Contactless Data Transfer in CT Imaging via Magnetic Field Modulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slip-ring assemblies used in CT imaging systems for data transfer between rotating and stationary members are prone to dust generation, unreliability, noise interference, and high costs due to mechanical precision requirements, while contactless assemblies face limitations in data capacity and require hardware modifications to increase bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A communication system that maps digital data into multiple analog signal configurations, allowing for increased data transfer rates without altering hardware parameters, using a transmitter to generate and a receiver to decode analog signals across an airgap, enabling higher data capacity through multi-bit transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional slip-ring assemblies are used for data transfer between rotating and stationary members, then data can be transferred through physical contact, but dust is generated, reliability decreases, noise interference occurs, and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical slip-ring assembly with a magnetic coupling system that uses magnetic fields to transfer data across the airgap without physical contact. This eliminates dust generation from brush wear and noise from mechanical rubbing, while maintaining reliable data transfer through magnetic field coupling between the rotating and stationary members.
2Productivity
If conventional contactless assemblies are used for data transfer, then dust generation and mechanical wear are eliminated, but data capacity is limited and hardware modifications are required to increase bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent increases data transfer capacity by changing the magnetic field parameters - specifically by utilizing multiple magnetic field zones with different orientations (radial, tangential, axial) and varying the frequency and amplitude of the alternating magnetic fields. This allows more data to be transmitted through the same hardware without physical modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs three-dimensional magnetic field vectors with radial, tangential, and axial components to encode data. By utilizing multiple spatial dimensions of the magnetic field simultaneously, the system achieves higher data capacity without adding hardware, as each field component can carry independent data signals.
3Ease of manufacture
If slip-ring assemblies with metal brushes are used, then data transfer can occur through sliding contact, but manufacturing precision requirements increase and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for precision-machined sliding contact surfaces by replacing the mechanical slip-ring assembly with a magnetic coupling system. The magnetic coupling components can be manufactured with standard tolerances using conventional machining methods, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while eliminating the need for high-precision contact surfaces.
4Productivity
If conventional binary signaling is used in contactless assemblies, then implementation is straightforward, but data capacity is limited and bandwidth cannot be increased without additional hardware
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves beyond binary signaling by modulating multiple parameters of the alternating magnetic field simultaneously, including frequency, amplitude, and phase of each magnetic field component. This multi-parameter modulation allows each signal cycle to encode multiple bits of data, dramatically increasing data capacity without requiring additional hardware channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional binary signaling to multi-dimensional signal encoding by utilizing the vector nature of magnetic fields with radial, tangential, and axial components. Each component can be independently modulated, creating a multi-dimensional signal space that carries much more information per unit time without increasing hardware complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves significantly higher data transfer rates, potentially up to 20 gigabits per second, while maintaining existing hardware configurations, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter configured to generate an alternating magnetic field; a conductive target object positioned within a radiation field of the alternating magnetic field such that the alternating magnetic field induces an alternating current in the conductive target object
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, a communication system and technique for transferring information between a stationary unit and a rotating unit of a computed tomography (CT) system is provided. A transmitter is configured to map digital data to an analog signal by selecting, from at least three signal configurations, a signal configuration associated with the digital data, and to generate an analog signal according to the selected signal configuration. A receiver of the communication system is configured to decode an analog signal by comparing characteristics of a signal sample to at least three possible signal configurations, and to identify a digital code word that corresponds to a signal configuration (of the at least three possible signal configurations) that matches characteristics of the signal sample. In this way, in a CT application, more than 1-bit of data may be communicated per analog signal, allowing more data to be communicated faster.