Radiant energy – Source with recording detector – Using a stimulable phosphor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2001-05-29
Hannaher, Constantine (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Source with recording detector
Using a stimulable phosphor
C250S581000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239447
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus which registers an image recorded on an recording medium to be read by the apparatus, and displays the registration list on a display.
When a radiation ray, such as an X-ray, an &agr;-ray, a &bgr;-ray, a &ggr;-ray, an ultraviolet-ray, etc., is irradiated on a certain type of phosphor material, the radiation energy is stored in the phosphor material. Then, by irradiating an excitation light on it, a stimulative luminescence is generated in accordance with the radiation energy stored in the phosphor material. The phosphor material having the abovementioned property is known as a storage phosphor material or a photo-stimulable phosphor material.
Photo-stimulable phosphor material can be utilized for temporarily recording radiation image information of a human body, etc. on a sheet-shaped storage phosphor material (called a radiation image converting plate, or a photo-stimulable phosphor plate). The radiation image converting plate can be scanned by an excitation light, such as a laser beam, etc., to generate image signals by electronically reading the generated stimulative luminescence.
A conventional reading apparatus designates a specific image by reading a bar-code label stuck on a cassette, which corresponds to its reservation for image reading. In this method, however, there have been problems, such as a registration list of them is not displayed and the reading operation can only be performed one by one. In addition, it is troublesome to stick a bar-code label on each cassette and additionally to provide a bar-code reader. Further, it is a time-consuming task to manually operate the bar-code reader for reading each of the bar-codes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As a solution of the cited shortcomings, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus with good maneuverability.
To overcome the cited shortcomings, the objective of the present invention can be attained by a radiation image reading apparatus comprising:
a memory to memorize information regarding each of a plurality of subjects as reservation data for each subject;
a plurality of slots into each of which a recording medium recording a radiation image can be loaded;
selecting means for selecting at least one reservation data for a subject from the plural reservation data;
correlating means for correlating the selected reservation data with at least one of the plurality of slots;
registration list preparing means for preparing a registration list based on the selected reservation data; and
a display to display the registration list.
Further, in order to overcome the cited shortcomings, the present invention also embodies the following:
(1) The image reading apparatus, embodied in the present invention, comprises a plurality of slots for inserting individual cassettes, each of which contains a recording medium for storing a radiation image, and means for storing previously reserved data corresponding to each of the radiation images stored in the recording mediums, wherein the data, which finish the registration for reading, are displayed in the reading registration list.
(2) In the abovementioned apparatus, the cassette inserted in the slot can be identified in accordance with the correlation between the order of inserting cassettes and the order of touching screen by touching the predetermined position of the reservation data displayed on the displaying section after memorizing the order of inserting cassettes.
According to the abovementioned apparatus, it becomes possible to estimate a reading time required for a selected cassette beforehand by displaying a reading registration list listing data which finish the reading registration.
In addition, it becomes possible to improve maneuverability of the apparatus, by correlating the order of inserting cassette with the order of touching the screen.
(3) In the above configuration, the apparatus displays a warning message, when the reading registration is not processed within a predetermined period of time, after inserting the cassette
9
.
(4) In the above configuration, the apparatus displays a warning message on the screen, when either the image outputting mode or the re-exposure mode is not selected within a predetermined period of time.
According to the abovementioned apparatus, it becomes possible that the warning message would bring the situation of no processing for the read image data over the predetermined period of time to the operator's notice.
In addition, erroneous correlative operations will be prevented, when another operator inserts another cassette while leaving the cassette unprocessed.
(5) In the above configuration, the read image and the reading registration list is displayed on the same screen with the reservation selecting list.
(6) In the above configuration, when the cassette is inserted in the slot, reservation selection is carried out from the upper order of the list.
According to the abovementioned apparatus, it becomes possible that an automatic reservation from the upper order of the list is achieved only by touching the reading reservation region on the screen.
In addition, maneuverability of the apparatus can be improved by displaying the read image on the same screen with the reservation selection list.
(7) The image reading apparatus, embodied in the present invention, comprises a plurality of slots for inserting cassettes, each of which contains a recording medium for storing a radiation image and means for previously reserving and storing data corresponding to each of the radiation images stored in the recording mediums, and stores the image data, which finish the reading registration among reserved data, into a memory means provided separately.
According to the abovementioned apparatus, it conveniently becomes possible to transfer the image data to other apparatus thereafter, and to conduct predetermined image processings, etc.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4739480 (1988-04-01), Oono et al.
patent: 5001569 (1991-03-01), Shigyo
patent: 5335172 (1994-08-01), Matsumato et al.
patent: 5493128 (1996-02-01), Boutet
patent: 5592374 (1997-01-01), Fellegara et al.
patent: 5757021 (1998-05-01), Dewaele
patent: 5917536 (1999-06-01), Kunimoto
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Gagliardi Albert
Hannaher Constantine
Konica Corporation
LandOfFree
Radiation image reading apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Radiation image reading apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Radiation image reading apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2449319