Method and Arrangement for Wireless Communication of Signals in a Mr System

• US 20080259897A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Birru, Dagnachew, Saes, Marc Paul, Van Helvoort, Marinus Johannes Adrianus Maria, De Vries, Lambertus, Den Boef, Johannes Hendrik, Kleihorst, Robert Paul, Bennett, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/283 Intercom or optical viewing arrangements, structurally associated with NMR apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3692 involving signal transmission without using electrically conductive connections, e.g. wireless communication or optical communication of the MR signal or an auxiliary signal other than the MR signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56383 involving motion of the sample as a whole, e.g. multistation MR or MR with continuous table motion

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for uni- or bidirectional wireless communication of signals or data especially in a reflective environment like a MR imaging system, between at least one first transmitter and/or receiver unit (501, 601, 701; T/R1) and at least one second transmitter and/or receiver unit (801; T/R2) is disclosed. The reliability and availability of the communication link especially in a highly reflective environment is improved especially by using spread spectrum technology and ultra wide band carrier frequencies.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

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4. (canceled)

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10. (canceled)

11. Method for wireless communication of signals in an MR imaging system, by means of a plurality of communication channels, each comprising a first transmitter unit and a second receiver unit, the communication between both is conducted by transmitting spread spectrum signals or UWB (ultra wide band) signals, and wherein the transmission of the communication channels is time division multiplexed.

12. Method according to claim 11,

wherein the communication in each communication channel is conducted in an allocated time slot.

13. Method according to claim 11,

wherein the communication in at least one of the communication channels is conducted bidirectionally by means of a first receiver unit which is provided at the first transmitter unit and by means of a second transmitter unit which is provided at the second receiver unit.

20. Computer program comprising a computer program code for conducting a method according to claim 11, and/or for use in a method according to claim 11, when said program is run on a programmable microcomputer.

14. Arrangement for wireless communication of signals in an MR imaging system, comprising a plurality of communication channels which are time division multiplexed, each communication channel comprising a first transmitter unit and a second receiver unit, for transmitting and receiving, respectively, spread spectrum signals or UWB (ultra wide band) signals, wherein the first transmitter unit comprises an UWB transmitter for generating and transmitting an UWB signal to the second receiver unit.

15. Arrangement according to claim 14,

wherein the first transmitter unit comprises an UWB receiver and wherein the second receiver unit comprises an UWB transmitter.

16. Arrangement according to claim 14,

wherein the UWB transmitter is supplied with an output signal of an MR receiver of the MR imaging system.

17. Arrangement according to claim 14,

in which several first transmitter units and/or multiple antennas are positioned close to each other in geometric space.

18. Arrangement according to claim 14,

wherein at least one first transmitter unit is associated to at least one MR signal detection device and at least one second receiver unit is associated to at least one MR signal processing device for the wireless communication of MR data or control signals between both.

19. Arrangement according to claim 14,

wherein the at least one first transmitter unit and the at least one second receiver unit is provided each with at least one antenna which is positioned within the MR imaging system in the line of sight to each other.

21. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system comprising an arrangement for the wireless communication of signals according to claim 14.

22. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system according to claim 21,

wherein the at least one first transmitter unit is positioned within an examination space of the MR imaging system and the at least one second receiver unit is positioned outside the examination space of the MR imaging system.