Superheterodyne MRI Control Signals With Digital Sideband Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing magnetic resonance systems face challenges in achieving precise control over spin dynamics, maintaining phase coherence, and reducing unwanted sidebands and local oscillator leakage, which affect the accuracy and efficiency of magnetic resonance measurements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a digital operation system using a superheterodyne spectrometer with a controller unit, such as an FPGA, for precise generation and detection of intermediate frequency pulses, enabling advanced quantum control pulses and sequences, and incorporating image sideband suppression and local oscillator leakage reduction without additional hardware, while maintaining single-side band behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital operation is implemented using superheterodyne spectrometer with FPGA for precise pulse generation and detection, then measurement sensitivity and accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional analog hardware-based pulse generation and detection systems with a digital operation system using FPGA-based superheterodyne spectrometer. This substitution enables precise control of spin dynamics through digital signal processing while maintaining measurement sensitivity through sophisticated algorithms for sideband suppression and local oscillator leakage reduction.
2Manufacturing precision
If advanced quantum control pulses and sequences are generated digitally, then control precision over spin dynamics is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements digital control of pulse parameters (amplitude, frequency, phase, duration) through FPGA-based signal generation. This allows precise manipulation of quantum control pulses and sequences by digitally adjusting parameters without requiring complex analog circuit modifications, thereby improving control precision while simplifying the manufacturing process.
3Measurement precision
If image sideband suppression and local oscillator leakage reduction are implemented without additional hardware, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unwanted signal components (image sidebands and local oscillator leakage) through digital signal processing algorithms implemented in the FPGA. By digitally filtering and suppressing these interfering signals rather than adding hardware components, the system improves measurement accuracy while avoiding additional physical complexity.
4Measurement precision
If single-side band behavior is maintained through digital processing, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary digital signal processing operations within the FPGA to maintain single-side band behavior and suppress unwanted signals before they can interfere with measurements. By pre-processing signals digitally to eliminate image sidebands and reduce local oscillator leakage, the system improves signal-to-noise ratio while managing computational requirements through efficient real-time processing.
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
This approach enhances measurement sensitivity, flexibility, and accuracy in magnetic resonance systems by reducing unwanted sidebands and local oscillator leakage, allowing for precise control of spin dynamics and improved signal-to-noise ratio.
Implementation Method 1
a resonator manipulates the spins by producing a magnetic field at a frequency near the spins' resonance frequencies
Implementation Method 2
a superheterodyne spectrometer that mixes the first and second analog intermediate frequency electrical signals to produce a magnetic resonance control signal
Data Source
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AI summary
In a general aspect, a magnetic resonance system performs a magnetic resonance measurement. In some examples, a magnetic resonance system includes data processing apparatus and a superheterodyne spectrometer system. The data processing □ apparatus generates digital intermediate frequency (IF) signal information based on a pulse profile. The digital IF signal information is configured to suppress an image sideband in a magnetic resonance control signal. The superheterodyne spectrometer generates the magnetic resonance control signal based on the digital IF signal information.