Patent ID: 7655918
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: A61B,G01T,H04N

Abstract:
1. A dental imaging element comprising: a substrate having four chamfered corners; a two-dimensional array of CMOS pixel sensors located on said substrate, said array being organized as a plurality of rows and columns, said pixel sensors in each column being connected to a corresponding bit bus by a row select switch that connects said pixel sensor in said row to that bit bus in response to a row select signal on a corresponding row select line; a row decoder that generates said row select signal on a selected one of said row select lines in response to a row address being coupled thereto; a column decoder that connects a selected one of said bit buses to an interface connecting said dental imaging element to a circuit that is external to said dental imaging element; and a layer of scintillation material overlying said two-dimensional array, said scintillation material emitting light in response to x-rays impinging thereon; wherein said two-dimensional array of CMOS pixel sensors extends into said chamfered corners, and wherein said row decoder and said column decoder are located between two of said columns and two of said rows, respectively, such that said row decoder and said column decoder do not extend into any one of said chamfered corners.