Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-ge Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Hiroshi Kamimura

Tarou Takagi

Hiroshi Kitaguchi

Shigeru Izumi

Noriyuki Sadaoka

Katsutoshi Satoh

Atsushi Yamagoshi

Kouji Kuwabara

Shouhei Numata

Sadao Uchikawa

Motoaki Utamura

Tetsuya Matsui

Makoto Nagase

Tetsuo Ito

Masanori Suzuki

Yoshiaki Ichikawa

Shunsuke Uchida

Yamato Asakura

Yasushi Nagumo

Sakae Sugiyama

Hidefumi Ibe

Makoto Senoh

Kenji Yokose

Yoshitaka Nishino

Kojirou Kodaira

Fumio Tomizawa

Masayoshi Sasaki

Jun Nukaga

Satoshi Takemori

The pipe inspection method and apparatus can be used to implement rapid, tomographic inspection of a pipe set up at a narrow location. The pipe inspection method includes: a first step for scanning the pipe by translating a radiation source and radiation detector arranged opposedly to the pipe; a second step for the radiation detector to detect radiation that the radiation source has emitted, at given scanning distance intervals; a third step for creating a transmission image of the pipe, based on a radiation dose that the radiation detector has detected; and a fourth step for constructing a tomogram or stereoscopic image of the pipe, based on the transmission image. Thus, it is possible to provide the pipe inspection method and apparatus that can be used to implement rapid, tomographic inspection of the pipe set up at a narrow location.

Method for inspecting pipes, and radiographic non-destructive inspection apparatus

An X-ray sensor signal processing circuit and method used in an industrial X-ray CT apparatus for processing an output signal of a semiconductor X-ray sensor which detects a pulsed X-ray emitted from an accelerator and passed through an object to be inspected. The circuit includes a first resistor having one terminal connected to the X-ray sensor and an other terminal connected to ground, a first capacitor having one end terminal connected to a connection point of the X-ray sensor and the first resistor, an operational amplifier having an inverting input connected to an other terminal of the first capacitor, and an integrator having a second resistor and a second capacitor each connected to the operational amplifier in parallel. The circuit is configured so that at least bias conditions of the X-ray sensor and the first capacitor are returned to a steady state after irradiation of the pulsed X-ray.

X-ray sensor signal processor and X-ray computed tomography system using the same

An X-ray CT apparatus having X-ray irradiator for irradiating an X-ray to an object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor for detecting an X-ray passed through the object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor signal processing circuit for processing an output signal from the X-ray sensor, and a CT control apparatus for reconstructing an image of the object to be inspected on the basis of an output signal of the X-ray sensor processed by the X-ray sensor signal processing circuit. The X-ray sensor signal processing circuit removes a DC component from the output signal of the X-ray sensor and integrates the output signal of the X-ray sensor having the DC component removed therefrom.

A CT imaging method and apparatus in which an object is to be imaged by the CT apparatus using an X-ray or radiation, and a tomographic image of the object is obtained, wherein the object includes a reference portion. The processing the tomographic image is processed and a relative positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus is obtained. The object is imaged by the CT apparatus, and based on the relative positional relation, a tomographic image of a desired position of the object is obtained.

CT apparatus, CT imaging method and method of providing service using the same

An X-ray CT apparatus having X-ray irradiator for irradiating an X-ray to an object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor for detecting an X-ray passed through the object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor signal processing circuit for processing an output signal from the X-ray sensor, and a CT control apparatus for reconstructing an image of the object to be inspected on the basis of an output signal of the X-ray sensor processed by the X-ray sensor signal processing circuit. The X-ray sensor signal processing circuit includes a filter for removing a DC component from the output signal of the X-ray sensor, and an integration circuit for integrating the output signal of the X-ray sensor from which the DC component is removed by the filter.

An X-ray CT apparatus having X-ray irradiator for irradiating an X-ray to an object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor for detecting an X-ray passed through the object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor signal processing circuit for processing an output signal from the X-ray sensor, and a CT control apparatus for reconstructing an image of the object to be inspected on the basis of the output signal of the X-ray sensor processed by the X-ray sensor signal processing circuit. The X-ray sensor signal processing circuit includes a filter for removing a DC component from the output signal of the X-ray sensor and a circuit for obtaining a difference between a voltage corresponding to a current including a dark current generated in the X-ray sensor by incidence of the X-ray and a voltage corresponding to the dark current.

An X-ray CT apparatus having X-ray irradiator for irradiating an X-ray to an object to be inspected, an X-ray semiconductor sensor for detecting an X-ray passed through the object to be inspected, an X-ray sensor signal processing circuit for processing an output signal from the X-ray semiconductor sensor, and a CT control apparatus for reconstructing an image of the object to be inspected on the basis of the output signal of the X-ray semiconductor sensor processed by the X-ray sensor signal processing circuit. The X-ray sensor signal processing circuit includes a filter for removing a DC component from the output signal of the X-ray semiconductor sensor, and an integration circuit for integrating an output signal of the X-ray semiconductor sensor from which the DC component is removed by the filter.

A CT imaging method determines geometric features (information representing geometries) of contact surfaces between markers and an object from tomographic images obtained by imaging the object attached with the markers on its reference surfaces using a CT apparatus, determines from the geometric features a positional relation between a reference coordinate system of the object and a coordinate system of the CT apparatus, and, based on the positional relation, produces tomographic images (bit-map data) of a desired portion of the object.

An X-ray sensor signal processor including capacitorsfor removing DC components (dark currents) from output signals of semiconductor sensorstodetecting pulse-like X-rays passed through an object, and integrators (each of which is constituted by a combination of an operational amplifiera resistorand a capacitor) for integrating the output signals of the X-ray sensors after removal of the DC components by the capacitorsBy this, a value proportional to the average number of photons in X-rays can be obtained even in the case where a small number of incident photons are given, and an X-ray CT system using the X-ray sensor signal processor.

X-ray sensor signal processor and x-ray computed tomography system using the same

An X-ray sensor signal processor including capacitors for removing DC components (dark currents) from output signals of semiconductor sensors to detecting pulse-like X-rays passed through an object, and integrators (each of which is constituted by a combination of an operational amplifier a resistor and a capacitor ) for integrating the output signals of the X-ray sensors after removal of the DC components by the capacitors By this, a value proportional to the average number of photons in X-rays can be obtained even in the case where a small number of incident photons are given, and an X-ray CT system using the X-ray sensor signal processor.

This invention concerns a plant diagnosis apparatus which comprises a first detecting unit for detecting a state of devices constituting a circulating system in which a fluid circulates and a second detecting unit for detecting a quality of the above-mentioned circulating fluid or a quality of the atmosphere surrounding the above-mentioned circulating system, and a unit for diagnosing the circulating system by output of the first and second detecting units, and therefore can diagnose anomaly of facilities such as a nuclear power plant with high reliability and rapidity.

Plant diagnosis apparatus and method

An electronic circuit is protected against radiation when the threshold voltage of a semiconductor element included in the electronic circuit is shifted, in a positive direction, to a predetermined upper limit on the basis of the formation of a trap level at an interface within the semiconductor element, the number of trapped positive charges in the semiconductor element is controlled so that the threshold voltage is shifted, in a negative direction, to a value less than the predetermined upper limit.

Method of and apparatus for protecting electronic circuit against

Remote manipulation method and system of the master-slave type in which an operation procedure plan is prepared for defining each of a sequence of pieces of work as being performed by manual operation or automatic operation at least on the basis of information on the level of skill of a human operator and the sequence of pieces of work is performed in accordance with the plan, whereby work can be done efficiently with human operator's skill taken into consideration.

Method and apparatus for master-slave manipulation supplemented by

A distributed control system wherein a plurality of controlled objects are normally controlled by independent controllers, respectively, and each of the controllers has a monitoring function to monitor status of at least one of other controllers and a backup control function to control the controlled object normally controlled by the one controller when the one controller becomes out of order is arranged such that a main transmission path is provided which has sections respectively corresponding to the controllers and the signal transmission necessary for normal control of the controlled object associated with each controller, monitoring of status of at least one of other controllers and backup control of the one controller is effected by using the section of the main transmission path corresponding to the one controller.

Growing community of inventors

Hitachi, Japan

Hiroshi Kamimura