Remotely fed module

• US 8,379,549 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Oppelt, Ralph, Vester, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): RIYAMI, ABDULLAH A
• Application Number:
  US12/645,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/235, 370/252, 370/297, 370/310, 370/316, 370/400, 370/401, 370/430, 370/436, 370/480, 370/481, 370/478, 370/338, 370/343, 370/344, 370/281, 324/322, 324/318, 324/301, 324/300, 324/357.76, 324/357.42, 324/357.46, 324/310.11, 324/357.73, 324/538.11, 607/2, 607/45, 607/46, 607/60, 600/411, 600/300, 600/301, 600/410, 600/412, 725/82, 725/117, 725/127, 725/131, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/57.1, 455/83, 455/315, 455/11.1, 455/562.1, 455/102, 375/130, 375/257, 375/258
• US Class Current: 370/297
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/341 comprising surface coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3657 Decoupling of multiple RF coils wherein the multiple RF coils do not have the same function in MR, e.g. decoupling of a transmission coil from a receive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/02 simultaneously, i.e. using frequency division
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 1/08 Arrangements for combining channels branching filters H01P1/213, H03H7/46

Abstract

In a method and device for the transmission of a multiplicity of signals having different frequencies between a base station and a module situated at a location remote from the base station via a single, common cable connection, some of the signals being transmitted from the electronic assembly to the module and, in general simultaneously, the remaining signals are transmitted in the opposite direction. Each of the base station and the module has bandpass filter bank therein having a multiplicity of bandpass filters, the number thereof being a function of the number of channels to be transmitted, with which the respectively received signals are spectrally separated from one another so that they are available for further signal processing in the base station, or for further use in the module.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a base station;

a satellite located remote from said base station;

a single signal line connected between said base station and said satellite allowing a first signal, to be transmitted in a first direction from the satellite to the base station, and a second signal, having a different frequency from said first signal, to be transmitted in a second direction from said base station to said satellite;

said satellite comprising a first filter bank that spectrally separates a plurality of first signals at transmitted via said single signal line in said first direction from said satellite and a plurality of second signals transmitted via said single signal line in said second direction to said satellite;

said base station comprising a second filter bank that spectrally separates the plurality of second signals transmitted via said single signal line in said second direction from said base station and the plurality of first signals transmitted via said single signal line in said first direction to said base station; and

said single signal line being connected between said first filter bank and said second filter bank to cause the plurality of first and second signals transmitted via said single signal line between said base station and said satellite to be respectively spectrally separated in said first and second filter banks; and

said first filter bank at said satellite comprising a high-pass/low-pass diplexer comprising a low-pass path and a high-pass path, said second signal being supplied by said diplexer to said low-pass path or said high-pass path;

wherein said satellite comprising a plurality of modules respectively connected to said diplexer that mix said second signal with a third signal supplied to said satellite, to produce the first signal of said satellite.

2. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base station transmits the plurality of second signals, at respectively different frequencies, in said second direction to said satellite, and wherein said first filter bank at said satellite comprises a plurality of bandpass filters that respectively receive said plurality of second signals at said respectively different frequencies transmitted from said base station.

3. The communication system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said plurality of bandpass filters is a plurality of first bandpass filters, and wherein said first filter bank at said satellite comprises a plurality of second bandpass filters, and wherein said satellite comprises the plurality of modules respectively connected to said plurality of first bandpass filters, and each module being supplied with one of third signals and mixing one of said plurality of second signals with said third signal to produce said first signal, said modules each having an output at which one of said first signals is present.

4. The communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein each output of each of said modules is connected directly to said single signal line.

5. The communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein each output of each of said modules is connected to one of said plurality of second filters, said plurality of second filters being connected to said single signal line and respectively transmitting the first signal supplied thereto to said base station via said single signal line.

6. The communication system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said plurality of modules are either directly or indirectly connected to said single signal transmission line and transmit said first signals from said satellite to said base station, and wherein said second filter bank at said base station comprises a plurality of third bandpass filters that spectrally separate said plurality of first signals received at said base station from said satellite.

7. The communication system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said base station comprises a signal processor that processes said plurality of first signals received at said base station from said satellite.

8. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a signal generator at said base station that generates said second signals, said signal generator having an output connected directly to said single signal line.

9. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base station comprises a signal generator that generates said second signals, said signal generator having an output connected to a further bandpass filter in said second filter bank, said further filter having a filter output connected to said single signal line.

10. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said modules has an output connected to said first filter bank, said first filter bank being connected to said single signal line.

11. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said modules has an output connected directly to said single signal line.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said second signal is supplied to the high-pass path of said diplexer and said first signal is supplied to the low-pass path of said diplexer.

13. The communication system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said second filter bank comprises a high-pass/low-pass diplexer having a low-pass path and a high-pass path, and wherein said first signal transmitted to said base station from said satellite is supplied to said low-pass path or to said high-pass path.

14. The communication system as claimed in claim 13 comprising an electronics assembly connected to said second filter bank to which said first signal is supplied for signal processing.

15. The communication system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base station comprises a signal generator that generates said second signal, said signal generator having an output that is selectively connectable either directly to said single signal line or to said second filter bank, said second filter bank having an output connected to said single signal line.

16. A method for communicating between a base station and a satellite located remote from said base station comprising the steps of:

connecting said base station and said satellite with a single signal line allowing a first signal, to be transmitted in a first direction from the satellite to the base station, and a second signal, having a different frequency from said first signal, to be transmitted in a second direction from said base station to said satellite;

providing said satellite with a first filter bank that spectrally separates a plurality of first signals transmitted via said single signal line in said first direction from said satellite and a plurality of second signals transmitted via said single signal line in said second direction to said satellite;

providing said base station with a second filter bank that spectrally separates the plurality of second signals transmitted via said single signal line in said second direction from said base station and the plurality of first signals transmitted via said single signal line in said first direction to said base station;

via said single signal line, transmitting between said first filter bank and said second filter bank and spectrally separating the plurality of first and second signals transmitted via said single signal line between said base station and said satellite respectively in said first and second filter banks; and

forming said first filter bank at said satellite as a high-pass/low-pass diplexer comprising a low-pass path and a high-pass path, and supplying said second signal by said diplexer to said low-pass path or said high-pass path;

wherein at said satellite, connecting a plurality of modules respectively to said diplexer and mixing said second signal with a third signal supplied to said satellite in said modules to produce the first signal of said satellite.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising transmitting the plurality of second signals, at respectively different frequencies, from said base station in said second direction to said satellite, and forming said first filter bank at said satellite comprises a plurality of bandpass filters and respectively receiving said plurality of second signals at said respectively different frequencies transmitted from said base station through said bandpass filters.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said plurality of bandpass filters is a plurality of first bandpass filters, and forming said first filter bank at said satellite also with a plurality of second bandpass filters and at said satellite, connecting the plurality of modules respectively to said plurality of first bandpass filters, and supplying each module with one of third signals and mixing one of said plurality of second signals with said third signal to produce said first signal, said modules each having an output at which one of said first signals is present.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising connecting each output of each of said modules directly to said single signal line.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising connecting each output of each of said modules to one of said plurality of second filters, and connecting said plurality of second filters to said single signal line and respectively transmitting the first signal supplied thereto to said base station via said single signal line.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising connecting said plurality of modules either directly or indirectly to said single signal transmission line and transmitting said first signals from said satellite to said base station, and comprising forming said second filter bank at said base station of a plurality of third bandpass filters and in said plurality of third bandpass filters, spectrally separating said plurality of first signals received at said base station from said satellite.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 comprising, at said base station, processing said plurality of first signals received at said base station from said satellite in a signal processor.

23. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising generating said second signals with signal generator at said base station having an output connected directly to said single signal line.

24. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising generating said second signals with a signal generator at said base station having an output connected to a further bandpass filter in said second filter bank, and connecting a filter output of said further bandpass filter to said single signal line.

25. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising connecting an output of each of said modules to said first filter bank, and connecting said first filter bank to said single signal line.

26. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising connecting the output of each of said modules directly to said single signal line.

27. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising supplying said second signal to the high-pass path of said diplexer and supplying said first signal to the low-pass path of said diplexer.

28. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising forming said second filter bank as a high-pass/low-pass diplexer having a low-pass path and a high-pass path, and supplying said first signal transmitted to said base station from said satellite to said low-pass path or to said high-pass path.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 comprising connecting said second filter bank to an electronics assembly to which said first signal is supplied for signal processing.

30. The method as claimed in claim 16 comprising generating said second signal with a signal generator at said base station having an output, and selectively connecting said output either directly to said single signal line or to said second filter bank, and connecting an output of said second filter bank to said single signal line.