• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1-13
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• 2020

There are many factors that influence the image quality of CMOS camera images, among which the image exposure time is an important factor. If the image exposure time is long, the entire image on the screen becomes brighter. If the exposure time is shorter, the entire image becomes darker. When photographing a still image, real time is not required because the automatic exposure system is given sufficient time to obtain an appropriate exposure time. However, if the surroundings and environment change rapidly like the black box of a driving car, the exposure time should be applied in response to real time. To this end, a robust automatic exposure system for real-time performance and ambient light environment is required. An automatic exposure system that has real-time capability and is robust against the ambient light environment is required. we designed a real-time control sysem capable of parallel operation processing through the design of an embedded system using zynq's logic and ARM core, and developed a real-time CMOS automatic exposure system that is robust to noise and converges to a desired target value within 66 ms through PID control.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.66-69
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• 2013

In the U.S., performance assessment on the Automatic Exposure Control system (AEC) is managed according to the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). However, The AEC is not available in the performance assessment conducted in Korea. Also, there is no study made on the performance of the automatic exposure control system for mammography in Korea. For this reason, this study examined the performance of the automatic exposure control system for mammography that was clinically used in the Incheon area. Result showed that the difference of the mean optical density was 0.79 ~ 2.81. This implies that some devices caused unnecessary x-ray exposure to patients. Furthermore, only 61.5% of the entire experimental device was shown to be satisfactory in terms of change in mean optical density. Moreover, in terms of the subject's thickness, change in radiographic density was shown to be severe among lower X-ray tube voltage while there was severe density change in X-ray image depending on X-ray tube voltage among the subjects with more thickness. Therefore, it is suggested to provide performance management on the AEC for mammography.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 1991

Automatic exposure control systems are now readily available and widly used in radiography. A device that automatically determines the amount of radiation required to produce an acceptable level of film blackness is called a phototimer, or automatic exposure control. There are limitations in the use of phototimers ; however, equipment can be used much more effectively if one recognize these limitations, and the goal of obtaining a properly exposed, reproducible radiography can be achieved. We have some results in this experimental study. The variations of film density due to kVp are in propotion to below 80 kVp range. But indicate constant level above 80 kVp to 120 kVp. The characteristic density variation by phantom thickness shows the higher the thiner in exit type. AEC system have a density control that is designed to make adjustments increase or decreas the density 10% per step or 25% per step. The automatic exposure control circuits must meet the several regulations of the HEW. Some forms of technique chart is recomened for use of AEC.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.6 no.1 s.18
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• pp.43-48
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• 2007

For exposure systems, very accurate alignment between the mask and the substrate is indispensable. In this paper, an automatic alignment system using machine vision for exposure systems is described. Machine vision algorithms are described in detail including extraction of an alignment mark's center position and camera calibration. Methods for extracting parameters for alignment are also presented with some compensation techniques to reduce alignment time. Our alignment system was implemented with a vision system and motion control stages. The performance of the alignment system has been extensively tested with satisfactory results. The performance evaluation shows alignment accuracy of lum within total alignment time of about $2{\sim}3$ seconds including stage moving time.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.173-181
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to reduce dose while maintaining image quality during digital radiographic examination of paranasal sinus by using the automatic exposure control (AEC) system. The tube voltage was set as six stages that increased by about 10 kVp to 70 kVp, 81 kVp, 90 kVp, 102 kVp, 109 kVp and 117 kVp. And then the AEC system conditions were consisted of 9 setting environments, that change mode of the sensitivity (S200, S400, S800) and the density (+2.5, 0, -2.5). We measured automatically exposed tube current (mAs) under 54 conditions with combined these, and assessed SNR and PSNR through the acquired images. In addition, four radiologists performed a qualitative assessment of the acquired images for each combination on a five-point scale of the Likert. As a result, the lowest dose and the highest values of SNR and PSNR in images with a qualitative assessment more than 4 point were the AEC control factors of 90 kVp, S800, D2.5. We applied this condition to the clinical trial, it showed an effect of 83.1% reduction in exposure radiation dose (mR). Therefore, AEC system could be used as dose reduction technology if it understood and used related regulatory factors and physical characteristics.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

In this study, we proposed an image quality control for an automatic exposure control (AEC) of digital radiographic imaging system and tried to analyze the performance of the AEC by various manufacturer. The subjects of the experiment were analyzed for the AEC image quality evaluation using digital radiation generators from four manufacturer such as PHILIPS, GE Healthcare, SAMSUNG Healthcare, DK Medical Solution. We used as materials for the implementation of the image quality evaluation by coins (500 won, KOMSCO, Korea). This study evaluated the performance evaluation of the AEC as image quality and exposure dose (Milliampere-seconds; mAs). The image quality evaluation was tried visual assessment by two radiologic technologists and contrast to noise (CNR) by ImageJ. The exposure dose investigated mAs on digital radiation generators. The radiographic coin images acquired 360 images based on change in the control factors of the AEC, which were kVp, the consistency of field configuration and dominant zone, sensitivity and density. As a result, there was a significant difference in the AEC performance between manufacturer. The CNR by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 1.9 times. The exposed tube current by the AEC for each manufacturer showed a difference of up to about 5.8 times. It is expected that our proposed evaluation method using coins could be applied as the AEC performance evaluation method in the future.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.146-153
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• 2013

Objectives: Aluminum step wedge (ASW) equivalent radiodensity (eRD) has been used to quantify restorative material's radiodensity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of image acquisition control (IAC) of a digital X-ray system on the radiodensity quantification under different exposure time settings. Materials and Methods: Three 1-mm thick restorative material samples with various opacities were prepared. Samples were radiographed alongside an ASW using one of three digital radiographic modes (linear mapping (L), nonlinear mapping (N), and nonlinear mapping and automatic exposure control activated (E)) under 3 exposure time settings (underexposure, normal-exposure, and overexposure). The ASW eRD of restorative materials, attenuation coefficients and contrasts of ASW, and the correlation coefficient of linear relationship between logarithms of gray-scale value and thicknesses of ASW were compared under 9 conditions. Results: The ASW eRD measurements of restorative materials by three digital radiographic modes were statistically different (p = 0.049) but clinically similar. The relationship between logarithms of background corrected grey scale value and thickness of ASW was highly linear but attenuation coefficients and contrasts varied significantly among 3 radiographic modes. Varying exposure times did not affect ASW eRD significantly. Conclusions: Even though different digital radiographic modes induced large variation on attenuation of coefficient and contrast of ASW, E mode improved diagnostic quality of the image significantly under the underexposure condition by improving contrasts, while maintaining ASW eRDs of restorative materials similar. Under the condition of this study, underexposure time may be acceptable clinically with digital X-ray system using automatic gain control that reduces radiation exposure for patient.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.10
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• pp.1823-1831
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• 2010

This paper proposes an automatic tracking control algorithm for efficiency improvement of photovoltaic generation. Increasing the power of PV systems should improve the efficiency of solar cells or the power condition system. The normal alignment of the PV module always have to run perpendicular to the sun's rays. The solar tracking system, able to improve the efficiency of the PV system, was initiated by applying that to the PV power plant. The tracking system of conventional PV power plant has been studied with regard to the tracking accuracy of the solar cells. Power generation efficiency were increased by aligning the cells for maximum exposure to the sun's rays. Using a perpendicular position facilitated optimum condition. However, there is a problem about the reliability of tracking systems unable to not track the sun correctly during environmental variations. Therefore, a novel control algorithm needs to improve the generation efficiency of the PV systems and reduce the loss of generation. This control algorithm is the proposed automatic tracking algorithm in this paper. Automatic tracking control is combined the sensor and program method for robust control in environment changing condition. This tracking system includes the insolation, rain sensor and anemometer for climate environment changing. Proposed algorithm in this paper, is compared to performance of conventional tracking control algorithm in variative insolation condition. And prove the validity of proposed algorithm through the experimental data.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.658-665
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• 1998

In this paper, we propose a new approach to the development of the automatic vision system to examine and repair the steam generator tubes at remote distance. In nuclear power plants, workers are reluctant of works in steam generator because of the high radiation environment and limited working space. It is strongly recommended that the examination and maintenance works be done by an automatic system for the protection of the operator from the radiation exposure. Digital signal processors are used in implementing real time recognition and examination of steam generator tubes in the proposed vision system. Performance of the proposed digital vision system is illustrated by simulation and experiment for similar steam generator model.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of automatic exposure control (AEC) control factors in digital radiography systems based on the fine contrast images using coin phantoms. The AEC control factors were targeted at the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density. The dominent zone was divided into cases where a single coin was used to cover the field configuration, and cases where seven coins were used to cover the field configuration. The sensitivity was classified into three stages (200, 400, 800) and the density was classified into three stages (2.5, 0, 2.5). Image quality was evaluated by signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR). Then, the automatically exposed tube current was measured. As a result, the X-ray image of seven coins obtained a result value of about 1.2 times higher for SNR and 1.9 times higher for CNR than the X-ray image for one coin. The tube current was also about 1.6 times higher. In conclusion, In AEC, the higher the field configuration and dominent zone are matched and the higher the density, the lower the sensitivity, which increases the tube current and CNR, which increases the image quality. Therefore, it is judged that the appropriate setting of the range of dominent zone, sensitivity, and density of the control, which is the AEC control factor, could improve the fine contrast of images.