Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120268105 | APPARATUS FOR ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERSION WITH A HIGH EFFECTIVE-SAMPLE-RATE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF A SIGNAL PULSE - A method and electronic device for outputting time values and energy of an analog input signal by dynamically determining a plurality of threshold values, comparing, using a plurality of comparator circuits, the plurality of threshold values against the analog input signal, outputting, using at least one time to digital conversion circuit connected to each of the plurality of comparator circuits, a plurality of time values, each time value output when the analog input signal meets or exceeds a threshold value of the threshold values, filtering the analog input signal, performing, using an analog-to-digital conversion circuit, analog-to-digital conversion of the filtered analog input signal to generate a digital signal, and calculating, in response to receiving a trigger signal, an energy of the digital signal. | 10-25-2012 |
20120268303 | APPARATUS FOR DETECTION OF A LEADING EDGE OF A PHOTO SENSOR OUTPUT SIGNAL - A system and method for processing an analog signal output by a sensor. The system and method converting, using at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the analog output signal to a digital signal, the digital signal including a plurality of samples at a predetermined resolution, detecting whether a trigger condition is met by analyzing the digital signal, detecting an event based on trigger information from the detecting whether a trigger condition is met, generating event information having time information included therein when the event is detected, defining one or more time windows based on the time information included in the event information, performing decimation on the digital signal based on the defined one or more time windows to generate a decimated signal, and outputting the decimated signal. | 10-25-2012 |
20120305784 | COUNT RATE ADAPTIVE FILTER FOR MEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEMS - Systems, devices, processes, and algorithms for adaptively filtering a signal output from a radiation detector and adaptively sampling the signal. A count rate of events detected by the radiation detector is estimated by a processing unit. An RC time constant of the filter and a sampling rate of an analog-to-digital converter are adjusted based on the estimated count rate. Events are continuously detected by the radiation detector and counted by the processing unit while the adjustable parameters (the RC time constant and the sampling rate) of the filter and the analog-to-digital converter are adjusted on the fly (in real time) to optimize an energy resolution of the detected events, while reducing degradation due to pile-up effects and improving efficiency of the analog-to-digital converter. The filter can be implemented through analog filters, digital filters, or a combination thereof. | 12-06-2012 |
20130168534 | METHOD FOR TIMING-PICK-OFF OF UNDERSAMPLED PULSES FROM RADIATION DETECTORS - A process and device for generating a prototype waveform and a weighting function. The process including obtaining waveforms generated by a detector having at least one photosensor, generating an initial estimate for the prototype waveform and the weighting function and parameterizing the prototype waveform and the weighting function and determining for each waveform an optimal amplitude and an optimal time offset of the prototype waveform. Included are steps of pairing waveforms based on the determined time offsets of the waveforms, calculating an arrival time difference for each pair of waveforms and determining a timing resolution value based on the calculated arrival time differences, determining whether the timing resolution value meets predetermined minimization criteria, and updating the set of parameters for the prototype waveform and the weighting function and repeating the determining, pairing, calculating, and determining, when the timing resolution value fails to meet the predetermined minimization criteria. | 07-04-2013 |
20140091234 | METHOD TO IMPROVE LIGHT EXTRACTION FROM SCINTILLATORS - A method to improve light extraction from scintillators in a gamma ray detector, the method including forming a roughened layer on a light-emitting surface of the scintillators, the roughened thin layer having a pillar/column or a corn-shaped structure. | 04-03-2014 |
20140110567 | DETERMINING RELATIVE TIMING OFFSET IN DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC PATHWAYS USING INTERNAL SIGNALS - A process and system including a detector having a photosensor therein that outputs a signal and a plurality of after-pulse detector devices independently connected to the photosensor via respective pathways. The after-pulse detector devices each detecting an after-pulse in the signal, where the after-pulse represents an after-event in the photosensor triggered from a previous photon generating event. The system further includes a processing device that receives an indication of the detection of the after-pulse from each of the plurality of after-pulse detector devices and determines a relative delay between the respective pathways based on timing the received indications, and includes a memory that stores the relative delay in association with an identification of the corresponding after-pulse detector devices. | 04-24-2014 |
20140110573 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PHOTOSENSOR GAIN AND SCINTILLATION CRYSTAL OPTICAL COUPLING MONITORING IN RADIATION DETECTORS - A photosensor gain detection apparatus that includes a detector including a photosensor configured to output a signal. Also included in the apparatus is an after-pulse/dark-pulse detector device that detects an after-pulse or a dark-pulse in the signal output by the photosensor, and outputs an indication signal when the after-pulse or the dark-pulse is detected, the after-pulse and the dark-pulse representing after-events in the photosensor triggered from a previous photon generating event. The apparatus additionally includes an integrator device that integrates the signal output by the photosensor and to output an integrated signal, a histogram device connected to the integrator and the after-pulse/dark-pulse detector device, and that generates a histogram from the integrated signal and the indication signal, a gain determination device that determines a gain of the photosensor based on the generated histogram, and a memory configured to store the determined gain. | 04-24-2014 |
20140110589 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING UNIFORMITY OF PERFORMANCE IN POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY - A method of arranging detector modules within a gamma ray detector apparatus, each detector module including an array of scintillation crystals to convert light into electrical signals, the light being generated in response to incident gamma rays generated by an annihilation event, the method including obtaining performance information of each of the detector modules, and determining a relative location for each of the detector modules within the gamma ray detector based on the obtained performance information of the detector modules. | 04-24-2014 |
20140151562 | Adaptive reflectivity for performance improvement on radiation detectors - Systems, devices, processes, and algorithms for adapting and/or adjusting a reflectivity of a reflector in a radiation detector. The reflectivity can be changed by a reflectivity control signal that is generated based on an estimated count rate of events so as to adjust a probability of a photosensor detecting light resulting from the event via, for example, a scintillation event. By adjusting the probability, an energy resolution of the radiation detector can be optimized. The reflectivity of a reflector can be changed by changing a state of a thin film, a liquid crystal layer, or a suspended magnetic particle layer. | 06-05-2014 |
20140361191 | APPARATUS, METHOD, COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM, AND SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING DATA ACQUISITION PARAMETERS DURING A SCAN PERFORMED BY A POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY SCANNER - An apparatus, method, computer-readable medium, and system for adjusting data acquisition parameters during a scan performed by a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner. The method includes obtaining, during the scan, a current temperature of a detector of the PET scanner, and adjusting, based on the current temperature, the data acquisition parameters used by the PET scanner during the scan. | 12-11-2014 |
20150014519 | DETERMINING RELATIVE TIMING OFFSET IN DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC PATHWAYS USING INTERNAL SIGNAL - A process and system including a detector having a photosensor therein that outputs a signal and a plurality of after-pulse detector devices independently connected to the photosensor via respective pathways. The after-pulse detector devices each detecting an after-pulse in the signal, where the after-pulse represents an after-event in the photosensor triggered from a previous photon generating event. The system further includes a processing device that receives an indication of the detection of the after-pulse from each of the plurality of after-pulse detector devices and determines a relative delay between the respective pathways based on timing the received indications, and includes a memory that stores the relative delay in association with an identification of the corresponding after-pulse detector devices. | 01-15-2015 |