US Patent 7046764 X-ray detector having an accelerometer

A method and system of electronically detecting and measuring gravitational loads placed on an x-ray detector is disclosed. An x-ray detector incorporates an accelerometer that detects and provides an output as to the extent of gravitational loads or forces placed thereon. The accelerometer may also time and/or date stamp each recorded event such that a technician may determine when the x-ray detector was subjected to a particular load. A microcontroller/microprocessor may also compare a current reading of the accelerometer to a threshold and, based on the comparison, provide an audio or visual indication that the x-ray detector has been subjected to a potentially damaging gravitational load.