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:
Mar. 27, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1998
Robert B. Campbell, Naperville, IL (US);
Gerald J. Carlson, Lombard, IL (US);
Picker International, Inc., Highland Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A CT scanner includes a stationary gantry (,) defining an examination region (,) and a rotating gantry (,) which rotates about the examination region. At least two x-ray tubes (,), each capable of producing a beam of radiation directed through the examination region, are mounted to the rotating gantry. The x-ray tubes are switchably connected to an electrical power supply (,). X-rays are detected by an arc of x-ray detectors (,) which generate signals indicative of the radiation received. These signals are processed by a reconstruction processor (,) into an image representation. A thermal calculator (,) estimates when an anode in one of the x-ray tubes (,) reaches a selected temperature. The thermal calculator (,) controls a switch (,) which is electrically connected between the x-ray tubes and the power supply. The switch selectively switches power from the power supply alternately to the x-ray tubes. Each time the thermal calculator estimates that the anode of one of the x-ray tubes has reached selected temperature, that tube is switched off and the other tube is switched on.