Pixel-correlated, digital X-ray imaging system

A pixel-correlated digital imaging system, comprising:

• a pixel clock generator;
• an imager operating in a progressive scan mode providing a discrete pixel readout cycle wherein said pixel clock generator provides a variable frequency pixel clock for operation of said imager in a mode in which the sampling and digitization of each individual pixel is phase correlated;
• a sample and hold circuit for sampling the discrete pixel readout responsive to said pixel clock;
• an analog to digital converter for digitizing each pixel as the discrete pixel readout is sampled;
• a buffer memory for storing digitized pixels received from said analog to digital converter;
• an image processor for generating an image from the digitized pixels;
• a serial communications link between said buffer memory and said image processor;
• and
• a serial interface driver for transmitting the digitized pixels to said image processor via said serial communications link.

A pixel-correlated digital imaging system, comprising:

• a pixel clock generator;
• an imager comprising a CCD camera operating in a progressive scan mode providing a discrete pixel readout cycle;
• a sample and hold circuit for sampling the discrete pixel readout responsive to said pixel clock;
• an analog to digital converter for digitizing each pixel as the discrete pixel readout is sampled;
• a buffer memory for storing digitized pixels received from said analog to digital converter;
• an image processor for generating an image from the digitized pixels;
• a serial communications link between said buffer memory and said image processor;
• a serial interface driver for transmitting the digitized pixels to said image processor via said serial communications link;
• wherein said pixel clock generator provides a variable frequency pixel clock for operation of said CCD camera in a mode in which the sampling and digitization of each individual pixel is phase correlated.

A system for processing a radioscopic image of an object under investigation, comprising:

• an X-ray source configured to provide a sequence of X-ray radiation pulses directed at the object under investigation;
• an X-ray image sensor configured to spatially sense the X-ray radiation pulses that pass through the object under investigation, said X-ray image sensor comprising
• a pixel clock generator,
• an imager operating in a progressive scan mode providing a discrete pixel readout cycle of sensed X-ray radiation pulses,
• a sample and hold circuit for sampling the discrete pixel readout responsive to said pixel clock, and
• an analog to digital converter for digitizing each pixel as the discrete pixel readout is sampled;
• and
• a controller for controlling said X-ray source and for acquiring digitized samples from said X-ray image sensor, said controller comprising
• a buffer memory for storing digitized pixels received from said analog to digital converter, and
• a serial interface driver for transmitting the digitized pixels.

A method of processing a digital image, comprising the steps of:

• generating a pixel clock signal;
• acquiring pixels from a progressive scan of an image to provide a discrete pixel readout of the image;
• sampling the discrete pixel readout responsive to the pixel clock signal;
• digitizing each pixel as the discrete pixel readout is sampled;
• storing the digitized pixels in a buffer memory;
• establishing a serial communications link from the buffer memory to an image processor;
• transmitting the digitized pixels to the image processor via the serial communications link;
• and
• producing a digital image from the digitized pixels received at the image processor;
• and
• integrating the acquired pixels from the progressive scan of the image until a sufficient flux is integrated to provide a full scale discrete pixel readout of the image.

A method of processing a digital image, comprising the steps of:

• generating a pixel clock signal;
• acquiring pixels from a progressive scan of an image to provide a discrete pixel readout of the image;
• sampling the discrete pixel readout responsive to the pixel clock signal;
• digitizing each pixel as the discrete pixel readout is sampled;
• storing the digitized pixels in a buffer memory;
• establishing a serial communications link from the buffer memory to an image processor;
• transmitting the digitized pixels to the image processor via the serial communications link;
• and
• producing a digital image from the digitized pixels received at the image processor;
• and
• maintaining coherence between the generated pixel clock and the digitizing of the pixels from the sampled discrete pixel readout.