Patent · US Active

Balanced mixer for MRI system with a hub, intermediate frequency, oscillator, and pre-amp circuitry coupled together

US9013187B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
16References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 16, 2011
Grant dateApr 21, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 14, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/4902
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus includes an RF coil, a preamplifier module, and a hub coupled to the preamplifier module via a transmission line. The preamplifier module includes an amplifier configured to amplify a magnitude of a first signal from the RF coil, the first signal having a first frequency and a diode array coupled to the amplifier. The MRI apparatus also includes an intermediate frequency (IF) circuit coupled to the transmission line and an oscillator circuit coupled to the hub and configured to supply an oscillating signal to the diode array via the transmission line to cause the diode array to mix the oscillating signal with the first signal to generate an IF signal to be received by the IF circuit via the transmission line, wherein the IF signal has a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.