with rows of m optical fibers and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of photomultipliers;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- and
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals wherein the location of detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern is determined to within an area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of one of the n times m optical fibers of the first coding means.
4 more elements
An improved method of analyzing a radiation image comprising:
- acquiring radiation in a scintillator in the pattern of an image to be reproduced;
- converting said radiation pattern into a light pattern;
- coding portions of said light pattern in combinations indicative of the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern utilizing a first coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers formed into an array with columns of n optical fibers and with rows of m optical fibers and utilizing a second coding means comprising a plurality of optical fibers;
- conducting said coded portions of said light pattern to a plurality of photomultipliers;
- converting said coded portions of said light pattern into electrical signals;
- determining the relative positions of said portions of said light pattern from said electrical signals to locate the detected incident radiation indicated by the light pattern;
- and
- reducing the time required by the photomultipliers to detect the presence of light in the scintillator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.