A method for controlling a capacitor charging, a radio frequency amplifier and a magnetic resonance apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a capacitor charging control method, a radio frequency amplifier and a magnetic resonance device, and relates to the technical field of magnetic resonance. The method is applied to the radio frequency amplifier, and the radio frequency amplifier comprises a control unit, a capacitor, a radio frequency amplification circuit and a power supply. The method comprises the following steps: determining a charging period of the capacitor by the control unit; charging the capacitor based on the charging period by the power supply to obtain a charged capacitor; and providing energy for the radio frequency amplification circuit based on a discharging period corresponding to the charging period by the charged capacitor, wherein the charging period and the discharging period have the same time length. The application can supplement the electric quantity in the capacitor according to a cycle period, set and determine the charging period, adaptively charge the capacitor, and thus make the capacitor provide energy for the radio frequency amplification circuit in the corresponding discharging period. The capacity during capacitor charging and the required number of capacitors in the radio frequency amplifier are effectively reduced, and the charging effect of the capacitor is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of magnetic resonance technology, and in particular to a capacitor charging control method, a radio frequency amplifier, and a magnetic resonance device. Background Art

[0002] RF amplifiers used in magnetic resonance imaging systems typically have high output power during certain periods of operation, while maintaining a relatively stable average power. Therefore, RF amplifiers typically use capacitor banks to store energy, providing it when output power is needed.

[0003] In order to meet the long-term power output requirements of the RF amplifier, the current RF amplifier's capacitor group stores a large amount of energy, so the charging cycle of the capacitor group is long. When the RF amplifier is powered off, the energy stored in the capacitor group needs to be discharged through the discharge circuit. The large amount of stored energy will cause energy waste, and the charging and discharging times are long, which will cause damage to the components in the circuit, thereby causing safety hazards during use. As a result, the current capacitor group has a large capacitance capacity, a large number, occupies a large space, and is high in cost. The capacitor is less effective in providing energy to the RF amplifier and cannot meet the working requirements of the RF amplifier. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, an object of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a capacitor charging control method, a radio frequency amplifier, and a magnetic resonance device to improve the problem of poor charging effect of the capacitor on the radio frequency amplifier in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above problems, in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a capacitor charging control method, which is applied to a radio frequency amplifier, wherein the radio frequency amplifier includes: a control unit, a capacitor, a radio frequency amplification circuit, and a power supply; the method includes:

[0006] determining, by the control unit, a charging cycle of the capacitor;

[0007] charging the capacitor based on the charging cycle using the power supply to obtain the charged capacitor;

[0008] Energy is provided to the radio frequency amplification circuit through the charged capacitor based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle, wherein the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

[0009] In the above implementation process, the charging cycle of the capacitor is set and determined, so that the various time periods during charging are divided, and the amount of electricity in the capacitor can be replenished in a cyclical manner to adaptively charge the capacitor. After charging is completed, the capacitor provides energy to the RF amplifier circuit in a corresponding discharge cycle. By determining the charging cycle, the duration and capacity of the capacitor are effectively reduced, the charging efficiency of the power supply to the capacitor is improved, and the charging effect is optimized. Due to the improvement in charging efficiency, the power supply charges the capacitor faster, therefore, it is also possible to reduce the number of capacitors required in the RF amplifier, reduce the space cost and parts cost occupied by the capacitor, and further reduce the volume and cost of the RF amplifier.

[0010] Optionally, the control unit includes a controller, a signal detection circuit and a voltage detection circuit;

[0011] The charging cycle includes: a first detection time, a second detection time, a processing time, a transmission time, and a charging time;

[0012] The determining, by the control unit, a charging period of the capacitor includes:

[0013] detecting the radio frequency input signal of the radio frequency amplifier by the signal detection circuit to determine the first detection duration during the detection;

[0014] When the signal detection circuit detects the radio frequency input signal, the voltage detection circuit detects the test voltage of the capacitor to determine the second detection time length during the detection;

[0015] The controller processes the detected radio frequency input signal and the test voltage to obtain a discharge voltage of the capacitor, so as to determine the processing time.

[0016] Sending a charging instruction to the power source via the controller to determine the transmission duration of the charging instruction;

[0017] The controller determines the charging time according to the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor.

[0018] In the above implementation process, the charging cycle can include multiple durations corresponding to multiple operations, so that by dividing the charging cycle, the duration of each stage can be reasonably planned, effectively reducing the overall duration of the charging cycle. The signal detection circuit can detect the RF input signal of the RF amplifier, and the detection duration is used as the first detection duration. The voltage detection circuit can detect the test voltage of the capacitor when the RF input signal is detected, and the detection duration is used as the second detection duration. The controller can process the detected RF input signal and the test voltage to obtain the discharge voltage of the capacitor, and the processing duration is used as the processing duration. The controller can also send a charging instruction to charge the capacitor to the power supply and determine the transmission duration of the instruction. The controller can also determine the charging time required for the power supply to charge the capacitor based on the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the target capacitor. By detecting and processing each signal, the charging cycle can be accurately divided, effectively reducing the duration of the charging cycle, so as to quickly charge the capacitor.

[0019] Optionally, the obtaining the discharge voltage of the capacitor by processing the detected RF input signal and the test voltage by the controller includes:

[0020] Calculating, by the controller, a target output energy when the RF amplifying circuit amplifies the RF input signal based on the detected RF input signal;

[0021] The controller calculates the discharge voltage of the capacitor according to the target output energy and the test voltage.

[0022] In the above implementation, the target output energy required by the capacitor bank to amplify the RF amplifier circuit is calculated using the RF input signal. The capacitors are then used to provide energy to the RF amplifier circuit based on the target output energy and the test voltage obtained during the current test. This means the capacitors provide the discharge voltage after amplifying the target output energy provided by the RF amplifier circuit. This allows accurate calculation of the voltage data after the capacitors are powered based on the amplification requirements of the RF amplifier circuit, allowing the capacitors to be charged accordingly, improving the targetedness and effectiveness of the capacitor charging process.

[0023] Optionally, the voltage threshold includes a charging threshold and a discharging threshold; and determining, by the controller, the charging duration according to the discharge voltage, target capacity, and voltage threshold of the capacitor includes:

[0024] Setting, by the controller, the charging threshold and the discharging threshold according to the operating voltage and the fully-charged voltage of the capacitor, wherein the charging threshold is greater than the operating voltage and less than the fully-charged voltage, and the discharging threshold is greater than or equal to the operating voltage and less than the charging threshold;

[0025] determining, by the controller, whether the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold;

[0026] When the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold, the controller calculates the charging time corresponding to charging from the discharge voltage to the charge threshold according to the target capacity.

[0027] In the above implementation process, the highest threshold value when charging the capacitor and the lowest threshold value after discharging are set respectively, and the charging threshold value is less than the maximum fully charged voltage of the capacitor, and the discharging threshold value is greater than the minimum operating voltage of the capacitor. When the discharge voltage is between the voltage threshold values, the charging time from the discharge voltage after providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit to the charging threshold value is calculated based on the target capacity of the capacitor, rather than directly charging the capacitor from the discharge voltage to the maximum fully charged voltage. In this way, the amount of electricity and time when charging the capacitor are effectively reduced without affecting the normal operation of the capacitor and providing sufficient electrical energy to the RF amplifier circuit, thereby improving the efficiency of charging the capacitor.

[0028] Optionally, before determining, by the controller, the charging duration according to the discharge voltage, target capacity, and voltage threshold of the capacitor, the method further includes:

[0029] Calculating, by the controller, an output energy threshold of the radio frequency amplification circuit;

[0030] Determining, by the controller, a capacity threshold of the capacitor according to the output energy threshold, the charging threshold, and the discharging threshold;

[0031] The target capacity of the capacitor is determined by the controller according to the capacity threshold.

[0032] In the above implementation process, the target capacity of the capacitor when charging can be set and adjusted according to the demand during charging. Through the output capacity threshold of the RF amplifier circuit and the charging threshold and discharge threshold of the capacitor, that is, the voltage threshold of the capacitor is calculated as the capacity threshold of the minimum capacity required for the capacitor to power the RF amplifier circuit, so as to determine the target capacity greater than the capacity threshold according to the capacity threshold and design requirements. It is possible to reduce the capacity of the capacitor without affecting the normal charging of the capacitor to the RF amplifier circuit, thereby reducing the charging time of the capacitor and the charging time of the capacitor to the RF amplifier circuit, so as to improve the efficiency of charging the capacitor and the capacitor providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit.

[0033] Optionally, the discharge period includes a signal transmission duration and a power output duration; and the method further includes:

[0034] Determining, by the controller, a signal transmission duration when the radio frequency input signal reaches the radio frequency amplification circuit;

[0035] Calculating, by the controller, a target radio frequency power of the radio frequency amplifying circuit according to the target output energy;

[0036] The controller calculates the power output time duration during which the radio frequency amplification circuit outputs the target radio frequency power.

[0037] In the above implementation process, the signal transmission time when the RF input signal in the RF amplifier circuit reaches the RF amplifier circuit can be calculated, and the corresponding target RF power can be calculated based on the target output energy required for the RF amplifier circuit to amplify the RF amplified signal. In this way, the power output time during which the RF amplifier circuit operates at the target RF power can be calculated, that is, the time during which the capacitor supplies power to the RF amplifier circuit, thereby forming a discharge cycle during which the capacitor provides energy to the RF amplifier circuit. The duration of the discharge cycle is also shortened accordingly, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of the capacitor in providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit.

[0038] Optionally, the charging cycle further includes a waiting time; and the method further includes:

[0039] The controller determines the waiting time according to the discharge cycle, so that the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

[0040] In the above implementation process, in order to make the charging cycle equal to the discharging cycle, a corresponding waiting time can be set in the charging cycle. By adjusting the waiting time, the charging cycle and the corresponding discharging cycle in different situations are equal, which is suitable for a variety of different charging and power supply situations.

[0041] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0042] When the signal detection circuit does not detect the RF input signal, determining, by the voltage detection circuit, whether the current voltage of the capacitor reaches the full-charge voltage;

[0043] When the current voltage of the capacitor does not reach the fully charged voltage, sending a slow charging instruction to the power supply through the controller;

[0044] The capacitor is charged by the power supply according to the slow charging instruction.

[0045] In the above implementation process, when the RF input signal that needs to be amplified is not detected, the current voltage of the capacitor can be detected through the voltage detection circuit, and the detected current voltage is compared with the full-charge voltage. When the current voltage does not reach the full-charge voltage, the controller controls the power supply to slowly charge the capacitor, thereby ensuring that the capacitor is fully charged before the RF amplifier performs signal amplification, so as to provide sufficient energy for the RF amplifier to work.

[0046] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a radio frequency amplifier, the radio frequency amplifier comprising: a control unit, a capacitor, a radio frequency amplification circuit, and a power supply;

[0047] The capacitor is electrically connected to the control unit, the radio frequency amplifying circuit and the power supply;

[0048] The control unit is configured to determine a charging period of the capacitor;

[0049] The power supply is configured to charge the capacitor based on the charging cycle to obtain the charged capacitor;

[0050] The charged capacitor is used to provide energy to the radio frequency amplification circuit based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle, wherein the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

[0051] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a magnetic resonance device, which includes a radio frequency amplifier, and the radio frequency amplifier is used to execute the steps of any one of the above-mentioned capacitor charging control methods.

[0052] In summary, the present application provides a capacitor charging control method, a radio frequency amplifier, and a magnetic resonance device. By setting and determining the charging cycle for charging the capacitor, it can effectively reduce the time and capacity of charging the capacitor, improve the charging efficiency of the power supply to the capacitor, and optimize the effect of the capacitor providing energy to the radio frequency amplifier. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0054] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency amplifier provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 2A schematic diagram of a flow chart of capacitor charging control amplification provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 3 A detailed flowchart of step S200 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 4 A partial flow diagram of step S230 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 5 A detailed flowchart of step S250 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 6 A flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 7 A flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 8 A flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0062] Icon: 100-RF amplifier; 110-control unit; 120-capacitor; 130-RF amplification circuit; 140-power supply; 150-discharge circuit; 111-controller; 112-signal detection circuit; 113-voltage detection circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present application.

[0064] The radio frequency amplifier currently used in the magnetic resonance system usually provides a capacitor bank composed of multiple capacitors to supply power in order to meet the output requirements of the radio frequency amplifier. In order to prevent the operating voltage from dropping too much when outputting high power, exceeding its normal operating voltage range, the capacitor bank needs to store enough energy to meet the power output requirements of the radio frequency amplifier for a longer time. Correspondingly, the greater the amount of electricity stored in the capacitor bank, the longer the charging cycle for charging the capacitor bank. After power is turned on, the capacitor bank is fully charged. When the radio frequency amplifier outputs high power, the capacitor bank provides energy, and then slowly charges the capacitor bank to replenish energy. The charging current during slow charging is not large, and the time it takes to charge the capacitor bank is long. In addition, when the radio frequency amplifier is powered off and no longer works, the energy stored in the capacitor bank needs to be discharged through the discharge circuit. Excessive energy storage will cause energy waste, and the long discharge time will also bring about greater safety hazards.

[0065] Therefore, in current RF amplifiers, the charging and discharging cycles of the capacitor components, as well as the discharge time during power outages, are relatively long. This results in the current capacitor groups having large capacitance, large number, large space occupation, and high cost. The capacitor groups are less effective in providing energy to the RF amplifier and cannot meet the working requirements of the RF amplifier.

[0066] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a capacitor charging control method, which is applied to a radio frequency amplifier in a magnetic resonance device. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a radio frequency amplifier provided in an embodiment of the present application. The radio frequency amplifier 100 may include: a control unit 110, a capacitor 120, a radio frequency amplification circuit 130 and a power supply 140.

[0067] The capacitor 120 is electrically connected to the control unit 110, the RF amplifier circuit 130 and the power supply 140;

[0068] The control unit 110 is configured to determine a charging period of the capacitor 120;

[0069] A power supply 140 is configured to charge the capacitor 120 based on a charging cycle to obtain a charged capacitor 120;

[0070] The charged capacitor 120 is used to provide energy to the radio frequency amplification circuit 130 based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle, wherein the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

[0071] Optionally, the RF amplifier 100 may include multiple capacitors 120, and the control unit 110 may include a controller 111, a signal detection circuit 112, and a voltage detection circuit 113. The controller 111 is connected to the signal detection circuit 112, the voltage detection circuit 113, and the power supply 140 to receive data from each component, calculate and process the data, and send corresponding control instructions to each component.

[0072] For example, the controller 111 can be a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) operation controller, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) + single-chip microcomputer controller, DSP + FPGA controller, DSP + CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) controller, and other types of controllers.

[0073] Optionally, the RF amplifier 100 may further include a discharge circuit 150 , which is connected to the capacitor 120 and is configured to release energy stored in the capacitor 120 after the RF amplifier 100 is powered off.

[0074] In an optional embodiment, the charging cycle includes: a first detection time, a second detection time, a processing time, a transmission time and a charging time; a signal detection circuit 112 is used to detect the RF input signal of the RF amplifier 100 to determine a first detection time during detection; when the signal detection circuit 112 detects the RF input signal, the voltage detection circuit 113 is used to detect the test voltage of the capacitor 120 to determine a second detection time during detection; a controller 111 is used to process the detected RF input signal and the test voltage to obtain a discharge voltage of the capacitor 120 to determine the processing time; a charging instruction is sent to the power supply 140 to determine the transmission time of the charging instruction; and the charging time is determined according to the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor 120.

[0075] In an optional embodiment, the controller 111 is further configured to calculate the target output energy when the RF amplifier circuit 130 amplifies the RF input signal based on the detected RF input signal; and calculate the discharge voltage of the capacitor 120 based on the target output energy and the test voltage.

[0076] In an optional embodiment, the voltage threshold includes a charging threshold and a discharging threshold; the controller 111 is further used to set the charging threshold and the discharging threshold according to the operating voltage and the full-charge voltage of the capacitor 120, wherein the charging threshold is greater than the operating voltage and less than the full-charge voltage, and the discharging threshold is greater than or equal to the operating voltage and less than the charging threshold; it is determined whether the discharging voltage is between the charging threshold and the discharging threshold; when the discharging voltage is between the charging threshold and the discharging threshold, the charging time corresponding to charging from the discharge voltage to the charging threshold is calculated according to the target capacity.

[0077] In an optional embodiment, the controller 111 is further used to calculate the output energy threshold of the RF amplification circuit 130; determine the capacity threshold of the capacitor 120 based on the output energy threshold, the charging threshold and the discharging threshold; and determine the target capacity of the capacitor 120 based on the capacity threshold.

[0078] In an optional embodiment, the controller 111 is further used to determine the signal transmission duration when the RF input signal reaches the RF amplifier circuit 130; calculate the target RF power of the RF amplifier circuit 130 based on the target output energy; and calculate the power output duration of the RF amplifier circuit 130 at the target RF power.

[0079] In an optional implementation, the controller 111 is further configured to determine the waiting time according to the discharge cycle, so that the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

[0080] In an optional embodiment, the voltage detection circuit 113 is also used to determine whether the current voltage of the capacitor 120 reaches the full charge voltage; when the current voltage of the capacitor 120 does not reach the full charge voltage, the controller 111 is also used to send a slow charging instruction to the power supply 140; the power supply 140 is also used to charge the capacitor 120 according to the slow charging instruction.

[0081] The RF amplifier 100 in this embodiment can be used to execute each step of the method for controlling the charge of the capacitor 120 provided in the embodiment of the present application. The following describes in detail the implementation process of the method for controlling the charge of the capacitor 120 through several embodiments.

[0082] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 A flow chart of a capacitor charging control amplification process provided in an embodiment of the present application, the method may include steps S200-S400.

[0083] In step S200 , a charging cycle of the capacitor is determined by a control unit.

[0084] The control unit detects the state of the capacitor and various data, thereby setting and dividing a charging cycle when the power supply charges the capacitor, which is recorded as T1.

[0085] Optionally, during the operation of the radio frequency amplifier, the process of charging the capacitor by the power supply is composed of a plurality of charging cycles T1, that is, the capacitor is powered in a cyclic manner.

[0086] In step S300 , the capacitor is charged via a power supply based on a charging cycle to obtain a charged capacitor.

[0087] The control unit controls the power supply to charge the capacitor based on a charging cycle to replenish the electrical energy in the capacitor and obtain a charged capacitor.

[0088] Step S400: providing energy to the radio frequency amplifying circuit through the charged capacitor based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle.

[0089] The control unit controls the charged capacitor to provide energy to the connected RF amplifier circuit during the corresponding discharge cycle, thereby providing the RF amplifier with energy to process the RF input signal and achieve RF amplification. It is worth noting that the charging cycle and the discharge cycle are of the same length, thereby improving the effect of providing energy to the capacitor and the RF amplifier circuit by reducing the charging cycle and the discharge cycle.

[0090] Optionally, during the operation of the RF amplifier, the process of the capacitor providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit is also composed of multiple discharge cycles, namely T2, that is, the RF amplifier circuit is powered in a cyclic manner.

[0091] Optionally, due to the improved charging efficiency, the power supply charges the capacitor faster, thereby reducing the number of capacitors required in the RF amplifier, reducing the space cost and parts cost occupied by the capacitor, and further reducing the size and cost of the RF amplifier.

[0092] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, by determining the charging cycle, the duration and capacity of charging the capacitor are effectively reduced, the charging efficiency of the power supply to the capacitor is improved, and the charging effect is optimized.

[0093] Optionally, the charging cycle may include: first detection time, second detection time, processing time, transmission time, and charging time; see Figure 3 , Figure 3 A detailed flow chart of step S200 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Step S200 may further include steps S210-S250.

[0094] Step S210: Detecting the radio frequency input signal of the radio frequency amplifier through a signal detection circuit to determine a first detection duration.

[0095] The first detection duration is the duration for the RF input signal from the RF amplifier to pass through the signal detection circuit, i.e., the signal detection circuit detects the RF input signal, converts it, and then transmits it to the controller. The first detection duration can be determined by the hardware characteristics of the signal detection circuit and can be a constant, denoted as t11.

[0096] Step S220: When the signal detection circuit detects the radio frequency input signal, the voltage detection circuit detects the test voltage of the capacitor to determine a second detection duration.

[0097] The second detection duration is the duration for the capacitor voltage to pass through the voltage detection circuit (i.e., after detecting the RF input signal), detect the capacitor test voltage, convert it, and send it to the controller. The second detection duration can be determined by the hardware characteristics of the voltage detection circuit or be a constant, denoted as t12.

[0098] In step S230 , the controller processes the detected RF input signal and the test voltage to obtain a discharge voltage of the capacitor to determine a processing time.

[0099] Among them, the controller can process the RF input signal sent by the received signal detection circuit and the test voltage sent by the voltage detection circuit to calculate the discharge voltage of the capacitor and other related data according to the corresponding algorithm, and calculate the processing time as the processing time.

[0100] Optionally, since the amount of calculation for each data item in each cycle is the same, the processing time may also be a constant, denoted as t2.

[0101] Optionally, the charging cycle may further include a waiting period, which may be determined by the controller based on the discharge cycle so that the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration. The waiting period is the demonstration waiting time between the controller processing the data and the controller sending the charging instruction. The waiting period may be determined by the length of the discharge cycle T2 and is a variable denoted as t3.

[0102] Optionally, the waiting time may be adjusted so that the charging period T1 and the corresponding discharging period T2 in different situations are equal, which is applicable to a variety of different charging and power supply situations.

[0103] In step S240 , a charging instruction is sent to the power source via the controller to determine a transmission duration of the charging instruction.

[0104] Among them, the controller can send a charging instruction to the power supply. The time between the charging instruction being issued by the controller and the power supply starting to charge is the transmission time of the charging instruction. The transmission time is determined by the hardware characteristics of the transmission between the controller and the power supply, and can also be a constant, denoted as t4.

[0105] In step S250 , the controller determines the charging time according to the discharge voltage, target capacity, and voltage threshold of the capacitor.

[0106] Among them, after the power supply receives the charging instruction, the controller can determine the charging time from the start of charging to the completion of charging of the capacitor by the power supply based on the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor. The charging time is determined by data such as the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor, and is a variable, denoted as t5.

[0107] Optionally, when the power supply does not receive the charging instruction, the controller continues to send the charging instruction until the power supply receives the charging instruction.

[0108] It is worth noting that the charging cycle T1 = t11 + t12 + t2 + t3 + t4 + t5. Since t1, t2 and t4 can be constants, C1 = t1 + t2 + t4, that is, T1 = t3 + t5 + C1.

[0109] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, by detecting and processing various signals, the charging cycle can be accurately divided, effectively reducing the duration of the charging cycle to quickly charge the capacitor.

[0110] Optionally, see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a partial flow chart of step S230 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Step S230 may further include steps S231-S232.

[0111] In step S231 , the controller calculates the target output energy of the RF amplifying circuit when amplifying the RF input signal according to the detected RF input signal.

[0112] During the processing time t2, the target output energy provided by the capacitor group required when the RF amplifier circuit amplifies the signal can be calculated based on the RF input signal.

[0113] In step S232 , the controller calculates the discharge voltage of the capacitor according to the target output energy and the test voltage.

[0114] The discharge voltage of the capacitor after providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit can be estimated based on the target output energy.

[0115] exist Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the voltage data of the capacitor after power supply can be accurately calculated according to the amplification requirements of the radio frequency amplifier circuit, so as to charge the capacitor accordingly, thereby improving the pertinence and effectiveness of charging the capacitor.

[0116] Optionally, see Figure 5 , Figure 5 A detailed flow chart of step S250 is provided in an embodiment of the present application. Step S250 may further include steps S251-S253.

[0117] In step S251 , a controller is used to set a charging threshold and a discharging threshold according to the operating voltage and the full-charge voltage of the capacitor.

[0118] Optionally, after the RF amplifier is powered on and before the capacitor provides energy to the RF amplifier circuit, the voltage of the capacitor is the fully charged voltage, that is, the highest voltage corresponding to the maximum charge in the capacitor, which is a constant, denoted as C2. The operating voltage of the capacitor is the lowest voltage when the capacitor can work normally, which is a constant, denoted as C3. The size of C3 is determined by the performance indicators of the RF amplifier.

[0119] Among them, the charging threshold can be recorded as V1, the charging threshold V1 is greater than the operating voltage C3 and less than the full-charge voltage C2, the discharging threshold can be recorded as V2, the discharging threshold V2 is greater than or equal to the operating voltage C3 and less than the charging threshold V1, that is, C3<V1≤C2, C3≤V2<V1, and the voltage threshold is V1-V2.

[0120] Optionally, the charging threshold V1 can be set slightly lower than the voltage of C2. The estimated discharge voltage of the capacitor after a discharge cycle T2 can be recorded as V3, and the charging voltage of the capacitor after a charge cycle T1 can be recorded as V4. That is, the maximum allowable voltage drop is Vmax = V1 - V3, and the actual voltage drop Vr = V4 - V3.

[0121] In step S252 , the controller determines whether the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold.

[0122] In order to reduce the charging time of the capacitor without affecting the normal operation of the capacitor and providing sufficient power for the RF amplifier circuit, the discharge voltage V3 can be controlled between the voltage thresholds V1-V2, that is, C3≤V3≤V2, and the charging voltage V4 can also be controlled between the voltage thresholds V1-V2, that is, V2<V4≤C2.

[0123] Step S253 , when the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold, the controller calculates the charging time corresponding to charging from the discharge voltage to the charge threshold according to the target capacity.

[0124] When the discharge voltage V3 is between the charging threshold and the discharge threshold, the charging time t5 for charging the capacitor from the discharge voltage V3 to the maximum charging threshold V1 can be calculated based on the discharge voltage V3, the charging threshold V1 and the target capacity of the capacitor.

[0125] For example, the charging time t5 may be calculated by calculating the output current of the capacitor when the capacitor is charged from the discharge voltage V3 to the charging threshold V1 according to the target capacity of the capacitor, thereby calculating the charging time t5.

[0126] exist Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the amount of electricity and time required to charge the capacitor are effectively reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of charging the capacitor.

[0127] Optionally, see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method may further include steps S510-S530.

[0128] Step S510: Calculate the output energy threshold of the radio frequency amplification circuit through the controller.

[0129] The maximum output energy threshold required by the RF amplifier circuit can be calculated based on the maximum charging threshold V1 and the minimum discharging threshold V2 of the voltage thresholds, as well as the output power of the RF amplifier circuit, and is recorded as Emax.

[0130] Step S520: determining the capacity threshold of the capacitor according to the output energy threshold, the charging threshold, and the discharging threshold through the controller.

[0131] The controller can calculate the minimum capacity threshold corresponding to the capacitor being able to normally provide the electrical energy required for the output energy threshold based on the output energy threshold Emax, the charging threshold V1 and the discharging threshold V2, which is recorded as Cmin.

[0132] Step S530: determining the target capacity of the capacitor according to the capacity threshold value through the controller.

[0133] Among them, a target capacity greater than the capacity threshold can be determined according to the capacity threshold and design requirements, and the target capacity Cbank ≥ Cmin.

[0134] For example, according to the design requirements of the RF amplifier, the capacitor can also be charged after N discharge cycles T2, which can reduce the output current requirements of the power supply. In this case, the charging cycle T1 = N*T2, and the capacity of the capacitor will also change accordingly according to the design requirements of the RF amplifier. The larger N is, the larger the required capacitance capacity is, that is, the stored energy of the capacitor charged once can meet the requirements of N discharges, that is, Cbank ≥ N*Cmin. Compared with the capacitor capacity of the same design in the prior art, the target capacity is also smaller than the current capacitor capacity.

[0135] Optionally, after the RF amplifier is powered off and stops working, the remaining electrical energy in the capacitor can be released according to the capacitor discharge circuit. Since the capacity of the capacitor in this embodiment is small, the discharge speed is high, which improves the safety and environmental protection effect during discharge.

[0136] exist Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the capacity of the capacitor can be reduced without affecting the capacitor's ability to provide energy to the RF amplifier circuit, thereby reducing the charging time of the capacitor and improving the efficiency of charging the capacitor and providing energy to the RF amplifier circuit.

[0137] Optionally, the discharge period includes the signal transmission duration and the power output duration; see Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method may further include steps S610-S630.

[0138] Step S610: Determine, by means of a controller, the signal transmission duration when the RF input signal reaches the RF amplifying circuit.

[0139] The signal transmission time is the time it takes for the RF input signal to reach the RF amplifier circuit. The signal transmission time is determined by the hardware circuit characteristics of the RF amplifier circuit and can be a constant, denoted as t6.

[0140] Step S620: Calculate the target radio frequency power of the radio frequency amplifier circuit according to the target output energy through the controller.

[0141] The target RF power when the RF amplifier circuit amplifies the RF input signal can be calculated based on the RF input signal and the target output energy.

[0142] In step S630 , the controller calculates a power output time duration during which the RF amplifying circuit outputs the target RF power.

[0143] The power output duration can be calculated based on the target RF power to calculate the duration during which the RF amplifier circuit operates at the target RF power, i.e., the duration during which the capacitor discharges to power the RF amplifier circuit. The power output duration can be a variable determined based on the target RF power, or a constant unrelated to the output power of the RF input signal, denoted as t7. The discharge period T2 can be either a variable or a constant.

[0144] Optionally, when the discharge period T2 is a variable, the power output duration t7 in the discharge period T2 may be calculated during the processing duration t2 in the charging period T1 .

[0145] Optionally, the discharge cycle T2=t6+t7. Since t6 is a constant, it can be recorded as C4, that is, T2=C4+t7. In order to enable the capacitor to replenish sufficient energy in time after discharge, that is, the power supply can charge the capacitor group in time, the charging cycle T1 and the discharge cycle T2 are set to equal length cycles, that is, T1=T2. Therefore, T1=t3+t5+C1=T2=C4+t7, that is, t3+t5+C1=C4+t7. Therefore, when the processing time t5 and the power output time t7 are calculated, or the kilometer output time t7 is a constant, t3=C4+t7-t5-C1, that is, the waiting time t3 can be calculated, so that the charging cycle T1 and the corresponding discharge cycle T2 in different situations are equal, which is suitable for a variety of different charging and power supply situations.

[0146] exist Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the duration of the discharge cycle is correspondingly shortened, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of the capacitor in providing energy to the radio frequency amplification circuit.

[0147] Optionally, see Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a flow chart of another capacitor charging control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method may further include steps S710-S730.

[0148] Step S710 : When the signal detection circuit does not detect the RF input signal, the voltage detection circuit is used to determine whether the current voltage of the capacitor reaches the full-charge voltage.

[0149] When no RF input signal is detected, whether the capacitor is fully charged can be verified by detecting the current voltage of the capacitor through a voltage detection circuit and comparing the detected current voltage with the fully charged voltage.

[0150] In step S720 , when the current voltage of the capacitor does not reach the full-charge voltage, a slow charging instruction is sent to the power supply via the controller.

[0151] Among them, when the current voltage reaches the full-charge voltage, it means that the capacitor is fully charged and no further charging is required; when the current voltage does not reach the full-charge voltage, it means that the capacitor is not fully charged and can continue to be charged. The controller can send a control instruction to the power supply to slowly charge the capacitor.

[0152] Step S730: charging the capacitor via the power supply according to the slow charging instruction.

[0153] After receiving the slow charging instruction, the power supply can slowly charge the capacitor according to the instruction to fully charge the capacitor.

[0154] exist Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, it is possible to ensure that the capacitor is fully charged before the radio frequency amplifier performs signal amplification, thereby providing the radio frequency amplifier with sufficient energy to operate.

[0155] An embodiment of the present application further provides a magnetic resonance device, which includes the above-mentioned radio frequency amplifier, and the radio frequency amplifier is used to perform the steps of any one of the capacitor charging control methods provided in this embodiment.

[0156] It should be understood that the magnetic resonance device can be a variety of medical imaging devices that utilize the characteristics of atomic nuclear spin motion to generate signals after being excited by radio frequency pulses in an external magnetic field, which are detected by detectors and input into computers, and then processed and converted to display images on the screen.

[0157] In summary, the embodiments of the present application provide a capacitor charging control method, a radio frequency amplifier, and a magnetic resonance device. By setting and determining the charging cycle for charging the capacitor, the duration and capacity of charging the capacitor can be effectively reduced, the charging efficiency of the power supply to the capacitor is improved, and the effect of the capacitor providing energy to the radio frequency amplifier is optimized.

[0158] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the devices according to the multiple embodiments of the present application. In this regard, each box in the block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of a code, and the module, program segment or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in an order different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram, and the combination of the block diagrams, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0159] In addition, the functional modules in each embodiment of the present application can be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module can exist independently, or two or more modules can be integrated to form an independent part.

[0160] The foregoing is merely an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Various modifications and variations are possible for those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included within the scope of protection of the present application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following figures. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent figures.

[0161] The above is only a specific implementation method of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with this technical field can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in this application, which should be covered by the scope of protection of the present application.

[0162] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, the elements defined by the phrase "comprising..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the elements.

Claims

1. A capacitor charging control method, applied to a radio frequency amplifier, characterized in that: The radio frequency amplifier includes: a control unit, a capacitor, a radio frequency amplification circuit and a power supply; the method includes: determining, by the control unit, a charging cycle of the capacitor; charging the capacitor based on the charging cycle using the power supply to obtain the charged capacitor; Providing energy to the radio frequency amplification circuit through the charged capacitor based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle, wherein the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration; In which, the control unit includes a controller, a signal detection circuit and a voltage detection circuit; the charging cycle includes: a first detection duration, a second detection duration, a processing duration, a transmission duration and a charging duration; the determination of the charging cycle of the capacitor by the control unit includes: detecting the RF input signal of the RF amplifier by the signal detection circuit to determine the first detection duration during detection; when the signal detection circuit detects the RF input signal, detecting the test voltage of the capacitor by the voltage detection circuit to determine the second detection duration during detection; obtaining the discharge voltage of the capacitor by processing the detected RF input signal and the test voltage by the controller to determine the processing duration; sending a charging instruction to the power supply by the controller to determine the transmission duration of the charging instruction; determining the charging duration by the controller according to the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The controller processes the detected radio frequency input signal and the test voltage to obtain the discharge voltage of the capacitor, including: Calculating, by the controller, a target output energy when the RF amplifying circuit amplifies the RF input signal based on the detected RF input signal; The controller calculates the discharge voltage of the capacitor according to the target output energy and the test voltage.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The voltage threshold includes a charging threshold and a discharging threshold; and determining the charging time by the controller according to the discharge voltage, target capacity, and voltage threshold of the capacitor includes: Setting, by the controller, the charging threshold and the discharging threshold according to the operating voltage and the fully-charged voltage of the capacitor, wherein the charging threshold is greater than the operating voltage and less than the fully-charged voltage, and the discharging threshold is greater than or equal to the operating voltage and less than the charging threshold; determining, by the controller, whether the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold; When the discharge voltage is between the charge threshold and the discharge threshold, the controller calculates the charging time corresponding to charging from the discharge voltage to the charge threshold according to the target capacity.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that Before determining the charging time according to the discharge voltage, target capacity, and voltage threshold of the capacitor by the controller, the method further includes: Calculating, by the controller, an output energy threshold of the radio frequency amplification circuit; Determining, by the controller, a capacity threshold of the capacitor according to the output energy threshold, the charging threshold, and the discharging threshold; The target capacity of the capacitor is determined by the controller according to the capacity threshold.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The discharge cycle includes a signal transmission duration and a power output duration; the method further includes: Determining, by the controller, a signal transmission duration when the radio frequency input signal reaches the radio frequency amplification circuit; Calculating, by the controller, a target radio frequency power of the radio frequency amplifying circuit according to the target output energy; The controller calculates the power output time duration during which the radio frequency amplification circuit outputs the target radio frequency power.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The charging cycle also includes a waiting period; the method further includes: The controller determines the waiting time according to the discharge cycle, so that the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the signal detection circuit does not detect the RF input signal, determining, by the voltage detection circuit, whether the current voltage of the capacitor reaches the full-charge voltage; When the current voltage of the capacitor does not reach the fully charged voltage, sending a slow charging instruction to the power supply through the controller; The capacitor is charged by the power supply according to the slow charging instruction.

8. A radio frequency amplifier, characterized in that: The radio frequency amplifier includes: a control unit, a capacitor, a radio frequency amplification circuit and a power supply; The capacitor is electrically connected to the control unit, the radio frequency amplifying circuit and the power supply; The control unit is configured to determine a charging period of the capacitor; The power supply is configured to charge the capacitor based on the charging cycle to obtain the charged capacitor; The charged capacitor is used to provide energy to the radio frequency amplification circuit based on a discharge cycle corresponding to the charging cycle, wherein the charging cycle and the discharge cycle have the same duration; Among them, the control unit includes a controller, a signal detection circuit and a voltage detection circuit; the charging cycle includes: a first detection time, a second detection time, a processing time, a transmission time and a charging time; the signal detection circuit is used to detect the RF input signal of the RF amplifier to determine the first detection time during detection; when the signal detection circuit detects the RF input signal, the voltage detection circuit is used to detect the test voltage of the capacitor to determine the second detection time during detection; the controller is used to process the detected RF input signal and the test voltage to obtain the discharge voltage of the capacitor to determine the processing time; send a charging instruction to the power supply to determine the transmission time of the charging instruction; determine the charging time according to the discharge voltage, target capacity and voltage threshold of the capacitor.

9. A magnetic resonance device, characterized in that: The magnetic resonance device comprises a radio frequency amplifier, and the radio frequency amplifier is used to perform the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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