Magnetic field data modem

• US 9,331,886 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Harwell, Robert, Harris, Otis Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US14/353,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/36 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/38 Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits

Abstract

A magnetic field modem (26) includes an electro-magnetic radiation shielded (90) transmitter section (34) and a receiver section (36). The electro-magnetic radiation shielded (90) transmitter section (34) modulates data and transmits the data via a magnetic field through a radio frequency shield (20). The receiver section (34) receives the magnetic field through the radio frequency shield (20) and demodulates the data. The transmitter section includes an oscillator (40), a modulator (50), an amplifier (70), a magnetic transducer (80), and a non-ferrous magnetic shield (90). The oscillator (40) generates a carrier signal. The modulator (50) connects to the oscillator (40) and modulates the carrier signal with the data. The amplifier (70) connects to the modulator (50) and amplifies the modulated carrier signal. The magnetic transducer (80) connects to the amplifier (70) and converts the modulated carrier signal into a modulated magnetic signal. The non-ferrous magnetic shield (90) shields the magnetic transducer (80) and blocks emitted electro-magnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A magnetic field modem comprising:

a transmitter section configured to modulate data and transmit the data via a modulated magnetic field;

a receiver section configured to receive the modulated magnetic field and demodulate the data; and

a radio frequency shield interposed between the transmitter section and the receiver section to block a radio frequency electromagnetic transmission from the transmitter section to the receiver section while passing the modulated magnetic field from the transmitter section to the receiver section.

2. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter section further includes:

an oscillator which generates a carrier signal;

a modulator connected to the oscillator which modulates the carrier signal with the input data;

an amplifier connected to the modulator which amplifies the modulated carrier signal; and

a magnetic transducer connected to the amplifier which converts the modulated carrier signal into a modulated magnetic signal.

3. The magnetic field modem according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter section further includes:

an input data port which receives the input data; and

a controller connected to the data modulator and the input data port which makes received input data available to the modulator.

4. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the receiver section further includes:

a magnetic transducer which receives the transmitted modulated magnetic field through the radio frequency shield and converts the received modulated magnetic field to a modulated data signal; and

a demodulator which demodulates the data signal to recover the input data.

5. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the receiver section further includes:

a controller connected to the demodulator, the controller receives the demodulated input data from the demodulator and stores the input data in a buffer for transmission; and

an output data port which transmits the input data from the buffer.

6. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the receiver section further includes:

a channel filter connected to the magnetic transducer which filters unwanted noise from the modulated data signal; and

an amplifier connected to the channel filter.

7. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the receiver section and transmitter section are configured in separated units for simplex communication.

8. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the modem includes:

(1) a first unit including a first-unit receiver section and the transmitter section; and

(2) a second unit including the receiver section and a second-unit transmitter section;

wherein the radio frequency shield is further arranged to block the radio frequency electromagnetic transmission from the second-unit transmitter section to the first-unit receiver section while passing a modulated magnetic field from the second-unit transmitter section to the first-unit receiver section.

9. The magnetic field modem according to claim 8, wherein at least one of:

(I) the transmitter section and the first unit-receiver section of the first unit, and

(II) the receiver section and the second-unit transmitter section of the second unit, share components.

10. The magnetic field modem according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic transducer includes a tuned loop.

11. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, further including:

a patient monitor device connected with the transmitter section wherein the transmitter section transmits patient monitoring data from the patient monitor device.

12. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency shield includes a copper sheet.

13. The magnetic field modem according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency shield includes a non-ferrous conductive mesh.

14. A magnetic resonance suite including:

a room shielded by a radio frequency shield;

a magnetic resonance scanner disposed inside the room; and

a modem comprising;

a radio frequency electromagnetic radiation shielded transmitter section disposed inside the room which modulates data and transmits the data via a modulated magnetic field through the radio frequency shield; and

a receiver section disposed outside the room which receives the modulated magnetic field through the radio frequency shield and demodulates the data;

wherein the radio frequency shield is interposed between the radio frequency electromagnetic radiation shielded transmitter section and the receiver section to block a radio frequency electromagnetic transmission from the transmitter section to the receiver section while passing the modulated magnetic field from the transmitter section to the receiver section.

15. The magnetic resonance suite according to claim 14, wherein the transmitter section further includes:

an oscillator which generates a carrier signal;

a modulator connected to the oscillator which modulates the carrier signal with the input data;

an amplifier connected to the modulator which amplifies the modulated carrier signal; and

a magnetic transducer connected to the amplifier which converts the modulated carrier signal into a modulated magnetic signal.

16. The magnetic resonance suite according to claim 14, wherein the modem includes:

an in-room unit disposed inside the room that includes an in-room receiver section and the radio frequency electromagnetic radiation shielded transmitter section; and

an out-of-room unit disposed outside the room that includes the receiver section and an out-of-room transmitter section.

17. A method for communicating data through a radio frequency (RF) shield, the method comprising:

with a first modem unit on a first side of the RF shield;

receiving first data,

generating a magnetic field modulated with the first data,

transmitting the modulated magnetic field through the RF shield;

with a second modem unit on a second side of the RF shield;

receiving the modulated magnetic field,

demodulating the first data from the received magnetic field to recover the first data, and

outputting the recovered first data;

wherein the RF shield is interposed between the first modem unit and the second modem unit to block a radio frequency electromagnetic transmission from the first modem unit to the second modem unit while passing the modulated magnetic field from the first modem unit to the second modem unit.

18. The method for communicating data through a RF shield according to claim 17, further including:

shielding radio frequency a radio frequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from at least the first modem unit.

19. The method for communicating data through a RF shield according to claim 17, further including:

with the second modem unit;

receiving second data,

generating a magnetic field modulated with the second data,

transmitting the modulated magnetic field through the RF shield;

with the first modem unit;

receiving the modulated magnetic field,

demodulating the second data from the received magnetic field to recover the second data, and

outputting the recovered second data.