Wireless magnetic resonance energy harvesting and coil detuning

• US 10,816,622 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2017
• Issued: 10/27/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Ortiz, Timothy, Ganti, Aasrith
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyder, G. M. A
• Application Number:
  US16/334,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20190265317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/341 comprising surface coils
• 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: 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: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

A magnetic resonance system includes a wireless power detection sensor and a wireless energy harvesting circuit. The wireless power detection sensor detects magnetic resonance transmissions of the magnetic resonance system. The wireless energy harvesting circuit harvests energy from the magnetic resonance transmissions based on the wireless power detection sensor detecting the magnetic resonance transmissions.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:

a wireless power detection sensor configured to detect power levels of magnetic resonance transmissions from one or more coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system; and

a wireless energy harvesting circuit separate from the wireless power detection sensor and configured to harvest energy from the detected magnetic resonance transmissions.

2. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 1,

wherein the wireless power detection sensor is configured to detect when the power levels of the magnetic resonance transmissions exceed a threshold power, and

wherein the wireless power detection sensor is configured to generate and send a signal to the wireless energy harvesting circuit based on detecting that the magnetic resonance transmissions reach the threshold.

3. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 2,

wherein the threshold power is correlated with the power levels of the magnetic resonance imaging transmissions, and

wherein the wireless energy harvesting circuit harvests energy from the magnetic resonance transmissions when the wireless power detection sensor detects that the one or more coils transmit the magnetic resonance transmissions.

4. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 2,

wherein the threshold is correlated with the power levels of the magnetic resonance imaging transmissions, and

wherein the wireless energy harvesting circuit does not harvest energy from the magnetic resonance transmission when the wireless power detection sensor detects that the one or more coils receive magnetic resonance transmissions.

5. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic coil element configured to generate the magnetic resonance power for the magnetic resonance transmissions; and

a detuning circuit configured to detune the magnetic coil element using the harvested energy.

6. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 5, further comprising:

a storage that stores the harvested energy.

7. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 6,

wherein the magnetic resonance system stores the harvested energy in the storage when the wireless power detection sensor detects the magnetic resonance transmissions.

8. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 7,

wherein the detuning circuit and the wireless energy harvesting circuit are both turned off when the wireless power detection sensor does not detect the magnetic resonance transmissions.

9. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 5,

wherein energy from the harvested energy is used by the detuning circuit to detune the magnetic coil element in a single continuous period while the magnetic resonance power is generated.

10. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 1,

wherein the magnetic resonance system is configured to detect a rate at which the wireless energy harvesting circuit harvests energy and compare the detected rate with a predetermined threshold, and

wherein the magnetic resonance system is configured to stop magnetic resonance transmissions when the detected rate exceeds the predetermined threshold.

11. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 5,

wherein the detuning circuit comprises a switch,

wherein the magnetic resonance system detects when the switch in the detuning circuit indicates one of a short circuit and an open circuit, and

wherein the magnetic resonance system is configured to stop magnetic resonance transmissions based on detecting a short circuit or an open circuit.

12. An operational method for a magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:

detecting, by a wireless power detection sensor, magnetic resonance transmissions from one or more coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system; and

harvesting, by a wireless energy harvesting circuit separate from the wireless power detection sensor, energy from the detected magnetic resonance transmissions.

13. The operational method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining, during the magnetic resonance transmissions, whether to detune a magnetic coil element used to generate magnetic resonance power for the magnetic resonance transmissions; and

selectively detuning the magnetic coil element based on the determining and using the harvested energy from the wireless energy harvesting circuit.

14. The operational method of claim 13, further comprising:

confirming that the magnetic resonance transmissions have stopped,

wherein the selective detuning is performed only after confirming that the magnetic resonance transmissions have stopped.

15. The operational method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing a predetermined safety check on the magnetic resonance system,

wherein, the harvesting is performed based on passing the predetermined safety check.

16. A magnetic resonance imaging system, comprising:

one or more magnetic coil elements configured to generate magnetic resonance power for magnetic resonance transmissions;

a wireless power detection sensor configured to detect power levels of the generated magnetic resonance power; and

a wireless energy harvesting circuit separate from the wireless power detection sensor and configured to harvest energy from the detected power levels.

17. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 16, further comprising:

a detuning circuit configured to detune the one or more magnetic coil elements using the harvested energy.

18. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 16, further comprising:

a storage that stores the harvested energy.

19. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 16, wherein the wireless power detection sensor is configured to:

detect when the power levels of the magnetic resonance transmissions exceed a threshold power, and

generate and send a signal to the wireless energy harvesting circuit based on detecting that the magnetic resonance transmissions reach the threshold.

20. The magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 19, wherein the threshold power is correlated with the power levels of the magnetic resonance imaging transmissions, and wherein the wireless energy harvesting circuit is configured to:

harvest energy from the magnetic resonance transmissions when the wireless power detection sensor detects that the one or more coils transmit the magnetic resonance transmissions; and

not harvest energy from the magnetic resonance transmission when the wireless power detection sensor detects that the one or more coils receive magnetic resonance transmissions.