Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An intra-oral x-ray sensor, comprising:circuitry configured to communicate intra-oral x-ray sensor position information to a remote x-ray source;circuitry configured to verify an x-ray beam characteristic of an x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source by the intra-oral x-ray sensor;an x-ray image component configured to acquire intra-oral x-ray image information;an x-ray backscatter component operably coupled to the x-ray image component;wherein the x-ray image component is configured to detect backscattering, and the x-ray backscatter component is configured to modify the intra-oral x-ray image information responsive to one or more inputs from the x-ray image component indicative of the presence of backscatter; andcircuitry configured to communicate an x-ray beam field of view parameter to the remote x-ray source responsive to verifying the x-ray beam characteristic of the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source. 2. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, further comprising:circuitry configured to generate intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information. 3. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured to generate intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information is operably coupled to one or more embedded magnetic compasses. 4. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information is operably coupled to one or more electrolytic fluid based sensors. 5. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information is operably coupled to one or more acceleration sensors. 6. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information is operably coupled to one or more orientation-aware sensors. 7. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, further comprising:circuitry configured to generate intra-oral x-ray sensor position information. 8. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 7, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor position information is operably coupled to one or more inductors. 9. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 7, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor position information is operably coupled to one or more active optic devices. 10. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 7, wherein the circuitry configured to generate the intra-oral x-ray sensor position information is operably coupled to one or more acoustic transducers configured to generate an output indicative of an intra-oral x-ray sensor border position and an intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation. 11. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, further comprising:circuitry configured to determine remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment before communicating an activation instruction to the remote x-ray source for imaging. 12. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, further comprising:circuitry configured to acquire a low intensity x-ray pulse to determine remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment before communicating an activation instruction to the remote x-ray source for imaging. 13. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to verify the x-ray beam characteristic associated with the remote x-ray source includes circuitry configured to determine x-ray beam centroid information associated with the remote x-ray source. 14. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to verify the x-ray beam characteristic of the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source includes circuitry configured to determine a spatial alignment associated with the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source. 15. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to communicate the intra-oral sensor position or the circuitry configured to communicate the x-ray beam field of view parameter to the remote x-ray source comprises a transmitter. 16. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to communicate the intra-oral sensor position or the circuitry configured to communicate the x-ray beam field of view parameter to the remote x-ray source comprises a modulatable reflector. 17. An intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method, comprising:communicating intra-oral x-ray sensor position information from an intra-oral x-ray sensor to a remote x-ray source, the intra-oral x-ray sensor including an x-ray image component configured to acquire intra-oral x-ray image information and anx-ray backscatter component operably coupled to the x-ray image component, wherein the x-ray image component is configured to detect backscattering, and the x-ray backscatter component is configured to modify the intra-oral x-ray image information responsive to one or more inputs from the x-ray image component indicative of the presence of backscatter;receiving an x-ray beam from the remote x-ray source with the intra-oral x-ray sensor;verifying an x-ray beam characteristic associated with the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source; andcommunicating an x-ray beam field of view parameter to the remote x-ray source responsive to verifying the x-ray beam characteristic associated with the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source. 18. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, further comprising:communicating intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information to the remote x-ray source. 19. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, further comprising:activating a discovery protocol that allows the intra-oral x-ray sensor and the remote x-ray source to identify each other and to negotiate information. 20. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, further comprising:determining a remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment; andcommunicating an activation instruction to the remote x-ray source for imaging responsive to determining the remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment. 21. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, further comprising:detecting a low intensity x-ray pulse to determine remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment; andcommunicating an activation instruction to the remote x-ray source for imaging responsive to detecting the low intensity x-ray pre-pulse to determine the remote x-ray source and intra-oral x-ray sensor alignment. 22. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, wherein communicating the intra-oral x-ray sensor position information from the intra-oral x-ray sensor to the remote x-ray source includes communicating intra-oral x-ray sensor orientation information to the remote x-ray source. 23. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, wherein communicating the intra-oral x-ray sensor position information from the intra-oral x-ray sensor to the remote x-ray source includes communicating one or more outputs indicative of an intra-oral x-ray sensor border position. 24. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, wherein communicating to the remote x-ray source the x-ray beam field of view parameter includes communicating a parameter associated with a change in separation between a collimator aperture and the remote x-ray source. 25. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, wherein communicating to the remote x-ray source the x-ray beam field of view parameter includes communicating a parameter associated with displacing, moving, or rotating one or more collimation edges. 26. The intra-oral x-ray sensor operation method of claim 17, wherein communicating to the remote x-ray source the x-ray beam field of view parameter includes communicating a parameter associated with adjusting relative positions of the remote x-ray source and a collimator to improve alignment of the x-ray beam to the intra-oral sensor. 27. The intra-oral x-ray sensor of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to verify an x-ray beam characteristic of an x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source includes circuitry configured to verify at least one of a spatial pattern associated with the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source or lateral overlap information associated with the x-ray beam received from the remote x-ray source.