MRI Receive Coil Optical Wireless Link Without RF Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MRI systems face issues with electromagnetic wave interference and limited usability due to cable connections in wireless communication methods, necessitating improved signal transmission and handling of receive coil units.
Innovation Solution
A cableless optical wireless unit connected to a receive coil unit via a connector, utilizing a housing with a battery and optical transceiver to convert signal data into optical wireless signals, avoiding electromagnetic interference and enhancing usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless communication using radio waves is used to transmit signals from the receive coil unit, then the handling of the receive coil unit becomes more flexible, but communication stability deteriorates in the MRI use environment due to electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces radio wave-based wireless communication with optical wireless communication using visible light or infrared light. This substitution eliminates electromagnetic interference with the MRI system while maintaining wireless flexibility. The optical transceiver converts electrical signals from the receive coil unit into optical signals for transmission, avoiding the harmful electromagnetic radiation that causes interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical transceiver as an intermediary device between the receive coil unit and the control unit. This transceiver converts electrical signals to optical signals for transmission and back to electrical signals for processing, enabling wireless communication without direct electromagnetic radiation from the coil unit itself, thus reducing interference while maintaining communication stability.
2Reliability
If a connector is connected to the receive coil unit for cable connection, then signal transmission is stable, but usability deteriorates due to limited handling freedom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable connection system with an optical wireless communication system. The connector remains on the receive coil unit for signal acquisition, but instead of transmitting signals through physical cables, the system uses optical transceivers to convert signals into light for wireless transmission, thereby eliminating cable constraints while maintaining signal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cable transmission function from the connector system and replaces it with optical wireless transmission. The connector retains its signal acquisition function while the transmission medium is removed, allowing the receive coil unit to be handled freely without cable restrictions.
3Device complexity
If digitization is performed away from the receive coil unit to simplify the system, then device complexity is reduced, but noise contamination increases causing signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs digitization immediately at the receive coil unit before signal transmission, rather than delaying digitization to a remote location. This preliminary action ensures that the weak NMR signals are converted to digital form while still at the source, preventing noise contamination during transmission and preserving signal quality, while the optical wireless transmission handles the digital data.
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 optical wireless unit improves workability by eliminating complex cable handling and reduces electromagnetic interference, ensuring stable and efficient signal transmission for MRI systems.
Implementation Method 1
an optical transceiver that converts signal data received from the receive coil unit into an optical wireless signal and transmits the optical wireless signal
Implementation Method 2
the housing includes a battery that supplies electricity to the receive coil unit
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a cableless optical wireless unit that can avoid electromagnetic wave interference and has good usability, and a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus including the same. An optical wireless unit that is connected to a receive coil unit (200) including a plurality of coil elements (200-j) via a connector (14), the optical wireless unit including: a cableless housing (12), in which the housing includes a battery (16) that supplies electricity to the receive coil unit, and an optical transceiver (114) that converts signal data received from the receive coil unit into an optical wireless signal and transmits the optical wireless signal, and that receives and converts a control signal transmitted by the optical wireless transmission into an electrical signal.