System for communicating with a subject and/or for supervision of the subject during magnetic resonance imaging (mri), camera module, control unit, receiving and sending unit and optical transmission system

Abstract

Disclosed is a system ( 100, 200 ) for communicating with a subject and/or for supervision of a subject during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comprising: a camera device ( 110, 210 ) that is configured to be placed within an interior space ( 194 ) of an MRI device ( 192 ), an optional optical output device ( 120, 220 ) for generating electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range that is configured to be placed within the interior space ( 194 ) of the MRI device ( 192 ), and -an electronic control unit ( 130, 230 ) that is configured to be placed within a distance less than 5 meters or less than 3 meters from the MRI device and/or from the optional optical output device ( 120, 220 ) and/or from the camera device ( 110, 210 ), wherein the optional optical output device ( 120, 220 ) is configured to be arranged within the field of view of a subject who is located within the interior space ( 194 ) and wherein the optional optical output device ( 120, 220 ) is configured to send optical signals (Si 1 , Si 2 ) to the subject, wherein the electronic control unit ( 130, 230 ) is configured to control operation of the camera device ( 110, 210 ) and/or of the optical output device ( 120, 220 ).

1 . System for communicating with a subject and/or for supervision of the subject during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comprising:
 a camera device that is configured to be placed within the gantry of an MRI device, and   an electronic control unit that is configured to be placed within a distance less than 5 meters or less than 3 meters from the MRI device and/or from the camera device,   wherein the electronic control unit is configured to control operation of the optical camera device,   wherein the system further comprises:   a receiving and sending unit, and   an optical connection between the control unit and the receiving and sending unit, and wherein the receiving and sending unit comprises preferably:   an optical sending unit,   an optical receiving unit.   a radio transceiver circuitry that is connected to optical sending unit and to the opticai receiving unit, and   a) at least one interface unit to at least one computing device or b) alternatively at least one computing device,   wherein the system is configured to transmit a video signal generated bv the camera device and control signals from the electronic control unit or from the receiving and sending unit using one single optical fiber of the opticai connection.   
     
     
         2 . System according to  claim 1 , comprising an optical output device for generating electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range that is configured to be placed within the interior space of the MRI device,
 wherein the optical output device is configured to be arranged within the field of view of a subject who is located within the gantry and wherein the optical output device is configured to send optical signals to the subject, and   wherein the electronic control unit, is configured to control operation of the optical output device.   
     
     
         3 . System according to  claim 2 , wherein the camera device and/or and/or the optical output device and/or the control unit are MRI protected and/or compliant for an operation within or close to an MRI device by any one of, any arbitrarily selected plurality of some or all of the following measures:
 at least one current-source driven optoelectronic device of the optical output device or at least one voltage controlled current-source driven optoelectronic device,   metal shielding of at least parts of the control unit and/or optical output device,   image data transmission to and/or from the camera device through at least one optical fiber,   control data transmission to and/or from the optical output device through electrical control lines with additional filter,   control data transmission to and/or from at least one of the camera device or the optical output device through electrical control lines with additional filtering,   electrical filtering on power lines for powering the optical output device and/or the camera device.   
     
     
         4 . System according to  claim 1 , comprising
 an optical connection between the camera device and the control unit, and/or   an electrical conductive connection between the optical output device and/or the camera device on one side and the control unit on the other side,   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the radio transceiver circuitry is configured to perform a frequency shift keying preferably in the radio frequency range. 
     
     
         7 . System according to  claim 1 , comprising an optical splitting unit that comprises at least a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port,
 wherein the first port is configured to be connected or is connected to the or to an optical connection between the control unit and the camera device,   wherein the second port is configured to be connected or is connected to the or to an optical connection between the control unit and and the receiving and sending unit,   wherein the third port is configured to be connected or is connected to the control unit,   wherein the fourth port is configured to be connected or is connected to the control unit, and   wherein the optical splitting unit is configured to forward image or video data from the first port to the second port and/or to the fourth port, to forward control data from the third port to the second port and to forward control data from the second port to the fourth port.   
     
     
         8 . System according to a  claim 1 , comprising a power line between the control unit and the camera device,
 wherein the same power line is used for the optical output device.   
     
     
         9 . System according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit comprises:
 an electrical sending unit, preferably configured to send data by modulating the voltage of the power line,   an electrical receiving unit, preferably configured to receive data by evaluating the current flow through the power line,   a transceiver circuitry connected to the electrical sending unit and to the electrical receiving unit preferably configured to implement a frequency shift keying (FSK) data transmission method or a method comprising FSK,   preferably an optical sending unit,   preferably an optical receiving unit,   and preferably a radio transceiver circuitry connected to the optical sending unit and to the optical receiving unit, preferably configured to implement a FSK data transmission method or a FSK/amplitude shift keying (ASK).   
     
     
         10 . System according to  claim 9 , wherein the control unit comprises a control subunit that is configured to control the camera device and/or the optical output device and/or an illumination unit that is configured to illuminate a scene that is in the field of view of the camera device,
 wherein preferably the control subunit is connected to the electrical sending unit and/or to the electrical receiving unit and/or radio transceiver circuitry and   wherein preferably the control unit comprises a touchscreen.   
     
     
         11 . System according to  claim 10 , wherein the control subunit is connected to the radio transceiver unit, wherein the control sub unit performs forwarding of control data received at the optical receiving unit and to the electrical sending unit. 
     
     
         12 . System according to  claim 2 , wherein the optical output device comprises:
 at least one low pass filter unit or at least two low pass filter units, wherein preferably at least one first low pass filter unit and at least one second low pass filter unit are connected in this order along the direction of the signal flow from the control unit to at least one optoelectronic device that is comprised within the optical output device and   wherein preferably the first low pass filter unit has a higher cutoff frequency than the second low pass filter unit   
     
     
         13 . System according to  claim 12 , wherein the optical output device comprises at least one optoelectronic device that is configured to send the or at least a part of the optical signals to the subject,
 wherein the at least one optical output device comprises at least one current source that is voltage controlled, preferably based on an operational amplifier,   wherein an output node of the at least one current source is connected to the at least one optoelectronic device and wherein an input node of the at least one current source is connected to at least one control signal and/or to an output node of the at least one low pass filter in the case in which only one low pass filter unit is is used or alternatively to an output node of the at least one second low pass filter unit.   
     
     
         14 . System according to  claim 2 , wherein the camera device and the optical output device are integrated into the same housing,
 wherein preferably an illumination unit is integrated into the housing, wherein the illumination unit is configured to illuminate the field of view of the camera device in order to enable taking optical images,   wherein preferably the housing comprises:   an electrical sending unit, preferably configured to send data by changing the load on the power line,   an electrical receiving unit, preferably configured to evaluate changes of power voltage of the power line,   a transceiver circuitry connected to the electrical sending unit and to the electrical receiving unit, preferably configured to implement a frequency shift keying (FSK) data transmission method or a method comprising FSK.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . System according to  claim 2 , wherein the optical output device comprises at least one optoelectronic signaling device that is configured to send the optical signals or at least a part of the optical signals to the subject,
 wherein preferably the optical output device comprises at least three light emitting diodes (R, G, B) that are placed preferably within a space that is smaller than 0.25 square centimeters,   and/or wherein the optical output device comprises at least one optoelectronic illumination device that is configured to illuminate objects or parts of the subject in the field of view of the camera device, preferably with white light or with infrared light.   
     
     
         17 . System according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one optoelectronic signaling device is used for informative purposes of the subject. 
     
     
         18 . Camera module comprising:
 at least one first optoelectronic unit that is configured to output signaling light,   a camera device,   and a second optoelectronic unit that is configured to illuminate parts of a subject in the field of view of the camera device   an electrical sending unit,   an electrical receiving unit,   an optical sending unit,   wherein the camera module, is configured to receive control data via the electrical receiving unit and to control the camera device and/or the optoelectronic units according to the received control data,   wherein the camera is configured to acknowledge control data or to generate control data and send the control data via the electrical sending unit,   and wherein the camera module is configured to send optical signals or optical data generated by the camera device via the optical sending unit.   
     
     
         19 . Control unit comprising:
 a splitting unit,   a display unit,   an input unit,   an electrical sending unit,   an electrical receiving unit,   an optical sending unit,   an optical receiving unit,   a radio transmitter unit that is connected to the optical sending unit and to the optical receiving unit,   wherein the splitting unit comprises at least a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port,   wherein the first port is configured to be connected to an optical connection between the control unit and a camera device,   wherein the second port is configured to be connected to an optical connection between the control unit and a receiving and sending unit,   wherein the third port is connected to the optical sending unit of the control unit, and   wherein the fourth port is connected to the optical receiving unit of the control unit,   wherein the splitting unit is configured to forward optical data from the first port to the second port and/or to the fourth port, to forward control data from the third port to the second port and to forward control data from the second port to the fourth port,   wherein the control unit is configured to forward control data received at the second port to the electrical sending unit and to forward control data received at the electrical receiving unit to the second port,   wherein the control unit is configured to show video data or image data received at the first port on the display unit,   wherein the control unit is configured to send control data that is entered via the input unit via the electrical sending unit.   
     
     
         20 . Sending and receiving unit comprising:
 an optical sending unit,   an optical receiving unit,   a splitting member connected with the optical sending unit, the optical receiving unit und comprising an input/output port.   a radio frequency transceiver circuit that is connected to the optical sending unit,   a video signal or video data receiving unit that is connected to the optical receiving unit,   at least one interface unit, and a forwarding unit that is connected to an output and/or to an input of the transceiver unit and that is connected to an output node of the video signal or video data receiving unit and that is connected to at least one interface unit, wherein the forwarding unit is configured to forward the video signal or the video data to the at least one interface unit and to forward control data that is received using the transceiver unit to the at least one interface unit, and wherein the forwarding unit is preferably configured to forward control data that is received using the interface unit to an input of the transceiver unit,   wherein the sending and receiving unit is configured to receive the video signal or the video data and to send the control data using one single opticai fiber connected to the input/output port.   
     
     
         21 . Transmission system for transmitting video signals and control signals via an optical transmission connection, comprising:
 a first transmitter unit, that comprises an optoelectronic output element that converts an electrical signal into a light signal,   a receiver unit 4 R 2 $ that comprises an optoelectronic input element having a specified electrical bandwidth, wherein the optoelectronic input element receives light and outputs an electrical signal,   an optical transmission connection, arranged between the first transmitter unit and the receiver unit,   a camera module that is connected to the first transmitter unit, an optional second transmitter unit that comprises an optoelectronic output element that converts an electrical signal into a light signal,   an optional optical coupling unit that is coupled between the optional second transmitter unit and at least a segment of the optical transmission connection, and   a radio frequency signal generation unit that generates a radio frequency signal using a control signal or control data and that has an output node which is connected to the first transmitter unit or to the optional second transmitter unit   
     
     
         22 . Usage of the transmission system according to  claim 21  in the vicinity of an MRI device, wherein at least the first transmitter unit and/or the optional second transmitter unit, is/are located within a radius from the MRI device that is less than 10 meters or less than 5 meters. 
     
     
         23 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the radio transceiver circuitry (TR 2 ) is configured to perform an amplitude shift keying, preferably in the radio frequency range.