The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 02, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 12, 1996
Christopher John Morcom, Maldon, GB;
EEV Limited, Chelmsford, GB;
Abstract
In imaging apparatus particularly for use in intra-oral dental applications, a solid state imager is continually clocked out during a wait period prior to irradiation from an X-ray source. A signal derived from the CCD is compared with a threshold at to determine the onset of irradiation by the X-ray source which will appear as a rapid change in the signal level. The threshold conditions are varied to follow changes in ambient conditions and particularly temperature changes to allow for increase of dark current with a rise in temperature. This permits the threshold at which the CCD is triggered to begin image acquisition to be set at a relatively low level whilst minimising the risk of false triggering.