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US 7,402,806 B2Granted
Computed radiography scanning system and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorNelson Raymond Corby, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for obtaining data from an imaging plate is provided. The system includes a light source configured to generate a light beam and a controller operably connected to the light source and configured to scan the light beam across an object in a first direction. The system further includes a mask comprising a positionable aperture configured to transmit the light beam to the object. A position of the aperture is synchronized with a position of the light beam.
Claims16
A system comprising:
- a light source configured to generate a light beam;
- a controller operably connected to the light source and configured to scan the light beam across a computed radiography imaging plate in at least a first direction (x) to stimulate emission of a plurality of photons from the computed radiography imaging plate;
- a mask comprising a positionable aperture configured to transmit the light beam to the computed radiography imaging plate at a beam position x0, wherein a position of the aperture is synchronized with a position of the light beam, wherein the mask comprises a one dimensional array of cells that extends along the first direction (x) such that the light beam scans across the one dimensional array of cells, and wherein each of the cells is selectively addressable and configured to be opened and closed, wherein the controller is further configured to control the mask;
- a collecting means configured to collect the photons emitted from the computed radiography imaging plate;
- an optical filter configured to filter residual stimulating light from the collected photons;
- a detector for collecting the photons from the optical filter;
- and
- a correction module configured to:
- perform a first measurement comprising:
- opening a cell at the beam position x0 and closing a set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, wherein the detector collects the photons to generate an uncorrected photon count signal measurement;
- perform at least N−1 additional measurements to generate a respective plurality of N−1 corrective photon count signal measurements, each of the corrective measurements comprising:
- opening at least one member of the set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, and collecting the photons using the detector to generate the respective corrective photon count signal measurement;
- and
- generate a corrected active emission signal using the corrective photon count signal measurements.
11 more elements
A system comprising:
- a light source configured to generate a light beam;
- a controller operably connected to the light source and configured to scan the light beam across an object comprising a computed radiography imaging plate in at least a first direction (x);
- a mask comprising a positionable aperture configured to transmit the light beam to the object at a beam position x0, wherein a position of the aperture is synchronized with a position of the light beam, wherein the mask comprises a two dimensional array of cells wherein each of the cells is selectively addressable to assume at least a first and a second state of transmission, and wherein a transition between the first and second states is achieved by application of at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field, and an optical energy source, wherein the controller is further configured to control the mask;
- a collecting means configured to collect the photons emitted from the computed radiography imaging plate;
- an optical filter configured to filter residual stimulating light from the collected photons;
- a detector for collecting the photons from the optical filter;
- and
- a correction module configured to:
- perform a first measurement comprising:
- opening a cell at the beam position x0 and closing a set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, wherein the detector collects the photons to generate an uncorrected photon count signal measurement;
- perform at least N−1 additional measurements to generate a respective plurality of N−1 corrective photon count signal measurements, each of the corrective measurements comprising:
- opening at least one member of the set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, and collecting the photons using the detector to generate the respective corrective photon count signal measurement;
- and
- generate a corrected active emission signal using the corrective photon count signal measurements.
11 more elements
A method for obtaining a corrected active emission signal from an imaging plate, the method comprising:
- generating a light beam for scanning across the imaging plate in at least a first direction (x) to stimulate emission of a plurality of photons from the imaging plate;
- transmitting the light beam to the imaging plate at a beam position x0 using a mask comprising an array of cells that extends along the first direction (x), wherein each of the cells is configured to be opened and closed;
- performing a first measurement comprising:
- opening the cell at the beam position x0, closing a set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, and collecting the photons to generate an uncorrected photon count signal measurement;
- performing at least N−1 corrective measurements to generate a respective plurality of N−1 corrective photon count signal measurements, each of the corrective measurements comprising:
- opening at least one member of the set of cells at preceding beam positions x1-xN, and collecting the photons to generate the respective corrective photon count signal measurement;
- and
- generating a corrected active emission signal using the corrective photon count signal measurements.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.