Contactless communication signal transfer
First Claim
1. A computed tomography apparatus, comprising:
- a stationary unit;
a rotating unit;
a transmitter operably coupled to one of the stationary unit or the rotating unit for transferring information between the stationary unit and the rotating unit, the transmitter comprising;
a first member defining a first channel, andan electrically conductive first element positioned within the first channel, the electrically conductive first element configured to generate a first electric field in response to a first current flow in the electrically conductive first element, wherein the first member is non-magnetic and no magnetic material is disposed between the first member and the electrically conductive first element; and
a receiver operably coupled to the other of the stationary unit or the rotating unit, the receiver comprising;
a second member defining a second channel facing the first channel, andan electrically conductive second element positioned within the second channel, the electrically conductive second element configured to have a second current induced therein based upon the first electric field.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are described herein for transferring communication information between a stationary unit and a movable (e.g., rotating) unit, or between two movable units without contact between the units. A transmitter is configured to translate digital information into an analog signal which may be fed to an input coupler positioned within a channel of an electrically conductive member (e.g., on a first unit, such as a stationary unit). The current of the signal induces a signal in an output coupler (e.g., on a second unit, such as a movable unit). Voltage characteristics of the induced signal (e.g., which substantially correspond to voltage characteristics of the signal fed into the input coupler) may subsequently be used to reconstruct the digital data at a receiver. In this manner, information can be communicated between two non-contacting units.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computed tomography apparatus, comprising:
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a stationary unit; a rotating unit; a transmitter operably coupled to one of the stationary unit or the rotating unit for transferring information between the stationary unit and the rotating unit, the transmitter comprising; a first member defining a first channel, and an electrically conductive first element positioned within the first channel, the electrically conductive first element configured to generate a first electric field in response to a first current flow in the electrically conductive first element, wherein the first member is non-magnetic and no magnetic material is disposed between the first member and the electrically conductive first element; and a receiver operably coupled to the other of the stationary unit or the rotating unit, the receiver comprising; a second member defining a second channel facing the first channel, and an electrically conductive second element positioned within the second channel, the electrically conductive second element configured to have a second current induced therein based upon the first electric field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An imaging modality, comprising:
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a first unit and a second unit, wherein; one of the first unit or the second unit is configured for rotation and another one of the first unit or the second unit is configured to be stationary, the unit that is configured for rotation comprises; a radiation source configured to emit radiation onto an object being imaged; and a detector array configured to detect radiation that traverses the object the first unit comprises; a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert a digital signal into an analog signal; a transmitter coupled to the digital-to-analog converter and comprising; a first member defining a first channel, and an electrically conductive first element positioned within the first channel, the electrically conductive first element configured to generate a first electric field in response to the analog signal being applied thereto; and a transformer having a first winding physically coupled to the digital-to-analog converter and a second winding physically coupled to the electrically conductive first element, the transformer configured to match an impedance of the analog signal output by the digital-to-analog converter to an impedance of the analog signal applied to the electrically conductive first element, and the second unit comprises; a receiver comprising; a second member defining a second channel facing the first channel, and an electrically conductive second element positioned within the second channel, the electrically conductive second element configured to have a second current induced in the electrically conductive second element based upon the first electric field; and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the receiver and configured to restructure the digital signal based upon the second current. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for communicating information between a rotating unit of an imaging apparatus and a stationary unit of the imaging apparatus, comprising:
while rotating the rotating unit and a radiation source coupled to the rotating unit; converting a digital signal to an analog signal; altering an impedance of the analog signal; applying the analog signal to an electrically conductive first element situated within a first channel defined by a first electrical shield after altering the impedance; inducing, via the analog signal, a second current in an electrically conductive second element situated within a second channel defined by a second electrical shield, the second channel facing the first channel, and the electrically conductive second element separated from the electrically conductive first element by an airgap; and translating the second current to digital data.
Specification