CONTACTLESS COMMUNICATION SIGNAL TRANSFER

• US 20130259202A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analogic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Analogic Corporation
• Inventors: Weedon, Hans J., Abraham, Douglas, Sloutsky, Michael, Bukhovko, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,853,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/98
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils

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.

Claims

1. A system for transferring information from a first apparatus to a second apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter operably coupled to the first apparatus, the transmitter comprising;

an electrically conductive first member comprising a first channel, and

an electrically conductive first element positioned within the first channel without a ferromagnetic material disposed between the first element and the first channel, the first element configured to generate a first electric field in response to a first current flow in the first element; and

a receiver operably coupled to the second apparatus, the receiver comprising;

an electrically conductive second member comprising a second channel facing the first channel, and

an electrically conductive second element positioned within the second channel without a ferromagnetic material disposed between the second element and the second channel, the second element configured to have a second current induced in the second element based upon the first electric field, whereby information is derived from the second current.

2. The system of claim 1, at least one of the first element and the second element at least partially enclosed by a dielectric material.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising at least one of:

a first dielectric material situated between the first element and the first channel to mitigate a transfer of the first current from the first element to the first member; and

a second dielectric material situated between the second element and the second channel to mitigate a transfer of the second current from the second element to the second member.

4. The system of claim 1, at least one of:

the first element comprising a substantially flat surface facing the second channel, and

the second element comprising a substantially flat surface facing the first channel.

5. The system of claim 1, at least one of the first and second elements comprising a braided wire.

6. The system of claim 1, the first and second members separated by an airgap and configured to substantially confine the first electric field within the airgap such that field leakage to electronic components outside of the system is mitigated.

7. The system of claim 1, the first and second members separated by an airgap, the airgap not exceeding 20 mm.

8. The system of claim 1, at least one of:

the first member configured for rotation relative to the second member, and

the second member configured for rotation relative to the first member.

9. The system of claim 1, information being transferred between the first element and the second element within a frequency range of about 100 kHz to about 50 MHz.

10. The system of claim 1, the first apparatus comprising a stationary member of an imaging modality and the second apparatus comprising a rotating gantry of the imaging modality.

11. The system of claim 10, the imaging modality comprising a computing tomography apparatus.

12. An imaging modality, comprising:

a stationary unit and a rotating unit,

the stationary unit comprising;

a transmitter configured to transmit information from the stationary unit to the rotating unit, the transmitter comprising;

an electrically conductive first member comprising a first channel, and

an electrically conductive first element positioned within the first channel without a ferromagnetic material disposed between the first element and the first channel, the first element configured to generate a first electric field in response to a first current flow in the first element, and

the rotating unit comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the transmitted information, the receiver comprising;

an electrically conductive second member comprising a second channel facing the first channel, and

an electrically conductive second element positioned within the second channel without a ferromagnetic material disposed between the second element and the second channel, the second element configured to have a second current induced in the second element based upon the first electric field, whereby information is derived from the second current.

13. The imaging modality of claim 12, the rotating unit comprising a radiation source configured to emit radiation onto an object being imaged and a detector array configured to detect radiation that traverses the object.

14. The imaging modality of claim 13, the second member at least partially supporting at least one of the radiation source and the detector array.

15. The imaging modality of claim 12, the first member and first element separated from the second member and second element by an airgap.

16. The imaging modality of claim 15, the first member and the second member configured to substantially confine the first electric field to the airgap.

17. The imaging modality of claim 12, at least one of:

the first element comprising a flat surface facing the second channel, and

the second element comprising a flat surface facing the first channel.

18. The imaging modality of claim 12, at least one of the first element and the second element comprising a braided wire.

19. The imaging modality of claim 12, the first and second members being substantially circularly symmetric.

20. A method for communicating information between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, comprising:

converting a digital signal to an analog signal comprising a first current;

passing the first current through an electrically conductive first element situated within a first channel of a first electrical shield;

inducing a second current in an electrically conductive second element situated within a second channel of a second electrical shield, the second channel facing the first channel, and the second element separated from the first element by an airgap such that the first element is not physically coupled to the second element; and

translating the second current to digital data.